# Everything Else > Arts & Entertainment >  Oklahoma City News TV personalities: past & present.

## mireaux

OKC is known for having some memorable TV news personalities, many of which are known for the longevity and experience (Gary England/KWTV, Linda Cavanaugh KTVY-KFOR)

some are known for some seedy scandals that they got enveloped into: (Jack Bowen/KOCO)

some were just beautiful (Patti Suarez/KWTV *wink*)

one I remember was an newsanchor...I want to say his name is Anthony Foster, but Im not too sure... i believed he either worked for KOCO or KFOR......I want to say the latter.. This was about 10 yrs ago around 1999. He was a white man with black hair..say in his mid 30's, perhaps? He was on the scene reporting live from the All Sports Stadium where they were hosting a Smashing Pumpkins concert.

anyways..some enraged fans, who were obviously drunk, rushed right in front of the camera and began acting immature saying things like "wooo...party on!..rock on!"

Mr. Foster then broke from his professional reporting posture and dived into a rage of on-camera anger in retaliation at the fans and said something to the effect of "GET OUTTA HERE!!!...WE ARE BROADCASTING LIVE!!...GET LOST, PUNKS!"

Mr. Foster then proceeded to return to his reporting assuming his resumed pose as if nothing had even occured, although his face was beet-red. It was hilarious, and it was the final time I ever saw him again...he didnt go to work for another area station...he just vanished into thin air almost...like a mystery.

anyone else recall this memory, or have a memory youd like to share?  :Sofa:

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## progressiveboy

I remember Bella Shaw from KFOR. She went on to greener pastures and anchored for CNN for several years in Atlanta and then became a co host for CNN's Entertainment segment in LA. I see where she is now a morning anchor for CNN/Times Warner at their local station in the LA area. Talk about a beautiful, stunning women. She gets better with age!

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## mireaux

a lot of former OKC personalities are now here in DFW, such as Randy Mcilwain and Sophia Reza. 

Theres a pretty asian anchor currently on one of the OKC affiliates, I cant remember which one, but I do remember my shot glass falling out of my hand and shattering on my friend's kitchen floor when I saw her., shes smokin hot.

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## mburlison

Tony Clark...

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## mireaux

> Tony Clark...


who is that?

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## TaoMaas

> who is that?


He used to be a reporter at KWTV years ago, but went to CNN when it was first starting up.  Back in the days when stations were still required to do public service programming, he had a show called "Newsbreakers", I believe.  He used to have some seriously interesting folks on there.

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## drumsncode

> a lot of former OKC personalities are now here in DFW, such as Randy Mcilwain and Sophia Reza. 
> 
> Theres a pretty asian anchor currently on one of the OKC affiliates, I cant remember which one, but I do remember my shot glass falling out of my hand and shattering on my friend's kitchen floor when I saw her., shes smokin hot.


The greatest loss OKC had to Dallas was Sana Syed, formerly anchoring on FOX25.  The first time I saw her, I ATE the shot glass! ;-)

As far as Asian anchors here in OKC, maybe you're either talking about JiaoJiao Shen or Jaclyn Schultz.

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## SoonerDave

From the scandals-twenty-years-ago-or-so department, Jerry Adams was a very popular local news anchor who bounced among, if memory serves, all three local network affiliates over time, but then became embroiled in a cocaine scandal that effectively ended his career (although I think by the time it broke he was already fading from the market).

One of the saddest things I remember is a former anchor at KWTV (and this was YEARS ago) named Ralph Combs. He was gone from the station, and I remember one time seeing him working at a novelty photo booth inside JCPenny's at Crossroads. 

Many here probably are too young to know that Gary England, who was the grandfather of harum-scarum Fear the Weather meteorology, got started at radio station KTOK back in the 70s before his reign of terror on KWTV started. Amazingly, he's mellowed considerably over that time.

I remember several older anchors from WKY->KTVY->KFOR, notably Ernie Schutlz, George Tomek (who still does the occasional hearing aid spot these days)...Channel 5 decided to get out of the ratings basement by building a fancy set that literally resembled the bridge of the starship Enterprise with viewscreen and arced anchor desk, with anchors Dave Gilbert and Jane Jayroe. Jayroe left for a time, then moved to KFOR before finally retiring some years later. Gilbert was also teamed up with someone named Mary Ruth Carlton. I think she was romantically linked with Barry Switzer at one point...

Tons of sports anchors have rolled through...John Snyder was a very well-respected sports anchor at KWTV years ago...a weekend guy named Ken Broo was there for a while..along with a guy named Ted Lightner (sp)..and local pitchman Chris Needham worked there in sports as well....many here remember our mayor Mick Cornett's pre-toupee stint as a KOCO sports reporter/weekend anchor. Jerry Park was KOCO's main sports guy at the time....I also recall when Mike Treps did WKY sports, and he gave way to Bob Barry Senior..

KWTV used to have a morning show called The Early Beat with Lola Hall and Bill Hare, back when local TV was still heavily influenced by agricultural and stock reporting...Bill reported the "barrows and gilts" prices every morning, and sometimes Wayne Liles would sub for him. Lola was KWTV's "weather girl," and she moved to the "hostess" position on that show with Tom Mahoney as weatherman......Fred Norman was probably the most colorful, curmudgeonly weatherman in this market, on KOCO for a long time until he got a little too honest about the youth movement at the station which ultimately got him fired. Back when Jack Ogle was anchor, Jim Williams was WKY->KTVY->KFOR's weather man, and he's also local radio personality Danny Williams' brother....they used to have this completely dark/black set, with a spotllight only on the current segment's host. Little to no chitchat in those days.

Man, did I watch too much TV then or what...

