GOOD NEWS EVERYONE!!!!

I haven't written a blog post here in more than a year. MORE THAN A YEAR.

year.

years?

Oh, well, I guess I could blame my lack of motivation... the business of the day to day grind... being a father and wanting every free moment to be with my little man, not a keyboard.

BUT... today I found my motivation. I'm at work right now, but don't have to leave for said grind for another 30 minutes. And my little man is at the pool with mommy right now.

So, no excuses.

My motivation came in the form of a phone call to our news assignment desk just a few minutes ago.

Like a slimy sleazeball I eavesdropped upon the entire conversation from a distance.

"We do plenty of positive news, sir," the assignment manager said into the phone. "But a lot of bad stuff happens in town these days."

Yada, yada... you can probably guess what this conversation is all about.

There's too much negative news on TV... not enough positive, fun or uplifting news.

WELL... without getting into whether people actually want positive news, or are just saying that to be a little preachy to us news people (because what's more fun than bashing the media, eh?)

My favorite bumper sticker on the road right now... subtle, understated.

I'll just put it out there... positive news can be boring and really hard to pull off without making it just one big cheerleading session.

And frankly, while EXTREMELY awesome and impressive... it can be hard to make someone's 105th birthday, or 60th wedding anniversary exciting television.

Often, these stories require long interviews... careful writing to the heart of the story, shooting that makes a bunch of sitting around look "active"... and all that takes TIME.

But I love it.

And luckily I've been given the freedom to take my days and commit my energy to positive, interesting, funny, odd, not-blood-splatter-on-the-windshield stories.

Here's hoping that continues.

For just about four years at FCN I've done these stories. But still, people will walk up to me on the sidewalk, grocery store or during my daily horseback ride and say "Hey Lewis, I'd watch you more if you did some positive stories from time to time."

After the horse is done rearing back, and I get her calmed again, I smile and say "Thanks for the suggestion, and we appreciate you watching."

That's the canned response. Gotta take it all with a smile.

What I want to say is, "You're watching the wrong station... for four years all I've ever done is positive stories."

Sorry... just venting.

From now on... I'll just refer them to this blog post... and tell them nicely, politely, "you should start watching FCN more, because here's some of the positive you've missed:

Rare "Corpse Flower" blooms, stinks up Mandarin

Yulee Amputee on American Ninja Warrior

People of Jacksonville: The Dog Man

Soldier killed in Vietnam given high school diploma

First reality show romance sizzles 60 years later

Colbert Talks Smack About the Jags, Rebuttal

Lights After The Flood

From Foes To Friends

The Jacksonville Cap Lady

Dart at a Map: Everyone has a story

Mother finally gets to adopt the boy she's always loved

The Vacuum Repairman

The Typewriter Repairman

Ok.

Phew.

Sorry about that rant. Those are just some I've found with a quick search. There are way more... not bragging... just giving people a reference point here.

But here's the question... the deeper point... I've been doing what I consider pretty good stories, positive stuff, and above average quality television. Yet, people still fall back on the ole "I don't watch because there's no positive news" excuse.

So, do people really want it? Or do they just say that because it sounds good?

Just curious, really. Because either way, I'm gonna keep doing what I love.

Thanks for reading... time to get on the grind.

By the way, if you want some positive, not bloody, news today... check out my story I'm leaving to go work on now. It's about a local firefighter who was on the TV show Naked and Afraid. How can that not be a cool story?

Mahalo,
Lew

7pm Twitter Challenge

If you haven't noticed, or don't watch too much of the news... First Coast News has allowed me to anchor the 5:30 and 7:00pm shows.

This is a mega-huge honor for me, as being a news anchor has been something I've wanted to do my whole life.

But, let's face it, I'm no Tom Brokaw. 

I'm no Brian Williams.

Turns out I'm going to do this my way.

So, the 7pm show is where I'm going to start. 

It needs the biggest boost, ratings are tough at that time because let's face it... We're up against Pat Sajak and Vanna "North Myrtle Beach" White on NBC (also First Coast News).

