Get ready for another national spotlight focused on Wichita this week.
The Scott Roeder (accused of killing Dr. George Tiller) is tomorrow (Tuesday) in Sedgwick County District Court. We...the members of the local media...are meeting today to get the courtroom and media workroom setup ahead of Tuesday's preliminary hearing. The last time Roeder was in court for his first appearance, media from across the nation was in town. Several satellite trucks and national crews spent three days in Wichita.
This week, you can expect nothing less. Watch for Wichita to lead the news on the three cable news networks tomorrow afternoon...for better or worse.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Back at work after nearly two weeks
I'm back in the anchoring chair today for the first time in nearly two weeks.
Fun times...and the 2010 Butler Showchoir Showcase is already on the schedule!
I took some time off to take care of some family things and then I spent a week in El Dorado, KS at the Butler Showchoir Showcase where I worked as the technical coordinator for a week long showchoir camp hosted by Valerie Mack and the Butler Headliners. About 350 students from across the country attend the camp each year. It's amazing to me to watch the students learn the notes and choreography for five songs in less than five days and then perform with perfection at the final show.
It's also fun for me to work with some of the best vocal clinicians and choreographers from across the country. Never a dull moment and lots of laughs and memories.
And I got to work with lots of sound, video and lighting equipment that I truck in from the Douglas Production Group/Sounds Unlimited in Liberal, KS.
Fun times...and the 2010 Butler Showchoir Showcase is already on the schedule!Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Is it still June?
The heat is on in southcentral Kansas. We went from the mid 80s a couple of weeks ago to near 100 degrees this week.
Seriously? Are we still in June, or did we skip the rest of the month and jump to the end of July and early August? Of course we expect this heat in the summer, but in June? In case you're wondering, the temperatures are usually in the lower to mid 90s on average in June...with extreme heat considered upper 90s.
The heat this week is so intense, it prompted the National Weather Service to issue an excessive heat warning. You can expect temperatures near 100 with the heat index between 105 and 110 degrees.
The excessive heat warning continues until Thursday night, but it will likely be extended. The forecast through Sunday calls for high temperatures of 100 with the heat index five to 10 degrees higher. So, lots of pool time for me and my family and lots and lots and lots of water and air conditioning. I hope you can enjoy the same!
Seriously? Are we still in June, or did we skip the rest of the month and jump to the end of July and early August? Of course we expect this heat in the summer, but in June? In case you're wondering, the temperatures are usually in the lower to mid 90s on average in June...with extreme heat considered upper 90s.
The heat this week is so intense, it prompted the National Weather Service to issue an excessive heat warning. You can expect temperatures near 100 with the heat index between 105 and 110 degrees.
The excessive heat warning continues until Thursday night, but it will likely be extended. The forecast through Sunday calls for high temperatures of 100 with the heat index five to 10 degrees higher. So, lots of pool time for me and my family and lots and lots and lots of water and air conditioning. I hope you can enjoy the same!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
No weather...but the preparations were good
On Tuesday afternoon, I found myself watching the radar and looking at the latest information from the National Weather Service...wondering if, when and where the storms were going to develop.
I wasn't alone in my actions. Local meteorologists, storm chasers, news directors, assignment editors and reporters across the metro area were all doing the same thing.
Even scientists with the SPC's Vortex2 unit and the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) were all wondering the same thing: the ingredients are in play but when and where will the storms develop?
Long story short, the majority of the storms developed to the southeast of Wichita and to the west...and the activity was much less dangerous and less severe than had been predicted.
Thinking back on the day and the preparations I made, both at work and at home were well worth my time. I made plans, along with the rest of the KFDI News staff, for what we would do in the event of a major weather break out. At home, I checked the survival kit in the basement and made sure it was in order. Needless to say, I didn't need the plans I made nor did I need the survival kit. However, it was good to develop a plan of what might need to be done in an emergency situation.
So, my point, you ask? Everyone should take tornado and thunderstorm watches seriously. Even though the severe weather stayed away from much of the area under the tornado watch Tuesday and Tuesday night, that doesn't mean you should have not been thinking about what you would do in the event of a real weather emergency. Basically, if you still don't have an emergency weather preparedness plan at work or at home...develop a plan now. Don't wait until the next time when the weather really does threaten.
