Q’s Hats in Review, Prepping for Rocky

The complaining about how much snow we “didn’t” get is taking up too much room in cyberspace. It is time to just enjoy TV reporters and the hats they are wearing out on the elements.

The last post had some doozies. Thanks for the submissions. If you have a photo to submit, send them in an email to me at IPTVPaul@gmail.com or just put them on Twitter @paulyeager.

Taylor Umland, KWQC, Davenport.

But one of the best ones came directly onto my Facebook wall. Here is the bar for today. A Wartburg College hat being worn on my old TV station, KWQC in Davenport. Taylor Umland was rocking the orange and black during his morning reports in the QC.

One of my former co-workers at KWQC was Matt Davis. Mr. Matt was a nightside reporter when I started and we would do liveshots without a hat. A certain morning radio duo named Dwyer and Michael’s would razz him on-air about not wearing a hat and looking cold on his evening live reports.

The radio guys decided to send a gift to Matt of a hat, which he would sometimes wear and other times it was just sitting on his desk, ready for the call of duty.

Bailey Dietz, KWQC, Davenport.

Sticking at KWQC, we bring in Bailey Dietz from her nightside live shot Thursday.

Former TV6 intern and now reporter at WGBA in Green Bay, WI, Jonathan Gregg is in on the action.

Jonathon Gregg

Jon is a former board member of the Iowa Broadcast News Association. I’m sure he’s already made plans to attend this year’s convention on April 20 in Johnston at the Stoney Creek Inn.

Now to some of the morning crew.

Arielle Nixon was wondering why she had to take a picture of herself wearing earmuffs. She wasn’t sure what the request was all about, but thanks to Pat Dix for this.

Pat’s Tweet.

Thanks for playing along.

Arielle Nixon, WHO, Des Moines.

Thanks to the MW ESPN bureau for this submission of KARE photojournalist Nate Anderson.

Nate Anderson, KARE, Minneapolis.

Jason Rantala, WOI, West Des Moines.

Kim St. Onge, KCCI, Des Moines.

My little reporter, Levi. That’s a hat OVER his hooded sweatshirt.

Megan Ruether is always a good sport about trying new hats and thanks to Travis Jungling for lighting up Megan Friday morning for this picture.

Megan Reuther, WHO, Des Moines.

But it was Megan’s former station that wins the day. You may remember Nikki Newbrough from last year with the space cadet interview subject.

This year she’s gone above and beyond with a sombrero and a friend, Danielle Wagner. I think Danielle is the Ice Princess? Did I get that correct?

Danielle Wagner and Nikki Newbrough of KWWL, Waterloo.

Thanks again for the submissions. We’re only a couple of days away from doing it again with Winter Storm Rocky approaching.

Audra Lehmann 1927-2013

Here is the official obituary for Audra Lehmann. It will be published a few places, but now it is here as well. You can go to the Iowa Cremation website as well to share a memory, leave other tributes, audio or a photo. You can also leave a comment here or in my first post from Friday. I will make sure Bob sees them all. Thank you all for the wonderful memories to date. I am learning so much from your stories and I’m sure others are as well.

Audra Rose Peters Jakober Lehmann, 85, of Dubuque, died on January 18, 2013, of complications following cancer-related surgery at the University of Iowa Hospitals, Iowa City.

Services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 26, at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 1755 Delhi Street, Dubuque. Friends may call at the church on Friday, January 25, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and preceding the service on Saturday from 9:00 to 10:45 a.m. Interment will be at Oak Hill Cemetery in Tama, Iowa, at 4:00 p.m. on January 26.

Audra was born to John and Esther Peters in George, Iowa, on June 15, 1927. The family moved to Tama, Iowa, and Audra graduated from Tama High School in 1945. She attended Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, where she met her first husband, Roland (Jake) Jakober. They married in 1947, and after he was ordained, the couple served churches and schools in North Dakota and Minnesota. Three children were born: Peter (1950-2012), Jeffrey (b. 1953), and Pamela (1955-1959). In 1959, Audra was severely injured in a car accident which killed her husband and daughter. After her recovery, she completed the teacher education program at Wartburg College and moved with her sons to Waverly. She served as an elementary teacher in the Waverly-Shell Rock schools for thirteen years in first and fifth grades.

