Sonic Booms -Fireballs Rock Southeast Texas

CNN) -- Sonic booms and at least one fireball in the sky were reported in Texas on Sunday, less than a week after two satellites collided in space and a day after the Federal Aviation Administration asked U.S. pilots to watch for "falling space debris," authorities said.

There were no reports of ground strikes or interference with aircraft in flight, FAA spokesman Roland Herwig said.

Herwig told CNN the FAA received no reports from pilots in the air of any sightings but the agency recieved "numerous" calls from people on the ground from Dallas, Texas, south to Austin, Texas.

Video shot by a photographer from News 8 TV in Austin showed what appeared to be a meteor-like white fireball blazing across a clear blue sky Sunday morning. The photographer caught the incident while covering a marathon in Austin.

On Saturday, the FAA told pilots through its routine notification system that "a potential hazard may occur due to re-entry of satellite debris into the earth's atmosphere." The notice did not specify a time or location. Video Watch video of meteor-like fireball »

Herwig said most of the reports the FAA received came in about midday Sunday in an area of Texas from Dallas south to Austin.

He said he was not certain where the information that sparked the FAA notification came from, but it was "probably from NORAD," or the North American Aerospace Defense Command, which tracks man-made objects in space. Calls to NORAD headquarters in Colorado were not immediately returned.

Lisa Block, spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Public Safety, said her agency had received calls from residents surprised by sonic booms about 11 a.m. She said calls came from an area from Dallas to Houston.
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Last week, the Russian and U.S. space agencies said two satellites, one Russian and one American, collided about 496 miles (800 kilometers) above Siberia, Russia.

The collision on Tuesday produced two large debris clouds, NASA said. The satellites collided at 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) per second, producing 500 to 600 pieces of space debris, the U.S. Strategic Command said.

Felichak one of Tomball’s top swimmers

By TODD HVEEM CHRONICLE CORRESPONDENT
Feb. 9, 2009, 5:26PM


The Tomball Cougars and Lady Cougars probably won’t be major players when it comes to deciding the Region IV swim championships.
But Tomball coach Lee Wright knows he has plenty of chances to send some swimmers to the Class 5A state meet in Austin in a couple weeks.

“We have seventeen kids going to regionals (on Friday and Saturday at Conroe ISD Natatorium),” Wright said. “We have sixteen swimmers and one diver (Amanda Leach).
“It is easily going to be the toughest meet we have been to this year. You have The Woodlands, Klein and the Cy-Fair schools. But we have some kids who have a chance to move on to the next level.”
Friday’s preliminaries will start at 9:30 a.m. and the finals will start at 10 a.m. Saturday.

The winner of each event and the next eight fastest times from around the state will advance to the Class 5A state meet on Feb. 27-28 in Austin.
This year, all eight of the fastest times could come from one region. In years past, only four of the eight fastest times could come from one region.

“We have a sophomore girl (Mikayla Felichak) who won the 200 freestyle (1:57.69) and 500 freestyle (5:10.35) at district,” Wright said. “She missed state last year by less than .02 of a second, yet she was an All-American. This year, she is going to have to go even faster. She is going to have to really step up, but she is driven.
“Matthew Duhon has a good shot in the 100 butterfly. He is a really hard worker and really committed to swimming. He is going to swim at Delta State after he graduates (from high school).”
Tomball also qualified all six relay teams to the regional meet.

“All but one of our relays earned the silver medal (behind Klein) at district,” Wright said. “We have never done that before.
“The girls got second (in district behind Klein). We had never done that before. Our boys were third overall. I was pleased with most of them. We are really young. We had a lot of freshmen step up and play key roles on relays. That is always good.”

Wright said he is excited about this weekend’s meet.
“All the coaches are calling it super regionals,” he said. “The Woodlands, Klein and Cy-Fair are extremely fast. The schools in Round Rock and Cedar Park are extremely fast. It is going to be something to see. Hopefully, we will get some kids in the finals and go from there.”

Wright said if the Cougars can qualify for the finals on Saturday, they have a great shot to get to state.
“In this region, if you can make the finals, you can make it to state,” Wright said. “We just need to focus on getting to the finals on Friday and then hope to keep swimming a couple more weeks.”
Wright is in his 11th year as the team’s head coach. He was an assistant coach at Tomball for three years before taking over the position in 1998.

“We used to practice at the YMCA and then we practiced with the Fleet club team,” Wright said. “Our pool opened in November of 2003. I can boldly say it is one of the fastest pools in the Houston area. It is a fantastic facility. We are lucky to have it. It is great for training and competition.”

Cy-Fair Teacher name Educator of the Month by NHCRWA

Teacher name Educator of the Month by NHCRWA

The North Harris County Regional Water Authority (NHCRWA) named Alisha Cunningham, sixth grade secondary science curriculum specialist, its Educator of the Month� on Feb. 2.
Cunningham was honored for her facilitation of the Mobile Teaching Lab water trailer program, which has visited every CFISD sixth-grade science class.

The trailer, which is provided by the NHCRWA, includes a 3-D interactive mural on ground and surface water, as well as several interactive water conservation activities inside. In addition to the trailer, the Water Authority provides a novel titled "Journey to Pansophigus" to each of the 7,000-plus sixth-grade students in the district. The novel focuses on water conservation and ecology.

Livestock Show & Sale earnings, winners announced

Cypress-Fairbanks ISD raised almost $500,000 during the CFISD Livestock Show and Sale, held Jan. 29-31 at the CFISD Exhibit Center.

Amid hurricane recovery and a recent economic downturn, the community displayed an overwhelming amount of generosity in the live auction, freezer sale and additional monetary contributions to students.

The Premium Sale (live auction) raised $291,350, while the Freezer Sale (animals not placing high enough for the live auction) garnered $126,597. CFISD has received an additional $78,483.25 in contributions to students—and are continuing to accept donations through Friday, Feb. 6. The total currently stands at $496,430.25.

“It’s a tribute to the fact that the community is doing everything they can to support the school district and the students in a time that is difficult for many people,” said Denise Kubecka, secondary technology applications and business coordinator.

Originally posted on: cyfairmagazine.com

Katy ISD could receive $16 million in federal stimulus money

Katy ISD may receive an additional $16.2 million in funding over a two-year period as a part of the $825 billion plan to stimulate the national economy, according to Strategic Partnerships, Inc., (SPI) an Austin-based research and procurement consulting firm.

According to a story by Chronicle reporter Ericka Mellon:

The measure pushed by House Democrats and President Barack Obama includes more than $120 billion for K-12 and higher education -- for building repairs, technology upgrades, financial aid, plus programs to help special education and at-risk students.

Several local school districts are in line to receive funds if the bill passes. For example, the seventh-largest district in the nation, Houston ISD, could see $298.3 million; Aldine ISD ($56.4 million); Cypress-Fairbanks ISD ($36.2 million); Pasadena ISD ($43.3 million); Alief ($48.2 million) and Fort Bend ($26.3 million).

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