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The big game is over, time for some Monday morning quarterbacking. I’m a little disappointed because I was pulling for Peyton Manning and the Colts (and predicted on the air that they would win). I should never doubt our resident prognosticator Kris Kuyper, who picked the Saints to win. Apparently Kris can see into the future in the weather and sports!
The game was one of the best in recent memory. Until the 4th quarter, there were no turnovers. We actually had to stick around until the end of the game to see who won.
In regards, to the commercials, the Super Bowl commercials just didn’t seem as clever this year. The Doritos ad with a guy being enclosed in a casket filled with Doritos was just plain spooky to me. The best ads in my opinion were the Betty White ad for Snickers and the Leno/Oprah/Letterman ad for the Late Show.
 
What were your favorite ads? Maybe I’m forgetting some of them.
And let's hear it for The Who and their halftime show. I liked the stage that looked like a big UFO circling around them. Sure they're not filling stadiums anymore, but they highlighted some of their memorable songs from over the years. Those songs are still stuck in my head. Contrary to some predictions made on ESPN radio, the band members did not need walkers to get to the stage.
Thanks for reading & watching,
Kelli Saam
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So the Oscar nominees were announced this morning. It’s usually my favorite time of year. My husband Jerry and I will renew our annual Oscar game. We try to predict the winners in all the major categories and the winner of our game gets to keep our own personal Oscar trophy. (Engraved with the winner’s name each year, just like the Stanley Cup!)
But this year the Oscar game may be too big for us to play. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences decided to expand the field for Best Picture to 10, yes 10 films! Part of our little Oscar game requires us to see all the nominated films. When there were 5 films, it was easy to catch them all. But now that it’s 10 films, I don’t know where to find the time to see them all, especially combined with little league games and school science projects.
What do you think of the expanded Oscars? Here’s a list of the nominated films.
"Avatar," ''The Blind Side," ''District 9," ''An Education," ''The Hurt Locker," ''Inglourious Basterds," ''Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire," ''A Serious Man," ''Up," ''Up in the Air."
Hey, at least I’ve seen “Up.” One down, nine to go!
Thanks for reading and watching.
Kelli Saam
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You know you live in a small town when the arrival of a celebrity can dominate the local water cooler discussions. That’s what happened Tuesday afternoon when a friend called the newsroom to report that Oprah Winfrey was at the Chico Airport. Soon Facebook was buzzing with rumors of where she was headed next.
Action News turned into Oprah News as we tried to track down where the queen of talk was headed in that Cadillac Escalade. Her production company, Harpo Productions, has been mysterious about the 2-hour visit to Chico. They would only tell us she taped a segment for an upcoming show. We’ve had many guesses about why she was here, hopefully we’ll find out soon.
Growing up in near Chicago, I feel like I grew up with Oprah. As a high school student, my English teacher encouraged me to enter the Oprah Winfrey essay contest sponsored by the local newspaper. The prize was a chance to meet Oprah backstage at her upcoming appearance. I’m proud to say I won that contest and briefly met Oprah and presented her with a bouquet of flowers. That’s heady stuff for a 15 year old aspiring journalist.
Later as a reporter in Nashville, I interviewed Oprah’s father Vernon Winfrey about her early life growing up in Music City. We also talked about the many ways she still gives back to Nashville, donating thousands of dollars in scholarship money to Tennessee State University.
Thank you to all the people who called the newsroom Tuesday to let us know about Oprah being in town. Instead of chasing storms, we were chasing Oprah. It was a nice change of pace.
Thanks for reading, and watching
Kelli Saam
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I’ve never appreciated power like I have today. After spending about 11 hours in the dark Wednesday, I more fully appreciate my hair dryer, coffee maker and heat. It’s a reminder of the things we all need to get ready before the next power outage.