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## mireaux

another favorite local tv personality would be KOCO's, Ho-Ho the Clown. 

everybody loved them some Ho-Ho. It was real sad when he passed away.

I remember when every single KOCO newscast ended with people making this hand sign with their fingers (your thumb and index finger forming an O, while the other 3 fingers are slightly arched around it)

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## mireaux

> The greatest loss OKC had to Dallas was Sana Syed, formerly anchoring on FOX25.  The first time I saw her, I ATE the shot glass! ;-)
> 
> As far as Asian anchors here in OKC, maybe you're either talking about JiaoJiao Shen or Jaclyn Schultz.


yeah, i think it was jiao jiao shen. i googled her and it brought up KOCO's info page on her. JiaoJiao Shen - KOCO-TV News Story - KOCO Oklahoma City

i love what is says towards the end of her bio page:..."If you see Jiao Jiao around town, please stop and hello. She loves meeting new people and making friends".

Yeeeaah..if I see her around any town, im taking it friendlier leagues further than a simple hello to her.

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## Matt

> I remember when every single KOCO newscast ended with people making this hand sign with their fingers (your thumb and index finger forming an O, while the other 3 fingers are slightly arched around it)


O-tay!

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## oneforone

> One of the saddest things I remember is a former anchor at KWTV (and this was YEARS ago) named Ralph Combs. He was gone from the station, and I remember one time seeing him working at a novelty photo booth inside JCPenny's at Crossroads.


How is it sad? The man realized he had to do something to pay the bills. 

What is really is sad is the people who lose a job and refuse to back to work unless it is the same job they had before or at least the same money they made at their former job.  They will stay unemployed for an eternity while waiting for the dream job. In reality they could have done something else until the new job came along. I am not saying an investment banker should go work at McDonald's. However, they could land a job in the banking industry doing something less glamorous until another position comes open.

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## FFLady

> The greatest loss OKC had to Dallas was Sana Syed, formerly anchoring on FOX25.  The first time I saw her, I ATE the shot glass! ;-)
> 
> As far as Asian anchors here in OKC, maybe you're either talking about JiaoJiao Shen or *Jaclyn Schultz*.



 :Ohno:     Ah drumsncode, my favorite FoxNews Fren on this board........surely not her......

LOL

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## gmwise

> Many here probably are too young to know that Gary England, who was the grandfather of harum-scarum Fear the Weather meteorology, got started at radio station KTOK back in the 70s before his reign of terror on KWTV started. Amazingly, he's mellowed considerably over that time.
> 
> I remember several older anchors from WKY->KTVY->KFOR, notably Ernie Schutlz, George Tomek (who still does the occasional hearing aid spot these days)..
> ...


Tomek is on the OETA Report.
As for England, I wished a twister gets him,he is annoying as hell.

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## SoonerDave

> How is it sad? The man realized he had to do something to pay the bills. 
> 
> What is really is sad is the people who lose a job and refuse to back to work unless it is the same job they had before or at least the same money they made at their former job.  .


Good gosh, oneforone, it wasn't anything more than a recognition that the guy had fallen on rough times, that's all. Do you mind if I recall having felt a little sympathy for the guy? 

* sigh * sometimes......

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## oneforone

> Tomek is on the OETA Report.
> As for England, I wished a twister gets him,he is annoying as hell.


A couple of years back one almost took out the station while following a Tornado that tracked from Bethany to Northwest Expressway to Wilshire and Kelly. 

I remember the camera crew rushing with the staff to their Hidey Hole (sp). I remember the camera guy kept panning the crowd and stopping on Amy McRee. She then shot him the coldest look as if she could kill him with her stare. After that he stayed focused on Gary.

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## gmwise

lol

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## kevinpate

> as if she could kill him with her stare.

I wouldn't bet against those eyes.
8^)

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## drumsncode

> A couple of years back one almost took out the station while following a Tornado that tracked from Bethany to Northwest Expressway to Wilshire and Kelly. 
> 
> I remember the camera crew rushing with the staff to their Hidey Hole (sp). I remember the camera guy kept panning the crowd and stopping on Amy McRee. She then shot him the coldest look as if she could kill him with her stare. After that he stayed focused on Gary.


Well, if you have to die, looking into Amy's eyes might just be the nicest way to go!  I would much rather go that way than hearing "Talk to me Val" as my last memory! ;-)

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## kevinpate

> I would much rather go that way than hearing "Talk to me Val" 
> as my last memory!

I'm thinking Val would agree
8^)

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## drumsncode

It would be nice to have an automated, very location-specific weather alert system, so that if a tornado was right on top of you, you'd get a recorded message from Amy with that warm sweet voice of hers, saying, "Thanks for watching me all these years, now kiss your butt goodbye!" ;-)

Where is innovation in broadcasting when you need it?! ;-)

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## BB37

Another WKY-TV alumnus is Ross Porter, who was the sports anchor in the mid 60s.  He left OKC for the NBC affiliate in LA, then spent many years as radio PBP for the LA Dodgers.

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## BB37

> Fred Norman was probably the most colorful, curmudgeonly weatherman in this market, on KOCO for a long time until he got a little too honest about the youth movement at the station which ultimately got him fired.


I remember his "walking weather" spots, where they'd shoot stop-motion animation on film of the national weather board, showing impending weather fronts moving across the country.  Fred would then stand in front of a greenscreen and walk around as the film was superimposed behind him.  A family friend was stage manager at KOCO (he was also HoHo's sock puppet "Pokey") at the time and helped shoot those segments; said they were very time consuming.  Today with CG, everyone does this stuff in a few seconds, but in the late 60s-early 70s, it was actually pretty advanced stuff.




