Triad Today

Merriam-Webster defines an icon as “a person widely admired for having great influence or significance in a particular sphere.” That being the case, there should be an image of Richard Petty next to the definition of “icon” in every dictionary. Petty has the most wins in NASCAR history (200), the most championships (seven), and he put stock car racing on the national map at a time when television mainly covered baseball and football. Most of all, The King has used his notoriety to help others, especially through The Petty Family Foundation which supports non-profit groups that serve everyone from wounded veterans to at-risk youth. The Foundation’s signature charity is Victory Junction, a camp for kids with chronic medical conditions and serious illnesses that was created in honor of Richard’s late grandson Adam.

JL: Why is Victory Junction so special?

RP: Well, these kids can’t just go to church camp or other camps because of their affliction. So, they come here from all over the country, each one thinking that he’s the only one with the same problem. Then, they get here with a hundred other kids who are just like them, and suddenly they feel like they’re part of the world.

Always looking for new ways to expand the reach of his Foundation, 86-year-old Petty recently teamed up with Shelton Vineyards to create a new wine, appropriately named “ICON”.

JL: How did you come to hook up with Shelton Vineyards?

RP: We really got to know the Sheltons 20 years ago when their family was part of the company that built Victory Junction. My wife and myself went up to the vineyards a couple of times and we got to know them, and they got to know us.

Mandy Shelton Houser, co-president of Shelton Vineyards: “We are thrilled to collaborate with Richard and the Petty family. Richard is a true icon and a person who shares our commitment to perfection. This partnership is a testament to the shared values and passion for excellence that both Shelton Vineyards and the Pettys embody. Together, we aim to create an extraordinary experience for wine enthusiasts and racing fans alike.”

ICON wine is a custom blend of Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Tannat.

JL: Is it true that you actually hand-selected the blend?

RP: Yeah, three of my family members went with me up to Shelton’s, and we sat down and taste-tested the wines. It was like a blind test, and when it was all over, everybody wound up picking the same blend. I guess it’s ‘cause we all have the same DNA. [laughs]

Richard and ICON wine will be the star attractions this Saturday, July 29th, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. for a celebration and launch party at Shelton Vineyards in Dobson. The event will include music by Kyle Petty (Adam’s dad), plus a live auction where folks can bid on such items as a poster signed by Richard, Kyle, and family patriarch Lee Petty. Also, up for grabs is an original painting by Laura Ashley, Avis fine jewelry, and a chance to send a kid to camp. And, as a special treat, attendees will have an opportunity to enjoy a VIP experience with The King.

Admission is $25 per person, and a portion of proceeds from ticket sales and the auction will benefit Victory Junction.

JL: ICON wine was named in your honor. Do you feel like an icon?

RP: Not really. I’m just one of the gang.

JL: Wouldn’t it be great if you could figure out a way to make race cars run on ICON wine instead of diesel?

RP: [laughs] I don’t know. They got all these cotton-pickin’ electric cars now. Maybe we can use the wine to make electricity. [laughs]

Maybe so. If anyone could make that happen, The King could.

To purchase tickets to the celebration, or to order wine, visit SheltonVineyards.com/petty-icon. For more information on Victory Junction, visit VictoryJunction.org. For more information on the Petty Family Foundation, or to make a donation, visit PettyFamilyFoundation.org.

When Alan Shepard became the first American launched into outer space, folks were glued to their television sets. After John Glenn became the first man to orbit the Earth, there were parades and celebrations. But soon, public interest in the Gemini space program waned, and most people couldn’t name the latest man into space or tell you how many orbits Glenn had made. It seems that we tend to develop short-term memory when it comes to recalling momentous events, whether they be glorious or tragic in nature. And that brings me to our nation’s growing number of school shootings.

According to the Washington Post, there have been 386 mass school shootings thus far in this century, and that includes an all-time annual high of 46 in 2022. In all, 356,000 students have experienced gun violence over the past two decades alone, so you’d think we would at least be able to recall the location of the worst of these mass murders… but we can’t. In the days following each heinous incident, the media frequently reminds us of how many children were killed, but then, the facts and faces wane from our collective memory. At first, politicians vow to enact reforms, then the outrage dissipates and talk of reform disappears.

For what it’s worth, here’s a list of the worst mass shootings at schools since Columbine. Perhaps this can serve as a reminder of what happened and why it’s so important that we do something to keep this list from growing.

March 21, 2005 — Ten students were killed, and seven others injured when a 16-year-old assailant opened fire at Red Lake Senior High School, on Minnesota’s Red Lake Indian Reservation.

October 2, 2006 — A 37-year-old milk delivery man dropped his kids off at school, then drove to Pennsylvania’s Amish West Nickel Mine School, and killed 6 children while wounding five others.

April 16, 2007 — A 23-year-old man murdered 33 students and wounded 23 others while classes were in session at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. The gunman subsequently killed himself.

February 14, 2008 — A former graduate student spent his Valentine’s Day killing six people and injuring 21 others at Northern Illinois University. 

April 12, 2012 — A 43-year-old former student returned to his alma mater, Oikos University, a Korean Christian school in Oakland California, and murdered seven students, injuring three others.

December 14, 2012 — In what was thought to be the most heinous of mass school shootings, a lone gunman entered Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, and killed 28 children, all under the age of 10, and as young as 5 years old. 

June 7, 2013 — After killing his father and brother, a 23-year-old man murdered six students and wounded four others at Santa Monica College in southern California.

October 24, 2014 — A 15-year-old boy murdered four students at Marysville Pilchuck High School in Washington.

