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11/10/09
Happy Tuesday and 66 degrees! I know you skiers are probably disappointed ( and I do love to ski) but let us enjoy these warmer temps! Especially after the rainy, damp, summer we had. Many people have been taking the time to rake piles and piles of leaves. We really can't complain considering our sister station in Pensacola Florida are just now dealing with a Tropical Storm. Thankfully Ida lost power when she hit land so people don't have to worry to much about their businesses and homes.
Living in Pensacola for several years and reporting on several tropical storm/hurricanes, it's scary for a northerner who's never been a part of it. I thought nor'easters were bad! It does make for exciting news though. This morning we had a live phone interview with my former colleague Dan Thomas with WEAR, he said the weather wasn't as bad as people had anticipated - and the good news - it was a reason to have a Hurricane party. Our warmer than normal temps won't last long here in Maine, so get out and enjoy! I'm thinking a picnic at Portland Head Light.
And a Happy Birthday to my fiance Eric! My half birthday is on Thursday!
11/06/09
Chocolate and giggles is our typical topic on daybreak during commercials on daybreak. The Halloween season has been the best and worst for Sarah and I. We have been enjoying all of the left over chocolate going around the newsroom. Our wonderful Chief Engineer Craig Clark usually brings us a little treat now and then and we fight over who gets more! When you wake up at 3 a.m. everyday during the week, by the time Friday's come you're so tired you need a candy fix! Although it's tough to wake up that early, we do have a blast in the mornings, except for Mondays. We were just thinking of ways to make Monday mornings a little more vibrant and alive so we'll be much more awake! We have a few tricks up our sleeves - so tune in and let us know if you can tell!! Sarah says 60's this weekend, get out enjoy because you know it may be our last one until March!!!
11/04/09
Good Morning Everyone - It's been a crazy 24 hours for us here in the newsroom. Election day coverage is always exciting but exhausting. We had a handful of reporters out covering the different questions,and producers taking calls and updating our website and facebook pages. Some of our crew came in yesterday at 9 a.m. and didn't leave until 2 am! Voter turnout was extremely high for an off election year which is always a wonderful thing to see.
The "No On One" Campaign conceded around 11:00 a.m. Wednesday morning and said their fight is far from over. Question one received national attention after the Governor signed the bill into law this past May. Maine would have been the sixth state in the country to allow same sex marriage. It's always interesting to work in the media during these election times. I have a feeling we will be covering this issue for a long time.
11/02/09
Good Morning Everyone and Happy November -
Last week was so hectic around here and it looks like this week will be the same. Election time is always an exciting and very busy time in the newsroom. There are some very controversial questions on the ballot and we look forward to the outcome. Aside from election coverage all of the reporters have been working on special projects that will be airing all month. All this week is Chef week on daybreak. I interviewed five top chefs from the Portland area who have all received national attention for the expertise. We wanted to showcase their talents as well as bring you a delicious and affordable meal to try at home. Stay tuned both on daybreak and on our website for the recipe.
Don't forget to get out and vote tomorrow!
10/26/09
Happy Monday Everyone!
My Mondays are either painfully slow or crazy busy. Today was a busy one. I think I was still enjoying yesterday's amazing weather! I wish everyday could be like that. I'm savoring every second of it because that fluffy white stuff can hit at any moment!
The next week or so is going to be a busy one! We are preparing for the November 3rd elections as well as some really interesting and fun special reports from all of the reporters and anchors. This week I'm finishing up my "Chef Week" series. I interviewed five top chefs in Portland who have been nationally recognized for their tasty talent. We will be featuring a new "rich" in flavor recipe each day - all that is affordable and family friendly. This was by far one of my favorite special segments to be a part of ... but that's probably because I LOVE food. They say people lose weight in the summer and gain in the winter ... I think I'm just the opposite - anyone else with me?
Harold is our asst. chief engineer comes in around 8:30 every morning and often times brings in donuts for the early morning crews. I love it - but hate it - it's going to be nearly impossible to go wedding dress shopping!! Everyone who works the morning shift will tell you that by the time 9:00 am rolls around you've been up for six hours and are craving a steak dinner! We eat lunch/dinner for breakfast often. Our producer Candy and I count down the minutes until we can both enjoy a three cheese ziti lean cuisine!
10/21/09
Good Wednesday to everyone!
Today on daybreak we kicked off our weather kid Wednesday series. We had nine year old Tucker from Central Elementary School from South Berwick. It was such a fun experience for us to have him on the show. I think this is a great way for Sarah to teach kids hands on how the weather works! If you have a student in mind that you would like to nominate for the segment you can find more info on the weather kid Wednesday part of our website. Thank you Tucker for joining us we had a great time! Also check out our facebook page to comment on how Tucker did! He and Sarah say it's suppose to be in the high fifties today - enjoy the warmer temps because chilly rainy weather is on its way.
Don't forget our Children's Miracle Network Telethon is tomorrow. I will be at The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital all tomorrow morning - this is a great opportunity to give back if you can!
10/20/09
Hey everyone - you know those days that seem to never end? And then those days, like Fridays where things are going great and you sometimes find yourself laughing or smiling at everything around you? Well, today was one of those days for Sarah, Jeff and I. Tuesdays are usually a tough one - still coming off the weekend, getting back into the early morning wake-up routine. Often times when I'm out and about people will ask me what Jeff and Sarah are really like in "real life". It's nice to say - "how they are on television is exactly how they are in person". Although we come in at 4:00 am sometimes half asleep, today like Thursdays and Fridays we were awake and having blast. I feel so blessed to work with such happy and friendly people every morning. Not to mention everyone in production who greet us with warm smiles. Today Jeff was singing Bon Jovi songs during the commercial breaks (we had a story on daybreak about his charity) and you can always count on Sarah for some witty jokes. Start to follow our facebook page in the mornings - I'm trying to let our viewers in on what's going on behind the scenes. Have any news questions you've always wanted to ask? Send them our way!
Until next time ...
10/19/09
Good Monday Morning!
How was everyone's weekend?! How about those snow flakes last night?! I think I would much rather see pretty snow flakes out my window than rain all day. It was a good Sunday - homemade chili ( not bad for a horrible cook!) Patriots blowout and some snow! I'm slowly getting into winter mode - bringing out warmer clothes and dusting off my skis! Sarah Long says we have a bit of a warm up this week so don't get to excited :)
So this week we have the Children's Miracle Network Telethon at the Barbara Bush Children's hospital. This is my first time doing it, and I'm really excited to be part of such an amazing cause. I was able to tour the hospital and while it's sad to see kids suffering, it's so comforting to know the technology, medicine and care these families are receiving. Stay tuned Thursday morning and help out if you can!
On a personal note - my fiance and I (still feels surreal to say "fiance"or write it) checked out our first reception venue! When does the food tasting start?! haha!
Enjoy your Monday!
10/15/09
Everyday on daybreak we always have lively discussions both on air and during commercial breaks. Sometimes we agree and sometimes we don't. But today was one of those days where everyone was on the same page when it came to the headline "Barbie has cankles"! This is coming from a well known shoe designer named Christian Louboutin. According to an article online he says he's "giving Barbie a makeover" in honor of her 50th anniversary. As if Barbie isn't skinny enough - and giving girls an unrealistic sense of body image?
Another talker this morning was the proposal to give contraceptives to students at Noble High School. This could include birth control and the morning after pill without parental consent. The school board could vote on it as early as today. There are a lot of differing opinions on this topic as well. Check out our latest conversation on our facebook page - WGME CBS 13. While you're there you can "befriend" me!
Bundle up - and enjoy your day!
