Perfect week to come back

The gods are smiling on me. I'm quite fortunate to have the perfect week to come back to work.

Not only an extremely busy week to help me keep my mind off of recent events, at least while I am at work...but a week of extraordinary news stories.

The Imperial serial murders. Let's face it, these stories do not come along very often. All of the National and International media have latched on to this story.

Tuesday's a pretty significant election day for Northeast Ohio. Not only can Cuyahoga County change their government system but Cleveland chooses the fate of the current mayor AND decides whether they want to roll the dice on a new casino.


It reminds me of the week I began at WKYC so many years ago.

I believe my very first day was a huge election day. I'm not sure why I chose that day or how it happened, but I remember having Eileen, a college buddy of mine, sitting at my side allowing me to run the desk as she answered questions specific to how wkyc did their thing!

I felt at home that first night and still feel at home today.


Ever since I've been back, there has not been a want for food in the news room--which is typical for a news department.

My Mom treated the news department to a last banquet (as she did so many times before) as I brought in a huge cold cut platter from Gallucci's for her favorite KYC folks....

Then election night, more pizza and salad than anyone could ever dream of!


It's great being back to work and in the grind. I'm one lucky girl.

A vacation I never imagined

Never ever in my entire professional business career have I been out of the office for so long. I'd like to say it was a nice break, and my dream vacation, but I can not. It was awful in so many ways yet beautiful in others...and continues to be a challenging struggle each day.

Not in a million years did I envision what would happen during my vacation.

What started out as being off to use up my "Indians' World Series" vacation time turned into planning my Mother's funeral.

I was off the first week for a normal, approved vacation. I had my best friend in town and was throwing a huge, blowout 80th birthday party for Mom at the Terrace Club at Progressive Field. I thought, this could be a great week.



Then Mom's 'mystery sickness' became worse and I had to take her to the ER. None of her doctors really know what happened. I guess only God will ever know.



On October 18th, we did not expect her to make it. She was very ill, in CCU and did not have that same will to live she'd had so many times before.



She said, 'Let me go. I'm ready.'



We did not expect her to make it. The entire family and so many good friends gathered at the hospital and kept vigil at her bedside. Fortunately, Mom was with it the entire time. Totally aware of what was happening and able to answer us with written notes, head nods or at the end verbally.



I called off the next week not knowing what would happen. Mom needed me at her bedside. I also made a vow that I WOULD be with her when she passed away.



It was the best decision I ever made. I enjoyed spending so much time with Mom each day, speaking with her nurses and doctors on a regular basis, playing an active role in what was happening and would eventually happen and just being there for her so she was not alone. I made it as homey as possible bringing her favorite pictures from home, her Puffs, watching her favorite television shows with her and acting as we would normally act on a daily basis.



At one point, Mom actually had a few days where she made a little progress and seemed to be getting that spark back. I was not too hopeful though. There was something different.



However, as I've done my entire life, as Mom taught me, I continued living each moment to the fullest and just enjoying my special time with Mom knowing full well what her next destination would be.



I was actually planning on coming back to work the 3rd week when Mom took a turn for the worse. She was still with it but was tired. She was not getting any better and would not.



Her final day, October 26, 2009, was beautiful. Members of my family spent the entire day together. I held her hand all day long. I made stupid jokes to make her smile and light up her eyes. I told her our dog was waiting for her along with so many relatives and friends who have gone before her.





For those three weeks I wondered was there anything else I needed to do, to say, to show her and there was not. Mom and I had been so close. Two kindred spirits, hearts, that we were good. She was my best friend in the entire world. When she was trying to write or say something, I knew what it was before she even finished her statement.





Mom took her afternoon nap with my sister at one side, me on the other, both of us grasping her hands, and she just never woke up.

Catch you on the flipside!

Hate to post and run, but that's what I am doing!

All the days I was anticipating sitting down at Progessive Field during October baseball with that exciting feel of a Playoff Game, or better yet, the World Series never came to fruition.

But, that said, I still have the vacation time to take, and heck, it could not have come at a better time.

Mom's having a milestone birthday.....my best friend will be in town.....and Mom has been a bit under the weather so she'll have her drill sargeant barking orders at her all week!

Oh don't worry, the time will be put to very good use!

And before I know it, I'll be sharing my daily antics on the news assignment desk with my Swing By and Spray Audience again!

Have a great week everyone!

Heroes Help Ohio

WKYC is joining forces with the Cleveland Foodbank once again to collect much needed food for those in need in Cleveland as well as bring awareness to the Cleveland Foodbank and all they do for Northeast Ohio.

