Saturday, February 28, 2009

A Giant


Paul Harvey died Saturday. He was 90.

He was the last of his kind-- an old time, old style, larger than life, big voiced radio commentator. The broadcasts were 100 per cent Harvey-- no interviews, no staging, no gimmicks. He was perhaps the only guy who could get away with that. The writing was clean and crisp. His staccato delivery made it all work.

Paul Harvey was the master at mixing news and commentary. Even if you didn't agree with him, he was always listenable-- one of the very, very few people who caused you to turn a dial in his direction.

I usually find myself in a car at 8:30 AM, and the dial always got twisted over to Paul Harvey. As soon as he finished, I was gone.

It wasn't the weekend until you heard Paul Harvey say "It's Friday!"

Paul Harvey did many of his own commercials. The man could sell you anything. It was said he personally tried every product he advertised. You could trust him.

Illnesses forced Harvey to cut back on his broadcasts. The replacements, including Paul's son, were adequate, at best. There is no replacing Paul Harvey. I was listening the other morning. Paul's son was filling in, but dad was on a recorded commercial. He didn't sound good. You just got a feeling that there wasn't much time left.

Radio will not be the same.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Weekend



It's Friday. I'm staring at a rare weekend off. Let's put deep thoughts and substantial issues on hold for a little while.

Here's a pretty picture of the Luzerne County Courthouse I took Tuesday afternoon.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Air Crane


Before we start, a reminder that all photos are "clickable."

It was an interesting Wednesday morning, the first day of a vacation.

The whole thing started with a Tuesday afternoon e-mail from WNEP's chief engineer. He informed the newsroom that an air crane would be in the sky over Bald Mountain in Scranton and Ransom Twp. Wednesday morning. It was in town to help remove an analog antenna from one of the towers up there.

I love aviation and helicopters. The hardware of broadcasting fascinates me, even though I know nothing about it. I just had to see how close I could get.

I got lucky. There was a good view of the helicopter on the ground, in a field, near North Sekol Road in Scranton.

The above shot was taken as the helicopter was on its way to the field that you saw in the first photo.



And, this one was taken as the helicopter was doing a fly over of the antenna site. There were a few things I had to do yesterday morning, so I couldn't stick around for the actual antenna removal.

No complaints. I was surprised I got this close and saw this much.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

I Told You So

I mentioned the "victim defense" in two recent blogs. It's when someone accused of something negative looks for sympathy by attempting to turn the tables.

We saw it again yesterday.

Harlow Cuadra is accused of the January 2007 murder of Bryan Kocis in Dallas Township. The defense attorney was giving his opening statement to the jury yesterday morning. He said Cuadra was under the control and influence of Joseph Kerekes, who pleaded guilty to second degree murder last year. The defense attorney also mentioned a couple of people who had reason to see Kocis dead.

Mr. Kocis was in the gay porn business, as was Cuadra. It was also clear in the defense's opening that Kocis will be on trial here almost as much as Cuadra. Kocis was no saint. That doesn't mean he deserved to die. On top of that, he's not here to defend himself.

Cuadra is innocent until proven guilty, and what the defense attorney said may very well be true. On the other hand, it may be an attempt to throw as much crap against the wall as possible, hoping something sticks. That's up for the jury to decide at the close of the trial.

It's great drama and an interesting case.

And, a note about the use of the phrase "gay porn producer." Often, a person's occupation plays no role in that person's death. Here, it's key. It might be offensive to some and repetitive to others, but it's an important part of the story.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

I Thought I'd Heard It All

Jill Moran quit as Luzerne County prothonotary yesterday. Her resignation letter to Governor Rendell contained the following line: "the circumstances in the Luzerne County Courthouse are making my presence in the office a distraction."

Huh? Do you think we deserve a better explanation than that?

Remember how I wrote a week ago that one of the way people are defending themselves these days is to play "the victim?" I occasionally call it the "Oprah defense." No one wants to take responsibility for their actions. You see it every afternoon at 4 PM. Blame someone else for your problems. In this case, it's those pesky and offending "circumstances in the Luzerne County Courthouse."

How hard can it be? Go to work every day. Enter your office. Sit at your desk. Do your job--- the job people elected you to do, and trusted you to do. Go home when the work is done. Hold your head up high.

Perhaps Ms. Moran should outline her "circumstances" so we get a better feel for what's going on under the dome.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Ice

Let me tell you something about ice. It scares the heck out of me. Decorum prevents me from using stronger language.