Just a couple of days before the storm, I interviewed Marie Fickert from the Chico Fire Department about emergency preparedness. She has a whole list of useful recommendations, like having at least one corded telephone that doesn’t use electricity. I thought to myself, that’s a good idea. We got rid of our last corded phone years ago. Many of these things sound obvious, but in our busy lives, sometimes you forget to stock up on extra batteries after you put the last one in your kids’ Christmas toys. The fire department has compiled a whole list of handy reminders.
Just go to http://www.chico.ca.us/fire/get_the_latest.asp and then click on Cold Weather tips in the right column.
Of course when the lights went out Wednesday, I still had no corded phone. Thankfully I had my cell phone (at least until the battery died). The house started to get cold and I had no
firewood. Thankfully our resourceful Action News meteorologist Kris Kuyper came to the rescue with a bundle of wood for our family.
Now the lights are back on (thank you PG&E) and I’m taking stock of what we have and don’t have for the next storm. I'll see you at the store. I'll be the one pushing the card filled with the corded phone, firewood and D batteries.
Thanks for reading and watching,
Kelli Saam
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Here we go. Our friend Lou Mars begins his attempt at a world record for marathon drumming. Thursday, January 14th at 7:30 am in Chico, Lou will pick up his drumsticks and attempt to drum for five straight days. (He’s allowed a brief break every few hours). You can follow Lou on his website where his record attempt will be carried live online. http://loumarsdrums.com/worldrecord/index.html
 
Lou’s determination has been an inspiration. Let’s face it, it sounds pretty impossible to drum for that long. He's been in the gym training for several weeks to increase his endurance. And there’s a message behind his madness. Lou is trying to raise attention and money for music programs in schools. He’s using his God-given musical talent to help others. Chico is pulling for you Lou!
Thanks for reading and watching,
Kelli Saam
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Remember the old saying “there’s no such thing as bad publicity.” In January 2010, that adage does not apply to Tiger Woods. This week Vanity Fair features a shirtless Tiger Woods on its cover. The golfer with the impeccable sense of timing on the golf course couldn’t have picked a worse time to pose for a magazine with his shirt off. Amid the stories of marital infidelity, this is the type of exposure Tiger is trying to avoid.
The photo was taken by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz before Tiger had his car crash that started the media onslaught. Vanity Fair released the cover photo this week, along with promises of a full photo spread inside the magazine when it hits newsstands in the coming days.
I don’t think this photo spread is going to win Tiger any support. New Yorkers were given a sneak peek of the cover photo featuring a muscular Woods without his shirt, holding barbells in his hands. One of the sound bites we ran on Monday’s Action News at Eleven featured a man saying “it shows Tiger has a huge ego. He pumps a lot of iron. I’m surprised. I didn’t think golfers looked like that.”
Just when I thought the Tiger story was going away, it’s back. What do you think of the photo and Tiger in 2010?
Thanks for watching, and reading.
Kelli Saam
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More than a week after the story first broke, the controversy over the killing of a pet deer continues. As we first told you before Christmas, Fish and Game euthanized a Los Molinos woman’s pet deer.
Apparently a neighbor had complained about the woman keeping “Rodney” the deer as a pet inside her house. Fish and Game told the woman she was not licensed to keep the wild animal, and euthanized it. Here’s our story http://www.khsltv.com/content/localnews/story/Fish-and-Game-Euthanize-Pet-Deer/xWgLGL3rNk-FxGWcvTx_ug.cspx
That same week, CBS News reported a warm, touchy-feely story about a family in Ohio that keeps a deer inside their home.
Fish and Game in Ohio did not step in to kill the “Dillie” the deer. The story even shows the deer eating pasta from the family’s dinner plate.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/12/10/earlyshow/living/petplanet/main5961661.shtml
Since our story aired, we have received countless emails from people outraged over the Rodney’s death. What do you think? It seems this is a story that isn’t going away.