10/12/09
Happy Monday Everyone,
If you got to watch daybreak this morning you would see that I was engaged on Friday and the entire news staff was in on it! My news director sent me on a "fake" news story in downtown Portland and when I got there, my boyfriend Eric (now fiance) was waiting there with the ring! Our photographer Brian Bechard was also in on it and got the whole thing on tape. I was VERY surprised and obviously said yes!
Eric and I have been dating for three years. We met in Michigan where I landed my first job as a reporter. He's been patient as I've pursued my dream to get back to New England - and now that I'm here - he decided it was time to pop the question. We are very excited to start the planning process. I have no idea where to begin so if you have ANY suggestions, especially on a venue, send them my way! You can find the proposal on the daybreak part of our website.
10/06/09
Hi Everyone,
As many of you have heard we reported that one of eight soldiers killed in the deadliest attacks on Afghanistan in more than a year was from Maine. Army Sergeant Joshua Kirk of South Portland was killed in the attack on outposts in the Nuristan Province. It's always so heartbreaking to report such news. The past few mornings on daybreak we've been chatting about what President Obama will decide to do. Will he send more troops to Afghanistan? How will it help? Is there an end in sight? We will certainly be talking more about this as we learn more about Sgt. Kirk. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family.
On a happier note ... Sarah says rain is likely on Wednesday, but that means a clear, cool and sunny weekend. I hope many of you can enjoy this long weekend outdoors and appreciating the foliage. One of my favorite times of year! I did go apple and pumpkin picking and baked my first apple crisp last night. I burnt my arm and it came out a little dry but all in all not bad. Send some pointers and/or recipes my way and I will try them out for Jeff and Sarah on daybreak!
09/30/09
Hi Everyone!
Those faithful watchers on daybreak would have noticed that I've been out for a few days this week. No, not on vacation but rather a little under the weather. My wisdom teeth are acting up and it has been hard to talk ... one of my favorite things to do. I will be back at it tomorrow morning bright and early.
The newsroom has been crazy but fun lately. All of the reporters, anchors, producers, management and promotion teams have been working on some really interesting, fun, investigative stories to air in the coming weeks. On top of our day to day duties we always have something new and exciting in the works. I'll be excited to talk more about it in the weeks to come.
Is everyone loving this fall like weather? The leaves are already starting to change, pumpkins are everywhere, apple cider is on the shelves ... I love it! This weekend I will be apple picking and then baking something ... so I will let you know how it turns out! (I've become quite the chef over the past few months).
Go Sox and Pats!
09/22/09
Happy Fall Everyone!
Thank goodness mother nature is keeping her temps feeling like summer, seeing as our summer felt like a rainy damp spring! It was a beautiful weekend so hopefully you all had a chance to be outside. I had girlfriends I went to high school with visiting me and we chartered a sailboat here in Portland. Again, what an amazing place we live. Every time I have visitors they are always so impressed with Maine.
So today, we chatted with Ken and Mike over at WGAN about President Obama's appearances on t.v. Did you all get to see him on Letterman last night? That's the one downfall of daybreak ... have to go to bed early and miss the good shows! If I record it, our newscast will give it away! So what do you think? Is Obama on t.v. to much? It's always interesting to hear others take on issues making headlines.
Anyways ... Talking Autumn! It is my favorite season! I haven't been in New England for a fall in four years so I'm sooooo psyched to be back. Anyone with good apple, blueberry crisp or pie recipes send them my way. I'm trying out cooking this year ... so far so good!
Have a great Tuesday!
09/14/09
Hello everyone and happy Monday! A pretty nice day to start our week, wouldn't you say?! Saturday was kind of a movie day, and Sunday was an outdoor day. I went to peaks Island for the first time and enjoyed an amazing bike ride around the island. I can't get over how many pretty spots Maine has to offer. I feel like every time I go to do something new it's better than the last trip. I had a friend from Florida visit this weekend who feel in love with Maine. It's so enjoyable to show off where you live and have people love it!
So who's excited for tonight! Patriots season opener, woohooo! I can't believe it's already football season. It's to bad that our summer was cut short by so much rain, but autumn is my favorite season so I'm pretty excited about it.
Top Story this morning ... The CDC confirmed another case of EEE in a horse owned by a person in Gorham. As I'm blogging the information is just coming into the newsroom, so you can always go to our website, wgme.com for the latest on any developing story.
Have a good day everyone! Enjoy the sun, frost is on its way!
09/09/09
Hello everyone,
Hope everybody had a great labor day weekend! It was sooo very pleasant outside ... hope you enjoyed it because rain is on its way. Sarah Long has been reporting a damp Friday and Saturday so make your outdoor plans for Sunday. I'm so disappointed ... my friend is visiting from Florida and I've been trying to get her to move up here and wanted so badly for a sunny weekend to show her all Maine has to offer!
So it has been a pretty controversial week in the news with President Obama addressing students on education. Tonight he will address the nation on health care reform. What are your thoughts on both issues? Anytime you have an opinion on the hot topic of the day or week send me emails. O.k. well it's Wednesday everyone ... we're almost there! Enjoy
09/04/09
Thank you to everyone who helped in our first annual stuff the bus school supply drive. It was late planning on our part but we saw a need and jumped on the train to help. We are excited to report that we've helped nearly 300 kids in just two weeks. A BIG THANKS to O'Connor, EMS Portland Store, The Department of Health and Human Services, Schooldude.com, and the American Legion Stewart P. Morrill Auxillery Unit 35 in South Portland. We are already working on next year and having exciting stuff in the works.
Enjoy your holiday weekend, have fun, drive safe! I have a college bbq reunion that I'm looking forward to! All of my friends are all grown up with families now, crazy how quickly time goes by.
09/03/09
Hello everyone and A Welcome back to school to all of those students who already started. What a nice week you get to enjoy! Finally we have warmer weather ... hopefully everyone is able to be outside a bit this holiday weekend.
We have one more day to complete our stuff the bus school supply drive. We have already collected so many wonderful and generous donations from people in our community but there are still many more kids in need here in Maine. You can come by and drop off anything that's on our list, just go to wgme.com and click on stuff the bus! Tomorrow on news 13 we are having a big finale to tell you how many kids we touched. Thanks for everyone's support! Enjoy the sunshine
08/28/09
Happy Friday Everyone!
It feels like fall is already here?! At least the sun is out ... according to Sarah Long it does not look like it's going to be the nicest weekend. Tropical Storm Danny is on his way up Maine's coast so make sure to bring all of your lawn furniture in so it doesn't blow away! I can't believe this has been the wettest summer on record. Those poor brides! We have received several emails from frantic brides worried about the rainy forecast. You think mother nature would want to cooperate a little more with us :) No camping for me this weekend. I was so excited to go and now don't think it's such a good idea. I love to camp but haven't had the chance to go in a few years. I lived in Florida for two years and it was way toooo HOT! Oh well, hopefully another weekend will be nice and will work.
Back to school is right around the corner. Don't forget about our Stuff The Bus Campaign. We are asking people to donate school supplies and clothes to our studios through September fourth for those kids in Maine who are less fortunate. I'm really excited about this new charity especially because this year I've found such a need. We all remember the nerves the first day of school brings. Well, stay dry and try to enjoy your weekend!!
08/26/09
The morning crew arrived at work just before 4 a.m today only to find that Senator Ted Kennedy had passed away. As many of you know he battled brain cancer for a year and lived longer than many people usually do after being diagnosed. A sad day, but for me, a time to look back on some major milestones in this country's history.
My assignment today was to take a look back on his visits to Maine. What I found most interesting is that his mother and father Joseph and Rose met at Old Orchard Beach when they were just 6 and 8 years old. So if it wasn't for that fateful day ... the Kennedy dynasty may have never been.
