Warning Coordination Meteorologist Todd Heitkamp of WFO Sioux Falls, SD, throws out the first pitch at a Minnesota Twins major league baseball game on September 5, 2004. As Todd walked to the pitcher's mound, the stadium public address announcer mentioned the work the NWS has done with Twins player Torri Hunter and the Lightning Safety Awareness Poster, as well as the long standing partnership that exists between the NWS and the Minnesota Twins. "When I got to the mound," Heitkamp said, "I have to admit I was little nervous, but I managed to throw the ball right across the outside corner of the plate for a strike. For me personally, it was a fulfillment of a life-long dream of throwing a pitch in a Major League Stadium. But more than that, I was very proud to be representing the entire National Weather Service and the work we do day in and day out. After the pitch, Torri Hunter came up to me and shook my hand and said, 'I didn't think a weatherman could throw like that!' Of course he was kidding, but also added that he enjoyed working with us this past year and hoped his participation helped spread the news of lightning safety. I told him that it definitely did!" Photo provided by the Minnesota Twins.

Lead Forecaster Pat Bak and Hydrometeorological Technician John Parr (foreground) talk to visitors at the NWS Booth at the 22nd Annual, Springfield, IL, Air Rendezvous. Personnel from the Lincoln, IL, Weather Forecast Office (WFO) staffed a booth at the Air Rendezvous, held at the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield, IL, the weekend of September 11 and 12. The booth was visited by nearly 300 people during the two day event. The booth contained displays about NOAA Weather Radio, an overview of the F4 Roanoke, IL, tornado which struck on July 13 2004, and a listing of the aviation-related services provided by the NWS. WFO Lincoln personnel fielded many questions from the visitors about tornadoes, weather radio, and the latest forecast of Hurricane Ivan. Photo by Ed Holicky, Forecaster, WFO Lincoln.

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