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About WMRI
Meet The Staff
Did you know that many of the NBC 10 news team wasn't
always on NBC
10? Did you know most of the NBC10 nwes team were former actors on TV
Shows?
Please enjoy our brief summary as you learn more about your favorite
NBC
10 Eyewitness News, Sports and Weather personalities.
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Michelle Abernathy, 50, is no stranger to Indiana
weather. Prior to
her arrival at WFAZ-FTV in February of 1981, Michelle spent six years
at
WIND-FTV covering central Indiana's often irregular weather. Before
her
stint at WIND-FTV, she worked for nine years at WEVI-FTV in
Evansville.
Michelle is a native of Henderson, Kentucky. She graduated from the
University of Southern Indiana with a degree in journalism. In 1965 she
was very first black woman awarded the American Meteorological
Society's
Television Seal of Approval, and an Emmy nomination for "Best Weather
in
a Newscast" in 1994.
In 2000, Michelle's duties were shifted from weeknight weather to
morning
weather. Alicia Williams and Michelle Abernathy swapped weather duties,
making Abernathy a meteorologist with the seal of approval from the
American
Meteorological Society while Williams was named Chief
Meteorologist
Michelle and her husband, Bill, have been married since 1978, and they
have a daughter, a meteorologist, and a son, Kyle, NBC10 Eyewitness
News
photographer.
Michelle can be seen forecasting the weather every weekday morning
at 5:00 AM on NBC10 Eyewitness News Today in Fort Wayne and at 7:00 AM
on UPN Fort Wayne .
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Shari Amin,35, joined NBC10 Eyewitness News as a
reporter in August
of 2003. Before coming to WFAZ-FTV, Shari was a reporter for WMWI-FTV,
the ABC station in the Milwaukee market. She covered the Milwaukee
bureau
and worked there from September, 2001 to 2003.
Before that Shari reported at WERI-FTV in Erie, Pennsylvania. During
the summer of 2000 she interned at WNYC-FTV in New York City. Shari
made
Dean’s List at the Columbia University where she majored in psychology.
Then she earned her Master of Arts degree in communications at New York
University.
Shari grew up in New Jersey.
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Season Atkins,25, is one of the busiest sports
anchorwomen around,
currently appearing virtually seven days a week on NBC10. Season
anchors
sports weeknights on NBC10 Eyewitness News and hosts the popular "Fort
Wayne Sports Show" Sunday Nights at 11:20 PM on NBC10.
During the busy race months of May and August, Season can be heard
at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where she has covered every race in
Indianapolis since her arrival in July 1992. In fact, she performs
similar
voice work at high school sports around Allen and Grant Counties. An
avid
football fan, Ms. Atkins "practically grew up at the football field"
and
currently provides some of the most thorough, insightful Indiana high
school
and Indianapolis Colts coverage found anywhere in Indiana. This past
year
her hard work finally paid off with being named "Best Female
Sportscaster"
by Fantasy Associated Press.
Season joined NBC10 Eyewitness News in July of 1992 as weekend sports
anchor. Before coming to WFAZ-FTV, he worked for five years at KSTL-FTV
in Saint Louis, Missouri where she covered Cardinals baseball as the
sports
anchor.
A native of Rockwall, Texas, Season graduated from Rockwall High School
and Texas A&M University. When not working or spending time with
her
pets , Season enjoys volleyball, soccer and softball.
Season can be seen on sports every weekday at 4:00 PM, 5:00 PM, 6:00
PM, and 11:00 PM on NBC10 Eyewitness News and at 10:00 PM on UPN Fort
Wayne.
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Laura first joined the team in January 1983. In
fact, this was her
very first job as a reporter until June 1987. She left to pursue an
acting
career for the NBC10 original science fiction series "Michael
Ketchikan’s
The Secret World," which ran from 1987-2000. She moved to Dayton, Ohio
in 1990 as a news anchor for WDTS-FTV until January 2002.
Acting still is something Laura loves to do. Along with anchoring at
NBC10, she also works on the NBC10 game show "Scrabble," as executive
producer
for the show.
In her spare time, Laura likes to spend time at Lake Michigan with
her husband.