We had a horrible incident Saturday in North Abington Township, Lackawanna County. A little girl went into an ice covered pond. The mother tried to rescue the child, and needed help. Two men were the first on the scene. One died of a heart attack. The other drowned.

It's all so sad. We toss around the word "hero" a lot. It really fits the case here.

Kids will be kids. They do unwise things, so I'm not going to come down on the child. We all have to realize, regardless of age, that ice is nothing to fool with, even when it's very cold. The ice might look safe. Often, it isn't.

Any time there's an "ice" incident, I think of a story I did in 91 or 92, when I was working "down the street." A man had to be rescued from an ice covered lake in Lycoming County. I was sent there the next day to do the "follow up" story. We talked with someone who was there when it happened, then did an ice safety story.

This is a little "inside TV" but I'll pass along the information anyway. Back then, we were shooting on 3/4 inch video tape. TV news veterans will know what I'm talking about. The recorder was separate from the camera. They were connected by a cable. Both the recorder and camera were big, bulky, and heavy-- unlike today's relatively light one-piece units. Let's just say the photographer I was working with was a "big boy." It was winter. He wore a pair of heavy, enormous boots that would have made Jethro Bodine proud.

As we walked out onto the lake, I heard the ice crack beneath us. That's natural. Still, it's disconcerting-- even though we received assurances the ice was of the proper thickness. All I could think about was "with our weight and all this gear, if this ice breaks, we're going straight down, and they'll never find us."

We did the interviews, shot some video of people on the frozen lake, and got out of there as quickly as possible. The safety of the truck, on dry, solid ground, never felt better.

Ice activities are generally safe, but you have to respect the fragility of an ice covered lake. Yes, it's a cliche, but it can be a matter of life and death.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Late Night


I wouldn't watch Conan O'Brien if my television only received one channel, and he was the only program on.

However, I happened to be up, and at work, early Saturday morning when O'Brien did his last "Late Night" on NBC. He's moving to the "Tonight" show June 1st. Curiosity got the better of me, and I spent several minutes watching the tail end of the last O'Brien "Late Night" after 16 years.

The first part of O'Brien's farewell to "Late Night" speech was actually pretty good. He thanked his predecessor, David Letterman, current "Tonight" show host Jay Leno, and all the NBC executives who stuck by his side after those first awful shows.

The rest of the speech was the biggest piece of self indulgent tripe I've heard in a very long time. I still don't think O'Brien is very good, and he's only moving one hour. He's not retiring, and he's not receiving a lifetime achievement award. O'Brien's speech sounded like an acceptance address for the broadcasting hall of fame. It was too long.

I never cared for Leno's style, but he's still infinitely better than O'Brien. My biggest O'Brien beef was he always tried to be funnier than his guests. He should spend several hours watching Johnny Carson DVD's. The man knew how to bring out the best in his guests, not upstage them.

The people at CBS and NBC have to be thrilled with this move.

Friday, February 20, 2009

500 Lackawanna Avenue


I've been meaning to blog about the 500 block of Lackawanna Avenue in Scranton for a while. It was the topic of a blog in the spring. Revisiting the issue was always on the agenda, and I finally got a chance to take some pictures Wednesday morning.

As you can see, several buildings have been rehabilitated, and they look great. The renovations kept the traditional style. It's what the city really needs.


However, and you knew there would be a "however," I do have my concerns. One is the traffic island splitting this block of Lackawanna Avenue. You can see the island in the bottom photo. It's supposed to make the street more "pedestrian friendly." Heck, a god set of "walk/don't walk" lights will do that for you. Scranton still has more than its share of dangerous intersections with broken pedestrian warning lights. Islands usually just foul up traffic, making the situation even more dangerous for people crossing the street. I don't know what the planners were thinking with this design.

Another potential problem deals with an urban park, to be established behind these buildings. Urban parks are great while the sun is up. At night, they're nothing but trouble. The police department already has more than its share of problem areas. It'll soon have another one.

And finally, I wonder if there will be people to occupy the apartments and businesses to set up shop in the storefronts. Downtown had its problems, even before the economy went south.

I'm just glad something was done on this block. It's been an eyesore for years, and at least they didn't let these buildings rot, like we saw in other parts of the downtown.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

He Just Doesn't Get It


Luzerne County court administrator William Sharkey pleaded guilty Tuesday to stealing $70,000 of county money. In a story in Wednesday's "Citizens Voice," Sharkey is quoted as saying it's "open season" on officials at the Luzerne County Courthouse.