Last year, WKYC and the Cleveland Foodbank banded together to be part of one of the most successful days the Foodbank ever had by setting record breaking numbers in food donations.

This year, "Heroes Help Ohio" will take place Thursday, October 22 in the WKYC front parking lot between 5 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The hope is to surpass the amount of food donated last year as well as collect new or slightly used coats for the "Coats for Kids" program and holiday gifts for the Salvation Army.

Please, come on down and bring non-perishable food donations, a cash-donation, or coats or holiday gifts and help make someone's holiday a bit brighter this year.

Spread the word at your school, church, community group, PTA, or any group you are involved with and urge them to participate as well!

Hope to see you down at wkyc on October 22nd!

County Reform Special

Whether you pay any attention to the news or not, I'm sure you are aware of the Cuyahoga County Reform issue which has been in the spotlight.

Whether you are into politics or not, ditto.

Well, WKYC knows this has been one of the most hot-button issues, and one of the most volatile years in Cuyahoga County Government, so WKYC along with WVIZ/PBS Ideastream and The Plain Dealer are joining forces to bring Northeast Ohio voters a special half-hour program to answer questions about Cuyahoga County reform Issues 5 & 6.

The half-hour special will air on WKYC on Sunday, Oct. 25th at 10 a.m. and on WVIZ on Friday, Oct. 23 at 8:30 p.m.

Journalists who have been covering the county reform issue will weigh in with their expertise and highlight the most pressing questions voters have before they head to the polls.

If you have any questions you would like addressed, log onto wkyc.com and CLICK ON THIS LINK!!!!

Internships tell a lot

I've always been a huge fan of the concept of internships.

When I was in college, my advisor highly promoted getting at least one internship in the junior or senior year in order to get hands-on experience in a certain field rather than just reading about it in a book.

By my two internships at WEWS with their 'Live on Five' Show and then in their editing department, it paved the way for my television career.

They were both fabulous experiences that I will never, ever forget.

I was one of the lucky ones.

I knew right away.

There are those folks who still don't know what they want to do or are not entirely in love with the internship they choose.


After being out yesterday with a sick Mom, I come back to find 2 amazing new phenomenon.

The first jaw-dropping announcement was that we finally received a new script printer. Trust me, this is BIG news.

We brought the printers, fax machines, scanners, etc., over from the old building.

I've written and shared before my frustration at trying to plan for my daily editorial meeting, printing out all of the pertinent information and my assignment sheet only to find a huge flashing message saying 'printer error' or 'printer jammed.'

It may seem like a small issue, but when the equipment is not working, it really makes it hard for one to do their job to the highest of standards.

Well, we have this fabulous new printer which makes no sound as it prints, and is just, perfect!


The second surprise is that my supervisor told me one of our new interns resigned.

It appears working in a newsroom was not quite what everyone touted it up to be.

I grant you this, TV is not a 'life or death' business like a doctor or nurse or even a pilot or someone who has other people's lives in their hands constantly.

But I will tell you this, working in the news business, on the news assignment desk is, at times, a very grueling grind.

We don't get lunch breaks. We don't get breaks. I don't smoke so I don't get the 'smoke break every couple of hours.'

My dance card is full from the minute I arrive until the minute I leave.

Heck, I can not even remember the last time I made it down the hall to the lunchroom for a soda pop.

There is no time to goof off, sit and chat about life for extended periods of time, or do anything that is not related to work.

Especially now since we have downsized and we are a smaller staff size, I wear many hats which entails me constantly working.

This is not even factoring in the hundreds of email received on a daily basis that we must read, answer, or put in the futures' files.

I adore this grind and am really good at wearing all of these hats and multi-tasking.

I LOVE working on the news assignment desk, being more involved with every facet of wkyc.com, and then all of the other duties assigned to me--or not assigned to me but falling in my lap which I must solve.


I was made for this role and love it! It's a wonderful fit!


However, it definitely is not for everyone.

And that's when internships come in handy. If you can't stand a particular task, you find out before you get a paying job and get hooked into doing it for a while.

You get the feel, see what fits, and walk away from those duties that are not quite your cup of tea!

WKYC's new cub reporters

The WKYC family became a little larger after 2 of our producers brought their new bundles of joy into the world.

You see Amanda and Erin every day on our Facebook teases as they showcase and share with the Facebook audience the stories which will be coming up on Channel 3 News at 6pm or Channel 3 News Today.

Amanda gave birth to a healthy baby girl weighing 7 pounds 12 ounces and Erin gave birth to a healthy baby boy weighing in at 7 pounds 11 ounces.

I'm glad to report that all involved are doing very very well.....and you will see other staffers pinch hitting for Amanda and Erin on the Facebook teases over the next few months.