Gonna start getting aggressive with social media and web interaction. If you haven't been to the 7pm chatroom on www.firstcoastnews.com yet, come in during the show. That's going to shape parts of the newscast... just straight stop the news and read chat/talk to folks mid stream.

Why not? Is that something that would make you curious enough to watch every so often? Every night?

Maybe DVR it at least and watch while you crochet? 

I'm also starting to do a daily twitter/facebook challenge. Something that will air during the 7pm show, something that will come from viewers.

To prove my dedication to this, here's a look at how the twitter challenge went down on Wednesday:

It all started with that challenge from a twitter follower... work in the word "scuttlebutt" during the newscast. 

Sure I'd do it... if that's what people wanted to see... and the qualifier was retweets. Needed 50 of them, and  we got 'em.

That got 52 retweets in an hour... so I upheld my end of the deal. Here's proof:

Yes, that's ridiculous... A gimmick? Maybe. But it's evidence that I'm listening intently and not just blindly posting my stories from the day and ignoring everything else. Sure I post my stories, I love my stories and I want to share, but that's just a small part of it.

There will be more twitter and facebook challenges... BIGGER challenges. 

Just some ideas to throw out there:

1. Tweet where you'd like me to anchor the news live from. Your house? The Main Street Bridge? A bowling alley? If it resonates on twitter or facebook, I'll do it. And we'll find a way for it to make sense in the newscast.

2. What stories should we begin our newscast with and invest most of our time in?

3. A twitter follower of the day: gonna have your handle all over the news cast... reading posts... could help with your number of followers. But, you'll have to earn that... no idea how yet, we'll see.

Anyway, participate... get angry... laugh... learn...

Here are my twitter/facebook pages. Follow/Like. And let's make some awesome TV/internet.

https://twitter.com/LewTurner

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lewis-Turner/231381973541725

Oh... and here's one last video, just for fun:

Clearing Something Up

Hello everyone.

Perhaps over the last few days you've noticed a TV spot running on First Coast News that includes me and a couple Highway Patrolmen.

This spot is called a "PSA" as we are doing everyone a public service, reminding them not to drink and drive,

It's a reminder that cops are going to be all over the place looking to bust drunk drivers during the Georgia-Florida week.

We taped this spot last year... and at the end the director had one of the patrolmen say "Go Gators"... thus instructing me to say "Go Dawgs."

Yes... I did say "Go Dawgs" at the end of the spot. And, yep, that's been airing all over the friggin First Coast.

Fine and dandy.

Let me be clear... while I'm certainly no Gator... NO NO NO... I am not a Dawg either.

I am a proud graduate of THE University of South Carolina and a card carrying member of the Gamecock Club.

I guess if I had to choose a side it would be UGA's, but, from where I'm sitting, it's like choosing which of my sisters to kiss. ARGH.

Anyway, let the record show that I merely said "GO DAWGS" at the end of the commercial due to pressure from an oppressive director.

Just wanted to be honest with you,

Thanks for your continued support of TurnerLoose.

Mahalo,
Lew

Laettner and Lewis Basketball Minute From London

I don't know what prompted me to look back at these interviews.

Maybe I'm nostalgic. Maybe I'm experiencing the so called "Olympic Hangover" and I need a little hair-o-the-dog. The Olympics was a heck of a time, and getting to hang with Christian Laettner only made it better. 

I figured some cable sports provider would have seen my riveting television moments created with Laettner and signed us on for a billion dollar 2 year deal.

No dice yet.

But to enhance those chances, here's a look at what we did:

Sample #1- A quick intro and tag to a fine basketball chat... not the full version because the subject was actually pretty boring: Team USA Basketball vs. Nigeria... ARE YOU KIDDING ME???

Then a week later this is how we did Sample #2... I feel we really grew as a television duo:

Oh, and I know this is late... but if you missed my final Olympic Journal from London here ya go:

I hope you enjoy, the next blog will include some excerpts/photos and overall thoughts from Hurricane Isaac... specifically my trip with the NOAA Hurricane Hunters into the storm.

Mahalo,
Lew

I'm going to Bob Costas Bob Costas

Another day at the Olympics. I got out into the streets. An area of London known as Angel... or maybe Angel Park? I should have paid more attention. It's a lovely area with a few flowers and a park bench. 

