FIGHTING FOR NEWS!

  SUNDAY, AUGUST 20TH., 2017
       FIGHTING FOR NEWS!

   My appearance, with Bob Reynolds,
on Rob Neyhard's WILK Talk show on
Friday has touched off an avalanche of
response on Facebook from people who
either heard the show or saw the WNEP
story that ran that evening.
     While each of us worked together
for several years we were all also
competitors at one time or another.
      In the field you fight to get the
story, hopefully first, but more
importantly "right."
      But another former colleague
and competitor, Bill Longworth,
formally of WBRE, wrote to remind
me of a time when we literally fought
for the news!
     As Bill remembers it three news
crews (remember when 22,28, and 16
each fielded news crews?) were
camped out around the Federal
Courthouse waiting for an alleged
"bad guy," He couldn't remember
exactly who.
      Anyway each crew was in a
slightly different location.
      Bill says a friend of our unknown
(or just unremembered perp) suddenly
attacked me and there was a scuffle.
      Bill remembers rushing to my
aid and that "fists were flying." He
recalls my coming up swinging with
only ripped slacks as evidence of the
altercation. He ruined a suit! Police were
called to bring things back to order.
      Now I remember a million stories
I covered. I remember being in the
line of fire of several gunmen being
surrounded by police. I remember
choking on heavy smoke when the
wind shifted as I was walking towards
a fire I was covering. I even remember
the time the contractor tearing down
the old Casey Hotel gave Mayor
Jimmy Connors a fake Time Capsule
from the building and I broke the news
to the Mayor.
       So you'd think I would well
remember going one round with some
ner-do-well while on Courthouse
stakeout duty, But I don't!
       I though Bill was mistaken but
he says his photographer got it on
film. I'd love to see it!
        Ironically when I told my wife
she didn't remember the incident
but did remember the ripped slacks!
       Maybe there are some things
better left forgotten? Although I
always did believe I had a decent
right cross!
        Sometimes it's good for
competitors to "work" together!
       Hope all your NEWS is
good!