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.

Big Stage Ahead for TV Anchor, PSL

Paula Sands in 2002 (QUAD-CITY TIMES FILE PHOTO)

There are three named institutions in the Quad Cities. John Deere, Happy Joe and Paula Sands. Everyone knows all three in town and for good reasons. They’re dependable, have good taste and in a class by themselves. That’s just Paula.

Des Moines may have John Bachman and Kevin Cooney. Sioux City has Larry Wentz, the Cedar Valley has The Ron Steele, but they’re no Paula.

The KWQC-TV6 mainstay is the face of the NBC affiliate in Davenport and all the QC TV sets.

If you believe the legend, Paula Sands walked into the WOC (Channel 6′s call letters until 1986) station in 1982, got a job as a receptionist and quickly moved in to a roll on the syndicated PM Magazine, as the youngest host of the show. Then she hosted Live at Five and eventually Paula Sands Live.

Name me another TV personality in Iowa with their name in the show?

Paula now anchors PSL at 430p and the 6p news on KWQC.

Paula delivers her news on her show, May 12, 2011. (image from KWQC.com)

Now she’s in the middle of a story of a fight against ovarian cancer, her own. Paula announced in a pre-taped segment on Thursday that its been 3 weeks since her diagnosis of Stage II ovarian cancer. According to a Quad City Times story by David Burke, Sands said on-air “I am equipped for the battle.” She later added, “we’re gonna start out having a little bit of fun with this.” Another article in the Argus/Dispatch includes quotes from news director Denise Killian about Paula’s battle, including details about the .

This is the 3rd health issue to strike the folks on Brady Street Hill. Chief Photographer Randy Biery‘s wife was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year. Reporter Fran Riley was diagnosed with a brain tumorand is recovering. He hopes to return to work in the next couple of weeks.

Whenever I would make a public appearance for the station, one question I would always get was, “what is Paula really like?” For me and anyone inside the walls, it was the same, professional, upbeat and identical to her on-air personality.

For those not familiar, I would describe PSL as Martha Stewart meets Oprah with some Rachel Ray thrown in for fun. A typical show has a cooking segment, movie reviews, visit from the zoo, a fashion show and usually a visit to some new speciality shop in the Quad City area.

Paul and Amy holding Noah with Paula. A day short of 5 years before Paula went through her first cancer surgery.

I was on PSL several times. Amy was on as well. Once we made our favorite holiday desert. Amy was a great and Paula wanted her on more. The next time for Amy was when Paula visited our hospital room as we were about to go home from the hospital with Baby Noah.

Each I got to anchor with Paula, it was fun and nerve-racking. This was The Paula Sands you were sitting next to. There was that one time I sang in a toga and even got to talk about Ron Burgandy’s Anchorman movie as the three TV6 male anchors spent time on Paula’s couch. Good thing no one put anything on YouTube back then….

Best to Paula and David in this trying time ahead for them both.

He’s got a way

Fran Riley and Paul Yeager in the KWQC-TV6 Newsroom in September of 2006.

There are few like him in the world, let alone in the media.

I can’t begin to fully describe Francis J Patrick O’Riley to you. My stories will be the same as anyone who’s ever met him, worked with him and most importantly, watched him in KWQC.

He’s a great co-worker, storyteller and most importantly, friend to all he’s dealt with over his nearly four decade career.

Right now, Fran Riley needs our prayers and support.

This week, he underwent surgery to remove a tumor on his brain. The doctors think it is the non-cancerous kind. I guess that’s good, but the words “brain tumor” get my attention.

Fran Riley's official KWQC-TV picture.

Fran was on a story last week with photojournalist Mike Colon. The pair was on assignment in rural Whiteside County near Morrison, Illinois. Following an interview, Mike took the camera gear out to the KWQC car and was waiting for Fran to join him to head back to the Quad Cities. But the interview subject came out to get Mike, saying, Fran didn’t seem right. Fran was dizzy, couldn’t stand up and was having a little trouble breathing. Fran was taken to the Morrison hospital where the doctors determined he needed to go to Iowa City for further treatment.

There, the doctors confirmed he had a brain tumor. He would have to stay in Iowa City to get ready for surgery. Fran is no stranger to hospitals as he’s been there before to have his heart worked on.

Just like before and now, Fran’s demeanor took over. He’s been in excellent spirits his whole life, including right now.

If there’s ever a case for “laughter is the best medicine,” Fran would never so much as have a headache.

Fran Riley2 KWQC It

Fran is a rare breed. He’s from Boston, Massachusetts and loves living in the midwest and he’s a good guy reporter. He’s been in the QC for almost, gulp, 40 years. He started as a weekend sports anchor at WHBF-TV before he was later  named sports director.

Following the one of thousands shown the door at Channel 4, Fran landed right side up across the river at KWQC-TV6 News. Fran reported and anchored for several years, anchored Saturday morning’s 630a and 9a newscasts. Those shows are memories right now, but Fran is not.

Mr. Riley’s been asked to cover every type of story. His best, are the features that put him in the middle of the singing valentine’s or school children’s good project. But he could knock a breaking news live shot out of the park with his clipboard and tape recorder in hand, all the while keeping his hair perfect.

The stories I remember most are Fran’s Saturday morning stories. After he would anchor the 9a news, he would head out, more times than not, to a parade. Everyone loves a parade, including Fran. He would sing Christmas carols at the Festival of Trees parade, the monster mash during Halloween parade and kiss the blarney stone, breaking out his heritage’s hits for St. Patrick’s Day. He’s be hanging out at the Bix, or a carnival or just plain laughing with people while putting his arm around them.