Thanks for reading and watching,
Kelli Saam
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As the year comes to a close, I want to thank all the viewers who help make our shows successful every day. Every time I pick up the phone in the newsroom, it’s a potential news story. Viewers call us to report everything you can imagine, including changes in the weather, exploding transformers, car accidents, house fires, shopping trends, billing problems, government waste, and fundraisers. I want to encourage all of you to call us when you think of a possible news story. The news isn’t what we think is interesting, it’s the stories that YOU find interesting. We want to hear from you.
Many times, it’s the viewers who make the story. Last week, during the hostage standoff at the U.S. Bank in Burney, we relied on our viewers in Burney to tell us what was happening. Because of travel time, we were not able to get video from the scene in time for the 5pm news. I called a viewer, Gary, who owns a business in Burney. He sprang into action. He took several digital photos of the police and the bank, and emailed them to us in time for the 5pm show. Gary, I will be forever indebted to you. Thank you.
Last month, a viewer called to tell me she had videotaped a transformer exploding outside her house. She drove the videotape to our station, just in time for the 11pm news.
Just last night, a viewer called us from Red Bluff to tell me that he had just witnessed the biggest lightning show he’d ever seen. His description of the storm made it into our next show.
All TV stations are trying to put on shows with fewer employees. Now more than ever, we rely on your observations to make our newscasts the most up-to-date they can be. I have a great New Year’s Resolution for you. Call (530) 343-1212 when you have a possible news story. Or email us at news@knvn.com. Or email me directly at ksaam@khsltv.com.
Have a very Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year.
Thanks for watching, and reading,
Kelli Saam
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Most of my friends know Amazing Race is one of my favorite shows, so of course this week’s season finale is cause for excitement. I was pretty disappointed last week to see the Globetrotters bounced from the competition. Big Easy GAVE UP on a challenge, taking a 4 hour penalty which basically eliminated them from the competition. Ouch!
Now we’re left with Meghan & Cheyne, Brian & Ericka and Sam & Dan. Here’s my analysis.
Meghan & Cheyne
They are my favorites! They play a clean game and keep smiles on their faces (most of the time). They are smart & athletic. They have won almost all the legs of the race. They are most deserving. I am rooting for them.
Brian & Ericka
There are many reasons to like these two. First, they live in Nashville, my adopted hometown for about 6 years. Brian is especially nice (that’s very Nashville). Ericka is a former Miss America. It’s funny to watch her try to maintain her Miss America look, while performing the bizarre challenges. But they have not been the strongest team on a consistent basis.
Sam & Dan
These 2 brothers are the most entertaining of the bunch. Their constant bickering is hilarious. Yet they seem to patch things up every week. Does anyone else notice the resemblance between Sam and our Action News weatherman Cort Klopping?
 
I think this every time they show Sam on screen. But these brothers have a dark side, for example, when they stole a cab from other Brian & Ericka. And last week, after Dan had agreed to work with Big Easy on the challenge, he completely bailed on him. Not cool. But based on their entertainment value, I’m glad these two are still around.
Watch the finale Sunday on CBS 12!
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I had a wonderful opportunity Wednesday to get out from behind the anchor desk and report live all day from the ‘Tis the Season Food Drive in Red Bluff. What a great day! Jerry and I met so many great viewers who stopped by to say hello and contribute to this great cause. Everyone was in such a great mood, including all the folks from Tri-Counties Bank, Lake Shasta Caverns and Results Radio. Thanks “Billy & Patrick” from Q97 Radio for inviting us on their show. Jerry got to talk on the radio about his beloved USC Trojans. Those of you listening got to him tell his story about the ridiculously bright USC shoes I bought him for Christmas last year. They are cardinal, gold and white, and prompted Billy to ask “what’s the deal with the shoes?” Jerry will never let me pick out his shoes EVER again.
  
Major Frank Seavers from the Red Bluff Salvation Army kept everybody full of energy. Thanks Frank!
But the food drive isn’t over. Please consider giving even a small contribution. Action News is back out there Thursday, accepting donations outside Tri-Counties Bank at the Chico Mall, and Tri-Counties Bank on Oro Dam Boulevard in Oroville. The Action News Team will be there, including Rob Blair, Megan McDonald, Debbie Cobb and Kris Kuyper. So stop by and say hello!
