WICHITA FALLS MAN
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08-24-2024 - From my Allred Unit consultant - The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is the "law enforcement" arm of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Officers are certified Texas peace officers. They are exempt from searches of their person and packages as they enter and leave the unit. After all, they regularly deal with various items of contraband, including weapons and drugs. However, the head of OIG said OIG officers will submit to metal detector and pat-down searches when other employees are subject to search. This was to show that they were "members of the team", or something like that. The only quirk was that they could bring in one briefcase that could not be searched. Kind of like a diplomatic pouch. So, what was the point of going through the metal detector and pat-down search? By the way, my consultant advises that this was policy while he was at Allred and might not be the current policy.
08-24-2024 - I've made many stops at the Dutchman's Hidden Valley store on U.S. 281 on the north side of Hamilton, Texas. I just learned that the Dutchman, Ronny Dee Wenzel, died on the first of this month. He was 86. He had an interesting life, according to his obituary. I first stopped at the store in 1974 on the way to Fort Hood. Ronny purchased it in 1985, adding "Dutchman" to the name. I might be on U.S. 281 soon, and I'll be sure to stop by for a sandwich.
08-24-2024 - FEMA National Current Ops / Monitoring – August 23-24, 2024
New Significant Incidents / Ongoing Ops:
• Tropical Storm Hone – Hawaii
Hazard Monitoring:
• Fire Weather – Central Great Basin and Northern Plains
• Tropical Activity:
Eastern Pacific:
• Hurricane Gilma (CAT 2)
• Disturbance 1: High (90%)
Central Pacific:
• Tropical Storm Hone
Disaster Declaration Activity:
• Approval: Major Disaster Declaration – MT
Event Monitoring:
• No significant events
08-24-2024 - I've got Morse code going on the 40-meter Amateur (ham) Radio band as I enjoy my second cup of coffee. The Allred Unit is active on 153.815 MHz, and I hear the Wichita Falls edition of the North Texas State Hospital on 154.800 MHz. Tune in to those two and more with your scanner radio.
08-24-2024 - NWS Forecast - Today: Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny and hot, with a high near 106. Heat index values as high as 112. South southwest wind 10 to 13 mph. Tonight: Clear, with a low around 79. South southeast wind 9 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
08-24-2024 - 5:53 AM - According to Water Data for Texas, Wichita Falls reservoirs are: Arrowhead: 69.2 Kemp: 100.0% Kickapoo 72.5%. The City of Wichita Falls uses the combined levels of Arrowhead and Kickapoo to determine drought stage.
08-24-2024 - 5:53 AM - NOAA SPACE WEATHER - Last 24 Hours - Radio Blackouts (Minor) Solar Radiation Storms (None) Geomagnetic Storms (None) Current - Solar Wind Speed: 381 km/sec Solar Wind Magnetic Fields: Bt 6 nT, Bz -4 nT Noon 10.7cm Radio Flux: 242 sfu.
08-24-2024 - 5:53 AM - ERCOT (Texas) snapshot of grid conditions - ERCOT reports that conditions are normal and there is enough power for current demand with an operating reserve of 10,515 Megawatts.
08-24-2024 - Good Morning! At 5:50 AM, Wichita Falls area Amateur (ham) Radio Operators are on the air, preparing to provide communications support for the annual Hotter'N Hell Hundred bike ride. NWS says 105 degrees today. Yesterday was 110! Tune in to 146.940, 147.140, and 444.000 MHz with your scanner radio. Me? I'll be riding my under-desk bike exerciser while enjoying my coffee!
08-23-2024 - From my WFPD consultant - It was the early 1980s at the old Gibson's Discount Center at 12th and Ohio in downtown Wichita Falls. Money was missing, on a semi-regular basis, from the coffee payment jar in the break room. Management had a female suspect in mind. Store security, and an off-duty but in-uniform WFPD officer, was briefed. The officer located a hole in one of the product shelf units where he could see into the break room. Before long, he saw the suspect enter the break room. Looking through the hole, he saw the suspect go straight to the can, take out the coins, and put them into her bra. He met her as she exited the break room and gave her the bad news. It wasn't the Brinks robbery, but she lost her job and had to visit the jailhouse for a few hours. The officer said he saw her at the mall years later and they had a laugh about it.
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08-23-2024 - From the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission - Recalls - Head Rush Technologies Recalls TRUBLUE Speed Auto Belay Devices Due to Fall Hazard. Shawshank LEDz Recalls Squeeze Plush Ball Monsters Toys and Easter Squeezable Toys Due to Injury Hazard; Sold Exclusively at Ace Hardware. Siemens Industry Recalls SolarReady™ Meter Combos Due to Fire Hazard.
08-23-2024 - A few years ago, I passed through Ringling, Oklahoma, on the way to Ardmore for an Amateur (ham) Radio hamfest. In Ringling was a small eatery named Mean Bean, Nice Rice. It closed before my next trip through town, and I never got a chance to dine there. Cool name, though! I noticed a listing for one in Lawton, Oklahoma, but it's also closed.
08-23-2024 - I made contact with W4JSH at Beaman Park State Natural Area (US-6235) in Tennessee on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program.
08-23-2024 - I made contact with KY4DF at Dunbar Cave State Park (US-2943) in Tennessee on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program.
08-23-2024 - FEMA National Current Ops / Monitoring – August 22-23, 2024
New Significant Incidents / Ongoing Ops:
• Tropical Storm Hone – Hawaii
Hazard Monitoring:
• Fire Weather – Central Great Basin and Northern Intermountain
• Tropical Activity:
Eastern Pacific:
• Hurricane Gilma (CAT 3)
• Disturbance 1: High (90%)
Central Pacific:
• Tropical Storm Hone
Disaster Declaration Activity:
• Nine Amendments Issued
• FMAG Approval: House Draw Fire – WY
• Request: Major Disaster Declaration – VT
Event Monitoring:
• No significant events
08-23-2024 - NWS Forecast - Today: Sunny and hot, with a high near 109. Heat index values as high as 115. South wind around 10 mph. Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 79. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.
08-23-2024 - 7:22 AM - According to Water Data for Texas, Wichita Falls water supply reservoirs are: Arrowhead: 69.3 Kemp: 100.0% Kickapoo 72.7%. The City of Wichita Falls uses the combined levels of Arrowhead and Kickapoo to determine drought stage.
08-23-2024 - 6:55 AM - NOAA SPACE WEATHER - Last 24 Hours - Radio Blackouts (Minor) Solar Radiation Storms (None) Geomagnetic Storms (None) Current - Solar Wind Speed: 308 km/sec Solar Wind Magnetic Fields: Bt 10 nT, Bz -2 nT Noon 10.7cm Radio Flux: 231 sfu.
08-23-2024 - 6:55 AM - ERCOT (Texas) snapshot of grid conditions - ERCOT reports that conditions are normal and there is enough power for current demand with an operating reserve of 9,473 Megawatts.
08-23-2024 - Good Morning. We toured the new Legacy High School yesterday evening. It was huge and awesome! I hope the wife and I didn't catch a bug from the huge crowd. Time will tell. This event caused me to have a flashback of Lackland Elementary School at Lackland AFB, which I attended over 60 years ago. The school had a principal and a superintendent. As far as I know, there was no high school in those days. One of those guys wasn't doing much. I'm not sure which. Maybe they took turns not doing much.