Business Wednesday

 

Times have changed.

Backing up a bit, most 24 hour businesses, except for some mini marts, gave up the all night stuff when the pandemic hit.  One of the notable exceptions is one store in Scranton that it part of a big drug store chain.  I'm in there ALL THE TIME.

On my last nocturnal visit, I picked up a couple of prescriptions in the back.  It was then to the front of the store so I could get some soda and burn off a coupon.  No clerk at the register.  No problem.  I'd just use the self service checkout.

Backing up again.  I hate those things.  I like to see people employed.  On the other hand, those self service checkouts do save some time, and time is always an issue for me.

New problem.  The self service terminals, both of them, were down.  

I searched around the store looking for a body.  One finally appeared from the outside.  He was on break.  I explained that I normally would hit the self serves, but they were down.  I'm going to get him in trouble, but the clerk explained that the self serve terminals are now permanently off-line.

I immediately knew the reason.  I said to the clerk "Theft?"  He said yes and added most of the store's shrinkage comes from people grabbing things in the aisles and running out, not from the self service check outs.

Be that as it may, a time saving convenience is gone.  I'll really be upset if the store cuts back on its around the clock operation.

Deja Vu

 

It was flashback time over the weekend.

Former president Donald Trump predicted his own indictment.  I instantly went back to an afternoon in 1992.

Joe McDade represented the Scranton area and the northern tier in congress.  It was the 10th district way back when.  He was under investigation for taking gifts and trips in exchange for steering government contracts to certain groups.

McDade called a news conference to announce his own indictment, before the Justice Department had a chance to break the news.  It was stunning on a couple of fronts.  First, a popular local congressman charged with bribery and racketeering.  Second, he was the one who told his constituents.

Even though McDade was acquitted, the trial did uncover some questionable behavior.  He was living fairly large at taxpayer expense.  McDade kept a nice house in his district.  He didn't live there.  The congressman spent the vast, vast majority of his time at his home in Virginia.

In spite of it all, Joe McDade was immensely accepted, winning most of his recent elections by huge margins.  He had people believing that if he left congress, the Tobyhanna Army Depot would be shuttered in days.  McDade retired in 1999.  Tobyhanna is still there, even though we had a revolving door of congressman.

Some called McDade the "king of pork."  He was responsible for a lot of government spending around here.  The Steamtown National Historic Site immediately comes to mind.  He had the National Park Service take over a pile of rusting junk and turn it in to something nice,  and a source of some local pride.

One of my first encounters with the good congressman was at a tank plant in Lackawanna County in the early 80's.  The place was still cranking out tanks, even though many people weren't sure we needed them.  I asked McDade about that.  He was incensed   He believed jobs now were better than mortgaging our kids' future and saddling them with debt.  I'll leave the final determination up to you.  I dared to take on the congressman with a critical question.  I clearly irritated him and it made for good radio.  My brethren were satisfied to go along on the photo op and the happy happy joy joy atmosphere of that Saturday afternoon.

Getting back to my original point, announcing your own indictment was sheer genius.  McDade got to put his own spin on it, and portray himself as the victim of a vindictive Justice Department.  It worked.  Local voters kept sending McDade back to Washington, even with that major black cloud over his head.

Joe McDade died September 24, 2017 in Virginia. 

Front Row Seat

 

Someone much wiser than I once said that news is "history caught on the fly."

So true.

As I write this, it is very early Sunday morning.  I'm putting the finishing touches on our morning newscast.  Among the stories, a criminal indictment and possible arrest of a former president and some of America's biggest banks on the financial edge.

Step back and think about that for a moment.

Wow!

And if that isn't enough, there is the threat of China getting involved in the war in Ukraine and North Korea launching missiles around Asia.

Double wow!

A former supervisor once compared the newsroom to a factory.  We simply keep cranking it out.  Hey, that's our job.  But, when you slow down for a moment and think about what's going on around this planet of ours, it really is awe inspiring.  We life in fascinating, and occasionally very dangerous times.

Andy's Angles: The River

 

I've been spending a lot of time along the Lackawanna River lately, and I've managed to have camera in hand.

Granted, this section of the waterway, running through south Scranton, isn't the most scenic, but it is worthy of an entry here as we try to turn the corner toward spring.

Like yesterday's photo, I shot this in early January, a warm but grey day.  The water was running a little higher than normal because of a recent rainfall.