Lake Shasta Caverns will provide free fudge as a show of thanks.
Thanks for watching & reading, Kelli
 
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We news people are always looking for a new twist on the Black Friday story. I mean, how many different ways can you tell a story about shopping? This year’s new twist seems to be the hysteria over the Zhu-Zhu pet toys. For those of you without kids, these are battery-operated hamsters that make little noises and move around. You can even get a house, a ball and other accessories. Just like a real hamster (without the mess).
I decided to dig deeper into this Zhu-Zhu issue, and took one of our news cameras to Toys R Us Thursday night. The store opened at midnight with promises of $9.99 Zhu-Zhus to the first 100 customers. At 8:30pm, there were about 20 people in line, most of them wanted a Zhu-Zhu. When I returned at 11:50pm, the line wrapped around to the back of the building. Three were easily 300-500 people in line! We have a winner folks, these little Zhu-Zhus are the new Cabbage Patch Kids and Tickle Me Elmo from days gone by.
I was filled with the holiday spirit, talking to all the parents who had camped outside the toy store in hopes of snagging one of the prized toys. That holiday spirit evaporated when the doors opened. People who had just arrived slipped into the store through the EXIT, much to the chagrin of the shoppers who had waited in line for several hours. Why do some people seem to think they can skirt the rules and simply cut in line? I managed to get a few of these people on camera. Classy, very classy.
Of course, my hope was restored when I realized that tickets had been distributed to the first 100 people, guaranteeing them a Zhu-Zhu pet. So those if those folks that tried to sneak in the back door thought they would swipe a Zhu-Zhu, instead they would only find an empty shelf. It’s weird how karma works that way, isn’t it?
This whole Zhu-Zhu story really is the tale of the little guy hitting the big time. I read in the newspaper this morning that the toy is produced by a company called Cepia, Inc. of St. Louis. Amazingly, they have just 16 employees in the U.S., and 30 in China. I may not be able to get a Zhu-Zhu for my boys this year, thankfully they haven’t asked for one. But for a few minutes, I was part of the Black Friday excitement. I still don’t think I would stand in line 6 hours for a toy or a laptop computer. But for those of you who completed your mission without trampling another parent, my heartiest congratulations. For those of you who try to cut in line…Bah Humbug! Thanks for reading, Kelli
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I recently had a life-changing experience. I was asked to emcee “The Celebration,” a fashion show in Chico featuring 34 *** cancer survivors as the models. When the show’s producer Deverie Jarrett approached me about hosting, I had no idea how much of an impact this event would have on me. I started thinking more about my Godmother who had been diagnosed with *** cancer earlier this year and three of my aunts also had *** cancer. When I attended rehearsals for the fashion show, I saw dozens of young, attractive women in the room. I assumed they must be volunteers, helping organize the event. But when I chatted with them, they said they were models & *** cancer survivors. This was a real wake-up call. I met women who had been diagnosed in their 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, and beyond.
The fashion show this month at Enloe Conference Center was simply magical. These women walked the catwalk with style and grace, happy to be alive. They reminded me of what’s important in life. The small, inconsequential things can wait. They were escorted by the handsome and talented men of the Chico Fire Department. I felt privileged to have met everyone there, including Charlene Mikeska. Charlene is a *** cancer survivor who brought the whole idea of a fashion show from Marin County to Chico. The issue of *** cancer awareness was suddenly much more in focus for me.
