Category Archives: Family & Friends
Birthday party circa 1957
The mother of my friend John was a dedicated scrapbooker. I believe this photo actually appeared in the local newspaper (it was that kind of small town). It was taken at John’s birthday party, probably 1957.
Top row, R-L: Chris Jones, Otis Mitchell, Joe Browning, Jim Blankenship, unknown, David Covey, Steve Watson
Bottom row, R-L: Jim Robison, John Robison, Steve Mays, Terry Hunter, unknown, Jane Robison
Destin: September 2021
Iowa PBS announces new Iowa Press moderator
(Press release) Kay Henderson, the dean of the Iowa Capitol press corps and long-time guest panelist on Iowa Press, will be the next host and moderator of the Iowa PBS public affairs program. Henderson replaces David Yepsen, who retires from the Iowa Press desk on September 10, 2021. Her first formal broadcast as host will be Friday, September 17.
“Kay is already a member of the Iowa PBS family,” said Molly Phillips, executive director and general manager of the statewide public television network. “She has capably subbed as host and has been a regular second chair at the Iowa Press desk. She’s participated in countless campaign debates over the last three decades. We couldn’t ask for a stronger, more esteemed and experienced journalist to continue the Iowa Press legacy.”
Henderson first appeared on Iowa Press in October of 1987. For the past 20 years, she has been the national political director for Learfield news networks in Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota and Wisconsin. She has served two terms as president of the National Association of State Radio Networks’ news directors group. Henderson was hired by Learfield in 1987 as a statehouse reporter for Radio Iowa, a statewide news and sports network serving more than 70 commercial radio stations. She’s been that network’s news director since 1994 and will remain in that role alongside her new weekly assignment at Iowa PBS.
“It’s an honor to be invited to take on this new role,” Henderson said. “Watching Iowa Press hosts Dean Borg and David Yepsen guide the program over the past 34 years has given me a glimpse of the responsibilities ahead. I’m humbled by the opportunity and excited about the task of helping Iowa Press move into its fifth decade of service to our viewers.”
Henderson received the Iowa Broadcast News Association’s 2002 Jack Shelley Award, an annual recognition of “outstanding contribution to the cause of professional journalism.” The list of Shelley Award recipients includes the late Dean Borg, who retired as Iowa Press host in 2016, and the late Dan Miller, the long-time Iowa PBS general manager who was an Iowa Press producer early in his 37-year career with the network.
“After three decades of Iowa public affairs coverage on radio and on Iowa Press, Kay Henderson is the backbone of political journalism in this state,” said Andrew Batt, Iowa Press senior producer. “Our viewers have found Kay to be a trusted source for news and information throughout annual legislative sessions and nearly 20 election cycles.”
Henderson’s first salaried job in journalism was a three-month summertime stint as managing editor of the Lenox Time Table, the weekly newspaper in her southwest Iowa hometown. In addition to her work in Iowa broadcasting, Henderson has appeared on the PBS NewsHour, NBC’s “Meet the Press” and ABC’s “This Week” as well CNN, Fox News and MSNBC.
Riley and Friend
Riley finds Duck so comforting, I sometimes hold it in my mouth when she isn’t using it. Very calming.
WWI Hero: Warren Aaron Ransom, Jr.
My friend Jamie shared with me a bit of family history that I found fascinating. With his permission, I’m sharing it here. (links at bottom of post)
It’s a letter from his paternal grandfather who fought at The Battle of Soissons in WWI. His grandfather received the Distinguished Service Cross from General Pershing for saving his commanding officer who was wounded under fire. They were forward observing (he was in the artillery unit that fired the first shot of American participation in WWI.)
Here’s an excerpt from the letter…
“Then, we were suddenly put into trucks, leaving the horses to follow behind us as fast as they could, and shot up to the big counter attack of the 18th of this month. We were on the left of the 1salient near Soissons, and fought along with some of the best troops France has – the Foreign Legion, the Moroccans, and the 20th Corps. You know all about the scrap from the papers. It was a wonderful experience but not particularly jolly.”
“The artillery followed the attack right up, and two hours after the first wave, we advance for 5 km into what had been German territory. It wasn’t jolly as I said, because both sides have good scrappers, and they scrapped! The first place we were er took up our advance position, was in a reserve German trench. They must’ve been preparing for breakfast, because they left us some good food and cigars, etc.”
You can read Jamie’s transcription of his grandfather’s letter here, and a scan of the original typewritten letter here.
Allen Hammock
Delightful visit with Allen Hammock this morning. Allen and his “cyber twin,” Dan Arnall, guided Learfield’s early internet efforts. L-R: Allen, Mays, Lear.
Memorial Day
When you could buy a home for $7,000
This is the house were my brother and I grew up. Our parents purchased (newly constructed) the little two-bedroom/one-bath house for $7,000 in 1955. We’d been living in tiny rent houses and my mom was determined to own their own home. My father was terrified at taking on so much debt (30 year mortgage). I’m guessing it took them the full 30 to pay it off.
Land Rover top swap
On Saturday a few friends came out to the house to help me take the hardtop off the Land Rover and put the soft-top on. Didn’t do this last spring because COVID was rampant. Really missed driving around under the mesh top. Last time we had the top off was in 2019. Took more help to get the hardtop back on that fall.
I’ve stored the hardtop in different places. After it was nearly destroyed by a tornado, I kept it in the basement but that meant removing the top from the sides. With a little help from my friends we were able to squeeze it in under the deck. Going to see if I can improve the look with a section of plastic lattice. (see below)
My thanks to the crew: George Kopp, Dave Kempf, Gaston De La Torre, and Dave Trammel.
