The newsroom

We're all wired up

We really are wired up here. It's the beginning of sweeps month which is a very important time that determines our station's ratings. People are pretty energized around here. I don't know if it's the sweets we've been eating all week or the anticipation of Halloween tonight.

It's pretty neat to experience Sweeps month for the first time in WMBF's history. I've been very impressed with the work we've done so far. The Sex Offender, Texting 411, and Financial Fitness stories are packed full of interesting facts that just about anyone can learn from.

Not only are we wired up ourselves, but our whole station is wired up too. Everytime I walk back to master control room, I'm amazed by the hundreds of cords running through it. Each one is organized perfectly and I'm sure it needs to be in order to run our  HD station.

In the meantime we'll continue to be all wired up this month as we share with you some stories that may impact your life! 

Tayleigh Davis | Tayleighdavis@wmbfnews.com

 

Heading Home!

Happy Halloween everyone! Hope everyone has their costume ready!

I'm skipping the costume this year and instead catching a plane home. Funny enough, everytime I say, "I'm headed home." People ask, "Which one?" I laugh, but its true...I have a lot of homes. Moving around will do that to you. I'm still working to make South Carolina my new one....

There's two great parts about being "the new person." One, locals are usually very excited to show you why their town is the greatest. You South Carolinians are right...the "eternal fall" is very close to perfect, hush puppies are a great substitute for bread and the "Carolina Moon" is pretty amazing.

But, what's also nice about being new...is finding things that maybe local's don't try. My hometown is exactly the same. My parents go to the same places I remember going as a kid and there is something nice about "everyone knowing your name." So as you have all helped me to work my way to local status maybe I can help you too! Have you tried "Twelve?" Its a newer restaurant on 17 business. Its on the right if your heading south...almost Murrells Inlet. Its got a great atmosphere, yummy food and friendly folks working making sure your food and time spent there is the best it can be.

But home, this weekend is Boston. My family is still there and I can't wait to see them.  Thanks again for helping me figure out the ins and outs of SC...I'll figure it all out eventually!  If you head North...to Boston or Upstate NY...or west to Idaho... Let me know! Have a great weekend!

 Kerri O'Hara | kerriohara@gmail.com

What if the polls are wrong?

So what if all of the media's polls suggesting Barack Obama is about to win the presidency are wrong? It's a scary thought for each of the network's polling units, I'm sure. Their reputations depend on them being right.

However, modern conveniences and changes in societal structure are making it harder for pollsters to track us all down. Many twenty and thirtysomethings only have a mobile phone these days. No landline for the pollster's computer to find them. Plus, with families stretched thin between work, band practice, basketball practice, church, and volunteer work, it's hard to find moms and dads home at night. Or if you do, many don't have the time to take a poll that can stretch on for thirty minutes.

There's a really interesting article in this morning's Washington Post addressing this issue. You can read it here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/28/AR2008102803675.html?nav=hcmodule

It raises the question that maybe the presidential race is closer than political reporters and pollsters believe. Perhaps, the story suggests, we could see another 1948-style race in which Harry Truman (in this case John McCain) defeats Thomas Dewey (this year Barack Obama.)

The hope is, with so many polls being done this year that we've got a pretty good idea of what's happening on the campaign trail, whichever candidate happens to be leading.

But then again, these are the same people who in 2000 used exit polls to tell us Al Gore had won Florida.

And we all know what happened then.

Matthew Nordin | mnordin@wmbfnews.com

Back from the Lone Star state

"Keep Austin Weird is the slogan of the Texas capital. Years ago there were people in cowboy boots all over the place, but now there are a lot more hippies and college students. The University of Texas is right in the middle of downtown Austin, and It's one of the biggest Universities in the nation...not to mention we visited on a huge football game weekend...not the best idea if you want to dodge traffic.

I'm not a big mall shopper so my ideal vacation is spending time outside. Even though I didn't see Lance or Matthew McConaughey running together...I did walk through the very same trails they did. It's great because an eight mile path runs along Lake Austin. People were out exercising all the time. 

Kayaking on Lake Austin was beautiful. We saw tons of wildlife including egrets and huge turtles swimming all around us. The cliffs along one side of the lake were really impressive too. You can't forget a little hiking in the hillside. It was really hilly, which is odd in Texas, and we saw all kinds of snakes and deer too! 

After a long day of exploring, we couldn't forget to chow down on a little Tex Mex...Mmmm the chips were warm and just melted in my mouth, and the salsa was so fresh. Then of course after filling up on Tex Mex for lunch we had to eat a little BBQ for dinner. It was delicious! No matter where we ate the portions were huge. Even our drink glasses and bread were supersized!  The food, the outdoors, and the people were so much fun and I'll never forget them! 

Tayleigh Davis | Tayleighdavis@wmbfnews.com 

 

 

Snow this winter?

Every night, as a duty of being the web producer here at the station, I have to rummage through area newspapers to see what is going on in communities outside of Horry County.  This better helps us, as a news station, provide for those who are not immediately surrounded by the news of the Grand Strand.

Well, as I was cruising the web tonight, I stumbled upon an article from The Item in Sumter that was titled "Forecasters:  Snow possible this winter."  I don't think you  understand how much my heart jumped when I saw this.  Now I'm a good old Pennsylvania girl, and the cold winter temperatures aren't complete with a little snow here and there.

