Brig. Gen. D.L. Johnson, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), NWS Director, congratulates Christine Dietz of the NWS Office of Hydrologic Development for her work in spearheading the 2004 NWS National Capital Area Combined Federal Campaign effort. Thanks to the generosity of hundreds of employees in the National Capital area, the NWS raised more than, who did all the hard work of asking for and collecting donations for charitable organizations across the country. Dietz thanked the Director and added that "kudos should go to the 53 keyworkers, who did all the hard work of asking for and collecting donations." Photo by Rick Leach, NWS Multimedia Group.

Following a recent technology upgrade to conform to industry standards, NWS Pacific Region donated its excess computers to the R. L. Stevenson Middle School in Honolulu for use in the school's library. Preparing to load the computers into the freight elevator outside of Pacific Region Headquarters offices are: Garret Uetake, Outreach Coordinator, Stevenson Middle School; Jeff LaDouce, Director, NWS Pacific Region; Ken Agcaoili, Teacher, Stevenson Middle School; and Jay del Cano, Chief, Systems Integration Branch, NWS Pacific Region.

From left, NOAA Aeronomy Lab (AL) Researcher Holger Voemel; Midland/Odessa, TX, Weather Forecast Office Hydrometeorological Technician Michael Young; and AL Researchers Thomas Thompson and Richard Winkler prepare to release a weather balloon as part of an experiment involving two fully operational WB-57 aircraft and weather balloon high above the hills of west Texas. Read the full story here.

Vivian Maxwell (center) of Ashland, NE, was awarded the Dick Hagemeyer Award for more than 45 years of service as a cooperative observer at a ceremony held in her house on November 23. Vivian started as a volunteer observer on August 1, 1959. Her interest in weather stems from childhood, where she was always watching the sky. "I've always been a cloud person," said Vivian. When she married her husband, the couple stayed with their in-laws, who had weather equipment in their apartment. She became interested in the equipment and eventually became the weather observer in Ashland. Presenting the award to Vivian is Hydrometeorological Technician, Joni Brand (left), and Meteorologist-in-Charge, Steve Schurr (right), from the Omaha/Valley, NE, forecast office. Photo by Terry Landsvork, Operations Program Leader from the Omaha/Valley NWS Office.

Take a look at other NWS news, as submitted for the NOAA Weekly Report.