It's too late for Sharkey to play "the victim."

The only reason it's "open season" is people like Sharkey, an admitted thief.

Please do not forget that Sharkey stole for ten years. He had plenty of time to stop, go straight, and remove himself from the risk of "open season." Like the others, there was the arrogance of believing they were too smart to get caught. Guess again.

If you're an honest and ethical county employee, and they do exist, you have nothing to fear. If you're stealing, like Sharkey, you subject yourself to "open season." You have it coming. You're not going to get any sympathy, even if you try to portray yourself as the victim of an "open season."

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Changes


Turn and face the strange...

As you've probably heard by now, we're doubling the length of our weekday morning broadcast. It begins March 5. It's guaranteed to be a success. Want to know why? It's because I have nothing to do with it. In fact, the longer broadcast begins while I'm on vacation.

I had the pleasure of producing "Newswatch 16 This Morning" yesterday, so it was up to me to write the story, trumpeting the expansion and some other broadcast/cable related issues. I have a few more grey hairs this morning. It was a tough issue to explain quickly, and in a conversational manner. I tried. I hope we made the point.

Sirius/XM has found an investor to keep it out of bankruptcy court, and that's a good thing. I'm a huge fan of satellite radio. Chapter 11 wouldn't have meant an end to satellite radio, but I'd rather see the company out of chapter 11 rather than in it. Like a lot of people, I can't get what I need from terrestrial radio, and that's just sad. I spent the first 11 years of my "career" in radio. It's my first love. Unfortunately, it's gone to you know where.

Another Luzerne County Courthouse thief has pleaded guilty. I can't wait for the sentence on this one. the guy was stealing for ten years, according to federal authorities. TEN YEARS!!! How many people were asleep at the switch at the Luzerne County Courthouse, or how many knew what was happening, and chose to look the other way? You deserve better.

Alex Rodriguez dripped with insincerity during his "yes, I used steroids" news conference yesterday, but at least he had the onions to sit there and take questions. Many of those answers were evasive. I guess we should be happy Rodriguez made an appearance. As for the punishment, let him go. The statute of limitations has expired. Warn Rodriguez and other players that if they're caught, they're out for a full season. The current penalty for first time offenders is a 50 game suspension. It's not enough. The real blame lies with the owners and the commissioner. They had to know what was going on.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Bouncing Around


We're bouncing around today...

ABC's Sam Donaldson announced he's retiring after 41 years with the network. Donaldson will still make occasional appearances on "This Week" and on ABC Radio. He was a good, tough reporter on the White House beat for several years. Donaldson occasionally became bigger, and louder, than the story he was covering. Overall, far more positives than negatives. The man knew Washington. A "Washington Post" columnist did a good Donaldson story Monday. Look it up if you get the chance.

Speaking of ABC, on of its reporters did a story on the Buffalo plane crash Monday morning. In the story, the reporter said the time period between the first sign of trouble to impact was "only" 26 seconds. To you and I, 26 seconds is little more than the blink of an eye. I'm sure 26 seconds seemed a lot longer if you were on that plane.

Often, the best part of "Face the Nation" on CBS is Bob Schieffer's commentary at the end. Sunday, Schieffer noted that the "best in show" dog at last week's Westminster Kennel Club show is 10 years old. Schieffer expressed glee that old dogs can be recognized for their work and their talents. Schieffer turns 72 a week from tomorrow. There is no better old dog than Bob Schieffer.

Today is digital day. WNEP, and most of the other stations in town, will turn off their analog transmitters today, even though they had the option of keeping them up and running until June 12. The government says a small percentage of people still aren't ready for the transition to digital. I'm sure when the question is asked June 11th, a small number of people still won't be ready for the transition to digital.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Bailing Out of Linked In


I've created a monster. A few weeks ago, I blogged that I have a "Linked In" profile, even though I don't know what it does, and its value is virtually zero. Of course, that prompted a flurrie of invitations from people who have Linked In profiles.

I had an epiphany Friday morning. I'm wasting my time with this. My Linked In account has been deleted. Permanently. Adios!

It's part of my psyche. If I see something getting popular, and Linked In was spreading through the halls and computers of 16 Montage Mountain Road, I unfailingly head in the other direction.