But since I've been down in South Carolina in the last 3 years, I have seen snow ONCE.  Actually, I wouldn't even consider it snow, but let me tell you, the cars were swerving onto the shoulder of the roads on 501 and you could've sworn it was the end of the world.

Since I haven't been in a "southern snow," I have no idea what to expect if we would see an inch or two (by a miracle) this winter.  Have any of you experienced snow in South Carolina?  If you have, let me know how people reacted!

I hear through the rumor mill that school gets cancelled for a light dusting :)

The Dixie Stampede!

Just another stop on my tour of all things South Carolina!  Over the weekend, Shannon Mortimer, our morning producer, and myself were treated to a night at the Dixie Stampede by Jamee, one of our production technicians and her fiance, who manages production at The Dixie Stampede.  I've wanted to go since I moved to Myrtle Beach, and now that the tourists are gone and it is easier to move around town, it seemed like a great time.

Jamee used to perform in the show at their location in Branson, Missouri.  She is very bubbly and full-of-life, the perfect person to spend a Saturday evening with!  She has gotten out of the performing lifestyle, but her fiance still works in the business.  He was able to get us first row seats to Saturday nights performance, and it was great! 

I couldn't believe all the talent and energy the performers showed.  Aside from singing and dancing, these people were riding, standing on, and flipping over running horses.  Of course, there was no shortage of mini-horses either!  They provided a great laugh for the three of us.

We also had a great big, southern meal of chicken, potatoes, pork, corn on the cob... all very tasty!  If you haven't made it to the Dixie Stampede just yet... you better get out there!  And if you have been, make sure you check out the Christmas show!  Hopefully I'll get a chance to as well:)

Happy Monday!

Paula Caruso | pcaruso@wmbfnews.com

Not the news McCain wanted

Gen. Colin Powell, a Republican, a former secretary of state, one of the most admired people in the country, is throwing his support behind Barack Obama.

He's not backing Obama because of race, Powell told NBC's Tom Brokaw on Meet the Press yesterday, but because of what Powell sees as McCain's bad decision making (different policies on different days with regard to the economic crisis and his choosing of Sarah Palin to be his running mate.) Powell says he's also worried the GOP is narrowing its appeal with some McCain supporters alleging --- inaccurately --- that Obama is a Muslim. Powell says it shouldn't matter if Obama is a Muslim or not that the Republican party should appeal to all Americans, regardless of religion.

However, that may not have been the worst news McCain got yesterday.

What I found most startling was NBC News Political Director Chuck Todd saying that his team nearly moved Arizona, John McCain's home state, from "likely McCain" to merely "leaning McCain."

Wow, that's gotta be scary for the McCain campaign.

Chuck attributes the falling poll numbers in Arizona to more fallout from the economic crisis.

It reminded me of Al Gore in 2000.

Remember how he lost his home state of Tennessee?

Had he won it, there would've been no need for a Supreme Court decision on the outcome of the race. Gore would've had an Electoral College victory.

No one's suggesting McCain is going to lose Arizona but the fact that the NBC News team was thinking of changing it's prediction should bring sweat to the brows of his strategists.

Matthew Nordin | mnordin@wmbfnews.com

Headed to the Lone Star State

This weekend I'm off to Austin Texas, one of my favorite places in the whole world! I'm going to do a little kayaking around Lake Austin and some hiking in the hillside. Living at the beach is great but I really do miss rugged terrain and trails.

Oh and I can't forget the Tex-Mex either! The tortillas, the salsa, the burritos...mmm I can’t wait to eat tons of amazing food. There’s nothing like it…line dancing will be on the menu too.

I may even keep a look out for my favorite actress Sandra Bullock and one of my favorite athletes Lance Armstrong of course.  I’ll keep you up to date on the experience!

Tayleigh Davis | TayleighDavis@wmbfnes.com

Weather You Can Bask In

The heat is on here in the Grand Strand and Pee Dee. And what a treat it is.

All the sunshine and blue skies yesterday reminded me of being in the middle of summer, but without the oppressive humidity.

So, as if it were a Sunday afternoon in the middle of July, I went for a drive. Window down, wind blowing through my hair, it certainly felt like the carefree days of summer.

Here's hoping you get to enjoy it, too!

  Matthew Nordin | mnordin@wmbfnews.com

Holiday Cheer

Hi All!

I'm a huge fan of holidays....Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, 4th of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day...but news never stops...and there's no exception for the holidays! Many a times we in the newsroom end up calling the station home during the holidays. To be honest, its not so bad. Sure, it stinks not to be with your friends and family, but it could be worse. I will say though the one thing I have enjoyed more about the holidays since being in the news business is the build up to them. Over the weekend, my boyfriend and I thought it would be a smashing idea to carve pumpkins. So we headed out to find the perfect pumpkins....after 2 stores (and buying some mums to go with them) we found them. Sunday was spent digging out the insides and carving the perfect face. I will say...as adults we might have gotten a little too into it, but thats the fun of the holidays, right? Enjoying the kid stuff.

So, here's a picture of my masterpiece (and the mums). Enjoy! Let me know if you need some lessons ;)

Kerri O'Hara | kerriohara@wmbfnews.com