Audra married Pastor Robert (Bob) Lehmann in 1975, adding his six adult children to her family. The couple met at a Wartburg College Homecoming event, and their devotion to their alma mater was a treasured part of their 37 years of marriage. They moved to Des Moines where Bob served as a hospital chaplain, and then to subsequent parish placements at St. Paul Lutheran Church (Ottumwa) and Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (Dubuque).
In addition to teaching, Audra also worked as a hospital clerk, church organist, and coordinator for Hospice of Wapello Country, Ottumwa. She was a tireless volunteer in community and church activities, including conference and district boards for Iowa WELCA, Stephen Ministry, Hospice of Dubuque, Finley Hospital, and Lutheran World Relief quilting. She loved to sing, and was an alumnus of the Wartburg College Choir, in addition to participating in other musical and theatrical activities. She was in Red Hat Club, book clubs, Dorcas Circle, and she and Bob loved to travel and enjoyed visiting family and friends all over this country and in Europe.

Surviving are her husband Bob, of Dubuque; son, Jeffrey (Terry) Jakober of Tulsa, OK; and grandsons Andrew Jakober of Tulsa, and Thomas Jakober of Orange, TX. She is also survived by step-children Kent (Joellen) Yeager, Jesup, IA; Lynda Holtz, Jefferson, IA; Barbara Nash, Jefferson, IA; Mark (Karen) Lehmann, Waverly, IA; Brian (Mary Maher) Lehmann, Houston, MN; and Grant (Laurie) Lehmann, Bangor, MI; 16 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; sister Ann Peters, Janesville, WI; brother David (Judy) Peters, Ocala, FL; and 7 nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death were her parents, first husband, daughter Pamela, son Peter, and sister Mae Pearson.

Audra will be especially remembered for her determination, loyalty, hearty laugh, love of the color purple, and her prodigious correspondence, as she faithfully wrote at least one letter to family and friends every day. Memorials may be directed to the family or to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Dubuque.

Audra in Photos

Bob and Audra Lehmann, Paul and Amy Yeager, Wartburg College homecoming, 2004.

Thank you for the many kind words about my grandmother and godmother, Audra Lehmann.

I’ve dug though the photo archives to find other pictures of Audra to supplement what we had in the first post.

If you have a memory of Audra you’d like to share, please do so in the comment section below. Many of the family members are reading them and getting to know even more about the life she led.

Here now, a few pictures that I’ve been able to find of Grandma A and Grandpa B.

Grandma A and Grandpa B on duty with smiles. 2004.

Brothers and sisters gather with Bob and Audra. (L-R) Barb Nash, Bob Lehmann, Audra Lehmann, Grant Lehmann, Brian Lehmann, Mark Lehmann, Lynda Holtz, Kent Yeager.

Bob and Audra Lehmann meet little Levi. 11.27.09.

What a good looking group. Wish I remember it. I mean, come on, that blue suit I’m wearing is awesome.

Remembering Audra Lehmann

Audra at her grandson Erik’s wedding. Photo from Mike Dunn Photography.

She was a daughter, wife, mother, crash survivor, widow, pastor’s wife, and Wartburg alum to name just a few things.

To me, she was a godmother and grandmother.

Audra Lehmann left this earth early Friday morning, January 18th, 2013 to be with the lord. Her time on this earth is done. Her fight complete. Time for eternal salvation and rest.

With her husband, Bob, at her side, she breathed her last.

Audra was known by many, so many in fact, I don’t think it is possible to begin to know the exact number. She had more ‘friends’ than Facebook would allow. She influenced students as a teacher and walked with others as the wife a Lutheran minister.

She married Robert Lehmann shortly before my birth. Bob had married my paternal grandmother, Dorothy. After she succumbed to cancer, Bob later met Audra and they were married. So, technically a ‘step’ grandmother, but I knew no other. She was there at my baptism and stood by me so many other times in my life.

Audra was a young Levi.

One of the greatest gifts I had with her was my time at Wartburg College as she and Bob were both alumni. They were always there at Homecoming, Christmas with Wartburg concerts and other ‘Be Orange’ events. I got to see her often and feel a big hug when they came to campus. Even during my Castle Singers years, we did a concert at their church in Dubuque, which was special for me. She had two colors in her closest, orange and purple.