On another more upbeat note ... We are still asking for donations to help our Stuff the Bus campaign. We are asking our communities to help buy school supplies and clothes for our children who are less fortunate. We are getting more people who need help than we are getting supplies so it's important that we really come together and try to help! A little donation goes a long way :) You can check out the list of supplies needed on our homepage. We are very excited about this new campaign and are already looking forward to planning next year. We have a handful of non profits that are looking to team up with us! Thanks for all of your help.
08/19/09
Hello everyone, Happy Wednesday
I'm sorry I've been a bad blogger lately. I think I now have my morning duties down and a routine in place. Jeff is on vacation this entire week .... lucky him! The hottest week of summer and of course he gets it :) We are just about to have a seminar in the newsroom to brush up on our writing skills. It's great that we are fortunate enough to have these opportunities to learn more about the business and grow in our jobs. Also, I am trying to get an exciting new charity campaign starting up next week and can't wait to talk about it! So far we have received great response from the community and businesses willing to support us in our cause. More about it hopefully by Friday!!
08/10/09
Happy Monday Everyone!
Hope you all had a great weekend, we deserved the nice weather! I attended my second BBQ of the summer on Saturday! A bunch of college friends got together which was great. It's crazy how quickly time goes by. It was a gorgeous afternoon so we soaked up the sun. June and July just were sad and dreary months, we are all trying to make up for lost summer fun in August!
So it's been crazy around the newsroom. We are all very excited for President Obama to visit Portsmouth, NH tomorrow to push his health care reform plan. We have a handful of crews going down early in the morning to cover all different sides. Portsmouth police are teaming up with secret service to make sure things don't get out of hand. As many of you have seen some of these health care town hall meetings have become quite rowdy. It's a passionate topic and we expect a huge turnout tomorrow. Jeff is live in Portsmouth early in the morning so we hope to see you then! Enjoy the sun, Sarah says showers tomorrow!
08/05/09
Happy Wednesday everyone! Craig Miller is saying the weekend is going to be gorgeous so keep that in mind for today through Friday to help get you through! I'm particularly tired today as I was in Rumford all day yesterday for the double homicide. As of right now police are still looking for the killer and are asking the community for help. I spoke with the family of Victor Sheldon, one of the victims who was killed and they also believe they know who pulled the trigger. It's a tragic story to cover especially knowing Victor is leaving behind two little boys and one on the way.
On a brighter note, for all of those Sea Dogs fans out there ... they are back in town and the weather looks great. I think I'm going to try and catch tomorrows game after work because the weather is suppose to be perfect. I've only been to one game so far and I had a blast. I'm still hoping to go down to Boston one of these days to catch a Sox game. A day in the city is always a fun trip, especially when you can eat a Fenway frank and watch some of the best baseball all in one place! Yum! I hope everyone is enjoying this sun! Anyone have any suggestions on where some good places are to go camping and kayaking that's not to far away? I'm trying to take advantage of August ... Storm Team Coverage is right around the corner, aaaaaaah! Have a good day!!!
07/30/09
Hey Everyone! Despite some showers here and there it finally feels like summer! Don't you love it?! I came back to New England at the end of fall just in time for winter ... so I am welcoming this warmth. Sarah says it's looking like a good weekend for all of those Beach to Beacon runners, good luck! A few people at the station will be running ... Don't know how you all do it. I like to exercise but am not the best at running. Jeff and I played tennis the other day and after an hour I was feeling the burn! Him more so than me, of course, because he was back and fourth trying to return my great serves (haha)!
On a more serious note today we talked about the 12 year old boy who is in critical condition after being hit by a pick up truck right before he was going to jump off a bridge into the saco river in york county. Scary stuff! It's something kids have been doing for ever it seems like but when it hits close to home like that, it is certainly a wake up call for them and their parents.
Also discussed today was same sex marriage and where that stands as of today. Last night a bunch of people gathered at the new Portland headquarters for Maine Freedom To Marry, supporting the new law. Meanwhile opponents say they have enough signatures to put the issue on the ballot and will turn them in tomorrow. What do you all think will or should happen? Should be an interesting next few months. Either way I think it's good that Mainers on both sides of the issue are passionate about their beliefs and are trying to get their voices heard. The beauty of America!
Jeff is off tomorrow again to spend time with the fam! See you bright and early. Happy Thursday, enjoy the warmer temps!
07/27/09
Hi everyone and thank you so much for welcoming me to daybreak. Today was my official first day waking up at 2:30 a.m. pressing my snooze button only once. Before Kate left she was kind enough to take me through her sleep cycle to help me adjust. With a big smile she told me today that she stayed up until eleven o'clock Sunday night for the first time in a long time. Even though it's an early start to my day I'm very thankful and excited to have the opportunity to begin my daybreak shift. I not only enjoy the show's content but the people as well.
As I begin my exciting new opportunity I thought I would begin my blogging by telling you a little more about me. So here it goes! I was born in Boston and spent my childhood in Winthrop MA until I was twelve. I moved to Hudson NH where I graduated high school. After that I began my college career at George Mason University where I enjoyed living right near our nation's capital. Although I had a great time there, I missed my New England roots. I transferred to Gordon College where I played tennis and began my broadcasting career interning at WMUR the ABC affiliate in Manchester, New Hampshire.
The day after I graduated, I moved to Charleston IL, where I interned at WEIU and learned hands on how to anchor, report, and produce. After a few months I crossed borders and worked as a reporter in Traverse City, MI. What an experience that was! I was a "one person band" which meant I shot all of my video, wrote my stories, and came back to edit them. After two winters of that, my co-worker and good friend took a job in Sunny Pensacola FL at WEAR ABC 3. Florida was amazing! The water was warm and emerald in color, I tried hush puppies and craw fish, I was introuced to the madness of Florida and Alabama football, and got to fly with the Blue Angels in an F/A 18 two-seater jet. (Craziness!!) But most importantly I grew in my career. After spending almost two years there I saw an opening at WGME also owned by Sinclair Broadcasting. My dream was always to come back to New England so when I got the job I was thrilled.
My move here has been a blessing both personally and professionally. My dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer this winter and I was able to spend the last few months with him and my family. Although I was new at the station, everyone was so supportive and kind. My boss and co-workers were more than supportive and immediately became like family. I absolutely love living in Maine and working for a station with such fun, honest, and real people passionate about their jobs. I look forward to working with Sarah and Jeff, meeting new people and exploring more of the many quaint towns all over the state.
So I feel like I just wrote an autobiography but hopefully this will give you a little more insight on who I am. Please email me with any story idea or just to say hi!
07/24/09
Today was my last morning on Daybreak. I tried to hold it together on the set at the end of the show, but as soon as I made eye contact with Sarah.... I started to tear up a bit. I leave the show with mixed emotions. I can't tell you how excited I am to be able to sleep in past 2:30 in the morning, stay up past 7:00 at night, and actually get to spend some time with my husband. That said... I have made the most amazing friends on the early morning shift. The crew here is the best of the best. They were so kind to me when I started reporting on the show back in 2006. When I started anchoring, they welcomed me to the anchor desk with open arms -- the support the Daybreak crew gave me during that transition time was just incredible. The "on the air" crew plus the producers, directors, editors, master control operators, audio crew, camera crew, photographers, and operations techs... they have all become dear friends of mine... thank you. I think what I will miss most is the 3 AM phone conversations with Sarah Long. We talk every morning on the ride to work. She is an incredible person, an incredible friend, and an incredible meteorologist. As I say goodbye to the show.. and goodbye to the blog.. we say hello to Erin Ovalle. She is taking over on Daybreak and the blog - and you will just love her! She is a great addition to the WGME team. Tune in to watch Erin on Monday morning! Goodbye for now....
07/16/09
We made an announcement on Daybreak this morning. We had been saying on the show for a few days that an announcement was coming, and I received a number of emails from viewers asking if I was pregnant! No :-) The announcement does have to do with family though.