> Back when Jack Ogle was anchor, Jim Williams was WKY->KTVY->KFOR's weather man, and he's also local radio personality Danny Williams' brother....they used to have this completely dark/black set, with a spotllight only on the current segment's host. Little to no chitchat in those days.


I met Jim Williams once, several years after he retired.  Seemed like a super nice guy.  Didn't know he was related to Danny, although I can see a bit of a resemblance.  Never made the name connection, I guess.




> Man, did I watch too much TV then or what...


No comment.  I'm probably just as guilty :-).

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## rondvu

If my memory serves me right was there two female news casters that were killed a short time apart. One being killed in a helicopter and another on NW 36th and Walker?

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## nighttrain12

Let's not forget Mike Steely's ex-wife Suzanne!   With her infamous 'FAT ...  LIKE ME!!!' expos.   LOL

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## AAC2005

> ...a weekend guy named Ken Broo was there for a while...


LOL, small world! Ken Broo was the sports guy at WUSA-TV Channel 9 (Washington, DC) for about a minute back in the late 90's, I think.

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## gmwise

> If my memory serves me right was there two female news casters that were killed a short time apart. One being killed in a helicopter and another on NW 36th and Walker?


I remember the stunt airplane one, the other  i have no clue  then again i was out of pocket for 2 yrs in cali.

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## soonerstan56

Was watching Dan Threlkill(sp?) during the May 3'rd tornado coverage when in his excitement he said "don't fart around with this thing folks".

Stan

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## oneforone

> Was watching Dan Threlkill(sp?) during the May 3'rd tornado coverage when in his excitement he said "don't fart around with this thing folks".
> 
> Stan


He is now the Chief  Meteorologist at KJRH Channel 2 up in Tulsa.



Dan Threlkeld | KJRH.com

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## micesu

> Let's not forget Mike Steely's ex-wife Suzanne!   With her infamous 'FAT ...  LIKE ME!!!' expos.   LOL


I was in high school when that aired. She actually showed up to a basketball game in her fat suit and walked by a group of girls I knew and of course they started pointing an laughing. Of course she used this as proof of fat people being discriminated against. 

One of the girls later told me they weren't laughing at her because she was fat but it was obvious that she was wearing a fat suit and a wig. The girl told me her face was very thing and they thought she was part of a half time skit.

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## nighttrain12

> I was in high school when that aired. She actually showed up to a basketball game in her fat suit and walked by a group of girls I knew and of course they started pointing an laughing. Of course she used this as proof of fat people being discriminated against. 
> 
> One of the girls later told me they weren't laughing at her because she was fat but it was obvious that she was wearing a fat suit and a wig. The girl told me her face was very thin and they thought she was part of a half time skit.


Yeah, they should have got a real life fat person and a hidden camera for that expos.   If I remember correctly, she walked into a Braum's dressed that way and some teenage employee started laughing and Suzanne's after the fact voiceover assumed the employee must have been laughing at her because she was fat.   Then a few businesses threatened lawsuits over the story and the whole thing got dropped on air.   Of course its been remembered many years later.    LOL

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## Matt

> If my memory serves me right was there two female news casters that were killed a short time apart. One being killed in a helicopter and another on NW 36th and Walker?





> I remember the stunt airplane one, the other  i have no clue  then again i was out of pocket for 2 yrs in cali.


Kathy Jones was the plane crash; Lee Evans was the car crash.

(God bless Wikipedia.)

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## magicchord

> ...Back when Jack Ogle was anchor, Jim Williams was WKY->KTVY->KFOR's weather man, and he's also local radio personality Danny Williams' brother...


Heh heh. I worked with both men at Ch.4 back in the day, and no, they're not related.

Jim was a real weather geek, whose meteorological skill put Gary England to shame. Gary was the better self-promoter and more colorful personality though.

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## mugofbeer

Mitch Jelniker (sp?) was an anchor on channel 9, I think.  He married another anchor on the station.  He now is in Denver still doing the news.  I dont recall his wife's name or if she is still doing news.

One other thing is my wish to remember the news reporter back in the 1970's who gave one of the classic lines of all time.  There was a large apartment fire that had broken out in a complex, the anchor led the story and then switched to the female reporter who said, "Thats right ***, the fire is currently confined ONLY to the buildings that are burning!"  I remember sitting in the dorms at OU laughing so hard I spilled my beer.

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## TaoMaas

> Mitch Jelniker (sp?) was an anchor on channel 9, I think.  He married another anchor on the station.  He now is in Denver still doing the news.  I dont recall his wife's name or if she is still doing news.


Mitch married the daughter of Ch. 9's GM.

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## mugofbeer

> Heh heh. I worked with both men at Ch.4 back in the day, and no, they're not related.
> 
> Jim was a real weather geek, whose meteorological skill put Gary England to shame. Gary was the better self-promoter and more colorful personality though.


magicchord - I hate to tell you this but Gary England is regarded nationwide as one of the best broadcast metorologists out there.  He may get pretty excited when the tornadoes come calling, and he may be a little more folksy than you like, but in that 2-3 times in a lifetime situation like the monster tornado of 1999, he probably saved the lives of hundreds.

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## mopicdude

26 Apr 2003 (Dallas Morning News, April 28 issue)
Ralph Eugene COMBES died.

COMBES, RALPH EUGENE passed away April 26, 2003, at his home in Rowlett, TX. He was born in Counsil Grove, KS, to Eugene and Georgia (MORGAN) COMBES. He was a member of the National Television & Radio News Directors Assoc. and worked as newscaster/journalist at WKY Radio/TV, KWTV, and KOCO TV in Oklahoma City, OK, before moving to Texas. He volunteered reading books on tape for the blind and volunteered for the National Kidney Foundation. He served honorably in the Navy...