It's where Christian Laettner chose to meet me for a sit down Bob Costas. (I'm referring to interviews as "Bob Costas-es" now, just gonna use them interchangeably so try to keep up.

Example: "I really hope to Bob Costas Bob Costas." 

Anyway, that's what I'm doing with my life right now.

Here's some fun on video tape... roll that film son.

I should just film an entire movie like that.

Ha. I'm kidding.

Here's the badminton link I promised in the video:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19072677

Thanks for reading, give me a call sometime... my number's still 911... alrightythen.


Mahalo,
Lew

Hey dude, you gonna eat that?

I've been asked how the food is over here at the Olympics in London. 

I think because black and white, grainy images of porridge and gruel pop in folks' head and they get a negative feeling about British food.

Thanks a lot Charles Dickens! jerk.

Actually the food has been quite nice.
And even better... free.
I'm working in the NBC cluster of offices in the  INTERNATIONAL BROADCAST CENTER CENTER CENTER CENTER CENTER center ......


FROM SPACE!!!!!!

ECHO!!!!!

Kidding. Just adding some audio effects to the blog... ahem.

But this place is friggin huge, Mr. Bigglesworth. And a sneeze echos for 9 hours... and all visible light disappears into its extreme gravity and its mass dissolves even the strongest covalent bonds and the food is free.

((2:16pm QUEEN'S TIME: I just took a bite of this awesome British chocolate with caramel in it and now it's all over my computer, but i don't care.))

Free.

Point: The food is good. The picture at the very top of this Everest Edition of the Turnerloose novella is from a BBQ restaurant I found on the street:

 

Not free.

But it was so good, I'm trying to find 30 minutes of free time so I can get a pulled pork sandwich again.

Oh, and there are sports going on here too.

Olympics Blog,

--Lew

#DDUUUUUUVVVVVVALLLLLLLLL

#DuvalThings

I mean, you all are on twitter aren't you? If not, then I am so sorry for this post please forgive me and find a place in your heart that will welcome me back in one day.

ONWARD...

If you are into twitter, then you understand hashtags... I've really started to enjoy the "#DuvalThings" tag that people use when posting something about Jacksonville.

They are always so interesting.

Sometimes a bit dirty, or upsetting... but interesting.

Here's an example of a few:

Some are repetitive, but perhaps we're getting the idea here.

Let me get to the point... I'm going to start doing a series of stories based solely on #DuvalThings focusing on the positive and cool stuff.

Not the "jogging in white jeans and a mesh tank top" stuff. #DuvalThings.

This all stemmed from my story today, about Big Jim... a steam whistle that's been sounding off in Jacksonville since 1890.

You can click here to see it in case you missed it.

Anyway, how about some awesome #DuvalThings... neat places, cool people? Anything... I'm all ears.

Some of my favorite quotes...

Rarely is there a story where I get more quotes and soundbites than what I experienced today...

I interviewed Boss Hog Calhoun... a pro wrestler in here Jacksonville doing a couple shows for United States Wrestling Alliance and United States Championship Wrestling (yes, those are actual things).

More on this later in the week.

However... I went ahead and haphazardly threw together some highlights for us all to enjoy.

Again, we'll be seeing more of this dude later next week... as we get closer to show time.

Want A Lot of Youtube Views? Teach your donkey to sing...

The things that people look at on Youtube are hilarious.

I could stand in front of a camera, and using my classically trained and honed thespian abilities perform Iago's monologue from Othello Act 2 Scene 3.

I'd get 8 Youtube views.

However, show me a donkey that "heee-haws" while a rancher plays a violin... 100,000 hits (AND COUNTING!!)

Hilarious.

That was my day's work, hanging with the lady whose donkey can sing. I told her story for the 5:30pm news, but there was some stuff that didn't make the air, namely our attempts at making the donkey sing again.

Here's that effort:

Here's her full singing donkey story... including a little on why the donkey has a lot to be singing about:

Taking The Browns To The Super Bowl

In the news biz ((look at me, all big and bad saying "news biz." HA!)) the Friday before the Super Bowl is intense. Especially if your station is the one with the game.