As many of you know... as you grow older.. your priorities start to change.. and you start thinking about starting a family. You start thinking about what type of schedule will work best for your future family. My husband's schedule will be changing soon.. I can't stand the thought of never seeing him.. and to be honest.. I am a wimp. and the 2:30 a.m. wake up call is just not as much fun as it used to be. I know I should not complain - I know many of you have jobs that are much more difficult with hours that are much, much worse. My husband, my parents, my sister, and my friends have been the best listeners over the past couple of months... as I have weighed my options.. and they have helped me decide where and what I want to do next. I am so lucky to be surrounded by such an incredible support system.
So a few weeks ago... I went to my boss and told him that I was looking for a change -- and he was kind enough not to throw me out the door :-) WGME is allowing me to work a "normal" schedule for the summer. I'll be reporting Monday through Friday for the 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. newscasts. I don't have to be to work until 9:30 in the morning -- hooray! I will be giving up the anchoring, but I am excited about the change.
My parents always told me this business would be hard at times, the hours would be strange, and I'd have to move all across the country to advance my career. They were right - they always are - but they supported me 100% and provided me with the best education and opportunities so I could fulfill my dream of anchoring in my hometown. I am very lucky.
I have worked on Daybreak for almost three years now and I have made some wonderful friends -- both on the air and behind the scenes -- that I will have for life. I just needed a change... I needed more sleep. That said.. there are some exciting things happening on Daybreak starting next week!!
Erin Ovalle will join the three of us on the anchor desk next week - as a transition period - and it will be a lot of fun. The following week.. she'll be on Daybreak for good. Erin is great and we have become fast friends - she started at WGME in December. You'll love her and I think she'll really love the show. Poor Jeff and Sarah -- they just can't escape the blondes!!!
In other news... tomorrow morning... Sarah and I will be broadcasting live from the Yarmouth Clam Festival. We can't wait. Also - Doug Rafferty and I will be in the Clam Shucking contest at 11:00 on Saturday morning - we'll be next to the library on Main Street so we'd love to have you come visit.
Have a great weekend everyone! Kate.
07/01/09
Another rainy day. It is always nice to receive emails from viewers - and this week it seems everyone is writing in about the rain. Sarah Long returns from vacation tomorrow morning. It is always terrible to have bad weather when you are on vacation, but at least Sarah did not have to be here forecasting the bad weather. I can't wait to see her tomorrow - it will be great to catch up. Poor Craig & Charlie - I don't think they can step outside of the weather office without being asked about the sun. Speaking of Charlie.. my husband and I spent some time with the Lopresti family last week.. which was just terrific. You all know Charlie is the nicest guy around.. well the rest of his family is just as nice.. just a great bunch of people.
On the show this morning... Catherine was live in Biddeford. There was a double murder in downtown yesterday morning. Two brothers were killed. Friends and family have started a memorial vigil there. The suspect in the murders was in court today. He did not enter a plea.. he'll be back in court in the coming weeks to do that. Catherine will have the latest on the case at noon.
06/29/09
My mom always used to sing me a song on rainy days when I was little... rain rain go away come again another day... I don't think Mother Nature has been listening. What a miserable month of weather. I imagine the bad weather will be a hot topic of conversation at our morning meeting today. We have a staff meeting every day at 9:30. We all (reporters, producers, photographers, assignment desk editors, management) meet in the middle of the newsroom and discuss story ideas, what events should be covered that day, what our staffing levels for the day will be, etc. Meteorologist Craig Miller will take center stage at the meeting today... as we all bug him with the same question... when will the sun make a return? Hopefully in time for July 4th.
Are you tired of the Michael Jackson news coverage or do you want to see more? We have received a lot of feedback on this question. Some viewers are asking for more Michael Jackson coverage... others say the media is spending too much time covering his death. To be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about this. I watched a lot of coverage on Thursday, the night he died. Michael Jackson - just like everyone who grew up in the 1980s - was a huge part of my childhood. I remember standing in front of the tv and trying (and failing) to dance like he danced in the Thriller video. He was an incredible talent.. no doubt about it.. but does his life deserve this media attention? We'd love to hear from you on this... you can email me about this or anything... at kabarker@wgme.com - have a good day everyone.
06/15/09
Happy Monday. A gray day... sort of fits the mood for a Monday. I only have a few minutes because I am headed out on a story, but I thought I'd write and say a quick hello. There was a vandalism spree in Portland's West End overnight so when the next photographer arrives.. we'll head down to the Danforth Street area and see what we can find out. I hope everyone had a good weekend. My husband, my sister, and I saw The Hangover last night. If you liked Old School, you will love The Hangover. Bradley Cooper (from Wedding Crashers) is hysterical in it. If you don't enjoy stupid humor, you won't like this. If you are looking for an Oscar winner, you won't like this either. I would definitely not bring your children to it, but it you are looking for a good adult laugh.. I'd check it out. Mom and Dad, if you are reading this blog.. Amy (my sister) and I decided you two wouldn't like it. Have a good work week everyone.. I'm off to a story..
PS: We are all hoping Kim Block is feeling better.. and we're hoping she will make a return to work this week. We have received a number of phone calls and emails from viewers wishing her well... and if you have a message for her.. please feel free to email us tvmail@wgme.com...
06/10/09
Exciting news just crossed our "news wire" - we just found out that WGME is the Maine Associated Press Station of the Year! We are excited. The staff here works so hard. Here is a complete list of our first place awards this year.
Station of the Year
Best Weathercast
Spot News: Portland Arson Spree
Sports Feature: Football Amputee
Public Affairs: Hannaford Credit Card Breach
Feature: Raelyn's Baby
Medical Reporting: The China Journey
Continuous Coverage: Veilleux Oil
Looking back on our Spot News win... the morning of the arson fires in Portland. It was April 2008. I arrived at work at 4 am and the overnight producer told me that a fire had just broken out a few minutes ago at a building on Sherman Street in downtown. Just as the photographer (Jim Bowne) and I were headed out the door to go to the scene... we heard on the scanners that there was also a fire near an apartment building on Cumberland Avenue. I remember thinking how busy the firefighters must be battling both fires... if only I knew what the rest of the morning would be like for those firefighters.
We arrived at the Sherman Street apartment fire first.. the place was still burning.. and several people were standing on the street watching the firefighters battle the smoke and flames. We realized there was too much happening at this scene to leave to go cover the other fire on Cumberland Avenue so we called and woke up another photographer who lived in downtown Portland at the time, Jason Nelson. Jason was on the scene of the Cumberland Avenue fire within minutes. Jim Bowne and I were still at the Sherman Street fire.. talking with the families who had escaped the flames with just the clothes on their back.. most were wearing pajamas, including young children. Thank God no one was seriously hurt. Jim Bowne captured the video and then rushed to set up our live truck so we could be live during Daybreak.
A few minutes after 5:00.. we were about to go live.. and I noticed a number of firefighters leaving the scene.. strange, I thought, because photographer Jason Nelson had just called to tell us the Cumberland Avenue fire was fairly small and firefighters had put it out within minutes. Jason Nelson was headed back in our direction to bring us the video of the small Cumberland Avenue fire.. he parked his car near the live van.. but then we heard the scanners go crazy.. dispatchers talking about a third fire in Portland - and at this point I realized that is why the firefighters were leaving the Sherman Street scene.
Jason Nelson followed the firefighters to fire number three... but while he was there... he spotted smoke coming from a nearby car... he turned the corner.. and there was fire number four... and this pattern continued - fire after fire after fire. He captured the video before firefighters had even arrived on scene - he was running around the city of Portland with his camera on his shoulder.. filming these fires just minutes after they started. Jason called me. We realized an arsonist was on the run in the city.