She recently said “why do we fight so hard to cling to this life?” She had been in the hospital for almost a month recovering from cancer surgery and most recently a heart attack, so she’d had time to reflect on the physical life. Audra also survived a crash decades ago that killed her first husband and daughter. She would spend months in the hospital recovering. She knew the fight to cling to life.

Now, she’s free from fighting and is reunited with her family as she waits for the rest of us to follow.

God bless her and peace to those who knew her.

What is your Audra story? I want to know more about how you knew her and the life she led.

I’ve been able to connect with one former parishioner from Ottumwa who now is in Ankeny. We’ve been able to share stories from that chapter of her life.  What is yours?

Please leave a comment below.

A Good Time of My Life

If you remember Bill Clinton as president of the United States in the days before the name Monica meant anything, Terry Branstad as governor of Iowa the first time, John Elway without a Super Bowl ring, then I’m about to hit a few things tucked way in the corner of your mind and heart. You may have to change names but the descriptions will fit.

Robert Vogel, former president of Wartburg College. (Photo via wartburg.edu)

Seinfeld was entering its final season on TV as Titanic was exploding on the big screen and Bob Vogel was entering his last days as president of Wartburg.

I, too, was coming down the homestretch at the college of our brightest days.

Wartburg College started their winter term shortly after New Year’s Day. I know Michael Graham, David Schwake and I did our best to send 1997 0ut with a bang.  Some memories are fuzzier than others.

A lot was happening in my life at that time.

Green Day was saying it was the “Time of Your Life,” and we were about to say “Good Riddance,” the real title of the song, to Buhr Lounge, Engelbrecht Library and dinners in the Den.

The Wartburg Boy Band, Serenade was touring on weekends, contemplating the future while having fun in the present.

The Knights chapter of the Society for Collegiate Journalists was planning their national convention which was going to be held in Waverly in April. Carrie Lawton and I were busy leading the charge on that event.

Carrie and I were also practicing with intensity with the Castle Singers as we were just a semester away from going down under to Australia on our May Term tour.

Brian Vandeberg and I spent many nights in Knights Gymnasium calling men’s and women’s basketball games for KWAR. We were the home and away voice of the Knights, so that meant many evenings in the crow’s nest and on Wartburg bus. Rich Kloster would score 1,000 career points in a game against Luther and I got to call the play for Wartburg TV. I think I had to stand on a box for the opening shot alongside Michael Van Gorkom.

I had an Apple Powerbook 520 to do email with Eudora Light on my yeagerp account. I’m sure I could scroll back in my Twitter or Facebook profile to see what else happened that year. Oh wait, those things were still several years away.

We didn’t have YouTube, but we had the beginnings of the internet. I opened a Hotmail account and searched for stuff on Dogpile and Alta Vista. We used Netscape to get on the information superhighway.

We had 2fer Bullfrogs at Joe’s Knighthawk and pitchers of beer with our free popcorn at the OP.

I did have a cell phone. Justin MT Devore carried a pager. And Jay Boeding and I shared a room at Grossmann Hall.

My radio partner was John Bloomberg on La Manana.

The year was filled with promise. Graduation was roughly five months away.

I had no job lined up. No exact idea of what I was looking for in a job or even where that would take me. At the time I was still thinking sports journalism, play-by-play or TV.

I had just completed a stint at KWWL working on Friday Night Heroes covering high school football.

There was media criticism class, my major’s capstone, being taught by my academic advisor Liz Mathis.

We were young. We were excited. And most of all, scared as hell about what came next.

Then there was this girl. Ok, there had a been a few other before her, but there was something different about Ms. Amy Freeseman from Britt, Iowa. We know how the story ends, but the official beginning was just days away. We’d have a week of classes and then the first official date to see Good Will Hunting on January 18th. (maybe coming soon: me telling that story if I were Ted in How I Met Your Mother.)

Now I document events on my phone with Instagram, Facebook and this blog.

These memories are locked in the brain. Photos are harder to retrieve, but maybe I’ll get brave enough to post them.

I had lots of great memories and friends during my days at Wartburg. These just happen to be the ones that came to head 15 years ago this week.