First Coast News has the Super Bowl.

 I'll be watching from either the chair or the couch in my house. Maybe both at different points of the night. Who knows. 

But so many folks are going to embrace the passion of the wild... and head to a sports bar.

I talked to a guy named George today, he owns Players Grille on Hendricks... he expects to triple business Sunday.

Triple.

That's awesome. And just shows how huge of a business the pro football thing is... even in Jacksonville, with no real hometown rooting interest in the game, places are going to be raking in the cash.

I may contribute to that, by purchasing a case of Pepsi and some dip. 

Here's the contribution to television I made today... my take on the ole "are you ready for the Super Bowl" story that floats around year-to-year:

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video/1432239619001/1/Ready-for-the-Super-Bowl-No-Really-Are-You-Ready

Here's a little something extra, folks tripling their biz on Sunday:

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the Super Bowl... most of all: be safe!

Mahalo,
Lew

"It's a bloodbath and I'm the rubber duck"

That's a line I'll never forget.

I was 13, pitching in a county league baseball game, losing by 13 runs.

As I took the mound in relief, in what I think was the first time I ever pitched in a game, my coach shouted from the dugout: "It's a bloodbath and I'm the rubber duck."

I laughed the entire inning, recorded three straight strikeouts and secured my spot in the starting rotation.

That story popped in my head today while thinking about the "Great Battle of the Radar" here in Jacksonville.

NWS RADAR 

VS.

First Coast News RADAR

Those are the only two in town. We use our own to track systems, the rest of the broadcasting and weather world uses NWS.

The NWS RADAR is fine... in fact it's great. It takes info from several vertical tilts and creates a nice volume scan for us to use and show storms in 3-D. 

We change the tilts on our radar manually and do not get a full volume scan... however our data comes in immediately. NWS required a couple of minutes to go through their full scans. Hence our "Two Minute Advantage."

We can see cells moving along with our sweep in real time. However, the NWS RADAR looks is a bit more herky-jerky, as cells appear to jump across the screen every couple minutes.

I KNOW... THIS IS FASCINATING.

BLOODBATH... and I'm just floating around in the madness.

Now, from February 13-26 NWS RADAR will be taken offline for some awesome upgrades. They're going to a dual polarity radar, which is totally awesome and will be very helpful. However, ours will still be the only live RADAR... in fact, during the days NWS is offline, our Doppler will be the only one in town.

That's just a heads up as we get closer to severe weather season. We can get severe storms anytime here in North Florida, but as we get into February we could see more build up. 

Here's My Severe Weather Discussion For Today's Topic: TORNADOES!!!!

Here's my severe weather discussion from Monday, the topic: LIGHTNING!!!!!

Parrothead Politics

If this blog seems a bit, oh I don't know, sarcastic, I'm sorry.

I just bit my tongue and I'm very very mad about it.

You know that feeling? It's usually a quick but fleeting anger.... wait.... uhhh, yeah... nevermind, it's gone. I'm happy again.

Anyway, there's an untapped resource of potential republican voters. They are the Parrotheads that are flocking around my TV station tonight. 

First Coast News is located right next door to the arena where Jimmy Buffett is playing tonight. 

That means colorful folk hanging 'round the premises. 

I'm a topical guy. I enjoy events happening currently... you could call me a current-eventsmith. I talked to some of the Parrotheads about Republican politics and the Florida primary specifically tonight. And I must say, overall it went down smooth and had a nice finish. 

So you may be asking: "What the heck?" 

Believe me, I asked that too. But, it made for some funny responses when asking a guy with a full beer funnel if he prefers the far right leanings of Newt Gingrich to the more moderate appeal of Mitt Romney.

Actually, this guy with the funnel said he was voting for Donald Trump because he's a "political outsider." 

He has a point, Trump is so far outside he's not even on the ballot. 

Trump apparently won't be playing the "Good Ole Boy" style of politics by refusing to have people have a way to vote for him.

That's serious.

