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Livermore places 31st on the Money Magazine's Best Places to Live Index
John Madden elected to the NFL Hall of Fame
Livermore's Ron Hafner Receives National Weather Service Award
 

Livermore Places 31st in the Money Magazine's Best Places to Live Index

Only one other California city rated higher.

Pleasanton was not within the top 100, most likely due to the rules that only one city per county could be in the top 100.

See the results at Money Magazine

John Madden elected to the NFL Hall of Fame.

On Saturday, February 4, 2006, John Madden was elected into the NFL Hall of Fame.

John Madden was the Raiders coach from 1969 to 1978 with a record of 112-39-7, winning Superbowl XI.  He has been an announcer/analyst for NFL games for about 25 years, currently on Monday Night Football.  His personality and insight have have been an tremendous asset to NFL football.

John Madden can be heard on KCBS radio at 8:15 (also at 9:15 on Mondays and Fridays) each weekday morning for about 5 to 8 minutes discussing almost anything, but mostly sports, with football as the primary topic.  They often get off topic and discuss a variety of topics, including local happenings.  It is a "must listen" for me, as well as many others.  Portions are replayed at 9:15, 3:15, and 5:15.  You can listen on the Internet also.  To my knowledge this is not yet Podcasted, but it should be.

The induction ceremony is August 5, 2006.

He and his wife Virginia live in Pleasanton.

Livermore's Ron Hafner Receives National Weather Service Award

L-R: Ron Hafner, Jeff Kopps, Dave Reynolds, Steve Anderson, Bob Benjamin.

January 22, 2005

Mr. Ron Hafner  of Livermore,  has received a national award for his dedication to observing and reporting weather for over 23 years.  The John Campanius Holm Award was presented by NOAA's National Weather Service officials today.  The event was held at Mr Hafner's residence in Livermore

Dave Reynolds, Meteorologist in Charge (MIC)  for the San Francisco Bay Area Forecast Office located in Monterey, California  made the presentation. Also representing the National Weather Service were , Jeff Kopps, Service Hydrologist of the Monterey Weather Service Forecast Office,  Bob Benjamin, Observation Program Leader, and Steve Anderson, Cooperative Program Assistant of the Monterey Weather Service Forecast Office.

Mr. Reynolds  indicated that the award was one of 26  granted nationally and the only one presented to a California cooperative weather observer for 2004.

We are extremely pleased to recognize Ron as one of the nation's top cooperative weather observers, said  Dave Reynolds.  The Holm Award is one of our most prestigious awards presented each year.  This important cooperative observer program helps create and maintain the nation's historical weather records.

The reports provided by Mr. Hafner help define what weather patterns have occurred in this area of central California.

These types of weather reports are critical to both the NWS forecasting and warning programs, said Dave Reynolds.  Ron's primary responsibility is to observe and report daily maximum/minimum temperatures and 24 hour precipitation totals for the NWS Cooperative Weather Observing Program.

The NWS's Cooperative Weather Observation Program is comprised of more than 11,000 volunteer observers who record temperature and precipitation data daily.  This provides scientists, researchers, and the general public with an invaluable climatological record.   Although the NWS provides and maintains the equipment used in the climatic and hydrologic networks, the volunteer weather observer=s only compensation is their personal pride and satisfaction.

At the end of each month, the volunteer observers mail their records to nearby NWS offices, where data is extracted, and then these records are forwarded to the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) in Asheville, NC.  These data are archived at the NCDC and made available to the public through published summaries such as "Climatological Data" or "Hourly Precipitation Data."

Weather records become more valuable with age.  Long and continuous records provide a more accurate >picture= of a locale's average and extreme weather, and give climatologists and forecasters a basis for predicting future trends.

Ron Hafner's  records benefit not only the National Weather Service but are used extensively and valued highly by other federal, state, and local agencies.  For example, the U.S.

Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Geological Survey, and the Natural Resource Conservation Service use the records to assist in water and irrigation management.

According to Dave Reynolds, Satellites, high-speed computers, mathematical models, and other technological breakthroughs have provided great benefits to the Nation in terms of better weather forecasts and warnings. But, without the century-long accumulation of accurate weather observations taken by volunteer observers such as Ron Hafner, scientists could not begin to adequately understand or model the climate and weather of the United States.

Ron Hafner's proven record of outstanding and dedicated service to the National Weather Service for over 23 years, and a lifetime of distinguished community service, clearly marks him as a leader in this community.  He truly deserves this highest token of our appreciation.

Note that Ron's Precipitation data appears on the eLivermore.com Weather Page.