Laura co-anchors with Michael Carrington every weeknight at 5:00 PM,
6:00 PM, and 11:00 PM on NBC10 Eyewitness News
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Before joining the Eyewitness News team in
December 2003Gary Banks
was a morning anchor and reporter at WNYS-FTV in New York the Blackout
of 2003 and Operation Iraqi Freedom and was the only local New York
City
anchor on the air live for seven hours the day the space shuttle
Columbia
was lost over the skies of Texas. He joined WNYS in November 2001 after
working as a freelance reporter at WWCF-FTV in Tampa. He began his
television
career at the Channel One Network in Los Angeles, where he covered news
across the country and around the world.
As an anchor and correspondent for Channel 99 News, nearly nine million
people in 12,000 secondary schools nationwide watched Gary’s reports.
His
travels have taken him to over 30 states and nearly a dozen countries.
While at Channel 99, he covered the devastation of Hurricane Mitch in
Central
America, the drug war in Mexico, The White House and the worst
tornadoes
in Oklahoma's history. He also spent some time along the red carpet at
the Academy Awards.
In 1999, Channel 99 News followed him on a personal journey to Cuba
where he traced his family's history. And in 2000, the Image Foundation
honored his feature "Hero Street," about the small town of Silvis,
Illinois.
A Tampa native, Gary studied broadcast journalism
at Florida International
University in Miami. He and his wife of five years live in the Fort
Wayne
area.
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Michael Carrington, 43, has brought an extensive
reporting background
and excellent news judgment to NBC10 Eyewitness News when he joined the
team in January 2003. In fact, his first job in Philadelphia was as a
game
show host for the old Nickelodeon game show "Think Fast" in 1989. He
moved
to Fort Wayne in 1990 as a news anchor for WFTW-FTV until January
2003.
Originally from Philadelphia, PA, Mr. Carrington started his career
behind the scenes in Philadelphia television and radio. His first
on-air
job was with the PBS-TV affiliate in Philadelphia where he was a
reporter
and fill-in anchor.
Reporting still is something Michael loves to do. Along with anchoring
at NBC10, he also works on special NBC10 documentaries for the news.
He's
glad to have more time to dedicate to these in-depth reports, to make
sure
they stand out.
In his spare time, Michael likes to work out and spend time at
Universal
Studios in Orlando, Florida. He is an active volunteer with the other
organizations,
like the American Cancer Society, the Salvation Army and Habitat for
Humanity.
Michael co-anchors with Laura Bakula every weeknight at 5:00 PM, 6:00
PM, and 11:00 PM on NBC10 Eyewitness News.
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When Northeast Indiana viewers want to know the
first news of the weekend,
they look to WFAZ-FTV's Jay Crist, 57, to find out. Since 1970, Mr.
Crist
has been doing live news reports during NBC10 Eyewitness News Today in
Fort Wayne from various locations throughout the Fort Wayne
Metropolitan
area. In addition to his news reports, Jay also works behind the
Assignments
Desk at NBC10 Eyewitness News.
Jay joined WFAZ-FTV as Assignments Manager in November 1970. Prior
to that, Jay was a very familiar voice to Fantasy Television viewers
throughout
Fort Wayne. His news reporting career, which began in 1966, has taken
him
to WPMA-FTV (now WNDI), where he frequently done news reports. Jay won
more than twenty awards as a news reporter, including three coveted
CASTER
awards.
Mr. Crist was born and raised in the Chicago area and attended Miami
University in Oxford, Ohio where he received a Bachelor of Science
degree
in Radio-TV-Film. Upon graduation he worked as a manufacturer
representative
for Reliance Trading Corporation, and then as a car salesmen in
Highland
Park, Illinois.
He returned to school, attending Ball State University, to earn a
Masters
degree in Radio-TV-Film. He landed his first television job at WPMA-FTV
in Fort Wayne, Indiana where he was the weekend anchor and
producer.
He has earned many awards for his work at WFAZ including Associated
Press' best general news reporting.
Mr. Crist is married and has three children.
Jay co-anchors with Sabrina Everman every weekday
morning at 5:00 AM
on NBC10 Eyewitness News and at 7:00 AM on UPN Fort Wayne
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Patricia Edwards, returned "home" to north
central Indiana in July
of 1983. As WMRI’s Director of Community Affairs, Patricia oversees the
station’s many community service projects, including " "Positively
Ohioana
Community Calendar."