Andy's Angles: Thank You, Evergreens

 

I call shooting landscapes in winter shooting monochrome, without using that setting on the camera.

This photo was taken in early January, when the temperature was close to 60-- a misty, foggy day.  The Lackawanna River in south Scranton was an unappealing grey.  The only color came from the evergreens on the west bank, and I'm glad they were there.

Follow Up Friday

 

Revisiting a few topics from recent days...

Thank you for all the kind Facebook comments about coanchoring the Monday morning broadcast and being out in the snow Tuesday.  I tried to answer as many as I could, but I couldn't keep up.  I guess that's a good thing.  I appreciate it.  Also, thank you and welcome to all the new followers.  By the way, I hate the word "follower."  Couldn't Facebook come up with something better?

I recently noted how Jim Nantz of CBS was doing his last NCAA basketball tournament.  Greg Gumbel of CBS said this week that he is stepping away from the NFL broadcasts.  He is 76 years old.  Gumbel was blasted for some weak efforts this season.  I don't know.  I didn't see or hear them.  However, 76 seems like a good time to move on.  Gumbel will never be known as one of the industry's greats, but he always produced a solid effort and I like him.  He is also the first person of color to call a Super Bowl on TV and that is a major accomplishment.

Ten episodes of the new "Night Court" have aired.  Three have been OK, and I'm being kind.  I'm out.

Monday is the spring equinox.  Snow in late March and April is not uncommon.  We'll get at least one more storm.

I use sports talk radio as a pleasant diversion from the real world.  The genre has some bad weeks, like around the holidays when all the top tier talent is on vacation.  The other is underway right now.  NCAA bracket discussions bore me to tears.

A chain of four local newspapers announced it's giving up on producing a print edition on Mondays.  The change takes effect next month.  #sad.

Scranton's Gerry McNamara is staying with the Syracuse University basketball program.  #happy.

First Person: In the Chair

 

It's amazing how much time has passed.  This is a screen grab from our Monday morning broadcast.  What makes it significant is this is the first time Mindi and I have anchored together in more than three years.

Management tried to distance the staff when Covid-19 hit.  One thing led to another.  The months passed.  The years passed.  New management decided it was time to throw us together again, and this was it.

I'm hesitant to talk about things like this.  Television is not the most important job in the world.  If it goes badly, no one dies.  However, relating to a co-anchor can be a challenge.  It's the chemistry thing.  I was lucky to share the anchor desk with a friend.

Media Wednesday

 

I'm not a movie guy.  In fact, I haven't been to a theater since 2012, and I don't stream anything.  However, it was nice to see Brendan Fraser win the Academy Award for best actor Sunday night.  He was great in several "Scrubs" episodes and I enjoyed him in "Bedazzled," "Blast From the Past" and "George of the Jungle."  Yes, they are all comedies, but as Fraser proved in "Whale," he can do drama.

Speaking of "Scrubs," I watched a marathon the other day, on one of the cable channels, even though I have the series on DVD.  I'd forgotten how well written it was.  Great characters.  Compelling stories.

A sample of a radio station with artificial intelligence voices recently made it in to my "in" box.  While I will always be a "live and local" guy, the sample was amazing.  If no one told you the voices weren't real, you would never know.

I was listening to a radio station from the eastern shore of Maryland the other day.  It carried a network sports talk feed, but there were local news and weather updates.  Friends, that's the way to do it.

This will get an entry unto itself down the road, but the new "Night Court" weakens with every episode.  There was huge potential here.

TV news isn't as easy as it looks.  I have a great deal of respect for the reporters and photographers covering the weather problems out west, and it's refreshing to see Mr. Drama from the Weather Channel isn't part of it.

Speaking of the Weather Channel...  Early Tuesday morning.  Massive snow storm approaching the east coast.  Millions impacted.  And the Weather Channel had a "reality" show about surviving a fall.

I'm not gloating.  It makes me sad.  Newspapers in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton and Pottsville drop their Monday print editions next month.  It's on-line only.  Management cites inflation and a changing advertising climate.  In other words, fewer businesses are buying print ads, and classified ads dried up years ago.  The Times Leader in Wilkes-Barre dropped three print editions when the pandemic hit.

CNN hired two new executive producers for a morning show.  Everyone knows what the problem is.