After awhile, the facts may soften, the passions stronger and the plaid shirts louder than we want to recall. So make the best of this test and don’t ask why. It’s not a question but a lesson learned in time.

I know I had the time of my life.

She’s always had a lot of class

Some people will be forever in your brain.

Jennifer Livingston is one of those people. We go back too many days either of us care to admit.

Livy and I were in many Communication Arts classes together at Wartburg College. We both did some work for Wartburg TV and also KWAR. She was on my staff as promotions manager during my short time as station manager.

We both were music folks, her in choir and I in Castle Singers.

It seemed everywhere I went, she was there.

She went to La Crosse and never really left. She tried getting me to come to WKBT out of college, but I went to KIMT instead.

Each time we talk, it is just like the old times.

Watching the Marion, Iowa native deliver a 4 minute commentary on a viewer was just like the days in Waverly. Smart, well-thought out and heartfelt.

We’ve always said Jen had a big heart. Now her convictions are giving strength to others in countering a bully.

I’m sure many of your social media timelines have seen this image today and comments about the story that has now been reported on Huffington Post, Gawker and many others.

Jen is now reaching fame only her brothers Ron and John have seen before. Even her mother, Linda, was news recently.

Words can be hurtful, but they can also be uplifting and inspiring. I think she’s taken a lemon and turned it much more than lemonade.

Nice work, Gus

The Wartburg College Communication Arts Department added a national Emmy to the walls of history tonight.

Scott is the shorter one in the photo not named Emmy.

ESPN producer Scott Harves ’97 won his first national sports Emmy to his resume Monday night. The ceremony has been a lot like the daytime Emmy’s for Susan Lucci. The “All My Children” star was always nominated, but only won once. Scott had been nominated double-digit times before. This is his first statuette.

The Mother Ship’s Outside the Lines took home most of the hardware.

ESPN won four Sports Emmys for its excellence in journalism. The network’s acclaimed investigative series Outside the Lines won three Sports Emmys across three categories – Long Feature: The Man Behind the Red Bandana; Short Feature: Time Out of Mind; Editing:Joplin, City of Hope. Additionally, the prime-time news magazine show, E:60, was cited in theShort Feature category for “Together.” This is the 11^th consecutive year ESPN has received a Sports Emmy in at least one of the two categories for Features.

Scott was the producer on the Joplin, City of Hope. He spent time in Joplin after the football team after  the deadly tornadoes as they prepared to begin a new season in a changed town.

He was nominated in 4 categories Monday night at the New York City ceremony.

Nice picture with Scott Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal. Prior to this win, one of the biggest highlights he had at the ceremony was sitting next to Kelly Rippa’s husband.

Here is a trailer for Scott’s piece.

What has happened? Part 2

Dan Wardell hosts Cameron McCoy in the IPTV Kids Clubhouse during Festival 2012.

Apparently, I left out a few things from the month of March in my last post.

There was the rushing of the bishop, the conversation with a son-of-a-bishop and the texts with the bishop’s assistant. We also drove past the site of the last Bishop’s in the QC where the legendary voice of Ed Lewis asked, “How do you say goodbye to chocolate pie?” on the last day of restaurant in Duck Creek Mall. Ed was interviewing customers on that last day at the place with the great dessert. And table lamps.

I love lamp.

Seriously, I liked the movie “Anchorman”, but what will they do in “Anchorman 2″ to make it funny? Murph and Andy on KXNO/WHO-HD are correct, how many comedy sequels are funny? How many of them turn into the Baby Ruth in the pool?

I did work the month of March at IPTV. That month is kind of a big deal for us. It is Festival. I don’t have direct responsibilities those days, but Market To Market keeps churning out the hits like oil, gas, commodities … squirrel!

The POET ethanol facility in Emmetsburg, Iowa.

This story was last week’s adventure from my boss, John Nichols.

Fellow producer Dave Miller and I took a road trip to Emmetsburg for a groundbreaking of a new ethanol facility in northwest Iowa. It was weird to see no snow that far north in mid-March.

I took Murder’s Row to Waverly for a meeting. Thanks to Jesse Gavin for the name.

We saw a touching tribute about former Wartburg All-American wrestler Aaron Wernimont as done by a Wartburg TV student.

I discovered Gotye. You can see him on Saturday Night Live later this month.