Patricia’s 35-year broadcasting career includes a seven-year stint
as an anchor/reporter at WFTW in Fort Wayne. She left northeast Indiana
in 1974 to become the 5 p.m. anchor at KDTX, the NBC affiliate in
Dallas/Fort
Worth. While in Dallas, she won awards for medical reporting and hosted
a community affairs talk show.
In1983, Patricia chose to leave Texas and return to the Midwest, so
that she could raise her daughter around family in Indiana and Ohio.
She
briefly worked with a ministry in Dayton, Ohio, before returning to
Fort
Wayne to take her current position.
"I love the city of Fort Wayne and have always hoped I could return",
she said . "I am honored to work for a station that is truly committed
to helping people and serving this community."
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Holly Everman, 24, enjoys a rare distinction at
WFAZ-FTV. Her partnership
with her mother, Sabrina, on NBC10 Eyewitness News represents the
second
longest tenure of anchor teams at NBC10.
Holly is one of two WFAZ-FTV's YOUNGEST reporter at age 7. That
happened
in January of 1987. Seventeen years later, you can count on Holly to
bring
you the latest entertainment news as it happens. Every weekday at 5:30
p.m. as she brings you special reports that focus on the latest
entertainment
news.
Since 1987, Holly has been the co-host of the top rated NBC10 game
show and "Hoosier Millionaire" spin-off, "Midwest Wheel of Fortune."
She
was honored twice nationally as an "Outstanding Young Woman of Fantasy
Television America."
Holly is a native of Muncie and is glad to be "staying put in Indiana"
near her family and is excited to be part of her family at NBC10.
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Sabrina Everman enjoys a rare distinction at
WFAZ-FTV. Her partnership
with the late Jacob Crist on NBC10 Eyewitness News (then News Center
36)
at Noon represents the second longest tenure of anchor teams on Fort
Wayne/Marion
television. Patricia Edwards and the late Marshall Davidson has been
the
longest news anchoring partnership at NBC10.
Mrs. Everman also claims another rare achievement for the television
news business. She's been able to hone her skills in one city. First,
she
worked as a reporter and photographer at WPMA-FTV (now WNDI) in Fort
Wayne/Marion.
In June of 1987, Sabrina moved to WFAZ-FTV and has served in a variety
of roles. She was one of the early anchors of News Center 36's Sunrise
(now NBC10 Eyewitness News Today in Fort Wayne) and anchored the
weekend
news before accepting her current position on NBC10 Eyewitness News
I-Team.
Mrs. Everman has also traveled, gaining experiences that have enabled
her
to interview people ranging from national leaders to Nintendo
champions.
Since WFAZ-FTV acquired I-Team, she has also displayed her skills as a
reporter and photographer in the air.
Sabrina was born in Warsaw. She graduated from Warsaw High School and
Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion. She earned a Bachelors degree in
Radio/TV and lives in Warsaw, where she is an active member of the
Animal
Welfare League of Kosciusko County in Pierceton.
Sabrina co-anchors with Jay Crist every weekday
morning at 5:00 AM on
NBC10 Eyewitness News and at 7:00 AM on UPN Fort Wayne
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Kirk Fogg,40, like Laura Bakula, first
joined the team in January
1980. In fact, this was his very first job as a reporter until June
14992.
He left to pursue a career for the Nickelodeon Game Show "Legends of
The
Hidden Temple," which ran from 1993-1995. He moved to Orlando, Florida
in 1992 as a news anchor for our sister station, WTCF-FTV until January
2002.
"News anchoring still is something I love to do," says Mr. Fogg. Along
with anchoring at NBC10, he also works on the NBC10 game show "Greed,"
as executive producer for the show.
In his spare time, Kirk likes to spend time at numerous archeological
finds across the United States.
Kirk co-anchors with Larisa Oleynik every weekday at 4:00 PM on NBC10
Eyewitness News and at 10:00 PM on Fox 41
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Kira Hurd joined the NBC10 SkyTrak weather team
in August of 2003,
and can be seen regularly on the weekend editions of NBC10 Eyewitness
News.
Kira began her career in television in 1993 at KSR-FTV in Las Vegas,
Nevada.
