WFO Portland, ME, Science and Operations Officer Joeseph "Fred" Ronco retired after 38 years of public service with the NWS. Seen here on his last day of employment, Ronco finished his career working a "short-term" forecast shift. He began his career as a Radar Meteorologist at the Atlantic City, NJ, Weather Bureau Airport Station in August 1966. His next assignment was Portland, ME, where he became one of the original members of the forecast staff when the Portland office was upgraded to a Forecast Office in April of 1970. During the 34 years he worked in Portland, Ronco establish many office programs and helped the office move forward throughout the modernization, according to WFO Portland Warning Coordination Meteorologist John Jensenius. During Ronco's time in Portland, he held the positions of General Forecaster, Lead Forecaster, Deputy Meteorologist-In-Charge, and finally Science and Operations Officer. He and his wife Chris plan on remaining in the Portland area after his retirement. Photo by John Jensenius.

Chris Miller, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at WFO Lincoln, IL, and Ron Przybylinski (far right holding hat), Science and Operations Officer at WFO St. Louis, MO, conduct a press conference to announce the rating of F4 on the tornado which destroyed the Parsons Manufacturing plant near Roanoke, IL, on July 13. Photo by NWS Central Region Director Dennis McCarthy.

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