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Maggie O'Mara: June 2009 Archives
Watch the BRONCOS on Channel 7: Great news Bronco fans!
We're so excited to tell you that KTVB will be "THE OFFICAL STATION FOR BRONCO NATION" this fall. The KTVB Newsgroup will be home to every Bronco game except for the games that ESPN has already decided to air. That means, you'll be able to watch 7 games right here on Channel 7 - right from the comfort of your own couch! In the booth this fall for our games? Mark Johnson and Tom Scott. Replays will be aired on our 24/7 channel if you just can't get enough! Get this! Our coverage is going to be even BROADER this year. Our President and GM Doug Armstrong - says our plan is to give fans across the state and around the region a chance to see their Broncos in action:
"You're going to see Boise State games not only in the Boise market but in the Twin Falls market, most likely in the Idaho Falls-Pocatello market, and then also in the Spokane market. Each game will probably be carried into the home of the team we are playing. So the exposure for Boise State is going to be extensive throughout the state of Idaho, unlike any other school in the state." - Doug Armstrong, KTVB President and GM The first game that will air on Channel 7 - will be September 12th versus Miami of Ohio.
KTVB TV Schedule
*The other 6 games, including the season opener vs Oregon will be televised on ESPN. PS: If you're a basketball fan, the contract also includes a few BSU road basketball games during the 2009-2010 season.
Dog Hero Once a week, I get the opportunity to feature a "Seven's Hero". (One of the best parts of my job!) Usually our "Heroes" are people - making a difference in our community - and doing great things for others. But, this week was kind of special! I featured a service dog by the name of Ovelle, and her handler Diane. Believe it or not, I have featured dogs before, but this one really stands out.
"Ovelle" is a certified assistance dog from Canine Companions for Independence. She volunteers with her handler Diane Rampelberg at places where people with disabilities need help and motivation with physical therapy sessions. One of those places is STARS (St. Alphonsus Rehabilitation Services) - in Meridian. Ovelle can get the kids to do things their therapists can't get them to do. They all want to be around Ovelle and play with her. Diane, her handler - makes the therapy fun with Ovelle. I had the chance to see Ovelle in action, and it's just an amazing thing to watch...
Julia and Claire Gambassi are 7 years old, and because of a genetic disorder they struggle with a lot of things that are easy for most kids. They love Ovelle so much, and learned so much from her in therapy at STARS - that they applied for an assistance dog to have at home too. After a year long process, they now have Zane (a black lab) to help them do more at home!
Now the twins have "Ovelle" at therapy at STARS, and "Zane" at home. Proof that dogs truly are man's best friend, and in some cases - HEROES too.
"Fat for Food" Fitness Challenge
Here's how it works, you lose the weight - and then corporate sponsors match your weight loss with food donations. Pound for pound. You need to be 18 years old, and the program costs 50 dollars. This is all organized by Jacob Nordby and Mike Winsor - who have both lost a lot of weight - and know how to help you do it too! Jacob is a recent twitter and facebook friend of mine, and sent me these before and after pictures of his success: Jacob - BEFORE:
Jacob - AFTER:
Local celebrities are taking part in the challenge too. Celebrities like The Biggest Loser's Mandi Kramer. She recently emailed me because she wants me to get the word out about her team. She wants you to join it!
From Mandi Kramer: "I think this is an awesome opportunity not only just to get healthy but to support people in need by supporting the Idaho Food Bank. Its not everyday you get to find motivation outside yourself to meet your personal goals; especially if you're competitive like me, sometimes it helps to have other incentives to lose weight other than just yourself. Not only that, its not often you get to work in a group setting and have team members to support you and push you along. If you want to join Mandi's team - email her at: mandi.kramer@yahoo.com Fat for Food Kick Off Party! *Saturday, June 27th @ 11am
(Notice Larry even has a mustache when he's a baby! LOL!)
The Special Olympics State Games
If you enjoyed the Special Olympics World Winter Games in February, you can recapture that same feeling this weekend! The state games are this Friday and Saturday... and you can be a part of it.