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## Prunepicker

Does anyone remember Bob Thomas the weatherman on WKY-TV?

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## ljbab728

> Does anyone remember Bob Thomas the weatherman on WKY-TV?


Yes, do you remember Harry Volkman before him?  He is supposed to be the first weatherman to ever issue a  tornado warning.

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## Danno

Ralph Combes did NOT go straight from TV down to Texas, where he passed away. He worked with us as our newsguy at KXY, until Nate Webb joined us a year or two into our show. Ralph was hysterical, and knew everything! Sadly, he was also the most pesimistic man we'd ever met, and didn't care what he said to those in power. With all he'd been through, can't say as I blamed him, either! We loved him, but every day became an excercise in negativity!
   One day, Ralph called me in the afternoon, and said, "Somebody stole my lawn!!!".
He lived over by 122nd and May, and sure enough, while he was at work with us and nobody was home, somebody had backed their truck up in his driveway, and proceeded to roll up the fresh turf lawn he had just paid to have installed a few days before!! All he had left was a dirt front yard!!
   And no, Gary England never worked at KTOK, another place I worked at...and we worked closely with Gary for years, before he decided he didn't want to wake up early anymore. I STILL miss working daily with Gary, and he's not only brilliant, but a really nice guy, too!

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## Prunepicker

> Gary England never worked at KTOK...


Rick Tasetano was the weatherman at KTOK for years.

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## cameron_405

...not sure if this belongs in this thread.  Anyone remember 'cable auction'?  I did an on-air gig for a couple of weeks (all it took -- haha).  Do I qualify as a past personality?  {;+

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## Prunepicker

> ... not sure if this belongs in this thread.  Anyone remember 'cable 
> auction'?  I did an on-air gig for a couple of weeks (all it took -- haha).  
> Do I qualify as a past personality?  {;+


Cable Auction?  I remember a classified billboard.

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## cameron_405

> Cable Auction?  I remember a classified billboard.


Cable Auction will premiere Thursday in the Oklahoma City area -- 1998

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## Prunepicker

> Cable Auction will premiere Thursday in the Oklahoma City area -- 1998


It appears Amazon took over that niche in the market.  LOL

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## cameron_405

> It appears Amazon took over that niche in the market.  LOL


...wish you could've seen some of their 'wares'.  It was a riot though!

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## bmrsnrou

> ...not sure if this belongs in this thread.  Anyone remember 'cable auction'?  I did an on-air gig for a couple of weeks (all it took -- haha).  Do I qualify as a past personality?  {;+


Cable auction was HILARIOUS! We even had a bidder number, lol. We'd kick back a few adult beverages, then about midnight, we'd call and start bidding on the crap that they had. We actually bought a vacuum cleaner that we went and picked up at their warehouse/studio off of I-35 service road. Too funny that you would mention Cable Auction. Btw, where did they get the crap that they sold on there?

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## Thunder

Cameron, I may remember the cable auction, but I'm not sure if its the same one.  There was many different items on tv and remember calling in (maybe something about bids?) on some things.  We picked them up at a big building on the east side of I-35.

Does anyone remember the black lady at KFOR killed in a wreck after the 10pm newscast?  She was on her way home.  I can't remember her name.

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## kevinpate

I recall that cable auction and its warehouse on I-35.  Crapola items or not, the made elsewhere drill I purchased still functions after all these years.

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## RadicalModerate

Was "Cable Auction" the one that came on late at night, was shot in a large warehouse with various piles (or "lots") of junk and featured a couple of girls who seemed as if they might have been sampling some cannabis off camera?  It sure doesn't seem like it's been *over ten years* since I last accidentally surfed onto that program a few times . . .

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## ljbab728

> Cameron, I may remember the cable auction, but I'm not sure if its the same one.  There was many different items on tv and remember calling in (maybe something about bids?) on some things.  We picked them up at a big building on the east side of I-35.
> 
> Does anyone remember the black lady at KFOR killed in a wreck after the 10pm newscast?  She was on her way home.  I can't remember her name.


You're thinking about Lee Evans who died in an automobile wreck in 1997.

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## Thunder

> You're thinking about Lee Evans who died in an automobile wreck in 1997.


Thank you.  I did a search and was relieved to find out that Lee was only her nickname.

Lisa Carol "Lee" Evans

I do not even remember that name one bit, but I remember the pretty black lady.  It happened when brother and I was in Checotah (two weeks in Summer) with dad (and his parents).





http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...h&GRid=9079446

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## venture

Just notice Scott Padgett this morning on GMA. He is the former chief met from KOKH (Fox 25). He now does the morning weather in Miami, as well as apparently filling in on GMA during the weekend. He's apparently not doing too bad since getting out of the OKC market.

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## BlackmoreRulz

> ...not sure if this belongs in this thread.  Anyone remember 'cable auction'?  I did an on-air gig for a couple of weeks (all it took -- haha).  Do I qualify as a past personality?  {;+


Hahahah, my cousin also did quite a few shows, lasted a couple of months I think.

Anyone remember a Bill Allen that used to be on Ch 5? he used to come and watch his  kids at wrestling tournaments and would sometimes show footage from there on his telecast.

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## MsDarkstar

I've mentioned this on one of the threads in the nostalgia area but some of you may remember "Ida B" from KOCO back in the late 50s thru 70's (various incarnations) of "The Ida B Show."  She did celebrity interviews, a cooking segment, and lots of local interest topics.  About 10yrs ago she was the spokesperson for Nu-Sound hearing aids (not to be confused by Waiva lol).