Turns out the beer funnel guys isn't an American citizen. He's actually from Norway in town to see Jimmy Buffett. So he can't vote anyway.

So what did I learn today:

1. If you start talking political issues at a drunken tailgate party and throw a couple thumbs up, some will think you're an actual candidate for president and will want to take your picture. I made 3 campaign promises and think I'll get at least 2 votes after the ballots are tabulated tonight.

2. Carrying a video camera and tripod around a Parrothead Party is just asking for debauchery. You don't even have to open your mouth. Don't say a word. Just set your camera and tripod up (microphone adds even more) and see what people will say to you. It'll make you re-think logic and the things you learned in grade school.

3. Politics and Buffett don't mix. But tequila and lime juice do apparently, that's all anyone was drinking. 

Here's the video from my lessons today:

Anyway, have a great night everyone... I'll be glued to First Coast News tonight to see if Donald Trump managed to pull off an incredible upset in Florida.

Mahalo,
Lew

It's Not A Boat... It's a yacht

I love boats.

In fact (I'm looking down my reading glasses) I was a certified, bone-a-fide, sea captain for an early part of my life.

Not fair to call this a boat though:

 That's 223 feet of floating awesome. Owned, I'm told by a person who seemed trustworthy, by Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan.

This sweet sweet piece of boat docked itself in front of the Jacksonville Hyatt Friday morning.

Listen, Fridays are always awesome across the board, but imagine how much more awesome Fridays are when you're pulling into downtown J-burg in this.

I wasn't allowed on. I asked, they laughed... kinda like when everyone laughed at the poor man in the All Fruit Commercials.



It wasn't hard to find info on this yacht online... apparently the "Kismet" is held in the highest regard even among other huge yacht owners.

Here's a link that gives much more info on the boat... and a lot more awesome pictures from places I could not go.

http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/lurssen-yacht/7997-review-lurssen-yachts-224-kismet.html

I did not spot Mr. Khan today. From one boater to the next, I'd like to give him a silent nod of approval from across a very crowded room... he'd know exactly what I was talking about. We wouldn't even need to speak.

Me on my boat with my "crew"... 

Free Beer

My days run together sometimes.

I know I'm not alone in this. For many it's tough to remember exactly what we did on Monday, or perhaps it was Tuesday.

My days are varied in the stories, events and weather I cover, sure... but for the most part it's a lot of the same.

I come in and a tear off in my second office, the white Ford Explorer that has started to smell like my house. 

I see the same things, trees... a bridge... 

miles and miles of interstate.

road signs, lights.

cars.

AND THEN LIKE AN EMAIL SENT TO THE ENTIRE OFFICE IN ALL CAPS, SOMETHING HAPPENED TO GRAB MY ATTENTION.

I saw a guy holding a sign that said "Free Beer."

Could this be a trick? Kinda like the email SPAM  I've been getting lately about free trips to Djibouti, perhaps it was a trap.

With total disregard for anything, including my limbs, I hooked a U-turn and pulled into the parking lot where this dude was holding this sign.

"Free beer?" 

"Yep. Inside."

I went inside, it was a hair salon. The Hair Razer salon on San Jose in Mandarin. There was no gimmick, no request for a blood sample and my social security number. 

It was just two nice ladies, a mother-daughter team, who offered me a beer.

I didn't even need to buy a haircut.

"No way, if you come in we figure you could use a beer," said Kathy Belson, the mother and owner of the salon.

I didn't drink the Bud Light. I was on the clock.

But it was about the principal... I COULD have. 

Then I asked them why. Why would you do this? No one just hands out a beer and expects nothing in return.

Turns out they had been through some rough times about 7 years ago, times that could have called for a beer.

Kathy and her daughter Lacinda have been cutting hair together for more than 13 years. Seven and Hair Razers, the rest of the time at a salon owned by someone else right around the corner.

"We got a call the day after Thanksgiving from a customer asking us what happened," Lacinda told me. She said they ran into work, they were supposed to be off that day, and found the place boarded up. Lights out. 

They had nothing. Not even a cool one. 

"So we didn't panic," Lacinda said. "We found this place and a week later we opened up without even a dollar to our names."