After a year in Las Vegas, Kira moved on to WSBI-FTV South Bend,
Indiana,
where she was one of the youngest main weather anchors in the
country.
Five years later, Kira returned to KSR-FTV in Las Vegas. A native of
Las Vegas, Kira attended the University of Las Vegas and received a
Bachelor
of Science degree in broadcast meteorology.
Kira continues to pursue her studies. She is also a member of the
National
Weather Association, where she has the seal of approval.
Kira can be seen forecasting the weather every weekend at 6:00 PM and
11:00 PM on NBC10 Eyewitness News and 10:00 PM on UPN Fort Wayne
.
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This is home to me, and I'm glad to be back home
again in Indiana,"
the Marion native and Mississinewa High School 1979 graduate said after
joining WFAZ in May 1989.
Hurd previously worked at WHBM-FTV in South Bend, IN. While working
for another ABC affiliate in Cleveland, OH., her investigative
reporting
helped police solve a murder case.
She graduated in 1985 from Indiana University with a degree in
telecommunications
and has worked in TV and radio ever since.
"My favorite part about my job is meeting different people every day
and trying to give viewers news they can use to help them solve
problems
or educate them," she said.
Hurd also is a member of Indiana University Alumni .
Ms. Hurd lives with her cat, Tom. She enjoys spending time with her
family and friends, water skiing and snow skiing. One of her favorite
movies
is "The Mask."
"I love to visit Dayton, OH. I have a friend that lives there and every
time I go, I feel like it's The Mask," she said.
Robyn can be seen as a fill in meteorologist on NBC10 Eyewitness News
and on the NBC10 Fort Wayne Network (cable channel for WFAZ).
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Skip joined NBC10 in January 2003 with very
little news casting experience.
Before coming to WFAZ-FTV, Skip was a reporter for a student run
television
station in a Florida high school .
Skip is a Tampa, Florida native.
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Alexandra Moffitt can be seen anchoring weekend
morning newscasts sometimes
and lots of reporting throughout the week. She came to WFAZ-FTV from
WFNY
FTV 8 in New York City, where she anchored the #1 rated Noon and 5pm
weekday
newscasts. Prior to her stint at WFNY, Alexandra served as a 6 and 11pm
weeknight anchor for WNYJ FTV 2, the NBC Fantasy television station in
New York.
Alexandra began her broadcasting career as an intern in 1991 at WAW
in Los Angeles, California. In 1993, she began another internship, this
time with WPMA FTV 7 (now WNDI) in Fort Wayne where she gained
experience
writing and researching stories for air.
Alexandra, originally from Columbia City, Indiana, graduated from
Indiana
State University with a B.S. in Communications. In her free time, she
enjoys
spending time with her husband, working out and playing
volleyball.
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Amanda Moore,43, , is North Central Indiana's
most experienced reporter.
With over 25 years in television, Amanda has learned the TV
business
from the bottom up.
Amanda began in the staff announcer, talk show and
telethon host and
then WMRI-FTV's weatherman and then to reporter for WMRI-FTV. Over the
last 25 years, She has become Fort Wayne's most recognized and trusted
reporter.
Before coming to TV, Amanda worked in radio in
Indiana, Michigan and
Massachusetts. Throughout her career, she has made numerous appearances
as a guest speaker at area Rotary Clubs, schools and other service
organizations.
She’s served as Emcee for beauty pageants, talent and fashion
shows
and as DJ for clubs, class reunions, 50's Hops and weddings.
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Robb Morris joined NBC10's SkyTrak weather team
in October 2003. His
responsibilities include forecasting on NBC10's weekend morning
newscasts
as well as WFAZ-FTV's in-town sister station, Fox 41.
In 1986, Robb began his broadcasting career in Orlando, Florida at
WLOF-FTV, Channel 13, where he weather anchored the morning and noon
weekday
newscasts. In 1993, he moved back to Indiana, and began work as a
Meteorologist
for our rival station in town, WPMA-FTV.
Robb earned his B.A. in Broadcasting and B.S. in Atmospheric Studies
from University of Florida in 1985. In addition to his undergraduate
degrees,
During his studies at University of Florida, Robb served one year in
the
Nickelodeon game show "Make The Grade" in1990. He served as a weather
forecaster
during his tenure in Orlando. Robb has been awarded a Seal of Approval
from both the National Weather Association.