Torch Run: This weekend, you can cheer on the athletes and take part in the "2009 Final Leg Torch Run" - When: Friday, June 26th at 2pm. Where: The run will start at Julia Davis Park then go through downtown Boise ending at City Hall. (Mayor Dave Beiter will give a speech at City Hall) Why: The torch run is a great event that helps raise awareness for local Special Olympic athletes. This is your chance to run with local Law Enforcement Officers and athletes to help raise money for Special Olympics Idaho. Opening Ceremony: Friday night @ 7:30am is the Opening Ceremony at Boise Hawks Memorial Stadium! 21-year-old Coty McMurry from Payette will be the lucky athlete to light the Cauldron. (He'll be participating in Track and Field events this weekend)
Saturday, June 27, 2009 BE A FAN!
A TRUE HERO
Today, is the funeral for TJ Tally, the 21-year-old man who drowned while trying to rescue a 6-year-old boy last week. Young Jonah Johnson fell off a dock and right into the fast moving Snake River at Hells Canyon Park. TJ Tally and several other rescuers jumped in to save the boy. Tragically, Tally (who jumped into the water fully clothed with heavy boots on) didn't make it. Jonah did survive, and was brought to safety. The other people who jumped in to rescue him made it too.
This story really touched me, because this man is truly a HERO. I decided to BLOG about him today because he certainly deserves to be recognized and honored for what he did. He sacrificed his life to save little Jonah... search crews found his body the day after the incident. Tally is from La Grande, OR. Today, the public is invited to a graveside service at 2pm at Cove Cemetery in Cove, Oregon. There will also be a celebration of his life at 4pm. Tally was engaged and had a one year old child of his own. If you can, take a moment today to honor this young man, a true hero who sacrificed his life to save a young boy. It's a good reminder for all of us about how precious life is...
Free Prostate Cancer Screenings
This week offers a great opportunity for Dads, brothers, husbands, sons... all the men in your life! (If they are 45 with a family history of prostate cancer, or 50 years old and over) The "2009 Main Street Mile" Prostate Screening will be offered in the Treasure Valley... "A Mile for Men's Health" will be sponsoring four different chances for men in our area to get a free prostate screening. The Drive Against Prostate Cancer mobile screening bus will be out and about starting TODAY: Tuesday, June 23 (TODAY) Wednesday, June 24 Thursday, June 25 Friday, June 26 Boise City Hall
Don't forget - "A Mile for Men's Health" is a running and walking event on Friday night in downtown Boise. There are seven different ONE mile waves including races for children, teams, etc. *There's a $15 fee & you get a race t-shirt! Check out the race site: www.mainstreetmile.org
Rainy Parade Coverage:
Friday night was a night to remember at Meridian Dairy Days. I've anchored a lot of parades in my years here at Channel 7, but never in the pouring rain! Who would have thought we'd have such a storm in the middle of June? The entire KTVB crew decided to make the best of it! Our coverage went on... despite the rain.
You know what? I was really surprised by the turnout... it was one of the best parades I've been a part of! Thanks to the people of Meridian who turned out in droves with rain coats, umbrellas and blankets. It certainly was wet, but a lot of fun for all of us. Here's a picture of the "Mighty 7" production truck... and several of our co-workers were inside hard at work- directing the rainy parade coverage!
We were all soaking wet at the end of the 90 minute parade... good thing I had my trusty KTVB rain jacket in the car. I looked like a wet rat, so I borrowed the hat from our camera man Paul... thanks Paul! See how glamorous TV news really is????
Weekend Planner: Here are a few ideas for family fun this weekend...
It's time for Meridian Dairy Days! The parade is tonight at 7pm in downtown Meridian. Doug Petcash and I will be anchoring the parade coverage LIVE on 24/7. Join us for a night of fun! If you miss it, It will air again tomorrow at 6:30am, and at NOON on 24/7. Today and tomorrow you can enjoy the Dairy Days Carnival, and the Meridian Dairy and Cattle Show!