But they didn't do it alone. Their loyal customers, who had been visiting them for years, showed up to help.

"We didn't have hot water, so we had a customer who fixed that."

"There was carpet in here, so another customer came in and put in flooring for us."

"A customer even helped us put up the sign."

So, simply saying thank you didn't seem like enough to them.

"How 'bout a beer?" Kathy thought.

The beer is a way for her to say thanks. And she's been doing it for seven years. 

"I treat this place like it's my home, and if someone walked into my house, the first thing I'm going to do is ask if they want a drink."

And even though a few weeks from now I may not remember that it was a Thursday that I did this story, when ever I drive that stretch of road from now on i'll certainly remember being thirsty. 

Forget the Radio... Dial-A-Carol

Today's story started on a dare.

My wife has a tendency to challenge me to things from time to time, so after seeing a random phone number on a Facebook status she threw down the gauntlet.

"You have to call them," she said.

The number: (217)332-1882

The Facebook status said to call the number and request the person who answers it to sing any Christmas song you can think of.

So we did it and video taped it on my cell phone.

That's legit... wife's even holding the phone.

But it's not like I was prank calling someone in the middle of the night demanding the Grinch song. They were totally expecting it.

There are a group of students at the University of Illinois who spend the week of finals locked in a dorm room. But they aren't studying, they're singing Christmas songs called in and requested by people from all over the world. Including me.

"I was bored during finals week and I started singing," said senior Curtis Peterson.

He's one of the couple dozen students who volunteer in shifts to sing. They're answering calls 24/7, not for any other cause but holiday happiness.

"It's spreading Christmas cheer by singing loud for all to hear," Peterson said.

It's a tradition at school that's in its 51st year. Peterson says they'll get thousands of calls.

"We've been called from England, India, Jordan, Japan," he said it's domestic too. "We've gotten calls from all 50 states."

So what the heck does this have to do with Jacksonville? Well nothing really... it's just an awesome way for anyone to get a quick laugh, it's free (save for long distance charges) and they're happy to chit-chat with you about the experience. And unless the phones start ringing like crazy, they stop singing tonight (Wednesday) at midnight.

One more time: (217)332-1882


Enjoy,
Lew

It's All About The Kids!

It's very rare that I get serious here on the blog, so I'll do my best here. 

Some of my best memories, and I know I'm not alone here, are of waking up on Christmas morning. I remember not being able to sleep the night before, I remember running and waking my parents up way too early in the morning.

I remember opening presents, specifically I remember getting my first guitar (I can't play it, but I still love that giant dust collector in my guest room). That was an awesome Christmas.

I know I'm not alone here. This is something that most of us share, a joy that most of us get each year.

Key word: Most.

There are so many families that aren't going to be able to pull Christmas gifts off this year. More now than ever, there are families that must choose heating their home, or getting the bare essentials instead of things for the tree.

Of course, having a roof over our heads, a warm home and food on the table is more than enough to be thankful for right now. 

However, it's so nice, especially for the kids, to have just a little bit extra on Christmas morning.

I bring this all up because there's a local music engineer and recording studio owner who is doing his best, and using his talents to give as much as possible back to families who could use just a little help to make their children's Christmas a bit brighter.

"The idea was born out of the understanding that the Christmas time, the holiday time can be either the happiest or the saddest time of year."

That's a quote Jim Stafford gave me during our interview for this story. He owns Eclipse Recording Studio in St. Augustine. He just finished his album "Happy Holidays From The Heart." It's a collection of original and traditional Christmas and Hannukah songs written and performed by local musicians as well as a couple national acts.

He does all this for free. Any money that comes in for the CDs, all of it, goes to the Empty Stocking Fund.

As a musician myself (I play drums, like I said the guitar thing didn't work out), I can appreciate how much of a gift he is giving. I was in a band throughout high school and a little bit of college... and I remember researching costs to make a demo CD for our group.

A lot of places prices were in the $300-$400 and hour range. 

Well, I'm not sure what Stafford's rates are... but he spends 16-18 hours a day working on this album each year, and it's a project he works on year 'round.