I have more important things to do with my time, and when I discover what they are, I'll let you know.

Linked In seems like a decent service for the right people. It's just not for me.

If you need me for something, pick up the phone or drop me a line. I'll do the same.

Just consider me "linked out."

Sunday, February 15, 2009

BPW Sunday


We'll wrap up "Bad Photography Weekend" with perhaps my favorite shot of Wednesday's expedition to Lackawanna State Park. The frozen lake was dotted with several ice fishermen during my visit. Here are two guys trying their luck.

I let the zoom do the work. Even though the ice was perfectly safe, I wasn't about to venture out there for an up close look.

Now that spring is in sight, I'll try to get out with the camera a little more. You have been warned!

Saturday, February 14, 2009

BPW Saturday


"Bad Photography Weekend" continues with the second of three shots from Lackawanna State Park. Like the one posted yesterday, this one was taken Wednesday afternoon. It shows the ice covered lake.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Bad Photography Weekend


It's been a while since I've inflicted a "Bad Photography Weekend" upon you.

The temperatures were in the 60's Wednesday afternoon. It inspired me to grab my camera and wander around Lackawanna State Park for a bit. As you can see, Most of the snow has melted, and the grass shows some traces of green.

Yes, I know it's only mid February and there's much more snow and ice to come.

A taste of spring was nice, even if it lasted for only one day.

And, we have a temporary header change today... If WNEP.com can undergo a redesign, so can I.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Politically Incorrect


Remember the TV show "Politically Incorrect?" It ran on Comedy Central, then ABC from 1993 to 2002. The show really filled a need. there are some things in this country that need to be said, even though those views are not always popular.

Unfortunately, "Politically Incorrect" lost its way during its final years. It should have been an equal opportunity offender. Instead, host Bill Maher used the show as a platform for his personal agenda. That gets really, really tired after a while.

Now that I've built the "Politically Incorrect" foundation, here's my own stab at it. Get ready. Here it comes. I'm sick of Capt. Chesley Sullenberger. He was the pilot of the jet that landed in New York City's Hudson River last month.

Yes, the man is an American hero. Sullenberger and his crew saved dozens of lives. Few of us would have been as brave and calm under similar circumstances.

It's a great story, but I need to see and hear it only once. Sully's been on CNN and FNC and MSNBC and 60 Minutes and The Early Show and Today and Good Morning America and NBC Nightly News and ABC's World News and Letterman and a bunch of shows I haven't seen. Good for him. If I was in a similar situation, I would have accepted all the interview requests. How many times does an airline pilot get to meet Letterman?

Sullenberger's 15 minutes of fame are nearly up. He's destined to be the answer (or is it the question?) on Jeopardy! one of these days.

Tomorrow, a return to political correctness. Thank you for today's indulgence.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Alex Rodriguez


It wasn't what he did, but rather, how he did it.

Sports Illustrated broke the story over the weekend. New York Yankees' third baseman, Alex Rodriguez, the highest paid player in baseball, tested positive for steroids.

Rodriguez took performance enhancing drugs from 2001 to 2003, while he played for the Texas Rangers. Steroids were NOT banned by major league baseball at the time.

Rodriguez' steroid use was unethical, but not illegal, at least according to Major League Baseball.

Here's what bugs me. Rodriguez lied in interview after interview, most notably, the one on "60 Minutes." The lies bother me more than the steroid use, and Rodriguez came clean only after he was outed.

I've never been a Rodriguez fan, but I do respect his talent. For some strange reason, I've been wondering why I'm cutting A-Rod some slack here. Then, it came to me.

What if someone offered me a shot in the arse that would give be the skills, ability, and wisdom of Edward R. Murrow? It's the journalism equivalent of a baseball player taking steroids. A chance to be the next Murrow? Show me where to drop my pants! Okay, I'm exaggerating, but it would be tempting.

Baseball's banned steroids, so those caught violating the rule should be booted out of the game.

Otherwise, good night, and good luck.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Something Stinks


No, this isn't a blog about the Luzerne County Courthouse. I apologize for the misleading title. It is my annual "harbinger of spring" blog.

It hit me like a brick in the forehead the other morning. As I walked to my car at 2:30 AM, I smelled a skunk. As I've written in the past, skunks get a little randy and hungry in the springtime (who doesn't?). I view the first skunk aroma as the first sign of approaching spring. It's a good thing.