The Emmett Cherry Festival is this weekend. If you like cherries, this is your gig! The traditional Cherry Festival events, concerts and carnival all happen in the Emmett City Park through Saturday. Families gather, friends reunite and over 40,000 people get together for one of the greatest family-friendly events in Idaho.
The Payette River Experience in Garden Valley is also on the calendar this weekend! It features more than 41 events in just three days, this family-fun event is free for all. Highlights include whitewater events, trap shooting, 1K, 5K and 10K runs, mountain biking race, Dutch oven cook-off and much more.
This week's "News to Me" cartoon could not be more true! Nick captured me perfectly. Getting up at 2am isn't easy, and getting ready to go on TELEVISION at that hour is no easy feat. (What's up with the drooling tho? I sure hope I don't do that!)
Enjoy your weekend, and Happy Father's Day!
The race for Nampa mayor heats up: I recently got an e-mail from a woman who has plans to run for mayor of Nampa. That may not seem BLOG-worthy... but I thought it was an interesting e-mail, because she has a unique background. Dear Boise Area Media, My name is Melissa Sue Robinson and I am a Male to Female post-op transgendered person who is hereby announcing my intentions to run for Mayor of Nampa, in the November general election. I am running because I am progressive and I feel that Nampa is a city that needs progressive people in city government. I am the founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Transgendered Persons (NAATP), a transgendered civil rights organization which was founded in Lansing, MI. in 2000. The organization was put on hold when due to Michigan's poor economic climate, my change of careers, and my relocation to Seattle in Jan. 07. I was forced to disband it. My intentions are to start an organization (Idaho Equality), which will also focus on LGBT rights. If elected Nampa Mayor or not, I intend to push for a LGBT rights ordinance in both Nampa and Boise in the near future. I am a 58 years old telecommunications worker, and a former owner of Design Masters Construction Co, Inc. (a 25 employee small business) in which I was President for 10 years. Melissa Sue Robinson
I wrote to Melissa, to see if she had filed yet, what response she has had so far to her plans to run for office, and what other issues she would focus on as a candidate. She answered those questions and got right back to me: I have picked up the candidate packet from the Nampa City Clerk, but cannot file the paperwork until August due to city regulations. The public response is mixed so far, as I expected. I have lived in Nampa since the first of the year, but I have done extensive research on the City and know many of the issues that involve it. I have several "good" ideas to present in this campaign and am looking foward to working with the media. If elected Mayor I would promote a name change for Valley-Ride to "the Capital Area Transportation Authority" (CATA). With that change all cities from Caldwell to Boise would be a member, collect a small tax for this purpose, and the Authority would push for newer better busses and a light rail system from Caldwell to Boise. Next I would push for a new city ordinance in Nampa that would allow for tall buildings in the downtown area. Then comes tax breaks for developers that wish to build lofts downtown. I truly believe that these changes would help take Nampa from good to great. Her background may get a mixed reaction from the people of Nampa. I could be wrong, but it may just get her some extra media attention. Current Mayor Tom Dale is running again in November. This morning, I put in a call to his office to confirm that. We don't know of any other candidates at this time, but more could surface as we get closer to November. It will be interesting to see how the race for mayor of Nampa plays out... stay tuned!
Separated at Birth? So, this morning - two of our producers (Caroline Sullivan and Ranae Bangerter) noticed a striking resemblance between our own Larry Gebert and one of the "Jonai" - or "The Jonas Brothers". If you don't know who the brothers are - A.) You may be living under a rock, OR B.) You don't have a teenager. :) There are three of them - and they are SUPER popular amongst the teen set! Kevin, Nick and Joe... here they are!
Larry's high school graduation picture is what sparked this whole thing! Take a look and you tell me... does Larry resemble teen heart throb Kevin Jonas or what??? We think so!
