First item on my list for this Newsletter is to wish everybody a Happy New Year and with that let’s make 2017 the most enjoyable year possible. There may be dark clouds on the horizon, according to some, but in my opinion it’s simply rain clouds and most everybody in California should be happy to see it raining this winter. Maybe we can stop talking about the drought and other similar depressing topics.
On the subject of the current weather, we should be enjoying it! This summer I found an amateur weather forecaster who provides weather forecasts for a particular region in the Sierra Nevada range. At the end of September there were discussions about the upcoming winter forecast and most of the subject matter was regarding La Nina or the lack of it, but they thought we might have a normal to wet winter and there was a mention of the possibility of AR events. Well guess what? So far to date we’ve had three of these events. In early December the forecaster referenced that our current winter weather pattern had an uncanny resemblance to the weather pattern of winter 1969. During that winter there was another AR event in late January or early February, so we shall wait and see. Also in December there was a reference to the upcoming solar minimum or a period where the Sun enters into a hibernation mode. Hibernation mode refers to fewer Sunspot activity and previous periods with this activity have produced colder and wetter weather along the West Coast. Whatever happens, it’s nice to see the rain gauge filling up on a regular basis. The only down side is I’m not getting out and playing much if any golf during these wet weekends.
This last weekend I attended a retirement party for Tom Holdrege one of the Chapter’s past President’s. The party was well attended and a good time was had by all. Tom was roasted by his friends, business partners and coworkers, and I’m sure there were stories that didn’t get told. I’m told that they appreciate the fact that cell phones and small video recording devices weren’t invented during their younger days, I agree.
Below is a picture of two past President’s, Eddie Kho, Tom Blackburn and myself with Tom, also a past President, at his retirement party.
I’m pleased to hear that an employee with one of our member firms was selected as one of the only five engineers in the nation to receive the ACEC Young Professional of the Year Award. Elizabeth Avelar with Kjeldsen, Sinnock & Neudeck, Inc. was selected to receive this award. Congratulations to Elizabeth and KSN on this award.
Our next Chapter meeting will be our annual Past President’s dinner meeting on February 15, 2017 at our usual location, Sacramento Hilton and the featured speaker will be meteorologist Shane Motley with HDR. I’m hoping that all past Presidents have this on their calendar to attend.
Following the February Chapter meeting will be the ACEC California 2017 Engineering Excellence Awards which benefits the ACEC California Scholarship Foundation on February 2, 2017. The dinner and Honor Awards will take place at the Parc 55 Hotel in San Francisco. I hope to see everybody in February at the ACEC Meeting with a wonderful event.
Cheers!
