The newsroom

Driving Dangerously

It is the Labor Day weekend, time for getting together with family and friends and having a great time.  The long weekend combined with BBQ's and partying sometimes leads to people driving drunk.  I'm amazed at how many people don't decided to grab a cab or have a designated driver.  There are campaigns to stop it and law enforcement out in full force, but as I was driving late at night over the weekend I counted 15 people who were swerving all over the road and speeding past me recklessly or just driving dangerously. It's kind of scary.  So if anyone reads my blog, this isn't another commercial, just a reminder to stay safe, have fun and take a cab.

Newsbreak!

I love my job, but as anyone in this industry will tell you, it really tires you out.

That's what short trips are for. This weekend, I'll be heading home to see my family in Delaware. I haven't seen most of my family since moving here in May. It's also my pop's 60th birthday, so what better weekend to go home than Labor Day weekend?

I'll have off this Monday, so I'll see you at 4pm, 5pm and 6pm this coming Tuesday. Have a safe holiday weekend. And remember that police are stepping up their DUI checkpoints, so be smart!

Best,

Greg Argos | gargos@wmbfnews.com

Confetti? I’d rather see something really change.

You know what struck me as I watched Obama’s speech last night? The quantity of money wasted. Wasted. I’m a sucker for a good show. I love lights, action, and the works. Don’t get me wrong. I know we, American people, are drawn to big shows. I mean, seriously, drive down 17-Bypass. Look at how over the top our attractions are. I get it.

BUT…big BUT.

When it comes to politics…cut the fat. Is there any need for pyrotechnics? Really? Does that help win a war…help end world hunger…help clean up New Orleans? What about 15,000 tons of confetti? Honestly, spend that campaign money on something like… a flight to Myrtle Beach International and shake my hand. That is what should win votes my friends.  It shouldn’t come to down to some emotional response to really cool fireworks and confetti falling for the sky.

Don’t get me wrong. I also can’t find it in me to respect a politician who spends more money on shoes than I’ve spent on all the clothes in my closet. This silly spending is a problem on both sides.

Want to know my solution?  Shoot straight with me. Don’t fill my hands with posters and flags. Please don't ask me to wear a button. Put some money into something that makes a difference…not that pollutes landfills or cost an alligator his life for your feet.

Rebecca Ryan | rryan@wmbfnews.com

3 weeks of work, but lots of fun!

Today marks the 21st day we've been on the air.  While we've all worked our tails off, bringing you 27 hours of local news a week, I think what makes this newsroom really work from the managers all the way to the part timers (click on pics below) is that we all know when to be serious, but know not to take ourselves too seriously.  Especially my co-anchor Danner Evans and Chief Meteorologist Rob Hatchell.  I'm so lucky to be working alongside such a polished team.  We're very devoted to our work, but we all realize life without a laugh here and there, life well, simply wouldn't be as fulfilling.  We don't often get to show much of our personality on air, because we want to make sure you're getting the news, weather and sports, before any fluff. But if you see us outside of work, please come say hello and tell us what you like or don't like about our coverage. Oh yeah, bring a joke along too, did I mention we like those? :)

 

Another Litter Left

We got a viewer email this evening in the WMBF newsroom.  It's from a guy who found yet another litter of puppies. This time in the woods in Florence.  I'll let you read what he wrote us:

My name is Donny Chandler & I wasn't sure who to contact about this, but I was hoping that maybe you could possibly use this story to help raise awareness for the Florence Area Humane Society. Two weeks ago me & my mother found a litter of 6 puppies that we think are about 2 months old. They had been abandoned/left to die in a wooded area not too far from our home. We were so shocked to find them in such bad condition & to begin with we were thinking we wouldn't be able to catch them all or do anything to help them. It took us about 2 hours in the pouring rain & running through the woods to catch all 6, but were we able finally get them all home. After getting them home, we were able to clean them up, feed them & get them in a warm dry area. It was so upsetting to see how bad them had been treated, but with God's help we were able to get them all back to a good weight & feeling like a puppy should; happy & carefree! I & and my mother are just so happy that we found them & were able to get them back to good health. If I had it my way I would have loved to keep all 6, but that would have been just too much. So against our will we contacted the Florence Area Humane Society & there were able to take all 6 of them. I know that they will be able to care for them a lot better than we could & I'm hoping that they will all find good homes & soon. The Humane Society asks that when they take a animal for adoption that the person who brings the pet in contribute $20 to cover their  shots & de-worming. Me & my mother gave $150 just to make sure that they would be well cared for & to help about with any others as well. As I write this I don't know what was the hardest...catching them, taking care of them or having to let them go today after having them for these past two weeks! I'll be the first to admit that I get attached to animals & it upsets me to see them mistreated, but I'm also happy that we were able to help them. So I just wanted someone there to know what people like me & my mother are willing to do to help save animals. I have enclosed a few pictures of them & I hope your able to see them cause they really are adorable. Thank you for your time & maybe you could use this story to help raise awareness of animal abuse &  show how the Florence Area Humane Society is trying to help animals have a second chance! Donny

I applaud Donny.  Thank you for going the extra mile -- even donating money to the Florence Humane Society to make sure the puppies continue to get taken care of.  I would once again like to appeal to common sense.  If there is an animal you cannot take care of -- be it one or 11 -- drop it off at the area shelter.  Do not leave it or toss it.  It's heartbreaking.  Oh, and if you're looking for a new four legged member of your family -- go check out the puppies Danny and his mother saved.

