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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 2, 1998)
Page 6 • Monday, November 2, 1998 The: heBattal Weather service reviews flood warnings Concerns over effectiveness of rainfall predictions prompt reexamination of performance SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Questions over how well the National Weather Service predicted peak flooding during last month’s deadly rains in Central Texas have prompted a formal review of the agency’s performance. Findings are due in January to director John G. Kelly. “We’re asking ourselves hard questions about this event,” John Patton, a weather ser vice hydrologist for 26 years, told the San Anto nio Express-News. The 90-day review, initiated Wednesday, seeks to determine why — despite the use of so phisticated radar, computer models, weather spotters and satellite-linked flow gauges — the agency’s forecasts were off by as much as two days in predicting when peak flooding would hit downstream communities. The floods and storms killed at least 29 peo ple and left hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage. “I didn’t have a chance to move anything. I lost everything,” 78-year-old Seledona Garcia of Vic toria, who was warned to leave immediately just hours after being told that she would have two or three days to evacuate, said. Officials say forecasting about river crests was complicated by heavy rains downstream. "We couldn't keep up with requests for forecasts and emergency officials wanting information." — John Patton Weather service hydrologist record flows that undermined computer mod els, and by staffing shortages caused by flooding around the weather service offices in New Braunfels. “We couldn’t keep up with requests for fore casts and emergency officials wanting informa tion,” Patton, who put in several 20-hour days at the height of the flooding, said. Forecasters’ jobs were complicated further because some U.S. Geological Service river gauges malfunctioned while underwater and could not transmit data. But, officials said, predictions of severe flooding were broadcast early and often, a clear indication that trouble was in store for Cuero, Goliad, Gonzales, Victoria and other communities along the Guadalupe and San Antonio rivers. The Guadalupe River peaked in Cuero late Oct. 19. Until that day, the weather service had forecast it would crest Oct. 21. Luther Boysen, emergency management coor dinator for Cuero, said that the suddenness of the flooding left him little time to post the hundreds of evacuation notices that had been printed. “We were sitting here looking stupid be cause we didn’t get the people evacuated,” he said. “It appeared perhaps we were not monitoring the river and appropriately ad vising them.” Candidates get ready TC for Tuesday elections \\r r{ AUSTIN (AP) — As the final minutes of the 1998 election cam paign ticked BUSH First female football kicker named homecoming queen HOUSTON (AP) — This year’s homecoming queen at Westbury High School credits her on-the-field performance for raising her profile. But it was not cheerleading that caused Cindy Wright’s stock to rise. It was Wright’s success as a place kicker for her school’s varsi ty football team. Last month, Wright became the first female to score in a Hous ton Independent School District game. On Friday, her classmates voted to crown their gridiron hero, homecoming queen. “I think the only reason I was homecoming queen was because I was playing football — but that’s fine with me,” Wright said of Fri day night’s homecoming activities. Since joining the team, Wright has kicked 15 points-after-touch- down for the Rebels. As a result of her on-field ex ploits, Wright said her popularity has soared. At the urging of friends she entered the school’s home coming competition and, to her surprise, won. At games her friends have lob bied for the female kicker, some toting banners such as “Crown the kicker” to the game. She is loving every minute of it. walking onto the field one moment as a focused football player and the next as homecoming queen. It has made for a special senior year. “I get to keep the crown and the flowers,” she said. “But most of all I get to keep all the memories. ” A straight-A senior, Ms. Wright plans to attend a major college such as University of Colorado or Univer sity of Texas next year and major in pre-med. She wants to eventually combine her love for children and in terest in medicine by becoming a pe diatrician or a dentist. She also plans to continue playing soccer in college. Her venture into high-school foot ball began last spring when Westbury soccer coach Matthew Caulkins asked her about kicking a different kind of ball. Football coach George Campbell saw her hit a 40-yard field goal and asked her to join the team. She accepted — despite initial protests from her parents, who worried about possible injuries. “My dad thought I was crazy and my mom thought I was psy cho,” Wright said. But no injuries have occurred — she said the guys on the team are very protective — and her parents have come around, now videotap ing every kick. away Sunday, candidates for state office worked to get voters to the polls on Tues day and tossed final jabs at their opponents. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Garry Mauro spoke to four church congregations in the Houston area, spokesperson John Han nah said. Mauro has scheduled stops in Brownsville and Chorpus Christi, Hannah said. “The message was getting out the vote, which it has been for a while” Hannah said. Gov. George W. Bush’s spokesperson, Mindy Tucker, said Bush’s only public appear ance Sunday was particpating in a breast cancer awareness run in Austin. “He tries not to campaign on Sundays," she said. But Bush had several stops planned for Monday, TUcker said. “He’s been in three cites a day since last Monday in an effort to remind people to vote.” Based on early voting totals, only about 30 percent of the state’s 11.5 million registered voters are expected to cast bal lots, according to the secretary of state. Though opinion polls showei Bush with a significant leadovei Mauro, voters still must show up, TUcker said " No matter what the pollssai it’s important for people to vote, 1 she said. Mauro’s campaign contiiv ued to dismiss the polls day. "Garry Mauro is poisedfoi a major upset,” Hannah said Bush is supported by 70pei- cent of likely voters, compare to 23 percent for Mauro, at cording to a poll by TheDalh Morning News and Homi Chronicle. The rest of the re spondents were undecided “That’s ab solutely ridicu lous,” Hannah said. Those polls historically un der sample His panic voters, who will a factor in the election, he said. But a recent El Paso Times/KM\A-7 dicated that Bush could be come the first Republican bernatorial candidate to earn El Paso County, a heavily His panic area. That survey found Bus! supported by 51 percent of like ly voters in the county, co pared to 37 percent for Mai and 1 percent for Libertariaj Lester TUrlington MAURO ST1LLW/ appen in l A&M co (the sport ropriate or exas snapp raska’s 47 nd No. 3 l Iniversity. lo. 7 Texas Not onl} ityseekinj ime loss it was horn In what ang, stelk elped the vith a deci OSU toi nounted th ght. Start e Cowbo lays, usin; jailed and oal by pD The tear brought the if big plays ronically, tl ourtesy of acker Kern own pass — # — MSC Visuml Arts Committee Ceceiaticfi >villi I I *\ Artists This Wednesday, Ncv. 4th @ 7:3€ n.in. MSC Visual Arts Gallery~2ncl floor MSC C@me 47 Hear What it's AH About! Bring Yer Chum! For more information: vac@msc.tamu.edu ra ALCOA Aluminum Company of America Alcoa will be at Texas A&M on Friday, November 13 th to interview electrical, mechanical, chemical, and computer engineering students for full-time positions at Alcoa plants in the United States. Alcoa employs 76,800 people and is the world’s leading producer of aluminum, serving diverse markets such as automotive, packaging, aerospace, construction and a variety of others with both aluminum and non-aluminum products. If you are interested in getting our pre-select interviewing schedule: 1.) register with the Career Center to interview on-campus, and 2.) request that the Career Center submit your resume to Alcoa. Alcoa will be hosting a reception on Thursday, November 12 th , at 7:00 - 8:15 p.m. at Memorial Student Center, Room 231. All students interested in meeting with Alcoa representatives are welcome. FREE FOOD & Acts Thurs. Nov. 5 8:00-10:30PM ill MSC Rumour’s Deli y#iy-v m | ^ £ Include: • ; OohV Prim**® Lip Svnc Jam wmmm « Ipr ^ w wBP numm x» ml mt PIZZA CAR hY- 0UT Beat the Clock is Back On Monday Nights!! Just call Papa John's between 6 and 8 o'clock. taphomore ackler. Rb The Time You Call is the Price You Pay for 1 Large 1 Topping Pizza. Offer good on Monday only. All prices subject to sale tax. Offer can expire without notice. mrz;yaa • Senio Johnny He College Station 764'7272 Northgate 846-3600 Bryan 268-7272 NGUYEN Coined la « A/if Pssssmth is&itks phse all 8(5-1515 toldmmdpw aggie bucks orth Texe Stewart starterjuni 34-yard toi Chris Tayk College Station Stores only ' OSU’s le secc lowed by t Now on The Battalion’s web page A 24-hour, multimedia news service for the Internet from The Associated Press A comprehensive, up-to-the-minute news report combining the latest AP stories with photos, graphics, sound and videa ■ Headlines and bulletins delivered as soon as news breaks. 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