Speaking of scents, I do a fair amount of walking. It's amazing how many different brands of dryer fabric softener sheets your nose can pick up while walking around town. They all seem a little strong to me. I like my clothes to smell like nothing.

Okay, I lied. I do have to make mention of the Luzerne County Courthouse. The vast majority of the workers there are decent, honest and hard working people. It's unfortunate to see all employees lumped in with the bad ones. Eventually, the honest workers and the thieves will be separated. It can't happen soon enough. Hang in there. It's terrible to see people lose their jobs due to the budget issues, but governments are the same as private sector businesses. Money's tight.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Brass Ones


I couldn't believe my eyes when I read yesterday's Citizens Voice. In a letter to new president judge Chester Muroski, but released to the newspaper, former president judge Mark Ciavarella admitted he disgraced his judgeship. Here's the unbelievable part. Ciavarella went on to say: “However, my current legal problems don’t give you (Muroski) the right to misstate or inaccurately depict the court related policy decisions made during my tenure.”

Too bad.

If Ciavarella is trying to polish his place in posterity, it's too late. Ciavarella's legacy was sealed when he started taking kickbacks, when he unjustly sent kids to a juvenile detention center, when he screwed kids and their families who were looking for "justice" in the "justice" system.

You see it all the time when someone gets caught doing something wrong. First, they play the "victim." Then, they go on what I call the "apology tour." They say they're sorry to everyone from Larry King, to Letterman, to Leno, to Greta, to Oprah, and even to Regis & Kelly.

Mr. Ciavarella, please put me on the list. If you'd like to explain what you did and why, if you want to say "sorry" to all the people you've wronged, if you'd like to set the record straight, I'm here. We'll do it on camera so you can't say anything was misstated or inaccurately depicted. Let's talk.

The road to redemption could start by naming names. Tell us who else was involved in your scam so we could seperate the good people from the thieves in county government.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

TV Notes


Just a couple notes from the wonderful world of television...

Ben Blank of Teaneck, NJ died Tuesday. He was an Emmy award winning graphics designer for ABC. Blank is credited with inventing the "over the shoulder" graphic.
Ben Blank was 87.

Full disclosure: I can't stand "The Office." Apparently, I'm not alone. "The Office" was given the slot after Sunday night's Super Bowl. 77 per cent of the people who watched the game didn't stick around for "The Office." That is the lowest retention rate since ABC scheduled an episode of "Alias" after the Super Bowl in 2003. The Washington Post listed "The Office" as one of the "losers of the week."

Friday, February 6, 2009

Happenings


This is without a doubt the best looking blog entry of all time.

That's our very own Mindi Ramsey on the cover of this month's "Happenings" magazine.

Mindi and friends are promoting "go red" events that are part of the American Heart Association's February activities. You'll see and hear more about them in the next couple weeks on WNEP TV and WNEP.com.

The cover was so spectacular, I couldn't resist sharing it with you on a cold winter's day.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Taxing Situation


Tuesday was special election day in the Crestwood school district. The school board asked for permission to borrow $56 million to expand the middle/high school. The referendum went down in flames.

Is anyone surprised? This is a tough time to ask people if they want their taxes raised. It's always a battle, even more so when we're in a major recession.

It's clear Crestwood has a problem. The other morning, a teacher told me there's no available classroom space, no storage space, and no room in the cafeteria. State projections predict an enrollment increase in the years to come, so the overcrowding issues will worsen.

So, what do you do? There are no easy answers. It appears the school board and its consultants will have to come up with a less costly solution. No one wants to see education suffer, but there is a finite amount of money to go around.

Several other school districts here in our area should study the Crestwood situation. They face the same thing in the not so distant future. Just as space is running out in the schools, taxpayers are running out of money.

While we're on the subject of money, here are a few words on Tom Daschle.

The former senator withdrew as a candidate for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Daschle came under fire after it was revealed he failed to pay taxes on a free car/limousine/driver service he received. Daschle paid the back taxes, interest, and penalty. Does that mean everyting is ok? No, it doesn't. Would Daschle have admitted his "mistake" if he had not been nominated for the HHS post? Many people believe the answer is "no." It's tough to ask people, and expect people, to pay their taxes when you haven't paid yours.

Those who think Daschle should have been in the clear because he admitted his "mistake" are sadly naive. He might have been a great HHS secretary, but you have to follow the rules.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Old


It's funny how you can think of yourself as growing older, but it's a shock when you hear how someone else has aged.

