Just something I wrote on MLK Day. His open mind helped me create this with a twist on how I feel about love, of course.

He said

You’re such a hopeless romantic

And all I could do is smile

Because what I believe

Isn’t what the world believes

If they did

We would be living a violent free

Love me for me

Forget the color of your skin

Peace on earth

Type of world thing

I’ve been hurt

I get back up every time

Ready to love

Like I’ve always been blind

Learn from my past

Take the risk

Give you all my time

Boy it’s just what I’m willing to do

Because how can I find love

If I’m hiding behind the last one before you?

I’m not really a huge car person, but every year I head up to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit for work.

Honestly, it’s one of the most fun assignments I get to go and cover.

Every year there are many displays, fun unveilings (this year, the Dodge Dart), and sometimes even famous people.

The ‘star’ I saw this year was Jon Lovitz.

Mind you, when my photographer Pots and I saw him for the first time, he was introducing a Mercedes Benz. So we were at a distance, and he was on screen.

About an hour later, I passed him on the main floor.. didn’t even notice him.

But then Pots was like, “There he is, Jon Lovitz.”

Ok, I thought, let’s get a funny interview with him. I mean, he is more of a comedic actor.

Anyways, I ran up to his handler and asked to talk with him. He looked really tired, but I gave it a shot.

She told me, “5 minutes” and walked away.

Let’s just say here is the end of the story… Pots and I standing in the same spot about seven minutes later, blown off by Jon Lovitz.

No biggie, we just went up to the media room and got free food.

A few months ago, when Bill Stewart called me from the mayor’s office, inviting me to co-emcee the city’s Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Celebration, I felt like it was such a huge honor.

Over time, I came to realize this was the biggest honor in my life.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wanted to spread the message of unity. This encompasses not just the black community. It goes beyond that. It means a tremendous deal to me that the city chose me to help represent and spread this message. I mean, seriously, they could’ve gone several different routes on this. They didn’t necessarily need to choose some TV guy.

I already knew this was a serious deal because the city flew in the Curator of the African-American Civil War Museum in Washington, DC, Mr. Hari Jones, to be the keynote speaker. So I knew this was going to be amazing.

But last night’s dress rehearsal was the first time I saw some of the performances firsthand. They simply blew me away. The power of the performances was off the charts. The singing from an adult choir, then later from the Toledo Youth Choir, and the performances by some of the fine young talent this city has to offer were just so uplifting.

I found myself smiling from cheek to cheek with my eyes WIIIIDE open as the performances seriously lifted my soul.

And then today? With Hari Jones speaking? Please put the POW in POWerful!!!

Yes, today was fun. It was fulfilling.

It was something I will never forget.

Hi guys. I covered 3 sad stories this week. I really don’t want to go into them anymore because I’ll just get sad again. But please make sure you guys take care of yourselves and never take life for granted. Remember any day could be your last. I pray you all have a safe and blessed week. Take Care

One of my stories this week took me to Owens Community College’s firing range.  I was interview the Director of Emergency Preparedness Mike Cornell for our series My Town.  He also let me fire off a few shots.  I think I may want to take a few classes to sharpen my skills .  It was a lot of fun.  Here are a few pictures.

Being a University of Toledo Alumni, I wanted to go out to the University of Toledo and ask what the students like about FOX Toledo. The University of Toledo is such a diverse campus, it’s the perfect place to get a variety of answers! Watch out for all the new FOX Toledo premieres this week!

Click this to see the video UT Students !

Back on January 11th 1918 a tremendous blizzard completely immobilized the Midwest, stopping mail service for two weeks. The vast storm then moved through the Great Lakes Region and the Ohio Valley. Winds reached 60 mph at Toledo OH, and the temperature plunged from 28 above to 15 below zero during passage of the cold front.

One of the things I enjoy most about my job is to hop in the station’s Jeep Liberty and head off to the far reaches of Northwest Ohio to tell a good story.