Then the very next week, a government task force came out with its recommendations for most women to WAIT to get mammograms until they are 50 years old. Up until now, the standard has been an annual mammogram beginning at age 40. And the task force said forget self-exams, they’re not worthwhile. Having just heard the personal stories of these *** cancer survivors and how they are alive due to early detection, I was astounded at this new government advisory about delaying mammograms. It’s sort of like saying “those new fangled computers, they’re not really necessary to write your term papers. We recommend going back to the typewriter.” Huh? Is anyone else as confused as I am? I hope this isn’t the beginning of insurance companies cutting back on mammogram coverage. Based on what I’ve heard, that would be a huge step backwards. If you’ve had an experience with *** cancer I would love to hear your stories. I’m no doctor, but this seems like a no-brainer.
By the way, if you missed the fashion show, we ran a clip of it on Action News, here's a link. The event sold out within just a few days. Congratulations to everyone involved! I'm looking forward to an even bigger and better event next year. Thanks for watching and reading, Kelli
http://www.khsltv.com/content/localnews/story/***-Cancer-Survivors-Celebrate-with-Fashion/FXE_AcQ800mgGxh_IIR6EA.cspx
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This week I’m working on an in-depth report on last summer’s tragedy at Lassen Volcanic National Park. A 9-year-old boy, Tommy Botell of Red Bluff, was killed when a rock wall gave way on Lassen Peak Trail in July. The rock slide killed Tommy almost instantly and seriously injured his 13-year-old sister, Katrina. Now four months later, the investigation is almost complete. His parents Tom and Jennifer Botell agreed to an interview to tell me exactly what happened, and how they are trying to move forward after Tommy’s death. Jennifer Botell said “I have 2 choices, I can keep it a negative, and dwell on it, or turn it into a positive. That’s what Tommy would have wanted.”
In my report, I also talked to a representative from the park service to ask questions about the condition of the trail, and what’s being done to repair it. This is all new information to our television audience. The special report will air Thursday, November 19 and Friday November 20th on Action News at 5, 6:30, 10 and 11. I hope North State parents will find this information useful as they explore North State parks, including Lassen Volcanic National Park.
The Botells are working in many ways to keep Tommy’s memory alive. They have established a website dedicated to Tommy. http://www.tommybotell.com/ Friends and family have shared stories about Tommy and the impact he had on their lives. The website also has information about the two memorial funds in Tommy’s memory. One is a fundraiser for scholarships to send scouts to camp, an activity that Tommy loved. The other fundraiser is for the Botell family. They incurred approximately $250,000 in medical and funeral expenses in the accident. At least $18,000 was not covered by insurance. The Botells also told me that the annual Tehama County middle school basketball tournament has been renamed “The Tommy Botell Memorial Basketball Tournament.” They were overcome with emotion as they talked about how the trophies will feature Tommy’s photo. That tournament will be held at Bethel Church February 5 & 6th.
The one thing that comes through from the Botells is how much they love all their children, including Tommy, Brittany and Katrina. They shared their collection of home videos, showing the family exploring parks up and down the state of California. Now they want other parents to treasure the time they have with their kids. They are even hosting a local event for National Hug Your Kids Day. It will be held July 19th at Cone and Kimball Plaza in Red Bluff. My thanks goes out to the Botells for opening up, and trying to help other families.
Thank you for reading and watching,
Kelli Saam
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I’m fascinated to watch my husband Jerry Olenyn’s special report this week on Action News, about one of the players banned from baseball in the Black Sox scandal of 1919. Former White Sox shortstop Swede Risberg lived out his final days in Weed & Red Bluff, where his son and
daughter-in-law cared for him. This is the 90th anniversary of the incident in which the baseball commissioner found that Risberg and seven other players threw the 1919 World Series in exchange for money from gamblers.
The story has been played out in the book and the film “Eight Men Out.” But what stands out to me listening to the interview with Risberg’s son Robert, is how he never talked about the World Series scandal with his father. In 2009, we wonder, how could this be? How could you not ask your father a thousand questions about what really happened?
But Robert Risberg, now in his 80’s, quietly explains that his dad never brought it up, so he figured his father didn’t want to talk about it. Period. He respected his father’s wishes.