Case in point: David Brenner. He was on Howard Stern's radio show yesterday. Brenner admitted he lied about his age for years. Today is his birthday, and he's 73 years old. 73! Really!

I was stunned. After giving it some thought, it made sense. I remember watching him on the Mike Douglas Show and a thousand other places in the seventies. I read, and enjoyed, Brenner's first book, "Soft Pretzels with Mustard." Brenner didn't get in to the comedy game until his mid/late 20's. He was a very successful producer of serious news documentaries, and he worked as director of documentaries for Westinghouse Broadcasting. Youngsters may not know that Westinghouse had an extremely successful chain of television stations for a long time. The Westinghouse stations eventually became part of the CBS chain.

The bottom line is that when you start feeling older, look at the person next to you. They're going through the same thing.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

43


Judging by the highlights I saw Monday morning, and the stories I read, I missed a tremendous Super Bowl.

I'm okay with that.

Monday morning wake up time is 2:00 AM, and even if I had a "normal" schedule, I wouldn't have watched the game. Call me a bad fan, but I would have been too nervous to have a good time and enjoy the action on the field. Animal Planet's "Puppy Bowl" would have filled my screen, rather than the NFL championship game.

I'm still having cramps from the Pittsburgh/Indianapolis playoff game three years ago. That's the game the Steelers almost blew, and Ben Roethlisberger made a shoe string tackle, after an Indianapolis interception, with seconds left.

Reflections on the season? I think Pittsburgh will be remembered as a good team, not a great team. While the defense was strong, the offense was merely adequate. However, there's something that doesn't show up in the statistics. Pittsburgh squeaked by in several games this year. They always found a way to get it done. That's what gets you the big trophy.

It was a long season. It ended on a great note, and I'm glad it's over. It's time for a break.

One final thing, and it comes from the "even a dumb hog finds an acorn once in a while" category... I correctly said the Steelers would win a close one. It almost makes up for my dismal playoff record.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Random Monday


It's been a while since I inflicted some random thoughts on you.

Clear Channel, a company that owns hundreds of radio stations, announced it was firing nine per cent of its staff. The bomb was dropped on Obama inauguration day. It's widely believed the company hoped the Obama inauguration would divert the public's attention from the dismissals.

The Catholic Diocese of Scranton announced a massive round of church closings on Super Bowl Sunday.

I still haven't been to Circuit City to pick over the remains. It's a waste of time now. I doubt anything good is left.

Don't talk to me about Super Bowl commercials. They might be cute, but they're still commercials.

I still can't get used to those narrow little newspapers.

Diet cola is still my drink of choice, but diet lemon lime is finding its way into my glass more often these days.

Enough with the snow and ice!

I think I'm the last person on the planet without a Facebook or My Space site. I do have a profile at LinkedIn.com, but, for the life of me, I can't figure out its value.

Why is audio a foreign concept on local public access cable television?

Speaking of cable, "Monk" is on at least one channel, around the clock.

I don't know how anyone can walk into Luzerne County Court and absolutely, positively believe they are getting a 100 per cent fair shake. Two judges have already been charged, and the rumors about other shenanigans under the dome are running rampant. New President Judge Chester Muroski is trying to get a handle on it, and I believe he will make a difference. However, the feds have to move fast and make other arrests, if warranted. There is no confidence in the system. The quickest way to remedy the situation is to lead the scoundrels out of there in handcuffs. The Ciavarella/Conahan mess is too big for others not to have known what was happening. What did you know, and when did you know it?

I'm not one for concerts and crowds, but the Spinners are coming to Stroudsburg. I'd love to be there. Unfortunately, it's on a Friday night and I have to work.

Don't forget, all TV becomes DTV February 17th. Maybe.

I'm glad I slept through the Super Bowl.

Happy Ground Hog Day!

Sunday, February 1, 2009

WNEP Tour



The computers at the TV station occasionally have a mind of their own.

A Junior Girl Scout troop from Danville came to the station for a tour Saturday morning. Noreen wanted to share these pictures with you on Newswatch 16 Sunday morning, but our computers had other plans. I offered to put them on the blog as a bit of a substitute.

Of course, you can click on the photos to make them larger. The first photo was taken on the set. The second is a shot from the control room.

While I wasn't there, this looks like a really nice bunch of kids, and I hope they had a great time during their stay at WNEP.