Here's Kevin Jonas:
Do you see a resemblance too? PS: By the way, The Jonas Brothers will be here in Boise LIVE and in concert next Friday - June 26th at the Idaho Center.
"Turn Around Kids" Scholarship Our Seven's Hero this week is pretty incredible, so I thought I should BLOG about her too. Her name is Alyson Townsley - she's an alternative high school counselor who realized there just weren't many scholarship opportunities out there for her at-risk students. So, she decided to MAKE them. She created the "Turn Around Kids" Scholarship Program. This year, after a lot of hard work, two graduating seniors were awarded partial scholarships to college!
How did she do it? She found out the Idaho Community Foundation could help her start a scholarship fund - but she had to come up with a $25,000 endowment first. It wasn't easy, but she raised the money through letter writing, grants and donations! "Anyone can start one and do one, so I just went in there, and started it. The interest every year would be paid to scholarships." - Alyson Townsley Two alternative high school graduates who overcame tough backgrounds to succeed in school - were awarded scholarships this year. I had the chance to meet one of them - Samantha Walsh - and her story is a heartbreaking one. She lost both her parents and was left to fend for herself.
"My dad passed away in Oct of 2007, and my mom went missing August 16th of 2008 and never came back." -Samantha Walsh, Meridian Academy Graduate 2009 On top of the loss of her parents, Samantha also became a teenage mother during that trying time... she was just 16. But somehow - despite all the odds, she managed to graduate last month - with a 4.0 GPA. Sam plans to go to the College of Idaho in the fall, and she wants to be a pediatrician.
"For all that she's been through, she has that dream and I'd love to see her get there. The alternative schools are places where there are amazingly resilient kids." - Alyson Townsley Alyson told me education is the key to breaking the cycles a lot of these kids are caught up in. She wants to keep raising more money for the fund, so even more kids can have a shot at scholarship money. I don't think we thank teachers, and counselors enough for all they do for kids - and for our community! Thank you Alyson!
The DTV Transition: It's June 12, 2009 - and that means it's time to make the switch from ANALOG to DIGITAL TV. Tonight at 10:35pm, we'll TURN OFF our analog signal.
Here's the deal: 1.) If you have an older TV - and you get your signal through an antenna, roof top, or rabbit ears: you are going to need to buy a NEW TV, or get cable or satellite, or the easiest option - GET A CONVERTER BOX. You can buy one at any electronic store, they run between $50 and $60 dollars. You can also apply for a $40 coupon to put towards the cost. (Go to our DTV page on the website to find out more...) 2.) There is one more important step for you! Don't forget to rescan your channels to make sure you are getting all of the free channels out there! 3.) If you have questions, you can give us a call at the Channel 7 phone bank (TONIGHT after 10:35pm through Tuesday) at 1-866-777-KTVB, OR you can call the FCC at 1-888-CALL-FCC. We want to make sure everyone makes the transition into the DIGITAL AGE!
This week's installment is artist Nick McMullin's take on the DTV conversion... starring the morning crew! Larry seems to be out of the LOOP, huh?
ALERT: Embarrassing Graduation Photos! Let's just say, on "Today's Morning News" - our ages are all over the map! We represent a few decades of high school graduating classes, the 70's (Larry), the 80's (Doug) and the 90's. (ME!)
This morning, we showed these somewhat embarrassing SENIOR CLASS pictures from our old yearbooks on the our morning show. So, on today's BLOG - I thought I'd share the pictures with you too - feel free to laugh WITH us, and AT us:
DOUG PETCASH: "Well, what can I say? It was quite stylin' for '86. I love the flipped up collar and rolled up sleeves. I was definitely ready to hit the streets of Miami and catch the bad guys. Boy, I miss the 80's - not."
MAGGIE O'MARA: "I look like a teenager full of ANGST and DRAMA. Why did I pick this depressing shot? What's up with my hand holding my chin? Who does that? I was geeky then, and I'm still geeky today."
This was BEFORE the "Gebert" had his famous mustache. We always like to joke about how he grew it out the year I was born. I am the same age as Larry's stache! How cool is that?