Stafford is driven. He's seen friends struggle this time of year, when, as he says, "All emotions are amplified."

And there's no point to even ask about the money he's giving up in order to make these albums.

"The reward is very simple. When you wake up on Christmas morning knowing someone has a smile on their face who probably wouldn't have, that's tremendous."

"You got St. Nick and then you've got St. Jim."

That's from singer/song writer David "Eli" Grimes. He's from right outside of St. Augustine, in fact you can click here for a story I did with him in the past.

Eli is one of the artists who helped out with the CD. He wrote and recorded "A Special Christmas Memory" for the album.

"I just think about who's getting helped out every time I listen to it," Grimes said.

So here's where you can get a copy of the CD, these are all stores in the St. Augustine area:

Music Matters
High Tide Gallery
Simple Gestures
Panache
Sea Bridge Landing
The St. Augustine Record (newspaper)

You can also go to the Eclipse Recording Studio or call to buy a copy (904)794-1872.

Finally, I've got a box of about 50 of these on my desk at the First Coast News station in downtown Jacksonville... you can come by and ask for me or email me lewisturner@firstcoastnews.com and I'll be glad to hook you up. They're $15, but remember, every dime is helping out a little kid have a special Christmas memory.

Here's the video story I did with them that aired on Wednesday.



Thanks for anything you can do...
Lewis

My Rant on Making A Billion Dollars...

So if you're a loyal First Coast News viewer, or you visit our website regularly, then you've probably seen Sports Director Dan Hicken's rant about the hard times the Jacksonville Jags are going through.

If you haven't seen that, here's a link: http://fcnews.tv/uxvJAA

Dan says he got the idea for this from another pretty funny video from Youtube. It was made by an angry Cleveland Browns fan, here ya go:



So what does this have to do with the blog title: "My Rant on Making A Billion Dollars..."??

Well, today I was charged with finding a local angle to this new Jags owner's wealth. Turns out, among other things, Shahid Khan made his money by coming up with the one piece, plastic bumper that pretty much everyone with a car on mother earth has.

Easy enough to localize it, considering there have to be at least a million examples of these in the Jacksonville area.

So you bet your sweet sweet bumper I'm getting in on this "walking rant video" action. It's the method I chose to tell my billionaire-buys-ball-club story today.



Because plagiarism imitation is the finest form of flattery.

Talk to you later,
Lewhttp://fcnews.tv/uxvJAA

A Night At The Museum: Grocery Store Edition

Let me tell ya the best place to be the night before Thanksgiving... the grocery store.

 

Chad Cushnir and I went to the Winn-Dixie on Beach Boulevard Wednesday night, checking out what people were getting here in the last minute. 

Most people were buying beer.

Seriously. I'm not sure if that was actually for Thanksgiving per se, but that was the most common thing I noticed.

But other than that most folks were getting ready made pies. 

My personal favorite, if you haven't already taken care of the dessert element of your Thanksgivingpalooza, is Edwards Key Lime pie. Holy Moley it's so good.

I'm on my way home to South Carolina for a couple days... Turner is really loose for a while. Everyone have a great Thanksgiving and make sure to pick up an Edwards on the way to the in-laws. They'll freak out.

Talk soon,

Lew

I've got a brand new gray hair today...

Oh man... I feel like I really had a chance to knock in a game winning home run today. 

It was the perfect matchup: Me vs. An Awesome Story.

But sometimes in baseball and in writing, your worst enemy is yourself... it turned into a Me vs. Me battle today and the stress/indecision on my part developed yet another gray hair in my lustrous bouffant.

All writing requires good decision making in what to put in a story and what to leave out. This is especially true in broadcast because of the premium of time.

I met this amazing guy with literally 19 layers of cool stories and surprises... focusing that all down to one layer for my news story tonight felt like I was cheating him.

Enough of my confession: I've been awfully honest in the blog recently, I feel very vulnerable.

LET'S MEET TONIGHT'S CHARACTER:

That is Bill Fadeley. He's an airboat captain here in Jacksonville. He is a beautiful person inside an out (clearly).

Here's a shot of him on First Coast News back in the 80s.