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## ljbab728

> I've mentioned this on one of the threads in the nostalgia area but some of you may remember "Ida B" from KOCO back in the late 50s thru 70's (various incarnations) of "The Ida B Show."  She did celebrity interviews, a cooking segment, and lots of local interest topics.  About 10yrs ago she was the spokesperson for Nu-Sound hearing aids (not to be confused by Waiva lol).


Yes. Her real name is Ida Blackburn.  I don't know if this has been mentioned before in this thead and I not going to go back through all of the posts to find out, but how many remember Lola Hall?  She was the Channel 9 "Weather Girl" in the middle 50s and was a pioneer for women in local broadcasting.  She also worked for other local stations.

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## TaoMaas

> Yes. Her real name is Ida Blackburn.  I don't know if this has been mentioned before in this thead and I not going to go back through all of the posts to find out, but how many remember Lola Hall?  She was the Channel 9 "Weather Girl" in the middle 50s and was a pioneer for women in local broadcasting.  She also worked for other local stations.


I remember Lola.  I didn't get to work with her when she was a weather girl.  I came along when she was doing movie reviews.  She once gave a buddy and me a couple of passes to a showing of a new movie that she didn't think she'd care for.  The movie was "Animal House".  LOL  Also, for what it's worth, Ida B's son, Dr. Bob Blackburn, is the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Historical Society.

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## Achilleslastand

> You're thinking about Lee Evans who died in an automobile wreck in 1997.


Yes that was Lee Evans....she was also on a local am station before moving on to KFOR. The wreck happened around nw 36th and walker and i believe a drunk driver was involved. Not sure what happened to the drunk driver.
Very tragic.

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## BarryLB

> I remember the stunt airplane one, the other  i have no clue  then again i was out of pocket for 2 yrs in cali.


 There was a friend of my sister's that was killed in a helicopter crash and I think she worked for KTOK. Her name was Tricia Lundeen.

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## BarryLB

I remember him. I used to laugh all the time because he would laugh at the Jax Beer commercials. It was almost impossible for him to keep a straight face after those commercials.

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## gammimc

The one in the helicopter was Cathy Jones, Ch. 4.  The other one was in a car accident, also on Ch. 4, but I can't recall her name.






> If my memory serves me right was there two female news casters that were killed a short time apart. One being killed in a helicopter and another on NW 36th and Walker?

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## bluedogok

> The one in the helicopter was Cathy Jones, Ch. 4.  The other one was in a car accident, also on Ch. 4, but I can't recall her name.


Lee Evans, the info is above.

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## Jim Kyle

> The one in the helicopter was Cathy Jones, Ch. 4.  The other one was in a car accident, also on Ch. 4, but I can't recall her name.


Cathy Jones was not in a helicopter; it was an aerobatic plane doing a simulated dogfight, as a promotion prior to an Air America show.

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## Tritone

Was that the crash at or near the Cimarron River, maybe near Dover?

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## Jim Kyle

Yes it was. As I recall, the plane went into the river bank after failing to completely pull out of a dive...

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## boscorama

Speaking of Bob Thomas (Prunepicker), he still turns up in old, old footage of weather reports where they wrote on the map with chalk. What innovative times, indeed.

Also on Channel 4, Jim Williams.

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## Bobdavid

> Rick Tasetano was the weatherman at KTOK for years.


So was Gene Collett. Gene preceded Rick as KTOK meteorologist. Both were former military meteorologists. I worked with both of them. Both were fine gentlemen.

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## boscorama

Well, I'm chuckling over Mike Morgan and his references to hail as, not golfball size, quarter size, baseball size, etc. No, he's simply saying "golfballs", "quarters", "baseballs", etc.  He was doing this Sunday night and again tonight. 

Not a problem for me, but you gotta wonder about people traveling through the state and hearing him on the radio for the first time.

You go, Mike!

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## Bobdavid

> Mitch Jelniker (sp?) was an anchor on channel 9, I think.  He married another anchor on the station.  He now is in Denver still doing the news.


KMGH Channel 7 in Denver.

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## JohnH_in_OKC

Dan Threlkeld is now the Chief Meteorologist at KTUL Channel 8 in Tulsa. I have the NewsOn app on my ROKU and was curious about the news in Tulsa. I streamed the 10 pm newscast & was startled to learn that Dan is back in the television weather business. Congrats to him. Here's channel 8's link:
https://ktul.com/station/people/dan-threlkeld

Dan Threlkeld is no stranger to Tulsa. He's a native Oklahoman with decades of experience forecasting the quirky and sometimes deadly weather patterns in our state. He's also a veteran Channel 8 watcher, dating back to his days as a kid watching our legendary first chief meteorologist, the late Don Woods.

"Don Woods was and still is my hero," said Threlkeld. "There will never again be anyone quite like him."

While Dan is all about state-of-the-art science and technology, he's looking forward to adding a new chapter to KTUL's legacy as a premier weather station. When he left the TV business a few years ago to become director of Health Care Marketing at OSU's Center for Health Sciences, Dan carried part of that "8's the Place" legacy with him -- a full-color "Gusty," drawn especially for him by Don Woods. It hangs on Dan's office wall today.

Dan worked briefly with meteorologists Clint Boone and Molly McCollum during the height of this year's storm system. Clint and Molly put in countless hours during the worst of storm season, and they are a big part of why Dan has chosen to join Tulsa's Channel 8.

"I'm so excited about working with Clint and Molly," said Threlkeld. "They're great weather professionals. Very deep in their knowledge while also being great communicators. And both are just great people."

Please help us welcome Dan back to TVs across Green Country!

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## Jim Kyle

> The one in the helicopter was Cathy Jones, Ch. 4.  The other one was in a car accident, also on Ch. 4, but I can't recall her name.