Russ has been a camera operator/floor director at KTVB for 20 years, and is a Capital High School grad! Love his hair! Don't you? He was the only crew member brave enough to bring in a picture. :) PS: Edgar Linares couldn't seem to dig his graduation picture up - Darn it! Otherwise, he'd be here right along with us!
BLOG: What constitutes a family? In Eastern Idaho - A lesbian couple and their three foster children say they were not allowed to get a reduced family rate at a local pool - because they were told they don't fit the definition of a family.
According to the Idaho State Journal - Amber Koger and Jeri Underwood say they didn't get the Lava Hot Springs Pool advertised family admission price. "What made me mad is that their definition leaves out a lot of families. What you're saying is that because we're gay, we're not a family." - Amber Koger "We support them, we feed them, we love them, we put them to bed every night. We are a family in every way." - Jeri Underwood Koger is the aunt of the three kids, and after a divorce - she and her partner were awarded custody of the children from Health and Welfare. The executive director for the Lava Hot Springs Foundation - Mark Lowe - says the state doesn't recognize gay or lesbian marriage - and defines a family as one male, one female and children. He says as a state agency, the pool must follow all the laws of the state of Idaho. But here in Boise, the ACLU begs to differ with Mr. Lowe.
Monica Hopkins of the American Civil Liberties Union says state code does in fact define MARRIAGE - but has no universal definition of a FAMILY. So, what is the definition of a FAMILY anyway? What do you think should have happened at that pool? Many of my friends on Facebook and Twitter had strong feelings on this - so I thought I would BLOG about it and ask you to weigh in... COMMENT BELOW:
Boise: One of the TOP 10 places to live!
In the latest US News and World Report - Boise ranks among the TOP 10 best places to live. Here's what the magazine had to say about us:
Although often overlooked, Boise, Idaho, is a terrific destination for those looking to escape out West. With a high-desert climate of sunshine, clear skies, and four distinct seasons, this city of 200,000 makes a perfect base camp for exploring southwest Idaho's dramatic panorama. Choose from the many nearby parks, which total some 2,700 acres, cast a fishing line into the Boise River, or head over to Boise State University for a Broncos football game. High-tech companies Micron Technology and Hewlett-Packard are among the area's leading private employers. To hit the thriving local arts scene, cruise downtown. Boise's free "Alive After Five" concert series brings musicians and other entertainers to the Grove Plaza each Wednesday during the summer. "It's harder to find a parking space after 5 than it is before 5," says Paul Hiller, the executive director of the Boise Valley Economic Partnership. "It's one of the most vibrant downtown areas you've ever seen."
(In alphabetical order...) Albuquerque, N.M. PS: This isn't news to those of us who live here! Is it? I LOVE BOISE
Seven's Hero Last night, we aired a "Seven's Hero" that touched so many of you. It was about a local photographer by the name of Kam Taylor who offers free portrait sittings to families who are dealing with a terminal illness. That way, they have the memory of being a whole family for a lifetime.
I had the wonderful opportunity to meet one of those families when we featured Kam. The Bruggers (Eric and April) lost a young son - Caleb - two years ago, but before he passed they were fortunate enough to meet Kam and have a photography session with her. This is one of their favorites:
It was an emotional story to be a part of, because we also found out that April Brugger was diagnosed with a deadly heart condition - and isn't sure how much time she has left with her husband and daughters. Recently, Kam offered her another session with her girls - so that they will always have that memory with Mom. This is her favorite shot from that sitting:
April is so strong and so brave... it was a joy to meet her and just to know her. This is the best part of my job, getting to meet people that change my life. April is one of them... she cherishes every day, that's something we all need to do.
If you'd like more information on Kam Taylor and how she helps families dealing with terminal illness free of charge, click on HOTLINKS on the home page, and we'll take you to her website.
TGIF!