From AM to PM

Incase anyone's noticed, I've made the switch this week from the morning show to nightside.  I basically went from sleeping during the day and waking up around midnight to go into work...to now going to bed around 2 AM.  It's quite a change for me, a change I'm still adjusting to in more ways than one.  But no matter who gets moved around, all the reporters here are working their butts off (I do mean that) to keep you covered.  So keep watching your LIVE, LOCAL, LATE BREAKING station for all your latest news.

Nikki Gaskins| ngaskins@wmbfnews.com

Southern Hospitality

If you caught WMBF News on Monday, you know police in Horry County are cracking down on South Carolina residents who still have out of state tags on their vehicles.  That story hit a little too close to home for me.  I have been living down here for about two months now, but still had my Pennsylvania plates on my car.  Now, it's not what you're thinking -- I actually went and had my registration switched over like two weeks ago.  There was just one problem: I could not get the Pennsylvania plate off of my car to save my life.

I thought maybe I just didn't have the muscle to turn the screws, so I asked Greg if he could help me.  He promised he'd bring some WD-40 to work and help me out.  It turns out he kept "forgetting" to bring it with him.  Then last week my boyfriend moved to town, so he took a swing at it.  Even with the WD-40, the screws wouldn't budge.  So, we decided to take the problem to the professionals.  After work on Monday, I stopped by East Coast Honda where about three salesman helped me finally get the old plate off and the new one on.

Coming from the north, I sometimes feel like living in the south is like living in a whole other world.  "Southern Hospitality" seems to be alive and well in South Carolina.  I'm not saying car salesmen in Pennsylvania wouldn't have helped me with the license plate problem, but I have a feeling they wouldn't have been as willing to help someone they knew was not going to be buying a car anytime soon.

One of the men who helped me even told me a story to drive that point home.  Earlier this summer, a family heading to Pawleys Island got into an accident on 17 Bypass in front of the dealership.  Their car wasn't driveable and for some reason their insurance didn't cover a rental car.  So the owner of the dealership loaned the family a car from the lot so that their vacation wouldn't be ruined - and he did it free of charge. 

I thought that was a pretty amazing story, but maybe that's just because I'm not used to people being so trusting and friendly all the time.  I'd love to hear your stories of Southern Hospitality, too...if you have one you'd like to share, send me an email!

Catherine Franklin | cfranklin@wmbfnews.com

Calling All Volunteers!

I think it has a lot to do with the way you're raised.  Growing up, my parents, although busy with work and raising four kids, were always teaching, coaching and giving back.  During my first job, I realized that since I was far from family, I didn't have homework anymore and I'm not into working out or anything crazy like that, I had a lot of free time.  So I delivered Meals on Wheels to some seniors in Northern Michigan.  Although I was helping them get a warm meal for the day, I got a lot out of it myself.  I learned about the up's and down's of the community.  I saw pictures from decades earlier of landmarks in the town.  I shared in the good health and poor health of my seniors and I was sad to move away when a new job came calling.

My next job, in Lima, Ohio, brought many different volunteering efforts.  I helped tutor city school kids, I worked a few Girl Scout events, I was even a part of the local Italian club (hard to believe, I know!)  Each group had such a different dynamic, I found myself discovering things about the community in which I was living and working that I probably couldn't have discovered any other way.

So it was with excitement I received an email from James McIlrath (he's a part of Myrtle Beach Civitan Club) inviting me to one of their meetings.  I accepted his invite and attended their lunch meeting yesterday at the Dunes Club.  What a great group of people!  They were laughing and enjoying each other's company, congratulating each other on past accomplishments while looking towards their future events with excitement.  At the end, they invited me attend some of their events and see what the group is all about.  I'm glad to have been invited and I hope to be able to volunteer and see some of their great efforts play out.  I think volunteering is a great way to get in touch with the community and learn about what is really going on.  And if nothing else, it's a great way to spend your free time!

Hopefully, I'll have more to write about the Myrtle Beach Civitan Club in future postings!

Paula Caruso | pcaruso@wmbfnews.com

 

Finding Those Little Places...

If you've moved around a lot you know what I am talking about...those little places that make turn where you live into a home. Sometimes it happens overnight. Sometimes it takes a while. It took about 6 months when I moved to Binghamton, NY and it happened in about 30 minutes when I moved to Boise, ID.

I found a hairdresser on Saturday (thanks to our fabulous sales lady, Sandy Brown). Her name is Youla and while she was about an hour late she was delightfully charming and did a great job! Yay! Then I found my first restaurant I can't live without. I went with a girlfriend for happy hour last night...well, we went right through happy hour and into the night. The music was great. The atmosphere was great. The service was great. The food and wine...outstanding! Yay, again!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Kerri O'Hara | kerriohara@wmbfnews.com

WMBF News Book Club

So here's something you may not know about me: I didn't go to journalism school like most of the people in the news department here at WMBF News.  I actually graduated with a degree in English Literature.  When I started school, I planned to become a high school English teacher, but changed my mind during my junior year of college.  After interning at a TV station, I decided that was the way to go.  3 years and 2 stations later, here I am, helping to make America's newest start-up station a success.

To major in English, you have to love reading.  And I have to admit, I'm sort of a bookworm.  I can't go to the gym without a book to help me get through cardio and reading before bed is part of my daily routine.  I'm always asking people who their favorite author is and what book they're reading.  So today while Shannon (our morning producer) and Katy (our morning meteorologist) were walking on the beach, our conversation turned to books.  It turns out we're all into the same kinds of books and have even read some of the same ones.  So the three of us decided we're going to start a WMBF News Book Club.  We haven't chosen our first book yet, so if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

Catherine Franklin | cfranklin@wmbfnews.com