CBS sold the studio complex known as "Television City" five years ago.  New owners say there will be massive renovations, and "The Price is Right" is getting kicked out of its home of more than 40 years.  The production company found new space in Glendale.  I'm sure the show will look slightly different in the fall.  I've read where there is a huge demand for studio space because of all the new streaming productions.  A studio building spree is underway.

The NCAA basketball tournament is underway.  This year will be the last for Jim Nantz of CBS.  He will continue on the network's NFL and golf coverage.  Nantz is as solid as they come.  Ian Eagle becomes the top basketball announcer for CBS next year.

Business Tuesday

 

A couple supermarkets and big box stores near me eliminated 24 hour operation when the pandemic hit, and I get that.  Corporate management said they wanted to devote those overnight hours to cleaning and sanitation.  I raised a skeptical eyebrow over that one, but be that as it may.

I was left with a few mini marts and one 24 hour drug store.  The drug store is part of a huge national chain, and I thank heaven that drug store exists.  I'm in there all the time.

The point of today's entry really is looking a gift horse in the mouth.  As a frequent flyer, I'm part of the store's loyalty program.  Electronic coupons come my way all the time, and $4 off any purchase coupons are not uncommon.

My question is, how high are prices jacked that you can afford to toss around some pretty hefty coupons?

On the other hand, the couponing encourages customer loyalty, and you can't put a price tag on that.

Big drug store chain, KEEP THEM COMING!

A Milestone

 

Regular blog readers know I love radio, especially radio news.  Few things thrill me more than turning in to a well produced, well delivered network radio newscast.

The "World News Roundup" on CBS Radio turns 85 today.  It was the first to feature correspondents, stationed across the globe, reporting for the same newscast.  There was no shortage of material for those first 35 minute broadcasts.  World War II was approaching.

As the years passed, the "World News Roundup" became shorter and shorter.  I think it's down to six minutes now, with very few stations carrying all six.

Radio has changed quite a bit, especially in recent years.  Those "on the scene" correspondents have been replaced with clips from television news broadcasts.  That's unfortunate.  So much television reporting is lacking because the reporters don't write for the ear.  Description is lacking because the pictures tell the story.  There is shockingly little context.

If that isn't enough, I don't think there are any CBS Radio affiliates where I live.  I have to get by with the internet feeds of all news stations from big cities.

Looking on the bright side, I'm happy the "World News Roundup" is still around.

About the Cover: Engine 51

 

I've hammered away at Carbondale and the state for agonizingly slow movement on replacing a bridge and tearing down an eyesore building that's a stone's throw from city hall.

A fair and balanced lad, I am.  It's time for a little love

This month's header features the Carbondale Fire Department, a dedicated bunch of individuals.

The header shot was an attempt to be artsy and do something a little different.  I wiped out most of the color, except for the fire truck.  I really wanted it to pop.

Carbondale firefighters, and all others in our area...  Thank you for all you do.

Andy's Angles: History Lost?

 

As noted earlier, I grew up in the mid valley and went to school in Olyphant for four soul crushing years.

I ventured into an area of Olyphant that was new to me as I visited a fire scene, and that's when I came across this gem.

Olyphant once had a Studebaker dealership/garage along Hull Avenue.

The building is in rough shape, and I doubt it can be saved.  Pity.  I hope someone has the big heart and good sense to save some of the building's architectural elements.

Again!

 

Daylight Saving Time returns at 2 am Sunday, and here we go again.  It's time for that twice yearly debate about picking Standard Time or Daylight Saving Time and sticking with it.  Forever and ever.

I'm tired of it.

Bills pop up in Washington, and nothing ever happens.  Rural and farm states block any change.  Farmers like the twice yearly switch and I get that.  They have to earn a living.  Farming is an essential part of America and these men and women don't get nearly the attention they deserve.

Personally, I'd like to see the USA stick with one.

My point today is this is never ever going to change, so let's drop it and move on.  I hope I'm wrong.

Don't forget that clocks go ahead one hour.

Your Money

 

Our friends at the Times~Tribune published an interesting story the other day.  Scranton wants to hire a marketing and communications consultant to attract businesses and talent to the city.

Cart before the horse?

Can we fix the potholes, clean up the city, reduce crime, make it affordable to park, get rid of the politically corrupt stigma, forget about all "The Office" nonsense, get our finances in order, hire qualified people, elect qualified people, and stop the brain drain first?