Robb is engaged and enjoys spending his free time running marathons,
golfing, and relaxing with family.
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Kathleen Mort, 31, anchors NBC10 Eyewitness
News weekend nights
at 6 pm and 11pm on NBC10. Kathleen came to WFAZ-FTV in July 2003 from
WFXD-FTV FOX6 in Detroit, Michigan, where she anchored the 6 and 10
weekday
evening newscasts for two years. Prior to her stint at WFXD, Ms. Mort
served
as a reporter, assistant producer, and assignment editor for WCGH-FTV
in
South Bend.
Kathleen began her television career as a Production Intern at Woolery
Communications in Burbank, California. While at Woolery, Kathleen
researched
topics and aided producers in developing "The Woolery Report" for NBC.
In 1995. Between 1992 and 1993, Kathleen was a reporter/anchor for the
weekday evening newscast with WLOU-FTV in Louisville, Kentucky.
Kathleen is originally from Jackson, Michigan. In 1991, she earned
her B.A. in Communications/Journalism, graduating summa cum laude from
Western Michigan University. She lives in Defiance, Ohio with her
husband
and son.
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Joining WMRI in 2004, Jack O’Brien started out in
weather, and now
Central Indiana viewers know Jack as the cheerful education reporter on
NBC10 Eyewitness News and occasionally reports on the Indy
entertainment
"scene."
Before coming to WMRI-FTV, Pat worked at KQIS-FTV in Lansing, Michigan,
where he anchored the noon weather and served as an entertainment
reporter
.
He’s a popular emcee in community events and stays involved with the
Juvenile Diabetes Association and the Children's Wish Fund.
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Terri O’Brien, 45, joined the Eyewitness News
team as weekend sports anchor of
the 6pm and 11pm newscasts in January of 2004. She came to WMRI
from
The Discovery Channel News in New York where she was a network
correspondent.
Her duties included NASCAR circuit Racing and National Sports. Terri
joined
The Discovery Channel in 1995.
From 1989 to 1991, O’Brien anchored sports news for the ABC
program
"The Wide World of Sports." Before that, she was a news anchor and
reporter
at WSL-FTV in Salt Lake City, Utah.
In 1982, O’Brien anchored, produced and was chief reporter for the
"Night beat" newscast on WFTW-FTV in Fort Wayne. She was born and
raised
in Pittsburgh, and graduated from Erie's Gannon University in
1980.
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If you think that Larisa Oleynik is a newscaster
here at NBC10 Fort
Wayne, Indiana and starred on the Nickelodeon series "The Secret World
of Alex Mack," YOU'RE RIGHT! Larisa joined NBC10 Eyewitness News in
November
2002 after a very successful acting career. You do not see Larisa on
NBC10
Eyewitness News because she is a part-time news anchorwoman.
Larisa played the star of the popular children's series, The Secret
World Of Alex Mack, Larisa got her first big break on the stage, where
she starred as young Cosette in Les Miserables. The San Francisco
native
went on to co-star in films such as The Baby-Sitters Club, 10 Things I
Hate About You, and 100 Girls. She also had a recurring role in the hit
television series, 3rd Rock From The Sun, (which ran on NBC10) and
numerous
guest appearances on shows including Boy Meets World, All That, Dr.
Quinn,
and The Adventures Of Pete And Pete..
Larisa began attending college in the fall of 2000. Since that time,
she has kept a very low profile (according to her website--larisa.com).
You can see her biography at http://www.larisa.com.
Larisa co-anchors with Kirk Fogg every weekday at 4:00 PM on NBC10
Eyewitness News and at 10:00 PM on UPN Fort Wayne
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Mark Pantazi anchors weekend evening sports on
NBC10 Eyewitness News
Weekend Report and Weekend Nightbeat on NBC10 and UPN Fort Wayne. He
can
also be seen as a sports reporter throughout the week.
Mark joined WFAZ-FTV in August 1987 as a sports reporter. Three years,
he began anchoring sports on WFAZ-FTV's sister station, WPMU-FTV
Channel
41 (currently WMRI-TV Fox 41). He was WPMU-FTV's first sports anchor
when
the station signed on the air in early 1990. Mark also hosted and
produced
the local sports shows, Marion Timeout and Instant Replay: Marion
Style.
