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August 4, 2009
Today’s Program Hurricanes, droughts, etc. Paul Dellegatto
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Paul
Dellegatto is the chief meteorologist for FOX 13. Paul can be
seen weekdays on FOX 13 News at 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6:00 p.m.,
6:30 p.m., 10:00 p.m., 10:30 p.m., and 11:00 p.m. Paul leads a
staff of five meteorologists who have all been certified by the
American Meteorological Society.
As a
native of Natick, Massachusetts, Paul attended one of the most
prestigious meteorology schools in the country, Lyndon State
College in Vermont. He eventually graduated from the University
of Rhode Island with degrees in Meteorology, Geography, and
Marine Affairs.
Paul
began his career in Meteorology preparing weather forecasts for
clients of a private weather company in Ithaca, New York. Later,
he took a similar position outside of Boston with Weather
Services Corporation, one of the nation's top private
forecasting companies, where he helped develop the USA Today’s
familiar color weather page. Some of the clients he provided
meteorological information for included the Boston Red Sox, more
than 50 radio stations across the country and public works
departments across the northeast.
In
1984, he became a Meteorologist for WGME-TV in Portland, Maine.
He then went on to become the Chief Meteorologist at WXII-TV in
Winston Salem, North Carolina, where he stayed for four years.
Paul
has been with WTVT since 1990, and became the chief
meteorologist when legendary meteorologist Roy Leep retired
1997.
Paul
is the longest tenured chief meteorologist in Tampa Bay
television. He has continued WTVT’s legacy of being a weather
pioneer and one of the top television weather departments in the
country. He was the first meteorologist in the country to show
the various spaghetti models that illustrate the complexity of
tracking tropical systems.
FOX
13 continued to be a weather innovator under his leadership by
adding ultra-high resolution satellite pictures utilizing McIDAS
HD. WTVT is the only station in the country that receives
satellite pictures directly from space via its earth tracking
station.
Paul’s weather passion is severe weather and tropical
meteorology, which serves his viewers well.
Paul
spends his free time visiting schools and civic groups talking
about the fascinating science of meteorology. |
What’s Happening
Interclub
Guy Van Middlesworth reported that the July Interclub
meeting with Sunshine City had five of our members attending. The August
Interclub will be August 13 at Pinellas Park. Watch for the signup
sheet, and please attend this is a wonderful opportunity to network with
fellow Kiwanians.
Road Trip
A reminder that The American Stage hosts the August 18th
meeting at their location, 163 Third Street North. Please park at your
normal spot.
Mouse Trap
The Florida District Kiwanis meeting is scheduled in Orlando
August 28 – 30. All members are invited to attend.
Board Meeting
The Board meeting will be tonight at 5:15 p.m. at the
offices of Englander and Fischer.
Program Committee
The next Program committee meeting will be at Bob Byelick’s
home on Tuesday, August 18 at 7:00 p.m.
Thank You Letter
Dick Koch wrote the following letter of appreciation:
Dear General Petraeus:
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the St. Petersburg Kiwanis Club,
please accept our sincerest thanks for your presentation on June 8,
2009. I’m certain that you could tell from the resounding, prolonged
ovation you received when you entered the room that it was going to be
an extraordinary day!
I am pleased to be able to report to you that because of the attention
your appearance focused on our club, donations to our Doorway
Scholarship program have now enabled us to provide scholarships to more
than 125 young people. Many of these students would not have the
opportunity to go to college without the assistance you, and your staff,
provided to the program.
Please extend our appreciation to your staff members who assisted with
this presentation: CPT Eric Prazinko, USA; CPT Erica Borggren, USA; CPT
Janel Voth, USA; Capt. Robert Long, USMC, and SA Erik Dolph, USA, and
his team. There may be others, and, if so, please include them in this
letter of thanks.
It is indeed a remarkable feeling to know that we all have done
something to change the lives of 125 youngsters.
Sincerely,
Dick Koch
Last Week at Kiwanis
Kiwanian of the Day, Cathy Swanson, introduced Colin Bissett,
Executive Director of the Mahaffey Theatre Foundation. Mr. Bissett
informed us that the Foundation is the funding raising arm of the
Theatre, and is the key to the Theatre’s successful operation.
Mr. Bissett, born in London, lived in other areas of England
and discovered acting at an early age. Like many fledging actors, he had
to work other jobs to keep afloat, driving taxis and trucks. Realizing
his talents in the theatre industry were not as an actor, he moved into
the technical side of production. An opportunity presented itself in
Pittsburgh, so he left England.
Most recently, he directed the Largo Cultural Center, a
position he held for five and a half years, prior to landing his
Mahaffey position.
The City of St. Petersburg and SMG, a booking
agency, determine the schedule of shows. The 2009-10 season schedule is
to be announced on September 24. Last season’s performances included
Chicago, Cats, and the Florida Orchestra skillfully playing the music of
Pink Floyd.
Mr. Bissett also oversees the Class Acts Education
Performance Series, an opportunity for students to enjoy live
performances. For sixteen seasons, Class Acts has entertained over
470,000 students and teachers in the bay area.
As a non-profit organization, the Foundation has seven
volunteer board members from the community. This year’s budget for the
Theatre is $450,000 and the money is generated from ticket sales and
private donors. The mission statement is to keep arts alive in St.
Petersburg. Located on Tampa Bay, the newly renovated theatre features
state of the art acoustics and is tastefully decorated.
Mr. Bissett, thank you for reintroducing us to the Mahaffey
Theatre and informing us of the benefit the arts has on our community.
Today’s Quiz
- How hot is
lightning?
- Over 80% of all
tornadoes occur between what hours of the day or night?
- Which location
in the United States has the highest normal annual rainfall?
- If the time
between the lightning bolt and thunder is 10 seconds, how far away
is the storm?
- Where was the
all-time surface wind speed record set?
Last Week’s Quiz
1.
The University of Florida Gators
gained more yards and scored more points than any team in Southeastern
Conference history in 1995.
2.
Cal
Ripken Jr., played at third base for the first time since 1982,
in a July, 1996 game.
3.
According to the Bible, pitch, or natural asphalt was used to
caulk Noah's ark and to seal the basket in which the infant Moses was
set adrift on the Nile.
4.
California
leads the U.S. with 15 tons of solid waste per citizen each year.
5.
The
regional accent that Americans deem sexiest, most liked and most
recognizable is a
Southern accent. |