Jim Bowne and I were live near Sherman Street... and we spotted police officers stopping people who were walking to work. Portland Police stopped every person they saw walking the streets of downtown that day. I noticed a police lieutenant parked down the road from us.. we were live on the air when I spotted his car.. we were live and we went running down the road to track this detective down.. we asked him live on the air if we could interview him.. he agreed.. and confirmed that there was an arsonist on the run and there had been no arrests. Within a couple hours.. the fires had stopped.. but thousands of dollars in damage had been done. At noon.. we were live on the air again.. and I got a phone call from someone on the police department. I picked up the phone call while we were live on the air.. sure enough.. they had made an arrest. We broke the arrest. Jason Nelson and Jim Bowne worked so hard that morning. A pleasure and an honor to work with them both.
Most important - kudos to the police officers and firefighters that morning... those men and women are incredible. The Portland Fire Department is top notch - brave men and women who risked their lives not only that morning, but every day. We may have won an award for our coverage, but it is the police officer and firefighters who deserve the real praise for that morning.
06/09/09
There are reports this morning that the Good Will-Hinckley School in Fairfield is shutting down most of its programs... meaning more than 100 people will be out of work and dozens of students who live on campus will have to find a new school, a new home. The school provides a place for troubled teens to live, to be educated, and to receive counseling. A sad story, a sad time for that community. If you have lived in Maine for a long time, chances are you have driven by Good Will-Hinckley. It is located on Route 201 in Fairfield and the campus is just gorgeous... beautiful brick buildings. My family has a camp near Bingham, Maine and so as a kid we would travel Route 201. We would pass Good Will-Hinckley and I remember asking my parents about the school on the ride to camp - I was about ten years old at the time. They told me it was a place where kids who are having a hard time can go to get a good education. My parents both worked in public education for decades so a good education was always something very important in our family... and I remember many conversations on the ride to camp about the importance of places like Good Will-Hinkley... about how all children deserve a good education. Perhaps appropriate it is raining today.. as I am sure it fits the mood with students and staff there today. Good Will-Hinckley.. another sad story in a bad economy. My best to all involved in that community, especially those kids.
06/03/09
The topless coffee shop in Vassalboro made national news when it opened earlier this year.. and it will likely make national news again.. as the building was destroyed by fire overnight. I am writing this entry just after 8:00 this morning... and at this hour... the investigation continues into how the fire may have started. We sent a crew to the scene during the overnight hours.. and I imagine we'll be sending a second crew up there shortly for team coverage throughout the day. I am sure folks all across the state will be talking about this story at the office or around the dinner table tonight... and no matter what you think about having people serving you coffee topless (men and women by the way).. we should note that the owner and his family did live in the same complex as the shop... so they are without a place to live this morning...
Switching gears.. actually I take that back... let me stop there... I really dislike that term switching gears.. we use it too often in news to transition between stories... ugh, one of my pet peeves.. but I am guilty of using it on the air as well. It is something we call a "crutch" in news. Something anchors say often.. what we say to fill space or time... I think I use the words "folks" and "boy" too much... I also say "that is true" or "certainly true" a lot as well.. I'll work on that. Anything else you can think of that drives you nuts that we say too much on the air? Email me...would love to hear from you...the good and the bad :-)
Ok... off to do a live news break.. need to print my scripts before we go on the air.. have a great day.
06/01/09
Hi there. Happy June 1st. It was nice to have the three of us back together again on the set this morning. We all had some time off, but this morning the three of us were back at it - Jeff, Sarah, and I. Plus, Catherine was live from inside the studio this morning - which rarely happens. Poor Catherine, it figures that she was inside on a nice, sunny morning. We all commented that it was so nice to drive into work this morning and be able to see the sunlight. For eleven months out of the year, we drive to work in darkness... but for the next four weeks or so we can look forward to a little bit of sunshine on our morning commute - what a treat !
We talked about it on the show this morning, but a huge congratulations goes out to Kim Block and Jason Nelson - two News 13 employees who just won an Emmy Award for their story, The China Journey. Of course you all know Kim Block... who is as kind, caring, and inspiring off the air as she is on the set. She is a true role model for all of us in the broadcast industry - Kim is a true class act. But you may not know Jason Nelson, the photojournalist who worked with Kim in China. He is the best in the business... an incredible talent. I would put his work up against any other photojournalist in the country - he is truly the best. Congrats to them both - they deserve this great achievement.
05/22/09
I think, like many of you, all of us here on the Daybreak crew are ready for the weekend. Most of the crew is working on Monday, but I think the nice weather has everyone especially happy that today is Friday. Doesn't it always seem people are in a better mood when the weather is nice? News happens on the holidays so WGME is one of the places that are "open for business" on the holidays. Since Jeff Peterson and I co-anchor the morning show, we are lucky enough to be able to usually split the holidays. I'll take one.. he'll take another.. it works out great and we feel lucky to be able to share at least a few of the holidays with our families. It is my turn for a holiday so I am taking Monday off... hooray. I think my husband and I will try to sneak in some golf. I haven't played yet this year and the first outing is always disastrous so wish me luck! Have a safe and happy weekend everyone. See you next week.
05/20/09
I was struggling to find a blog topic this morning... so I decided I would take a recent email I received and use that for my blog today. It is one of those mass emails that gets sent between friends.. asking questions.. it also reminds me of that "note" that was going around Facebook a couple of months back.. asking you to share 25 random things about you. Anyhoo.. here are the answers to the questions that I was asked in the mass email this morning. Warning-this may bore you!
1. Favorite color? Pink.
2. Favorite food? Ice cream.
3. How many states have you live in? Three. Maine, Massachusetts, and North Carolina.
4. Your first job? Bussing tables at the Muddy Rudder in Yarmouth.
5. Wine - red or white? Red.
6. Favorite sport? To play-golf. To watch-baseball.
7. Best friend? My husband.
8. Favorite outfit? Sweatpants and a sweatshirt
10. Favorite vegetable? Broccoli.
11. Favorite kind of pizza? Cheese and pineapple.
12. Favorite vacation spot? Palm Beach, FL & Hilton Head, SC
13. Coffee or tea? Coffee. Iced coffee.
14. Favortite sports team? Red Sox
15. Pets? Cat, Alice -- but considering getting a dog.
05/19/09
I apologize for being a bad blogger. Last week was hectic - but fun - as we worked on our Keeping Kids Safe series. We hope to do something similar again soon. Our car seat safety check was a huge success. Police had been telling us that nine out of ten parents do not have their carseats installed correctly...and sure enough...when parents arrived at our studios last week with their carseats...only one out of dozens of people had the seats installed right. The carseat technicians taught the parents the right way and everyone left with their carseats in their vehicles correctly. If you want to get your carseat checked... you can contact your local police or fire department. Many communities have certified carseat technicians - if not, they can point you in the right direction.
Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner...and that means the unofficial start to summer. We have a number of summer interns and job shadows working at the station this year. They seem like a great bunch of people-so eager to learn about the news business. Katie is interning on the morning shift with us... she is from Brunswick and will be a senior at James Madison University in Virginia this fall. We have put her to work already ! She has been a huge help to us -- whether it is making phone calls to police or watching the directors as they make the show happen or bringing story ideas to the table -- you name it ! Internships, I think, are such an important part of landing your first job in this business so it is great to see a "kid" like Katie going after what she wants. Internships were such a huge help to me-I hope we can be a big help to Katie and the others interning with us this summer.