Scranton has a lot going for it.  It really does, and I don't want to be overly negative.

Good things:  Marywood, the University of Scranton, LCCC, Nay Aug Park and surroundings, Steamtown, some very nice stores and restaurants...  I'm too old for it, but I'm told the local music scene is very good.  The Cultural Center attracts a variety of shows.  The Italian Festival and First Fridays are great fun.  We used to have an Ice Festival, and the Jazz Festival always draws a lot of people.  We have the Heritage Trail, McDade Park and the coal mine tour.  Summers are filled with firemen's carnivals and church picnics.

There is a lot that needs work.  Visitors have a tough time finding the Steamtown National Historic Site.  First impression of Nay Aug Park is it's a giant parking lot.  Downtown is dead most weekends.

I think if all the problems are repaired, you won't need a marketing consultant.  People will visit, love the city and stay.

And above all, businesses choose locations based on cheap labor, cheap land, cheap taxes, and cheap utilities.  You don't need a marketing consultant for that.

First Person: Snow Day

 

It was one of those days when you knew what you would be doing, long before I waved my pass at the door at 2 am.  Snow in the forecast means only one thing:  road reports!

It is an inexact science.  You know it's going to snow, but this was one of those storms where the totals varied greatly, even within a few miles.

Elizabeth Worthington was given the Hazleton assignment.  I had to come up with another place.  A caucus with the staff ensued.  We chose Jim Thorpe.

Let me back up a bit.  I got up around 11 Monday night.  A look out the bedroom window showed a dry street.  Great!  I watched a couple "Barney Miller" episodes.  When they were done, the snow had started.  It didn't stick to the street, but the grass was quickly covered.

The ride to work was uneventful.  I skipped my usual mini mart stop for a giant soda to save some time, just in case.  I didn't need it.  I regret not grabbing the soda.

The ride to Jim Thorpe was a little different-- some slush, nothing major.  It did slow us down a few times.  We made our live location with plenty of time to spare.

Why Jim Thorpe?  Why not?  We don't visit Carbon County all that often during our morning broadcasts, so it was something different.  Plus, it's visual.  I had a great time.  There is so much to see, even at 4 in the morning.  I snapped off a few smart phone photos, and you will see them here in the weeks to come.

Photographer Jason and I wrapped up a little before 7, and it was a ride back to the office.  By the way, those relatively new ramps near Hickory Run are such a major time saver.

I have a feeling this will not be the last snow story of the year.

Vote 2023

 

We'll do a wee bit of politicking today...

Lori Lightfoot lost her bid to be reelected mayor of Chicago, the first one term mayor in decades.  Chicago has a crime problem, and voters made her pay.  New York City Mayor Eric Adams called Lightfoot's loss a "warning sign."  He's right.  Crime and the economy have been, and will continue to be the major issues in elections-- locally and on the national level.

ABC News reported most big name Republicans blew off the Conservative Political Action Conference over the weekend.  It used to be a "must."  Times have changed, and some candidates the path to the nomination does not go through the CPAC. 

Former Maryland governor Larry Hogan said he will not run for the Republican presidential nomination.  That is a bit of a surprise.  Hogan said he did not want to be part of a crowded field, feeling that a vote split among several candidates makes it easier for former president Trump to get the Republican nomination next year.  Hogan is a moderate, and moderates, in both major parties, have had a hard time getting votes recently.

There are other issues still lurking out there.  Abortion.  Guns.  America's transportation problems, just to name a few.

I'm sure things will heat up once President Biden announces his intentions.

It seems like the last presidential election was only yesterday.

Monday Scrapple

 

March can feel longer than January.  You are looking for signs of spring that are, so far, elusive.

What are Shepard Smith and Brian Williams doing now?

I'll do a baseball entry in a couple of weeks, but it is nice to catch a few innings of a spring training game on television.

The 8th episode of the new "Night Court" was the best in a few weeks.  However, I'm still on the verge of giving up on this series.

Hal Linden and Max Gail are coming to a nostalgia convention in the Baltimore area in September.  I am extremely tempted.

It's amazing what a good laugh can do for you.

And a good sub sandwich.

There are persistent rumors Tom Brady is coming out of retirement-- again.  Enough!  Please!

I hate giving Amazon so much of my money, but they make it so darned easy.  Plus, traditional brick and mortar stores just don't have what I need.

The sight of a happy cat never fails to calm my nerves.