It takes me back to my own family. As an adult, I’ve learned of events in my own family history that were never discussed with me. Before the current days of I-phones and internet, people were content to live at a slower pace, and not dig into the mistakes of the past. Their thinking was, worrying about the past is just wasted energy, what’s done is done. Many of our parents and grandparents wanted to look forward to making things better in the future.
Anyone who’s watched the show Mad Men, set in the 1960’s, knows exactly what I’m talking about. Wives on the show have suspicions about why their husbands come home late at night, but simply don’t ask. Children don't dare ask Daddy why he hasn't been around lately. Such things simply aren’t discussed.
Contrast that with the very contemporary Desperate Housewives. These women don’t hesitate to dig through drawers or put their husbands under surveillance to find out the real story. The kids taunt their parents and jump on the furniture.
When I was in grade school, on election day I would ask my parents “so, who did you vote for?” My mother would quietly say “I’m not going to say, that’s a personal question.” It’s a reminder of how much things have really changed in just a couple of generations.
Listening to Robert Risberg talk about his father, brings the Black Sox story full circle. It’s a story of redemption. It’s clear Robert Risberg loved his father for what he did right in his life, not something he may have done wrong in 1919. Robert wasn’t even born in 1919. Young Robert remembers the father who taught him how to throw a baseball, and made pancakes for his grandchildren. He recalls the father who was such a big baseball fan, he would sit by the radio or TV listening and watching the games. Robert carries dozens of colorful memories from his Dad’s baseball buddies, including the legendary Ty Cobb, who bought the boy his first rifle. I’m glad Robert was willing to share this part of the story with us. No one should be defined only by the mistakes of the past. There's also good there, if you look for it. Part Two of the Swede Risberg story airs tonight (Wednesday, November 3) on Action News. We’ll also post it on this website. Here's a link to part one:
http://www.khsltv.com/content/SR/srnov09/story/The-North-State-Connection-to-the-Black-Sox/ntlqfoJo40-YfKtMR6q92Q.cspx
Thanks for watching & reading,
Kelli Saam
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This week’s Zeros are the two Northwest Airlines pilots who overshot their intended destination of Minneapolis BY 150 MILES! They were out of contact with air traffic control for more than an hour, and didn’t realize they had entered WISCONSIN until a flight attendant asked them what time they would be landing.
The pilots deny falling asleep in the cockpit, and now say they were on their laptop computers, reviewing pilot schedules after the merger with Delta airlines. Here’s a question….is this really the best time to be quibbling with scheduling when you have the lives of dozens of passengers in your hands? Contrast that with the professionalism of Chesley Sullenberger, who successfully landed his plane on the Hudson River last year. Sullenberger has been described as boring, with a sometimes irritating attention to detail. But it’s that kind of demeanor that saved the day when Sullenberger’s plane hit a flock of birds. I was reminded of this because Sullenberger appeared on Conan O’Brien’s show last night, promoting his new book. He was actually pretty funny. What would have happened if the Northwest pilots had encountered some sudden emergency. They would have had to snap shut their laptops, with no idea where they were. It’s a little frightening to think about. The lesson here, pay attention to your job, even when you think no one is looking.
This week’s Hero is Angela Montez. Don’t recognize the name? She’s the woman in Indianapolis who while being robbed, stopped to pray with her assailant. This story was quickly deemed the “Praying Robber” story. Here’s how NBC News reported the story when it happened.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw85j8Ht08g
The alleged robber, Greg Smith, turned himself in the next day. Here’s a follow-up story by a TV station in Indianapolis where he hear from Smith and the victim.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU27va0kSfE
Greg Smith, even appeared on the Oprah story Friday (via satellite from jail) and apologized to Montez. Smith broke down in tears, and said he had always been a firm believer in God and Christ. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oY3Y7b7d0U
Talk about grace under pressure, Montez actually tried to help this man as she was looking down a loaded gun. Look around you, people can do the most amazing and unexpected things. Greatness may be just a few feet away.
Thanks for reading, and watching
Kelli Saam
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