I wasn't alone in my actions. Local meteorologists, storm chasers, news directors, assignment editors and reporters across the metro area were all doing the same thing.
Even scientists with the SPC's Vortex2 unit and the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) were all wondering the same thing: the ingredients are in play but when and where will the storms develop?
Long story short, the majority of the storms developed to the southeast of Wichita and to the west...and the activity was much less dangerous and less severe than had been predicted.
Thinking back on the day and the preparations I made, both at work and at home were well worth my time. I made plans, along with the rest of the KFDI News staff, for what we would do in the event of a major weather break out. At home, I checked the survival kit in the basement and made sure it was in order. Needless to say, I didn't need the plans I made nor did I need the survival kit. However, it was good to develop a plan of what might need to be done in an emergency situation.
So, my point, you ask? Everyone should take tornado and thunderstorm watches seriously. Even though the severe weather stayed away from much of the area under the tornado watch Tuesday and Tuesday night, that doesn't mean you should have not been thinking about what you would do in the event of a real weather emergency. Basically, if you still don't have an emergency weather preparedness plan at work or at home...develop a plan now. Don't wait until the next time when the weather really does threaten.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Severe weather Tuesday?
The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center has circled an area including southcentral Kansas for a "moderate risk" of severe weather.A warm front moving back into Kansas from Oklahoma will provide the energy and instability for severe thunderstorms to develop. The Weather Service says large hail, damaging wind and possibly even tornadoes are today's weather threats.
KFDI News is ready for the possible chase day. Myself, John Wright, George Lawson and Phil White will be manning the KFDI Mobile Units today. Dan Dillon will be anchoring the coverage if needed.
Remember, follow KFDI News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kfdinews for the latest interactive coverage of news, weather and traffic.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Growing up and getting old...and ready for the baby gate
I struggled with what to write about for this week's blog post. Much of what I've been doing this week has focused on negative news and sad stories. Not just the news I've been covering in Wichita, but also news across our nation and around the world.
So, I thought Allie should be the topic of this week's blog post. Someone who's always happy and always smiling...when she's not hungry or sitting with a dirty diaper.
Allie turned eight months old last week and she continues to amaze her mother and I. There's not a day that goes by that I don't laugh at something she does or a new noise or talent she's learned to make or perform. She's now learned to clap, roll her tongue, click her tongue and sleep on her stomach. Little things, I know...but the way she does each of these things makes me smile and forget about all of the other things that could possibly be weighing on my mind.
She's also about to create more work for me. She's about to learn to crawl. That means it's time for daddy to install the baby gate at the top of the stairs that we've had since December. Maybe she'll help me read the installation instructions and hold the drill.
So, I thought Allie should be the topic of this week's blog post. Someone who's always happy and always smiling...when she's not hungry or sitting with a dirty diaper.
Allie turned eight months old last week and she continues to amaze her mother and I. There's not a day that goes by that I don't laugh at something she does or a new noise or talent she's learned to make or perform. She's now learned to clap, roll her tongue, click her tongue and sleep on her stomach. Little things, I know...but the way she does each of these things makes me smile and forget about all of the other things that could possibly be weighing on my mind.She's also about to create more work for me. She's about to learn to crawl. That means it's time for daddy to install the baby gate at the top of the stairs that we've had since December. Maybe she'll help me read the installation instructions and hold the drill.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Tigers...a must see exhibit at the SedCo Zoo
If you haven't been to the Sedgwick County Zoo to see the new tiger exhibit, then you're missing out.The folks at the Zoo and WDM Architects have once again created a fabulous addition to one of the nation's greatest zoo experiences.
The tigers in the new Slawson Family Tiger exhibit are active and they're so close you can nearly reach out and touch them...which, as you can see by the reaction from my daughter, might be fun to pet and cuddle with. I had to explain to her that the kitties in this cage are not as cute and cuddlesome as her Jack Russell Terrier is at home.
The only downside to the new exhibit might be the complaints from the ducks and other water fowl that land in the exhibit. Twice while we were watching, a duck landed in the water and was quickly hunted by the tigers. As the giants cats tried to pounce, the ducks flew away in a hurry. Oh well, I guess they'll soon learn as they did in the bear and lion exhibits!
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