Before he began his career in television, Mark worked for WSBL-FTV
Fox 2 in South Bend. He began his professional career out of college as
a statehouse reporter. He held various positions at Fox 2 Michiana
before
eventually overseeing the FAZLimited's sports coverage.
Mark enjoys reading and in his spare time, he enjoys listening to music
and playing sports. A native of Fort Wayne, Mark is a Bishop Dwenger
High
School product of 1978 and a 1984 graduate of Notre Dame University.
Mark,
his wife Jennifer, and their daughters, Cathy and Amy, attend the
diocese
of Fort Wayne and South Bend and reside in New Haven.
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If you think that Summer Sanders should be the
sports director here
at NBC10 Fort Wayne, Indiana and hosted the Nickelodeon game show
"Figure
It Out," YOU'RE RIGHT! Summer joined NBC10 Eyewitness News in November
2003 after a very successful sports career. You might not see Summer on
NBC10 Eyewitness News because she is a very busy sportswoman.
Summer is also the co-host of "NBA Inside Stuff," a position she has
held since December 1997. Besides joining the show’s host and executive
producer Ahmad Rashad each week in the studio, Summer travels the
country
to give viewers a behind the scenes look at the players and
personalities
of the NBA and WNBA. She has covered the NBA and WNBA Finals, All-Star
Games, the NBA and WNBA Drafts, and follows the exciting action that
the
leagues provide throughout the year. Summer’s favorite part of working
for Inside Stuff is sitting down with the players to find out firsthand
what it’s like to play the world’s most popular game.
Summer served as an on-site reporter for NBC at
the 2002 Winter Olympics
in Salt Lake City and is currently host of a syndicated Olympic show,
U.S.
Olympic Gold. She was also an on-air correspondent for NBC Sports at
the
Ford Gorge Games in Portland, OR in July 2002.
Summer had previously joined the staff at NBC’s Today Show as a Special
Correspondent for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. In addition to her
role with Today, Summer reached millions of kids each afternoon as Jim
Lampley’s co-host for the popular kids’ Olympics show, Scholastic at
the
Olympics, which aired each afternoon on MSNBC. During the WNBA season,
Summer can be seen on NBC Sports as a sideline reporter for the
network’s
coverage of the WNBA on NBC.
Summer also served as co-host for the 2001 Arthur Ashe Kid's Day, an
annual event at the USTA National Tennis Center to kick off the U.S.
Open.
At the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Sanders emerged as the most
decorated U. S. swimmer, winning two gold medals, a silver medal and a
bronze medal. The California native captured three gold medals at the
1990
Goodwill Games before embarking on her collegiate career at Stanford
University.
In two years at Stanford, she compiled six individual NCAA titles and
four
relay championships. Sanders earned back-to-back NCAA Swimmer of the
Year
awards and propelled Stanford to a national championship in 1992.
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Lew Schnider, the NBC10 Eyewitness News weekend
Sports Anchor, joined
the NBC10 Eyewitness Sports Team in October 2003. As the Sports
Executive
Producer, Lew works closely with Season Atkins in running the sports
division
of WFAZ-FTV. He schedules the department, produces big sports events,
and
anchors weekend editions of NBC10 Eyewitness News.
Lew came to WFAZ-FTV after 13 years with WPMA-FTV. During that time,
he anchored, reported, administered the department and produced
sportscasts
and Saturday evening sports shows.
When it comes to sports in Fort Wayne and Marion, Lew has done it all:
years of high school hoops, the Pacers, the Fort Wayne Wizards, and the
2000 Marion Giants championship to name a few.
Lew, a Philadelphia native, began his career in broadcasting at a
student
run television station while in high school. He continued television
work
for Nickelodeon in 1989 for the game show "Make The Grade" at both the
Penn State University station and commercial stations in Philadelphia
in
1989. After earning his B.A. from Penn State in 1990, Lew began working
immediately at WPMA-FTV.
Lew enjoys spending free time with his wife, Tammie.
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For over a tenth of a century, Hoosiers rely on
Alicia Williams to
get them through the best and worst of Indiana weather. Alicia anchors
"NBC10 SkyTrak Weather" weeknights at 5pm, 5:30pm, 6pm, 10pm and 11pm
on
Channel 13 Eyewitness News since December 2000 when she was named chief
meteorologist.