First of all - it's Friday, which is always a good start. Second - the mom and daughter and cat trio (which is so interesting, I've never heard of a cat going on a road trip...) were found safe yesterday! They had been missing since Sunday - and some hunters found them stuck in the snow near Featherville! They lived on a box of cereal they had in the car. It's always wonderful to tell you about happy endings:
And third...
Fridays mean it's time once again for "NEWS TO ME" - our camera man Nick McMullin's cartoon take on the news. This week it's "Idaho Doug" (like "Indiana Jones", but not) on his quest for a GOLDEN EMMY AWARD. Looks like he found it!
Have a great weekend!
"FEEL GOOD" NEWS! So many of you appreciate when I blog about GOOD news in the Treasure Valley - I decided to share more of it with you today... This is Paris Goff: (She's 5 years old and such a cutie)
Her Dad - Ben Goff - emailed me about what a big heart this little girl has! This fall, she'll be starting school at Owyhee elementary as a kindergartner. She has beautiful LONG brown hair, as you can see - and she told her parents she didn't want little girls (who are sick, and battling cancer) to go to school without hair. She really said that, at 5 years old... WOW. So... she decided to cut her hair for Locks of Love!
At Studio D in Nampa, a stylist cut it, packaged it for her, and sent it off to Locks of Love. Paris says she loves her new haircut - and what she loves even more is that she's helping a little girl who needs her hair more than she does... pretty incredible for a 5 year old, huh? Congratulations Paris!
PS: Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 18 - suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. If you have LONG hair, you could qualify to donate too!
Neagle in Juvenile Detention
A Canyon county judge signed the order to transfer him - he had been in the adult jail for two weeks. At the detention center, Neagle will get counseling and be with kids his own age.
"I just think in the best interest of everyone involved, it is helpful to have a professional counselor get put into the mix. He will have easier access and they will be able facilitate better access to counselors in the juvenile detention center - and that is the reason we made the request to the court together." - John Bujak, Prosecutor.
Canyon County Prosecutor John Bujak tells us the 8th grader is still charged with first degree murder, and his bond is still set at 300k. He was supposed to be in court today for his preliminary hearing, but that hearing has been moved to June 11. As we've reported, according to police investigators - some family members believe Zachary and two younger siblings may have been sexually and physically abused by their father. Investigators say that could have been the motive, but nothing has been proven. More information is set to come out as the court proceedings continue. Support for Neagle
Everyone seems to have an opinion on this case, so how do you feel about the latest developments? *Do you think it was fair to move him to juvenile detention? OR... *Do you think he should have stayed in jail since he is charged as an adult?
Pesky Peacock?
We had this story on "Today's Morning News" this morning, and I wanted to BLOG about it too in case you missed it! For a month now, the people in a Coeur d' Alene neighborhood have had to put up with a pesky peacock SHRIEKING every night, in the early morning and into the day too! It turns out it's mating season and the poor guy is trying to find a mate. (Apparently, screaming helps in that search?? What?) Well, mating or not - neighbors want something done about him. "We're all the same, we like him being here, but man is he annoying!" - Kathy Hughes. Neighbor Kathy Hughes (a woman who lives there and puts up with the rude wake-up calls) says she named him "ADAM" after American Idol's Adam Lambert - who was known for his screaming on stage, and his flashy style. That made us laugh out loud this morning... Neighbors contacted Fish and Game for help, but F & G says it won't do anything about "Adam" unless he's harming people directly. He's not. So - the shrieking will go on! I guess the people who live in the area won't need alarm clocks?
"Today's Morning News" is celebrating an EMMY win this week! Over the weekend in Seattle - we won the coveted award for Best Morning Newscast in our division. We are so excited!
You only see Doug, Larry, me and Edgar on the show - but there are SO MANY people behind the scenes (Producers, editor, camera operators, director, audio, graphics, etc.) who make it all happen. Here's a picture of just a few of them:
I want to extend a BIG thank you to all the people who get up in the middle of the night and work on our show to make it what it is everyday. I also want to thank YOU, our viewers. You are the reason we do it! Thank you! |