Speaking of Katie's...I must mention our assignment editor Kate DeGroot. Our assignment desk editors watch over all of us here at News 13. They monitor breaking news, make calls to police, schedule our reporters and photographers during the day, and pretty much keep a pulse on everything that is happening in southern and central Maine. Kate not only does fabulous work on the assignment desk... but she has this dry sense of humor that just can't be beat. Sense of humor must be a prerequisite for working on the assignment desk-it is probably the only way they stay sane dealing with all of us reporters! I'll have to blog about our assignment manager, Jay, someday soon as well. Kate loves Patrick Dempsey, loves soap operas, loves chocolate covered raisins, but the best thing about Kate is that she loves her children... she is a terrific mom and has the two cutest kids you could imagine. Now I'm hoping after saying all these nice things about her she'll finally share her chocolate covered raisins :-) Kidding, of course, but I must say I look forward to when Kate gets in every morning at 8:00. Work doesn't feel like work when you are surrounded by fun people.
Ok, it is 8:23 and we have a live local news cut-in at 8:25...so I am off...don't want to leave Sarah out in the studio alone! See you in the morning.
05/11/09
I am excited to tell you about a series of stories that I am working on for Daybreak and Live at 5:00 this week. The series is called "Keeping Kids Safe" and each story is designed to teach parents important lessons and share ways to "keep kids safe" in what can be a dangerous world. I don't have any children yet... but I absolutely adore my two nieces who are ages 6 and 3. They are just the best ! I love them to pieces and would do anything to protect them... and so I learned some valuable lessons myself from working on this series of stories.
You can watch the stories every day this week on Daybreak (from 5:00-7:00 a.m.) and Live at 5:00 (5:00-5:30 p.m.)
Here is a preview:
MONDAY - We will talk to the founder of the non-profit group "Keeping Kids Safe" and we will take a look at new technology that helps track children who are missing or have been abducted. Police will discuss why seconds matter when it comes to finding an abducted child. We'll let parents know where they can get this new technology for FREE.
TUESDAY - We will demonstate how seatbelts can save lives thanks to my trip in a car crash simulator. We will also talk to police about the proper way to install car seats. An alarming number of parents do not install car seats properly --- so we are having a FREE car seat check at our studios on Tuesday from 2:30-6:30 p.m. I'll be there with local police officers who are trained to install car seats the right way.. so come visit.. and bring your car and car seat for officers to check.
WEDNESDAY - We will talk to local chiropractors about why heavy backpacks can be dangerous for your child's health. We will show you which backpacks are the best - and how kids should be carrying them.
THURSDAY - Does your child know what to do if your house catches fire? We'll talk to local firefighters about why every family needs to have a fire safety plan. Plus, I'll show you the inside of a "burning" building....
FRIDAY - We'll show you how the community is coming together for a HUGE child safety event that is happening Saturday May 16th in Saco. We'll have details that you don't want to miss.
Ok...that is all for now! Have a great day!
05/08/09
We spent a lot of time on the show this morning talking about Manny Ramirez. Call me naive, but I was surprised when the news broke yesterday about Manny failing a drug test and Major League Baseball suspending him for 50 games. Manny's numbers have always been consistent which always led me to believe that maybe he was one of the few not on steroids. Maybe that just means he was on steroids the entire time? Who knows. Innoncent until proven guilty... but I"ll be honest... I am having a hard time believing his story.
I love the game of baseball and I remember the game before the steroid scandal - and there were so many role models to choose from on the baseball field when I was a kid. Good players on the field and good men off the field. Lets hope we can return to those days soon. Baseball was such a huge part of my childhood: trips to Fenway Park, playing baseball in my backyard, dreaming of playing for the Red Sox, watching the Sox on tv, bringing a radio into my bedroom at night and listening the Sox before bed. I just hope children of this generation who love baseball will have heroes to look up on the baseball field like I did.
My husband and I always said when we got a dog one day we would name it Manny. I guess we'll have to come up with a new name... hmmm....
05/04/09
There is a man named Bill who works on the morning shift with us -- he is an editor here at WGME -- and every Monday morning when I walk in the door he greets me with a big smile and without fail he says "Happy Monday to you!" Bill seems genuinely excited that it is Monday morning. I just wanted Bill to know that we appreciate his enthusiam - especially on Monday mornings - and especially today. You see... today was a grumpy Monday morning for many of us here on the Daybreak shift. I won't name names... but there is a particular breakfast spot that many of us stop at every morning to get our coffee. Our choices are few and far between because not many places are open in the middle of the night when we arrive at work. So every morning there is a line of WGME employees at this coffee spot. So this morning... I am driving to work... and go to turn in to the place with the coffee... and the driveway is blocked ! AH! The place is closed! It is 3:30 a.m. and we are all coffee-less. The place is dark - no bagels on the shelves, no employees behind the counter, no donuts, and the doors are locked. Ugh. Many of us came to work without our caffeine.. we were grumpy and distracted for much of the morning :-) Producer Frank decided he would return to the coffee shop to do some investigating. He found a sign on the drive-thru window that read they are going through renovations and will re-open next week. Phew - glad they are not closed for good. I will have to remember to make coffee at home tomorrow morning - which is just fine because it actually saves a signficant amount of money. Are you a regular coffee drinker who buys coffee? Have you ever added up how much you spend every week / month / year ? It is frightening. It is awful how addicted I am to caffeine. It is also awful that I am complaining about coffee. If this is the worst of my problems.. I should feel pretty darn lucky.
I also feel lucky that I do not have the swine flu. Tune into News 13 Live at Five tonight - we will have some of the top health experts in the state in our studios answering your questions about the illness. The phone lines will be open from 5:00 until 6:30 tonight. I spent much of the week last week covering stories on the swine flu, but today I am headed down to Saco to start shooting a series of stories that will air next week. All next week on Daybreak we will be sharing stories on ways to keep your kids safe - from tips on making sure your teenager knows what to do if his or her car breaks down to how to propertly install carseats to a new piece of technology that helps track missing children. The stories will include information for parents with kids of all ages... they start airing on May 11th.
Ok, I am off... see you in the morning!
04/27/09
General Motors announced this morning that it will stop making Pontiacs by the end of 2010-this comes as General Motors faces that June 1st deadline to restructure. I am far from an expert on this subject, but I think every American knows that GM needs to do something significant to survive this crisis--but I have to admit that I am sad to see the Pontiacs go.
I have fond memories of Pontiacs--that's because my very first car was a 1986 Pontiac Grand Am. It was white with blue interior. It had 100,000 miles on it when I bought it - and it also had started to rust - but I just loved it.
I put Red Sox bumper stickers all over it (Tom Brunansky was my favorite player). The bumper sticker collection grew the day that I was accepted into college. I was so excited that I immediately put a "College of the Holy Cross" sticker on the car - I proudly displayed it on the back window.
I worked as a "bus girl" at the Muddy Rudder in Yarmouth and I saved up all of my summer earnings so that I could pay for the car. I didn't have quite enough money by the end of the summer so my parents were kind enough to pay the remaining amount and then let me pay them back. I babysat during the school year to help pay off the rest. My parents made me what we called a "coupon book" - each coupon had a specific dollar amount marked on it. I would tear off a coupon and hand it, along with the money, to my parents every month until the car was paid off.
I don't think that type of payment plan will help General Motors pull out of their financial mess, but it sure did help this kid learn a lesson or two about money.
In other news...what a weekend! It felt like summer-and Sarah says we will reach the 80s again on Tuesday. Sarah, Kiley, and I had a fun lunch date on Friday. It is always great to see Kiley--our schedules are opposite at work so we try to make lunch dates often so that we can catch up in person! Sarah promised a gorgeous weekend of weather and she delivered! My husband and I did a lot of yard work - and we also ate a lot of birthday cake. My sister, Amy, had a birthday on Saturday. My Godson, Jake, had a birthday on Sunday--he turned one! You should have seen him attack the cake-it was priceless. Amy is several years older than Jake (we won't say how old) but I love her to pieces-even though she is MUCH older than me too :-)
See you tomorrow!