Don’t get me wrong—I’m a big fan of Toledo, my adopted hometown the last 15 years. I live in the Glass City, cover stories in the city on a regular basis.

But we don’t get the opportunity very often to head to Port Clinton, Tiffin, Fremont, or some of the other nice communities in our viewing area. Lately, I’ve had that chance with the Seneca County Courthouse demolition, a local sailor lost at sea, the Walleye drop and other assignments.

Meeting new people and telling stories in their communities is one of the big reasons I re-entered TV news 18 months ago here at Fox Toledo. Everyone I run across is friendly and helpful—even overly accommodating at times. But the ease with which small-town people show trust and respect in this day and age is refreshing.

I don’t know if I could ever do a desk job. There’s too much of the bigger, broader world to see and experience. Northwest Ohio is one of those places that calls out to explore and discover—and there’s nothing I enjoy more than telling someone a story about a part of their world they’ve never known before now.

So if folks in Defiance, Napoleon, Fostoria, Findlay and other communities see a Fox Toledo Jeep rolling by, honk and wave—and let me know if you’ve got a story to tell in your hometown.

Sometimes in the TV news business, you get to cover some pretty cool stories.

That was the case New Year’s Eve, when Nature’s Nursery celebrated the onset of 2012 by releasing a rescued and rehabbed eagle back into the wild.

The raptor rehabilitation center does not name its rescued wildlife, just the birds of prey it uses in its education programs.

So we’ll just call the juvenile female eagle Freedom for a number of reasons. First, the bald eagle is the symbol of American freedom. Second, and more important, volunteers nursed the eagle back to health over a four-month period and set it free.

Volunteers admitted there was no better feeling than to watch the eagle soar freely from its launching pad on top of the sledding hill at Maumee Bay State Park. The eagle seemingly gave back to its caretakers, soaring out over the bay, then back across the state park grounds before unsuccessfully attempting to land in a small tree. The flight and wobbly landing were entertaining to more than 60 people armed with camcorders, digital cameras, and binoculars.

The eagle was first found at Cullen Park in Point Place last August after a hailstorm. It could not fly, so volunteers could only guess it had been knocked out of a tree during the storm. It injured the equivalent of a human collarbone, forcing volunteers to put the bird of prey in a body wrap.

After a few weeks of treatment, the eagle was able to fly back and forth in an 80-foot long flight cage at Nature’s Nursery. On launch day, volunteers brought the bird of prey to the sledding hill in a big dog kennel, its top clamped to its bottom. Three people opened the kennel, two lifting off the top while the third removed the door.

The key to the eagle release was choosing the western Lake Erie basin, an area where it is familiar—so the bird can find a mate, make a nest, and keep the comeback of the bald eagle going. It was certainly an honor to watch, a great story to tell, and a pleasant experience.

You can see the story that aired here:

http://www.foxtoledo.com/dpp/news/wupw-injured-eagle-rehabbed-released-km?ref=scroller&categoryId=20000&status=true

A conversation with a co-worker reminded me of one of my guilty pleasures. I hate to admit it, but I enjoy really cheesy movies from the 70s and 80s. Especially musical disco flicks with terrible production numbers.

One particular favorite has to be “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” featuring Peter Frampton and the BeeGees. Who knew Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees could make such good music, but such bad movies? Just because you are a great musician does not mean you will make a great actor. But, it is so worth watching. I just wonder what John, Paul, George and Ringo thought of it.

Next we have the classic “You Can’t Stop the Music” Yes, it is indeed the epic 1980 sensation story of the formation of none other than the Village People. Feathers, leather, and hard hats abound in this classic. Not only does this flick feature all five members of the village, it has a cut-off clad Bruce Jenner. Do I need to say more?

I am sure it is not easy to find these fine films at you neighborhood move store, but they are worth the extra effort. Just don’t hold me responsible if your head exploded while watching them.