The Daily Tar HeelMonday, February 27, 19895
Hoose committee to -evaluate RDU. weather radar
By JOHN BAKHT
Staff Writer
A U.S. House of Representatives
committee will hold a field hearing
March 3 in Raleigh to examine the
RDU weather radar system a
system that wasn't working when a
tornado that claimed four lives ripped
through Raleigh in November.
The House Science, Space and
Uoiomi
Station
Technology Committee will assess the
RDU radar system's ability to issue
timely warnings, said Edith Wooten,
press representative for Rep. Tim
Valentine, D-N.C.
The system, though inoperative for
eight days at the time of the
November tornado, has been called
into question by scientists who say
it may not have been able to provide
adequate warning even if it had been
working.
The radar's ability to detect a
tornado under circumstances similar
to last year's is very doubtful, said
Robert Muller, RDU's chief meteo
rologist. He said that was because the
tornado touched down in an area
within RDU's "ground clutter" a
ground level area within about a 10
mile radius where signals tend to be
cluttered by buildings and local
business.
Charles Anderson, N.C. State
professor of meteorology, agreed the
RDU system wouldn't have been
sufficient.
"The type of radar we have would
not have seen that (tornado form
ing)," he said.
A tornado should be sighted before
ground clutter becomes a factor, he
said. -
The House committee will also
evaluate the efficiency and effective
ness of the National Weather Service,
which should have picked up the slack
for the inoperative RDU system in
November.
"RDU had no reason to believe
anything was wrong because they had
received no warning from (National
Weather Service headquarters in)
Kansas City," said Anderson, who
will testify at the hearing. "It surprised
everyone. There was no watch issued
and no warning issued."
The tornado claimed four lives and
injured 1 57 others as it tore through
nine North Carolina counties, dam
aging at least $100 million in houses
and businesses.
Next month's hearingVill also look
into what new technology can help
prevent another disaster like the one ,
that hit Raleigh, but Anderson said
he didn't think technology was the
critical issue.
"The problem is not the technol
ogy. The problem is the infrastructure
of the various agencies that work
together to put out a warning," he
said. "Had everyone been on his toes,
they would have known (a tornado
was forming)."
Read all the art news in Omnibus
a success
By JAMES COBLIN
Staff Writer
: The Union Station, a new snack
bar in the Student Union, has proved
a popular addition to Carolina
Dining Services since its Jan. 16
opening, said Bill Dux, Carolina
Dining Services director.
"It has been well-received by
students and the campus in general,"
Dux said.
Patrons of the facility seem pleased
with the hours, production line and
Jocation, Dux said. These factors
.were important in determining suc
cess, he said.
The Union Station is not making
a profit at the moment because initial
purchases are still being made, but
ft definitely will in the future if
'Business continues as it has in the past
six weeks, Dux said.
:-,The Union Station's business
.varies, but averages about 1,600 to
-2,000 customers a day, Dux said.
"-.!.' Wednesday is the busiest day, but
Tuesday and Thursday also bring in
: large crowds, said Gina Fearrington,
'a cashier at the Union Station.
; There have only been minor
-changes in the Union Station since
it opened, Dux said. A new ice
machine needs to be purchased to
handle the volume of purchases. Sales
of baked goods have also been high.
A new oven will be purchased to meet
customer demand, he said,
v "All of these changes are good
because it shows the volume of sales,"
Dux said.
There are some problems with
shoplifting, Fearrington said. People
come in the side doors when the
facility is crowded and leave without
paying. "When there is a big crowd
I can't get up and do anything," she
said. "I have to just watch them walk
out."
There are plans to install turnstiles
to prevent shoplifting, Dux said.
Losses from shoplifting seem to be
no greater than those of other stores
on campus, he said.
Union Station is doing well now,
but Dux said he is concerned about
business when the campus slows
down at times like summer sessions.
Competition from similar facilities
around campus, like the Pit Stop, and
volume of customers will determine
whether the Union Station stays open
dunng these times, he said.
"It would be nice to have a place
open where students can still use their
meal cards," Dux said.
Union Station employs more stu
dents than any other Carolina Dining
Services operation on campus except
for the catering division.
' The store also brings more people
into the Student Union, said Archie
Copeland, Student Union director.
Soviets fromPa81
Bondarenko said she never had
'doubts about the treatment the group
would receive from Americans, and
said she learned all about the country
as a girl by reading American authors,
especially Mark Twain.
? : The structures of UNC and Rostov
State differ greatly because: most
Soviet universities are located within
the cities, and each department is in
a different district of the city, she said.
Most of the Soviet students speak
broken English, but for those few who
; do not speak the language, there are
many UNC graduate students who
;can translate, said Marjorie Qualey,
chairwoman of the incoming commit
; tee of the exchange program.
; "(The language barrier) is a small
' problem, but not an impossible
obstacle," she said.
; International studies professor
; Richard Ulin, the program faculty
adviser, said the Soviet visit will not
; involve academic activity, but the
formal and informal intellectual
; exchange between students and hosts
will be intense.
Similar exchanges of students may
eventually occur annually, and a
sister university relationship between
UNC and Rostov State is a goal for
the future, he said.
"This is one small way in which
.we at the University and the town
of Chapel Hill can make our con
tribution to bringing about a better
world," Ulin said.
'. Chapel Hill Mayor Jonathan
Howes addressed the group of Soviets
and said the town of Chapel Hill
would also strive to establish Chapel
Hill and Rostov-on-Don as sister
cities.
"We see your visit here as a step
to securing that bond between our
two communities," he said.
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