04/22/09
Someone asked me the other day -- do you get sick and tired of reporting bad or sad news? Of course I do. I don't think I'd be human if reporting on sad stories didn't affect me. I do feel it is important to keep people informed about the recession, the wars, a political scandal, or a crime that has happened in their neighborhood. People have a right to know what is happening in the world around them...even if the news is not good news. However--we try our best on the morning show--to mix in some good news with the bad. Whether it is about a new restaurant opening in town despite the bad economy or if there is new technology coming to a local doctor's office that could help save lives or if we are joking about the latest edition of American Idol -- it is very important to report the good and the bad. When it comes to sad news, I find I have the most difficult time reporting on stories that involve children. Yes, I have to stay professional when telling the story---but I think we all need to be human beings first and reporters second. I think that makes me a better reporter--and also a better person.
Today our lead story is news that some people think is great news and others think is terrible news. Should same-sex marriage be legal in Maine? There is a public hearing in Augusta today to discuss the issue. Many Mainers think same-sex marriage is a great thing. Other Mainers think it is a terrible thing. Good or bad---it will be debated at the Augusta Civic Center today.
04/20/09
I mentioned in my blog last week that I went to speak with students at Frank Harrison Middle School in Yarmouth. Today... some students from Monmouth and Augusta came in for a visit and a tour of the News 13 studios. Both groups of kids had some great questions (and some funny ones as well!) so I thought I would use the blog today to share some of them with you. So here they are.. questions from local children about television news...
What time do you get up in the morning? My alarm goes off at 2:40 a.m. The key to working the Daybreak shift is putting your alarm clock in another room - that way you have to wake up, stand up, and walk a few steps to shut off the alarm. Call me crazy...but the schedule is great. You have most of your afternoon off from work...which is especially nice in the summer. I try to get to bed by 8:00 p.m.
Does someone do your hair and makeup in the morning? HA! Have you seen what I look like some mornings :-) We do our own hair and makeup before the show...but we are lucky enough to have Cherry Pie Salon in downtown Portland give us haircuts and colors...which is great. My real hair color is not as blonde as it looks on tv! I usually come to work without makeup (scary thought I know!) and in a sweatshirt-and then I get ready after all of the stories are finished being written.
Does it get cold when you are reporting in the snow? Absolutely! However.. when we are reporting live during the morning show.. we usually only have to stand outside for a short period of time. Between our "live shots" we get to jump back into the live truck and get warm. A hot cup of coffee helps as well! We do not have it bad compared to many other people who have to work outside in bad weather.
Do you get nervous to be live on television? I don't get nervous anymore, but I definitely used to get nervous when I started reporting on television seven years ago. I remember my first live shot ever... I was working in Bangor, it was Christmas Eve, and I was reporting in a terrible snowstorm. I was a nervous wreck. To make matters worse.. the anchor at the station at the time was my future husband! That made me even more nervous! I am glad those nervous days are over! The last time I got nervous.. was when I met Jacoby Ellsbury on a story last year.
Do you ever screw up on the air? You bet! Sometimes you screw up a word.. other times you have to sneeze.. sometimes we get the hiccups.. you name it, it has happened. My grandmother (we call her Mammie) taught me a very important lesson in life -- never take yourself too seriously. I try to live by that rule each day--at work and outside of work. Mammie leads by example..she is always smiling, always has a good attitude, and never takes herself too seriously. I try my best to live like that---I think people need to be able to laugh at themselves when they make a silly mistake. She says no one is perfect--and laughter is the best medicine. I think that is pretty good rule.
Do reporters get a teleprompter? Nope-no teleprompter for reporters. When you see one of us reporting "in the field" or on the scene of a story... there is no teleprompter. When we are anchoring, we do have teleprompter most of the time. When don't anchors have teleprompter? Often when there is breaking news there is no teleprompter. We also don't use it when we are talking to each other -- for example, when Jeff and I are talking with Sarah in the morning or when we are having conversations with Ken & Mike at WGAN -- that is all "ad-libbed."
Do you get to meet famous people? Sure. I have met Barack Obama, George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush, Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy, members of the Red Sox, and many more. I am a huge political junkie--so I really enjoy covering politics. It is neat to report in Portland because we often get to cover the NH primary and all of the campaign stops leading up to the primary. To be honest though... some of the most interesting people I have ever met are just regular people.. regular Mainers.. with regular stories. The best part about this job-by far-is traveling all across the state and getting to meet the people who live in each community. So many Mainers have a great story to tell!
Ok, that is all for now.. I am headed home for the day.. see you tomorrow!
04/16/09
News on the Maine Mall broke this morning. The owner of the mall has just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. General Growth Properties says it was forced to file after failing to convince its debt holders to give the company more time to refinance. The company says its shopping centers -- including the mall -- have filed for bankruptcy as well. Shoppers.. the company says the mall should operate as normal during the bankruptcy process. This news does not come as a huge shock.. we have reported several stories in the past about General Growth being in financial trouble. Americans are losing their jobs, losing money in the stock market, and they are spending less at shopping malls all across the country. It is good to hear that the mall will be operating as normal... that is good news for employees there.
But interesting to note.. that as news of the mall filing for bankruptcy broke.. we learned there is a job fair happening in Freeport today. Turns out.. several of the outlets in Freeport have job openings. Not just part-time seasonal work, but there are full-time positions and management positions available as well. It is happening at the Freeport Community Library. It starts at 10:00 this morning (Thursday) and runs until 3:00 this afternoon. I know the outlet malls always do better during the summer tourism season, but I also wonder if more locals are headed to Freeport and Kittery to do their shopping these days... if people are spending... they are likely spending on items that are discounted. With the unemployment rate in Maine at eight percent, I am sure the job fair will be packed with people today.
Ok, have to cut this one short. It is 7:53..I am off to do a live news break during the CBS Early Show..but I'll update the blog again shortly.
04/14/09
I spent much of the day today at the Frank Harrison Middle School in Yarmouth. The school held a career fair for the students and invited me to take part in the event. I headed to the school after Daybreak was over - and spent the day talking with 5th and 6th graders. I grew up in Yarmouth so it is always neat to go back and see some of my former teachers, see how the school has changed, etc. I was thrilled the school invited me. I met with the kids in groups of 10 or 12.. showed them some of my stories.. and talked to them about what it is like to be a news reporter in my hometown. Watching the video of the stories brought back some great memories....
Remember the Patriots' Day Nor'easter? I spent several days at Camp Ellis and Ferry Beach. The storm ripped apart Shore Road and several homes were destroyed that week. I remember meeting some of the kindest people in the whole world that week... their homes were being swept away by the ocean yet they were still offering me and my photojournalist food, water, and blankets. It has been two years since that storm.. hard to believe.
I also showed the kids the story from when Jacoby Ellsbury was at a Dunkin Donuts in Westbrook last year. I am a huge Red Sox fan so I was thrilled to cover the story. The place was packed-hundreds of people showed up to see him. Ellsbury was behind the counter serving hash browns for some sort of Dunkin Donuts promotion -- and I remember jumping behind the counter to try and get him to answer some of my questions. So as I jumped behind the counter, photojournalist Jim Linsky jumped on a chair to try and get a good shoot over the crowd, and sure enough - Jacoby took time out to answer my questions. People often ask - do you still get nervous when you go on television? I have not been nervous in a long time to go on the air, but when I met Jacoby Ellsbury in person -- I was a nervous wreck. The kids today seemed to enjoy watching the nervous smile I had on my face throughout my entire interview with Ellsbury.