Except that the crash that killed Cathy was not a helicopter; it was a conventional plane, participating in a mock dogfight as promotion for an upcoming air show. Turned out later that the pilot, who also died, was not qualified or licensed to do such things, and his firm had no connection to the air show. A tragic situation all around!

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## Hondo1

Speaking of Mike Morgan.  Always amused by his predicting something (as an example) for
"9:00 AM tomorrow morning."  Rather redundant.  To be fair, almost all the weather folks do this but Morgan is king.

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## Ward

I remember that well.   The tv station kept running and running the video over and over again of the place crash.   It  was a very sad thing to see.

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## Tydude

KFOR just announced that former News 9 Pilot Mason Dunn has joined the team.

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## kukblue1

Lance West land somewhere else?  He still around in Oklahoma.  Used to see him at Thunder games not sure if they were his tickets or the stations but haven't seen him there this year.

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## tlltnkr47

> Yes that was Lee Evans....she was also on a local am station before moving on to KFOR. The wreck happened around nw 36th and walker and i believe a drunk driver was involved. Not sure what happened to the drunk driver.
> Very tragic.


She was killed as a result of two cars drag racing with one of them blowing through a stop sign and striking her vehicle.

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## SoonerDave

> Ralph Combes did NOT go straight from TV down to Texas, where he passed away. He worked with us as our newsguy at KXY, until Nate Webb joined us a year or two into our show. Ralph was hysterical, and knew everything! Sadly, he was also the most pesimistic man we'd ever met, and didn't care what he said to those in power. With all he'd been through, can't say as I blamed him, either! We loved him, but every day became an excercise in negativity!
>    One day, Ralph called me in the afternoon, and said, "Somebody stole my lawn!!!".
> He lived over by 122nd and May, and sure enough, while he was at work with us and nobody was home, somebody had backed their truck up in his driveway, and proceeded to roll up the fresh turf lawn he had just paid to have installed a few days before!! All he had left was a dirt front yard!!
>    And no, Gary England never worked at KTOK, another place I worked at...and we worked closely with Gary for years, before he decided he didn't want to wake up early anymore. I STILL miss working daily with Gary, and he's not only brilliant, but a really nice guy, too!


Lol it's funny what you miss when you don't track old threads. I was browsing this old thread and saw this post wherein someone claimed Gary England never worked at KTOK....

Since I'm bored here early Saturday morning, I guess I'll necrobump this for nostalgia's sake. Obviously this post is wrong; England was on KTOK just before he took the KWTV gig. He was replaced on KTOK by Gene Collet, who later retired and was replaced by Rick Tasetano. Gary took his "thunderlizard" gag he started at KTOK and did it for a while at KWTV; he even stuck a green, stuffed toy lizard to one of the big old rotating forecast boards they had in the waaaay-pre-computing era one day. 

KTOK had changed a lot by the time Tasetano retired, and I don't think they replaced him with a dedicated staff meteorologist. They moved to contracted or TV-affiliated forecasting....

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## tlltnkr47

> She was killed as a result of two cars drag racing with one of them blowing through a stop sign and striking her vehicle.


Correction:  It was a traffic accident that killed her.  The driver of the other car was drunk.

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## Jim Kyle

> England was on KTOK just before he took the KWTV gig.


It may not be general knowledge, but much of the original KWTV staff came straight from KTOK -- including the station manager. I believe that the Griffins were involved with both stations at that time.

My wife livd right acros Main from KTOK while going to junior high and high school, and spent much of her free time at the station becoming well acquainted with the staff. My eldest son is, in  fact, named for Dick Kirschner, who was a night announcer and had helped Jo with her math homework. Chief Engineer Harold Phillips and his wife Becky were instrumental in getting Jo enrolled at Classen though she was firmly in Central's district. I met Harold and Becky soon after Jo and I married, and we attended Harold's funeral (and used Jo's knowledge of internal station communications to notify Dick Kirschner, by then a producer for ABC, of Harold's dath). It was actually a small but cohesive coummunity in those days!

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## Mr. Blue Sky

> It may not be general knowledge, but much of the original KWTV staff came straight from KTOK -- including the station manager. I believe that the Griffins were involved with both stations at that time.
> 
> My wife livd right acros Main from KTOK while going to junior high and high school, and spent much of her free time at the station becoming well acquainted with the staff. My eldest son is, in  fact, named for Dick Kirschner, who was a night announcer and had helped Jo with her math homework. Chief Engineer Harold Phillips and his wife Becky were instrumental in getting Jo enrolled at Classen though she was firmly in Central's district. I met Harold and Becky soon after Jo and I married, and we attended Harold's funeral (and used Jo's knowledge of internal station communications to notify Dick Kirschner, by then a producer for ABC, of Harold's dath). It was actually a small but cohesive coummunity in those days!


And then, Chester Grubbs, who worked for them for many years as chief engineer. The single most optimistic man I have ever met. (RIP, Chester) Dynamic! he would say when asked how he was doing.

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## kukblue1

Hearing Kfor got sold and Eli Roberts is out.  What is going on with that station?

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## TVVoiceGuy

> Hearing Kfor got sold and Eli Roberts is out.  What is going on with that station?


Yes, and yes.  KFOR and KAUT were sold to Nextar, and from what I've heard, his contract wasn't renewed.  Knowing how Nextar operates, I suspect this will not be the last you hear of impending changes...