The ability of McDonald's and Dunkin' to draw huge lines every morning still amazes me.

I regularly check the movie listings.  Nothing entices me to visit a theater.

Andy's Angles: The Art of Destruction

 

This is the view from the back of the fire ravaged Olyphant slaughterhouse, and I have a feeling it looked this way before the fire.

The building was left to rot.  There were plans to tear it down and put apartments here.  I hope the fire hastens demolition.  I feel sorry with the neighbors, who had to put up with this place in recent years.

Andy's Angles: After the Fire

 

I am affectionately what is called a "house cat" on weekends.  Simply put, I'm in the house, or in this case, the television station.  As a result, I couldn't get to Olyphant while the big and vacant slaughterhouse on Hull Avenue was burning one week ago.  I probably wouldn't have gone anyway.  The last thing the fire departments needed was another sightseer.

I did drop in after work Monday afternoon to see the hulking structure before it's torn down.  I grew up a couple of miles away, and I attended 6th, 10th, 11th and 12th grades in Olyphant, and this was my first time in that section of the Queen City.

One firefighter was still there when I arrived, along with the police chief and one officer.  We chatted briefly and then I took a walk around the building.  It's bigger than it looks on television and in the photos above.

It turned out this is a case of arson, with a couple of juveniles suspected.  My sources say they were trying to keep warm in an office here and the fire got out of hand.  That's the understatement of the millennium!  I'm glad no one was hurt and it was an impressive show of the firefighting capability in the valley.  Those aerial trucks/ladders are amazing.

It's another view tomorrow.

Buffalo

 

You have to wonder how much more the city of Buffalo can endure.  It's been month after month of heartache and tragedy.

There was a mass shooting in a supermarket, followed by a blizzard that killed dozens.  One of its star football players died on a field in Cincinnati and was brought back to life after several agonizing moments  Now, a firefighter, only 37 years old, died in a Wednesday fire.

I've been to Buffalo.  Before my trip, a former coworker from my radio days called it "a big Scranton."  He was right.  It wasn't meant to be a slam.  Both are cities with a rich history, struggling to adapt to modern times.  There are successes.  There are failures.  Buffalo is a hard working city that loves its traditions, its heritage, its regional dishes, and its sports.  Scranton-esque.  Very.

WNEP has a sister station in Buffalo, the legendary WGRZ.  I can noodle around in the computer system and view their files, their video, the stories they've done after all the sad events listed above.  There is a common thread.  I saw how food drives and distributions helped the neighborhood that temporarily lost its supermarket after the murders.  I saw how neighbor helped neighbor to dig out from under feet of snow.  Families with emergency generators took in stranded drivers and neighbors to make sure they were warm, fed, and safe.  People learned CPR and other first aid measures after Damar Hamlin was hurt.  Now, citizens and first responders come together to share their grief over the loss of a young firefighter.

Buffalo, and its people are strong.  It's sad their resolve is getting a monthly challenge.

Hypersensitivity

 

A Facebook buddy raised an interesting point, that I will use as today's launch.

He noted a recent rash of train derailments and accidents.

Really?

I'll have to check the statistics, but I do have a theory.

After the disaster in East Palestine, Ohio and the deadly collision in Greece, our ears perk up a little more when we hear about problems on the rails.  I'm not defending the rail industry.  Clearly, there is a lot of things that can be done better-- and safer.

It's like when you buy a new car.  You suddenly notice all the similar makes and models on the road.

As I said last week, this country cannot function without a safe and effective rail network.  It's time to learn from past mistakes.

Spring!

 

It's here!  Today is March 1, and that is the start of meteorological spring.  The real "spring" begins on the 20th.

 March is coming in with cold and snowy weather.  Ice, too.  Some of our biggest storms have taken place during March.  It can be a cruel month.

Be that as it may,  you can feel the strong becoming a little stronger, the days a little longer.  What snow and ice we receive melts after a few days.  Clocks go forward in a couple of weeks.

My only issue with spring is it doesn't last long enough.  The same goes for fall, but in the opposite direction.  We go from puffy coats to tee shirts rather quickly.  Summer brings excessive heat and humidity.

Reverse it in the all too short fall.  Moderate September and October weather transitions in to a freeze  in what feels like a two week period.

As I said, it's been a tough week so far, with more winter to weather to come.  This could have turned out a whole lot worse.