What an awesome group of kids today! They were smart, they were great listeners, and they asked great questions. I am sure their parents and teachers are proud of this bunch - they all seemed like really good kids. I will share some of their questions with you later in the blog.
Until then...one more WGME family note. Congratulations to Charlie and Star Lopresti. They had a beautiful baby girl on Easter Sunday, Catherine Louise Lopresti. My husband and I have been friends with Charlie and Star for years...we met in 2002 when Charlie and I worked at the same television station in Bangor..and I can honestly say that Charlie and Star are two of the nicest people in the entire world. They are great friends and they will be great parents. Congrats!
See you in the morning!
04/10/09
We have a new member of our WGME family. Reporter Giovanna Bechard had a healthy baby boy on Thursday! We are so excited for Gio and her husband, Brian. Brian is a photojournalist here at WGME. We saw pictures of baby John.. and he is just beautiful.. we all can't wait to meet him in person. Congratulations Bechard family! To all of you at home... I hope you and your family have a wonderful Easter weekend. See you Monday.
04/09/09
The Sea Dogs open up the season at home tonight - first pitch is at 6:00. I am still trying to figure out how Jeff and Sarah managed to score the Hadlock Field assignment this morning. They reported live from Hadlock all morning. I was jealous. I'll admit it. One thing I am not jealous of....Jeff's dance moves. Did you see him out there? I didn't think anyone could screw up the YMCA. He did. He started twirling on one foot while trying to make the letters...and it just didn't work out that well. Producer Stephanie says she will offer him dance lessons - for FREE. His dancing aside... Jeff and Sarah were great out there this morning... and they brought back "Sea Dog Biscuits" to share so that made all of us happy. If you have never had a biscuit, you are missing out... chocolate chip cookies with ice cream in the middle... there is one sitting comfortably in the station freezer right now waiting for me. Sarah marked it with a K.B. I hope that Kiley Bennett doesn't steal it...ooo...or Kim Block! Lots of KBs around here. I guess I should share. The calories don't count when you only eat part of the dessert. Does anyone else live by that rule? I do. I shouldn't. I don't mean to pick on Jeff today, but I should also note that Jeff locked our dear photographer Kerri Nelson out of the live truck this morning. Catherine Parrotta came to her rescue though... bringing Kerri the spare set of keys. I hope Kerri got a biscuit. That's all for today... off to do a story... see you in the morning!
04/08/09
Opening Day for the Red Sox was yesterday. Opening Day for the Daybreak Unscripted blog is today. I can't promise it will be as entertaining as a Red Sox game - I am a rookie blogger - but I am looking forward to giving it a try. More on the Red Sox in a moment...
Our lead story this morning on Daybreak was the flooding. Several roads remained closed across the state because of the high water. Sarah was monitoring the situation from the weather office and we had Catherine reporting live in Augusta. Cat (as we call her) and her photographer Kerri had some terrific live reports this morning... several inches of water had flooded city parking lots near the Kennebec River. Cat reports that no one was hurt, no cars were damaged, but it is causing a mess up there. Sarah says the waters are starting to recede and things should look a lot better by tonight.
Can I blog about Sarah Long for a minute? What people may or may not realize is that we are great friends in "real life" and not just here at work. If you watch her, you know she is one of the best darn meteorologists out there. She worked on top of Mount Washington for years before she started her broadcast career. She lives and breathes weather. We had lunch a few days ago and she interrupted our conversation because she noticed some clouds rolling in. I poke fun at her at times like that...but seriously...when severe weather happens - like the flooding we had this week - I feel very lucky to work with people like Sarah, Charlie, and Craig. I have some stories about Craig and Charlie that I will share someday soon as well. Charlie and I worked at the same television station in Bangor years ago... and we caused lots of trouble together up there :-)
Spring in Maine means the possibility of flooding. Spring in Maine also means potholes. I love Maine. I was born and raised here... and I truly believe it is the way life should be - with the exception of its potholes. They are terrible. We are bringing back the Pothole Patrol segment to Daybreak. We have received a number of responses from viewers about the worst potholes in the state. We are going to take your suggestions, visit them, and contact local communities about the problem areas to try and get them fixed for you. Keep the suggestions coming - you can email me at kabarker@wgme.com with your Pothole Patrol ideas. Heck, you can email me about anything! We are always looking for feedback on the show.
We turn back to the Red Sox now. Opening Day is one of my favorite days of the entire year - it beats my birthday. My mom always tells me the story of my dad watching the Sox on television while she was in labor - and she swore I'd be born a Red Sox fan. I was. My dad is blessed with all sisters, all daughters, and all granddaughters. Even our cat was a girl. I was a tomboy growing up. I couldn't stand dresses and nothing made me happier than a trip to Fenway Park as a kid - and that made my dad happy. What a game yesterday! Beckett looked terrific. Did anyone watch the coverage before the game? Did anyone else think the player introductions were strange? The players looked awkward walking through the stands. There was something that made me nervous about all of them walking in spikes down the concrete stairs at Fenway. They looked uncomfortable. I felt uncomfortable watching it. I could picture Mike Lowell tripping, falling down the stairs, tearing his ACL, and being out for the whole season. Although it must have been pretty neat for the fans at the park to be able to reach out and touch Big Papi, etc. It was nice to hear the crowd give Jason Varitek such a warm welcome yesterday. It is nice to have him back.
Thursday morning on Daybreak we will be reporting live from Hadlock Field - and we are giving away tickets to the Sea Dogs opener tomorrow night. Ok, that wraps up the first inning of this blogging adventure. I have been on vacation the past few days and I just noticed Giovanna walking into the newsroom. I am anxious to see how she is feeling today.
I hope to see you all in the morning...
11/01/09
11/01/09
11/01/09
What a morning! I had the chance to take part in this mornings Care for Kids Telethon at the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital. What an amazing experience. I have never done a telethon before so I was quite nervous. Last week I was given a tour of the hospital and told some of the life saving stories. I met a child who lost his hair because he was going through chemotherapy. I saw a baby in the NICU who weighed two pounds. I held a blood pressure cuff for a premature baby that fit around my index finger. I was given a "treatment" doll to talk about on the air. The doll had removable hair - a way to easily explain to children with cancer what will happen to them through their treatment process. Five children today will have chemo treatments at the hospital. Twelve children will have some type of surgery. This experience changed my life.
It's difficult enough to get the news that an adult is sick or has cancer - but to see a child, who just began their life, go through chemo and miss out on play dates and pre-school is heartbreaking. But on the positive side of things - because of these telethons,your generous donations, and the dedication of these wonderful nurses and doctors, we are saving little lives everyday.
11/01/09
11/01/09
11/01/09
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• PORTLAND WEATHER
Tonight: Clearing and still breezy. More clouds in the mountains. Lows 35 to 40. W winds 10-15 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny and mild. More clouds in the mountains. Highs in the 50s. Breezy with NW winds 10-15 mph.
Saturday night: Mostly Clear. Lows 24 to 34.
• BUSINESS NEWS
Stocks fall for 3rd day as dollar strengthens
NEW YORK (AP) -- The stock market is losing ground for a third straight day as investors grow uneasy about a rising dollar and spiking demand for the safest government debt.
• CONSUMER INFO
CINCINNATI (AP) -- The Procter & Gamble Co. is recalling some 120,000 bottles of Vicks Sinex nasal spray after the company found bacteria in some samples during routine testing. ...
• SCIENCE/TECH NEWS
IN THE NEWS: GOOGLE TO PROVIDE CAPTIONING FOR YOUTUBE
WASHINGTON (AP) -- "Closed captioning of this YouTube video provided by ...
• GET THIS
MYSTERIOUS DECORATIONS
HERSCHER, Ill. (AP) -- This isn't a case of breaking and entering -- more like breaking and decorating.