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## brian72

Clean house and bring in new people.  Place has been going downhill since Dan Threlkeld quit/fired/left.  :Cool:

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## Edmond_Outsider

Anyone remember Bill Beebe? He was on Ch. 9 from the 60s until the late 70s. He had a morning show with Lola Hall I think. I'm not sure why but he's not remembered in any of the state's broadcasting history like she is. Considering how long he was on the air, it seems strange. He died in his late 40s in 1979 and I've wondered what happened. There doesn't seem to be any info about him leaving Ch. 9 or an obituary in the Oklahoman archives.

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## Oklapatriot

Does anyone know what happened to Alex Housden on KOCO?  Seems she has disappeared.

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## MagzOK

not sure how this double posted.   I must have hit some button.

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## MagzOK

> Does anyone know what happened to Alex Housden on KOCO?  Seems she has disappeared.


Weird, she's not listed on the KOCO website anymore and I had followed her on Instagram but the account seems to have been deleted.  Now that I think about it, I do remember last fall she referred to one of her black co-anchors as a baby gorilla and she apologized profusely.  I wonder if that has anything to do with her disappearance from the news and social media.

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## scottk

> Does anyone know what happened to Alex Housden on KOCO?  Seems she has disappeared.


Friday, March 13 she announced she was leaving KOCO.

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## Oklapatriot

Thanks for the replies.  I thought she was a good newscaster.  As I was "googling" her I did come upon the gorilla affair.  Too bad, I know she was prob just joking.

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## Brett

Does anybody know more details to the departure of Grant Hermes from KWTV? I remember that he recently got engaged. Looking for a job at this time would be really tough. TIA.

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## rte66man

His Facebook page said he's moving to another city and staying in news, but he wasn't at liberty to say where just yet.

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## Cohiba

Is Kerry Robertson still alive and living in the NW OKC area??

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## SoonerDave

> His Facebook page said he's moving to another city and staying in news, but he wasn't at liberty to say where just yet.


Normally, the "can't say where" comment implies a dead period when changing stations in-market. Be it he's leaving OKC...seemed like a nice guy but maybe was looking for a chance with some better possible upward mobility (?)

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## Rover

> Is Kerry Robertson still alive and living in the NW OKC area??


Yes she is.  She and her husband are close friends of my wife and I.  She's doing great.

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## Brett

Does anybody know if Mecca Rayne is still working at KOCO? I remember her getting engaged. I haven't seen her on the air for about a month now. TIA.

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## brian72

Tough work environment.  Hopefully she's doing good.

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## 5alive

She is still on their website...I also hope she is well.

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## tlltnkr47

Maggie Carlo is leaving KOCO.  I wonder who will replace her?

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## scottk

> Maggie Carlo is leaving KOCO.  I wonder who will replace her?


More than likely:
https://www.koco.com/news-team/a899c...6-233a7d758f67

Alejandra Briones has been on the morning team a while, it would make sense for her to co-anchor along side Jason Hackett.

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## tlltnkr47

Doesn't always work out that way.

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## midtownokcer

> Does anybody know if Mecca Rayne is still working at KOCO? I remember her getting engaged. I haven't seen her on the air for about a month now. TIA.


KOCO reposted her FB post saying she has been sick with Hyperemesis gravidarum, an illness associated with pregnancy. She's been in and out of the hospital the past month and didn't share the news because she was bracing for the worst. However, she mentioned the baby will be okay.  :Big Grin:

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## cindycat

We moved to Washington state for a few years. Shortly after we got there, I recognized Gary Horcher, a local TV news guy.  I emailed him because I recognized him from TV in OKC. He worked at Channel 9 from the late 1990's to 2003. He never answered my email but apparently kept it on file. The night of the 2013 Moore tornado, he called me. He was calling because they were trying to find people from Oklahoma who might know someone affected by the storm - someone we couldn't contact, were worried about, etc. As I realized a little later, they were trying to play up the drama of it all. But the best thing he said that night...apparently his TV station carried the Channel 9 broadcast for a couple hours early in the storm. He said that because hed been here during the 1999 and 2003 tornados, just hearing Gary England's voice gave him PTSD!

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## tlltnkr47

Lacey Lett is leaving KFOR at the end of the week.  A lot of turnover in the local TV market.

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## Timshel

Will miss Lacey and look forward to seeing the great things she'll do with Goodwill. I do hope KFOR finds someone to continue her A Place to Call Home series.

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## Pete

> Will miss Lacey and look forward to seeing the great things she'll do with Goodwill. I do hope KFOR finds someone to continue her A Place to Call Home series.


They are going to continue it and Lacey wants to remain involved in the cause as well.

That early morning routine is an incredible grind and she had been doing it for years.

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## Brett

With Lacey Lett's upcoming departure, and KFOR advertising for WGN's News Nation; Is KAUT converting to the new WGN News Nation? Just curious.  :Headscratch:

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## scottk

> With Lacey Lett's upcoming departure, and KFOR advertising for WGN's News Nation; Is KAUT converting to the new WGN News Nation? Just curious.


To my knowledge, no. NewsNation will be a nightly three hour program on WGN which is also now owned by KFOR and KAUT's parent company, Nexstar.  From all indications I have, KFOR will continue the Rise and Shine program on KAUT since it can be sold to local advertisers.

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## SoonerDave

I hated to see Lacey leave. We only recently discovered Rise and Shine and it's really fun, not trying at all to be a "hard news" show and putting a light spin on things. Wish her well. She seems like such a nice young lady...

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## Bill Robertson

> I hated to see Lacey leave. We only recently discovered Rise and Shine and it's really fun, not trying at all to be a "hard news" show and putting a light spin on things. Wish her well. She seems like such a nice young lady...


I’ve always liked her. Since I would think she’ll be doing public interface type stuff for Goodwill I probably would have seen her a few times a year if I hadn’t stopped volunteering for United Way.

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## tlltnkr47

What happened to KFOR's Taylor Addams?