Alicia's work has earned BOTH the American Meteorological Society's
AND National Weather Association's Seal of Approval and was honored by
the Associated Press with its first-ever First Place award for weather
casting. She has been voted the favorite weathercaster year after year
by Fort Wayne-Marion viewers since her arrival in April 1990 and was
recently
honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Indianapolis chapter
of
Women in Communications.
Alicia is known for her hilarious on-air crack-ups, but when the
weather
turned severe, Alicia's forecasts literally saved lives. When the
Freeze
of '94 struck, Alicia was on the air all day and all night keeping
viewers
updated. She has covered many of Northeastern Indiana's worst severe
storm
outbreaks, including the massive flooding outbreak in the summer of
2002.
For over a decade, Alicia hosted "Midwest Password" a word game show
promoting the values and benefits of a solid education.
Alicia is originally from Marion and has two daughters: Alicia, Jr.,
a real estate agent in Los Angeles, and Elizabeth, a weathercaster for
WFTW-FTV.
Alicia can be seen forecasting the weather every weekday at 4:00 PM,
5:00 PM, 6:00 PM, and 11:00 PM on NBC10 Eyewitness News and at 10:00 PM
on UPN Fort Wayne .
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Avery joined the WFAZ-FTV news team in December
1981 as an actress
for the hit NBC10 soap opera "Franky and Clarissa Explains It All 2000,
where she played troubled child Lindsay Moore, and left WFAZ-FTV soon
after
1998.
In April 2000, Avery competed on a game show called "Greed" and lost
$200,000 due to a terminator. She was a contestant on the NBC10 game
show
"Midwest Wheel of Fortune" in early 2002. She won a total of over
$315,000
during her time as a contestant on "Midwest Wheel of Fortune.
At NBC10, we affectionately refer to Avery Thomas as Northeast
Indiana's
"Ultimate Working Transsexual". Balancing the demands of a big family
and
successful career can be a daunting task, but Avery manages to keep
everything,
even when she's under lots of pressure. While entirely devoted to her
family
and friends in Birmingham, Alabama, she remains a consummated
professional,
talented journalist and tireless news anchorwoman. It is precisely this
dedication to family, friends and community that has no doubt helped
make
her NBC10's most popular news anchor.
No other television journalist comes close to matching Avery's
short-term
experience as a local news anchor. She has served at the NBC10
Eyewitness
News anchor desk since January 2003. Avery once anchored NBC10
Eyewitness
News at 5:30 (6:30 in OH-MI), and shared the anchor desk with colleague
Michael Carrington and sports anchor woman/older adopted sister Season
Atkins for the NBC10 Eyewitness News at 6:00 (7:00 in OH-MI) on NBC10
and
Eyewitness News at 10 (11 in OH-MI) on UPN Fort Wayne..
For over a decade and a halfas Frank Zinn, Mississinewa students relied
on Frank to get them through the best and worst of Mississinewa from
1986
to 2002. Frank was one of the leading Indiana Special Education
Students.
Frank gave live reports as WFAZ-FTV's education reporter from 1990
until
2002 during News Center 36 at 5, 6, and 11 (now NBC10 Eyewitness News
First
at 5, Report at 6, and Nightbeat) called "RAT TV." The show aired
weeknights
at 5:30pm on News Center 36 before "dropping out of college" after 15
years
of schooling in January 2002.
Frank's work has earned the American Special Education Society's Seal
of Approval and was honored by the Indiana Special Education
Association
with its first-ever First Place award for "Top Special Education
Student.
He has been voted the favorite student year after year by Mississinewa
Community Schools from 1989 until 2001 and led to four Indiana Special
Education Championships in 1993, 1995, 1998 and his last in 2001.
Frank was known for his hilarious on-air crack-ups, but when the
Mississinewa
news turned severe, Frank's "advanced warnings" literally saved many
students
out of trouble. When the 52nd Annual Mississinewa 500 struck on April
28,
2001, Frank was on the air all night keeping FTV viewers updated. He
has
covered many of Mississinewa's, Eastbrook's, and Marion's worst severe
behavior outbreaks, including the massive suicide outbreak of April 3,
1994.