Long story short: He set out to break a world record in airboat travel by leaving Jacksonville and going all the way to New York back in 1986. That's 1100 miles. That has never been done.

However, a couple chipped vertebrae, some terrible whiplash, and a little nerve damage later Guinness told him, "Thanks, but no thanks."

They didn't have a category for such things 25 years ago.

The cool thing is, time heals all and can change heats... so a quarter century after his trip the Guinness people changed their minds and gave him his record. He got the letter in April and was in the October 2012 Guinness Book of World Records (page 121 under the Fantastic Voyages heading).

Here's The Story/Video from today's show

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1. This guy also takes his airboat out for every Jags home game in an effort of solidarity. 

2. He imported the first ever African beer (Ngoma) to the United States.

3. His 99-year-old father helped build the first lunar lander module for the space program.

4. He travels to Africa on missionary and service work, and goes on gorilla expeditions.

5. He's pretty cool.

Just a few of the layers to Bill. He took me for a ride in his boat around the St. Johns river downtown Tuesday. I'll share a few of the stills from my video:

The Miss Jacksonville, 16 feet long

Here's the captain cruising under the Main St Bridge

We also did a little bit of minor trespassing today on a private dock. I needed to get some wide shots of our hero from land. 

He took me to some guys yard and dropped me off at a dock.

"It'll be ok," he told me. 

I believed him.

The home owner, who was surprisingly nice considering he could have had me arrested, simply told me to get lost.

I explained I'd need Bill to come and pick me back up, as I wasn't planning on swimming 3 nautical miles to the airboat.

That made for an awkwardly silent 7 minutes while I waited for him to come pick me up.

I still managed a few shots though.

That's him leaving me in the dust at the dock.

That last pic is him racing back to get me. 

Alright, good couple of days. A comic book and airboat hero yesterday and today. 

Would love your stories: send 'em my way... lewisturner@firstcoastnews.com

Talk later,

Lew

I'm Now A Comic Book Villain

We always pull for the good guys, the superheros.

We want Right to punch Wrong square in the face, and we like it when the super villain is outsmarted by the dashing and handsome hero.

But, come on, the bad guys are cooler. Clearly, local comic book creator Aaron Hazouri understands how cool I am and realizes that I could only be a bad guy.

Check out those muscles, right?
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Here's a shot of Aaron at work in his home studio:

We spent an hour or so together after his day shift at an insurance company ended. He put together a couple of drawerings of his comic book series TOASTER GUY!!!!

Here's the story I did with Aaron


Here's a slide show of some of Aaron's characters


The 32-year-old Jax native has had the idea for this comic book since he was 13. And this year he gave out a big ole "What Tha Heck" and put the story in motion.

Anyone here ever "crowdfunded"?? Something that several local businesses and artists have tried on several websites... basically a would-be business owner pitches his idea over a web page and donors give money.

The money is not a loan, doesn't have to be paid back.

This is how Aaron got Toaster Guy's bread buttered. Here's a video he made explaining his project:

Most sites allow the business owner to give a reward of some kind to the donor. Hazouri, for instance, gave each of his donors a copy of the comic book, tshirts, and other art.

Hazouri used a site called Kickstarter, but there are others.

Check out Aaron's work: www.toasterguy.com
And here's the kickstarter url: http://www.kickstarter.com/ 

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Now, shifting gears, I've got to give credit where credit is due.

My hero in the reporting world is a guy named Boyd Huppert.

I literally watch every story he does, and of course... he did a story about Kickstarter. I loved how he did it that I thought I should do a story about it right here in Jacksonville. So I visited the site and found Aaron, who was an awesome character for the story... just an all around interesting guy.

Boyd's story was better written, shot and edited than what I put together... click this link for a look, I confess I'm copying at places.

Just for kicks... here's another link to my story with Aaron that aired on First Coast News at 5:30pm. 

Typical super villain, always trying to steal someone's thunder. Sorry Mr. Huppert (Or am I?)

Also, I'm always looking for fun, interesting people to do stories about. Email me lewisturner@firstcoastnews.com with your ideas, I'll be sure to give you credit!

Talk soon,
Lewis