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## Brett

> What happened to KFOR's Taylor Addams?


I believe that she is now the official spokesperson for OESC assisting Shelley Zumwalt.

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## tlltnkr47

KWTV's Kelsey Kernstine  is leaving to join the Chicago market.  I wonder who her replacement will be?

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## rte66man

> KWTV's Kelsey Kernstine  is leaving to join the Chicago market.  I wonder who her replacement will be?


You knew she wouldn't be here long. Movin on up.

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## Jersey Boss

> KWTV's Kelsey Kernstine  is leaving to join the Chicago market.  I wonder who her replacement will be?


She was pretty good in "Hell Bent for Leather".

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## Outhunder

> KWTV's Kelsey Kernstine  is leaving to join the Chicago market.  I wonder who her replacement will be?


Not sure.  Will they replace her?  I don't know about other morning shows on other channels but it seems that KWTV went overboard on hiring their morning show.  2 meteorolgists on the morning show saying the same thing over and over seems to be a little overkill.  And it seemed like Kernstine was basically the traffic person, and let's be honest, traffic is not that big of a deal here.

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## tlltnkr47

> Not sure.  Will they replace her?  I don't know about other morning shows on other channels but it seems that KWTV went overboard on hiring their morning show.  2 meteorolgists on the morning show saying the same thing over and over seems to be a little overkill.  And it seemed like Kernstine was basically the traffic person, and let's be honest, traffic is not that big of a deal here.


She was a fill in on the morning and noon news.  I agree on the traffic, KFOR got rid of their traffic reporter, only KOKH has a dedicated traffic person.

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## Bellaboo

> She was a fill in on the morning and noon news.  I agree on the traffic, KFOR got rid of their traffic reporter, only KOKH has a dedicated traffic person.


KOCO has a dedicated traffic reporter flying around in a helicopter Monday through Friday at 6 am until around 7 am.

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## tlltnkr47

Emily Akins (KFOR) has announced that she is leaving KFOR. Don't know what her next move is.

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## Bill Robertson

> Emily Akins (KFOR) has announced that she is leaving KFOR. Don't know what her next move is.


Noooooo!!!!!!!!

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## SoonerDave

> Emily Akins (KFOR) has announced that she is leaving KFOR. Don't know what her next move is.


She is moving to north Texas near where her fiancee lives, apparently with a wedding in the near future. She said on Rise n Shine this morning she really hadn't made any big announcement about it.

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## scottk

> She is moving to north Texas near where her fiancee lives, apparently with a wedding in the near future. She said on Rise n Shine this morning she really hadn't made any big announcement about it.


KFOR Weekend Evening Anchor Jacklyn Chappell appears to be moving into Emily Akins Weekday morning anchor/reporting spot.

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## Bill Robertson

> KFOR Weekend Evening Anchor Jacklyn Chappell appears to be moving into Emily Akins Weekday morning anchor/reporting spot.


I hope she has the rapport with the other people. Emily and everyone kinda picked fun at each other a lot and it was easy to watch.

----------


## djohn

Not sure where to ask this...

Anyone know what happened to KOKH Fox 25 this morning?  There is no local news - just a national feed.

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## king183

Carson Cunningham is leaving KOCO and the sports desk for an opportunity outside of TV.

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## sooner333

> Not sure where to ask this...
> 
> Anyone know what happened to KOKH Fox 25 this morning?  There is no local news - just a national feed.


I’m not sure, but it could be related to the ransomware attack on Sinclair, the owner of KOKH.

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## OKCDrummer77

> Im not sure, but it could be related to the ransomware attack on Sinclair, the owner of KOKH.


https://apnews.com/article/technolog...4fff33ed81ca80

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## tlltnkr47

Christine Stanwood out at KOCO. Moving to Phoenix, AZ to take a job there.

----------


## Brett

I noticed that Jacklyn Chappell is no longer at KFOR. Does anyone know where she went or did she give up broadcast journalism altogether? Thanks.

----------


## MagzOK

> Christine Stanwood out at KOCO. Moving to Phoenix, AZ to take a job there.


Yes she's out to the ABC affiliate there in PHX.

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## MagzOK

> I noticed that Jacklyn Chappell is no longer at KFOR. Does anyone know where she went or did she give up broadcast journalism altogether? Thanks.


Yes, she has taken a job at Integris, though I'm not sure what role.  I would guess it's a PIO/PR position since that seems to be the migration out of TV news.

----------


## MEvans

> I noticed that Jacklyn Chappell is no longer at KFOR. Does anyone know where she went or did she give up broadcast journalism altogether? Thanks.


She went to Integris Health.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYTtXepLePB/

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## tlltnkr47

Jessica Bruno out at KFOR - moving to Florida.

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## unfundedrick

> Jessica Bruno out at KFOR - moving to Florida.


KFOR seems to have someone new at least once a week.

----------


## midtownokcer

> KFOR seems to have someone new at least once a week.


Jessica Bruno's husband, Dillon Richards @ KOCO, is from South FL and will be attending law school there. Losing two great reporters.

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## jn1780

> KFOR seems to have someone new at least once a week.


Highly stressful industry to be in where your competing against anyone with twitter, tiktok, etc account.

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## FighttheGoodFight

> Highly stressful industry to be in where your competing against anyone with twitter, tiktok, etc account.


Work inside of a newsroom is very stressful. I knew many that burned out in months.

----------


## Pete

> Jessica Bruno's husband, Dillon Richards @ KOCO, is from South FL and will be attending law school there. Losing two great reporters.


Dillon was the one local TV guy I followed because he actually did his own work and research.  Hate to lose him.

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## 5alive

^^^Agree

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