When I would arrive for the evening weekend shift, Fran and I would talk about the Cardinals or Cubs and usually did a little play-by-play with each other. We did this for six years and it was one of the best things about the job.

I’ve laughed with this guy during and now after my time in Davenport. I can hear his laugh today and have thought about it a lot this week. We were a family at 805 Brady Street.

Photo: Submitted Fran Riley, here with wife Marilyn, had surgery for brain cancer this week. Despite what he's dealing with, his always-sunny attitude is intact. (QCOnline.com)

He’s got help now in providing smiles all over the Quad Cities. His wife, Marilyn, is a bright ray of sunshine herself. Marilyn and Fran are two incredible people together who have been through a lot in their lives apart and now are dealing with another tough chapter, together.

There was a nice story by John Marx of the Argus/Dispatch about Fran. Great work, John. Here’s the link to that story. (The surgery was Thursday and was going to be at least an 8 hour procedure).

The doctors said they would only have to make a smaller cut to get to the tumor. So, his blond hair should stay and will soon be blown about in a live shot.

My best to Fran Riley, KWQC TV6 News.

June 5th, 2000

KWQC - TV6 Logo

I was looking at the calendar Friday when I realized that the date June 5th had meaning for me.

It will mark 10 years since I started work at KWQC-TV6 in Davenport.

That’s nothing monumental, but got me thinking about all the stuff that has happened, to me, in that decade.

I got married, had two kids, moved to Des Moines Ankeny, went to work at WHO-TV and went to work at IPTV.

Those are just the highlights of my life.

The world lived through Gore beating Bush, 9-11, War in Afghanistan, War In Iraq, Katrina, Obama elected, War in Afghanistan.

I’ve made countless friends, contacts and fans (not sure why) and had the privilege of telling hundreds of stories from countless locations.

Davenport was not my first stop, but my second full-time TV news gig. I worked two years at KIMT-TV3 in Mason City before getting the weekend anchor job in the Quad Cities.

Me sitting at the anchor desk. Thanks to Dave Van Meter for the photo.

Really it was Heidi Plummer, who, I still believe to this day helped me get the job at KWQC. Heidi was the receptionist at the station that day in the spring of 2000 when I dropped off my resume and tape for news director Doug Retherford.

I was visiting Amy, who was living in Moline at the time, and saw the KWQC opening for a weekend anchor. I got to 805 Brady Street close to 5p that day. I had a couple of other tapes to mail that day as I was at the end of my contract in Mason City. For the life of me, I can’t remember where those other jobs were.

I asked Heidi where the closest post office was. She said, “it isn’t that far, but you won’t make it there before it closes, so I’ll mail your items for you.”

I never know if she did mail my other tapes. I got a call from Doug, had the interview, got the job and moved to the QC.

Brian Krans of the Argus, Chris Minor of WQAD and I trying to get then Congressman Lane Evans to talk after leaving the Rock Island County Courthouse.

Time moved quickly as I experienced my first Bix 7, John Deere Classic (it was at the new course for the first time that year), Mississippi Valley Fair, Highlight Zone, Festival of Trees Parade and Whitey’s. And, in the same city as my girlfriend for the first time in two years.

Doug hired me. Betty Vesey was the EP. Andea Davidson ran the desk. Jake Peterson produced the morning show, Stacey Palzkill the 5, Ellen Ant the 6/10.

I went on my first story with Randy Biery. Also in photog land, Mike Ortiz, Hank Strunk, Bob Palmer, Jess Hull, Jon Millman and Drew Jones.

Matt Davis, Elizabeth Goodsitt, Eugene Kennedy, Dawn Smith, Fran Riley and the legend Ed Lewis were my reporter pals.

Thom Cornelis, Dan Pearson and Ryan Nolan were in sports with Terry Swails, Erik Maitland, Theresa Bryant and Kris Oetzmann in weather.

Alison Baumbach edited tapes and Dave Van Meter was the weekend director.

Gary Metivier, Sharon Derycke, Mike Mickle, Marcia Lense, Paula Sands and Charles King were our anchors.

A lot of great people at a great station in a great community.

Thank you to all for a great set of memories that started ten years ago.

Bill Wundrum begins the fight

Bill Wundram - From the Quad City Times

Not many newspaper journalists will be at a newspaper as long as Bill Wundrum has.

None will get the chance to write a column 7 days a week for more years than anyone can count. He’s been at a Davenport noos-paper for 65 years. He’s got a parking spot, a statue, a key to the city, a lifetime membership as a circus clown and warm place in many people’s hearts and a reservation at about every restaurant in the QC.

Bill is Bill. Always has been, always will be.

But, Bill, is fighting a huge battle. He’s battling prostate cancer.

He revealed it about a month ago. Saturday, he wrote about what begins Monday.

He calls the cancer aggressive, but we know he’s a fighter.

I got to meet Bill during my time in the Quad Cities. We even shared the stage a time or two to help out the Girl Scouts of the Mississippi Valley in our Salute to Broadway. Bill was there one year in a lion costume for his song from “Lion King”, but he was singing Hakuna Matata. Yes, I know that doesn’t exactly fit the story, but it was Bill at his finest.

Hakuna Matata is fitting, to a point. Bill’s had no worries for a long time.
Now, we’re pulling for him so he can keep having no worries and get this cancer fight behind him so we can get him back to asking politicians what they have in their pockets (something he famously did ask Al Gore what he had in his pockets and has done it since.)

Good luck, Bill. We’re all pulling for you.