For 14 years, Frank hosted "Midwest Wheel of Fortune," the Hoosier
Millionaire spin-off based on Wheel of Fortune promoting the values and
benefits of good spellers. He is also the moderator for "Indiana
Fantasy
Television" a group at Yahoo! that provides thousands of Indiana
Fantasy
Television owners to boost rating for ALL Indiana Fantasy Television
Stations,
like NBC10. He received the prestigious Fantasy Emmy award for his role
in this project. Frank will still be seen filling in for vacationing
"NBC10
Eyewitness News" news anchors and during special NBC10-sponsored
events,
including "Indiana FTV." Avery is originally from LaGrange, Illinois
and
has three female cats as daughters: Coco, Shushu, and Tabitha; two male
dogs as sons: Dean (a canine news anchor for WPMA-FTV) and Timothy Rags
(a canine news anchor for NBC10 since March 2003); one male cat as a
son,
Thomas Taz; and one female dog as a daughter, Samantha.
Avery takes great pride in being an active participant in the Northeast
Indiana community. She has volunteered her time and talent to many
worthwhile
organizations and served on various not-for-profit community boards and
committees like the United Way of Northeast Indiana.
Avery is a graduate of Rockwall High School and received her bachelor's
degree in Real Estate and communications from Texas A and M University.
She has two dogs (Lacey and Leslie from a previous relationship) and
live
in Marion.
" I have actually known the founder of WFAZ," says Avery. "I enjoy
scrapbooking (HMM heaven for me) and like sewing, and just woman
things."
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When Northeast Indiana viewers want to know the
first canine of Indiana
Fantasy Television America, they look to WFAZ-FTV's Timothy "Rags" Zinn
to find out.
On April 7, 1990, Indiana history was made when a seven year old boy
(now a 20-year-old man) became the youngest news anchorman in FANTASY
TELEVISION
HISTORY! From "Midwest Wheel of Fortune" to "Senior Memory" Rags'
owner,
the late Frank Zinn has redefined the role of "newscaster."
Rags lives in Marion with his stepmother, Avery ( a news anchorwoman
at NBC10).
|
 In 2002 and 2003
Eyewitness News
covered north central Indiana like no other television station.
Apparently
award judges from around the country feel the same way, honoring WMRI
with
seven awards.
Outstanding News
Operation
1st Place - Best
Commercial or
Series of Commercials
Desco Floor Finishes
Mark Patrick
1st Place - Best
Humorous Commercial
Avery Thomas Rap
Commercial
- Neil White
1st Place - Best
Station Promotional
Announcement
Thank You Fort Wayne
- Kelly
Richards
1st Place -
Outstanding Community
Service
Patricia Edwards
1st Place - Best
Public Service
Announcement
Fort Wayne Remembers
- Patricia
Edwards
1st Place - Best
News Story
From Russia with
Peace - Jacques
Natz
Fantasy Regional
Emmy Awards
The Cleveland
Chapter of the
National Television Academy presented its regional Emmy Awards on
Saturday,
January 31st, 2004 in Cleveland. WMRI won 16 Emmy Awards, the most
awards
in the region for the 49th time in 50 years (Our sister station
in Cleveland (WLOU) tied with WMRI last year). The winners represent
several station
departments
including news, production, promotion, public affairs, graphic design
and
engineering. We're proud of all of them.
(The first award,
for Outstanding
Daily Newscast, represents competition only among Indianapolis
stations.
All other awards are for the entire Emmy region.)
Outstanding Daily
Newscasts
NBC10 Eyewitness
News
First at 4, 5, 6 and Nightbeat: Stephanie Atkins, Executive Producer
Newscast
Production
Eyewitness News
First at 4,5,at
6, and Nightbeat: Stephanie White and Mike Adkins, producers
Crafts:
Anchors-News
Eyewitness News:
Laurea Bakula,
Michael Carrington, Larias Oleynik, Alexandra Moffitt, Kathleen Mort,
and
,Kirk Fogg
Crafts:
Anchor-Sportscaster
The Fort Wayne
Sports Jam: Season
Atkins, Sports Anchor
News Report-Soft
News
"Transsexualism in
Indiana,"
Avery Zinn, Reporter Steve Cooper, Supervisor
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