And this old commercial from Ameritrade.

I found that one night while on the treadmill. I’ve been reviewing all my VHS tapes to pare down the stacks of stuff I have everywhere.

That sounds like something I should have done in the month of March while being snowed in my house.

What has happened?

I have no excuses. I’m not going to claim an active lifestyle on my lack of blogging.

I guess I’ve cashed in on the nice string of weather. For one thing, days on end of 80 degrees in March have finally come to an end. And that’s only because we are now in April.

Thank goodness.

I was getting tired of always being outside, drawing on the sidewalk, playing baseball or soccer in the backyard, going to the park and not wearing a jacket.

Seriously, what has happened?

Well, to sum it up easily, life happened.

Amy returned from Europe earlier in the month.

We played outside.

I mowed my lawn 3 times in the month of March.

Amy and I bought bicycles and actually tried to use them. I guess exercise is important to good health, who knew? Amy does, but I’m still getting used to it.

We actually used vacation days with the boys in a trip to the QC. As you can see in the picture, we just sit in hotels playing on the iPad and DS.

It was on that trip that I learned a good friend from my Girl Scouts Night on Broadway, died. Brian Nelson (tribute story by another great friend David Burke) was such a great person and talent. It was awesome to stand next to him to get my part. No one can replace that voice in the show and it makes my decision to return last December all the more meaningful, as that was my last time talking to the copy editor of the QC Argus/Dispatch before he passed on March 17.

We saw old friends in new places and entertained along the way.

Then there were trips to get frozen yogurt.

I suppose Call Committee at church took a little time. We are looking for a new pastor for care and discipleship.

We hosted two members of the Ritterchor from Wartburg College. Our guys were communication arts majors. They weren’t even at the house 10 hours, but we still managed to bore them to tears with tales of Castle Singers and KWAR. The group was well received at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. We hope they remember us in Ankeny the next time they drive by.

I did get to meet the new director, Lee Nelson. He’s an incredible talent and Wartburg is lucky to have him.

And now this week, baseball begins. The Iowa Cubs will open the 2012 season to some of the coolest weather we’ve had in weeks. The boys are summer are getting the same luck as last year, great weather in Des Moines when the team was on the road, but when at home, bring the cold, rain and snow.

We did have some family health issues with Grandpa Bob Lehmann attempting to play Superman and ending up in the hospital. Mom and Dad survived a month together in Florida and Kris was able to return with them, hitting every 3rd McDonald’s along the way back to Iowa.

And maybe I play Words With Friends a little bit….

But being a dad is what I love to do. Spending time with the clowns is the best medicine for any day. Amy gets attention, too. You have to keep the boss happy.

Maybe next time we’ll get back to the business at hand, telling you who is pregnant on what TV station and maybe dig up some old hat pictures to keep you entertained.

Until next time, good knight.

Noah’s Golden Dome Experience

Noah auditions for his role as State House reporter.

Thanks to the Presidents of the United States of America, Noah did not have school on Monday.

That allowed he and I to spend some time together. We made a couple of stops at my work and lunch before the golden experience.

What kid doesn’t want to be dragged to the Iowa State Capital in the middle of the Legislative session? Probably no kid that knows any better. I give Noah credit. He did seem to be excited about it.

Noah took a tour of the Capital last year with his day care.

This time we went when there was all sorts of activity. The House and Senate both gaveled into session on Monday. Then both chambers went into Caucus.

A day of law making makes us crazy!

Noah did get a little bored, but he did enjoy looking up at the lovely scenery of the Iowa Capital’s Rotunda.

He also enjoyed going into the Law Library. We recorded two Iowa Journal’s inside the library. So, I had spent a little time in there and could answer a few of his questions. It was a rare quiet experience for he and I.

It also was Wartburg Day at the Capital. So, Noah and I “had” to stick around for the free ice cream. Anytime the college pays for something you take it.

A little recruiting news here, Noah did commit to Wartburg. I wonder if his verbal will hold up for another 12 years.

It was nice to see some friendly Wartburg faces and meet a few new ones. Also, my old professor, now Senator, Liz Mathis was hard at work with her clerk Suzanne Behnke Heseman.

Kerry Wright was making things happen as always, so thanks to her, too.