October 1, 2015 — In Roseburg, Oregon, a 26-year-old killed 10 students and injured nine others at Umpqua Community College. The gunman then shot himself.

November 14, 2017 — A 44-year-old man freed on bail for two previous felonies opened fire in Rancho Tehama school in California, and murdered six students while wounding 18 others. He then killed himself.

February 14, 2018 — Another Valentine’s Day was marred by unthinkable violence when a 19-year-old man with a history of disciplinary problems walked into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida and killed 17 students while wounding 17 others. 

May 18, 2018 — Not more than two months after the Parkland massacre, an assailant used a shotgun and a revolver to murder 10 students and injure 14 others at Sante Fe High School in Houston Texas. 

May 24, 2022 — Twenty-two students were shot to death and 18 others injured at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Delays in responding to gunfire led to a trial and national debate over the role of School Resource Officers. 

February 13, 2023 — An 18-year-old boy murdered four students and wounded five others at Michigan State University. The assailant was subsequently killed by police.

Given that most of us can’t name even half of the schools from this list, it’s not surprising that our elected officials in Washington also suffer from short-term memory when it comes to mass school shootings. The idea of a ban on assault weapons has been kicked around for years, but even if such a ban went into effect today it wouldn’t prevent more school massacres. That’s because there are more guns in circulation than there are people in America, so guns are readily available. Also, not all school shootings are done with assault-style rifles. The solution is to beef up school security, and that means installing electronically locking doors, metal detectors, and posting an SRO in every school.

Until local, state, and federal governments are willing to spend the money to enact these reforms, then students will continue to be murdered, and we will continue to forget where they took their last breath.
 
 

There are lots of reasons to live in and be proud of the Triad. New jobs are springing up every day. We’re blessed with a number of universities and community colleges. We have a myriad of great bars and restaurants, and there are several professional sports teams to root for. Healthcare is accessible, and crisis services are available to those in need. Yes, we have it all in the Triad, except when we don’t. We don’t have a casino in the Triad. We don’t have live horse racing and off-track betting in the Triad. And, if your quality of life would improve with access to medical marijuana, then you’d better live somewhere else. The fact is that Virginia has North Carolina beat when it comes to voting on, approving, and implementing new initiatives.

Actually, our neighbors to the north have been getting the better of us for quite some time. For example, Virginia approved its statewide lottery in 1987, while we didn’t start scratching off until 2005. 

In 1994 Virginia approved the development of a live horse racing track, and three years later, Colonial Downs opened along with a number of off-track betting parlors. Here in North Carolina, we’re just now getting around to allowing sports betting, but we’re nowhere close to approving a live horse racing facility. 

Meanwhile, the first medical marijuana dispensary in Virginia opened in August 2020, and one year later, Virginians were able to purchase and possess small amounts of weed for recreational purposes. The General Assembly in Raleigh is still debating medical marijuana, and there’s no provision for recreational use in sight. 

Speaking of recreational, if you’re over 125 years old, you may recall that in 1919 Congress passed the 18th Amendment which prohibited the sale of alcohol. But goody-two-shoes North Carolina started banning booze 10 years BEFORE Prohibition went into effect. Virginia, on the other hand, kept selling spirits until the Feds made the ban official. In the interim, those of us in The Old (Dry) North State got into our cars, drove into Virginia, and put our money in The Old Dominion’s coffers (estimated at nearly $400 million in today’s dollars). That kind of senseless revenue loss is the common theme that runs through North Carolina’s heel-dragging policy decisions on the lottery, racetrack and off-track betting, and pot. And that brings us to casinos.

After several years of negotiating, and federal recognition of their tribe, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) were able to operate a casino, which opened near Cherokee in 1997 with video poker and slots. Managed by Harrah’s, the casino has undergone a number of expansions and renovations, the last of which was completed in 2021. As promised, revenues from what is now a full-service casino and resort have helped to improve the lives of Cherokee tribesmen. In that regard, North Carolina was ahead of Virginia whose legislative body didn’t approve casino operations until 2020. But unlike our state’s initial focus on one major gaming facility, Virginia gave approval for casinos to operate in five different cities. One of those, Danville, opened a temporary casino earlier this year with a full-blown Caesar’s resort to open next year. 

According to the Winston-Salem Journal, Caesar’s Danville brought in nearly $12 million dollars in its first two weeks of operation, with $715,521 of that going directly into the city’s coffers. And, not surprisingly, a member of Danville City Council told me that most of the gamblers came from outside of the city, many of whom made the short drive from the Triad to spend their money in Virginia — the same way we once did with booze, lottery tickets, parimutuel betting, and now marijuana.

As is, most people in our area can drive to Danville in under an hour. But they wouldn’t have to leave home at all if we had a casino here in the Triad. And think of what a boost that would be if folks throughout North Carolina and Virginia spent their mad money here. It would mean more funding for our students, teachers, police, and firefighters. That’s why our state lawmakers need to drive up to Virginia, smoke some legal weed, chill out, and then adopt that state’s five-city casino plan as soon as possible. It’s a long shot, I know, but sometimes you have to gamble in order to gamble.

There are lots of reasons to live in and be proud of the Triad. New jobs are springing up every day. We’re blessed with a number of universities and community colleges. We have a myriad of great bars and restaurants, and there are several professional sports teams to root for. Healthcare is accessible, and crisis services are available to those in need. Yes, we have it all in the Triad, except when we don’t. We don’t have a casino in the Triad. We don’t have live horse racing and off-track betting in the Triad. And, if your quality of life would improve with access to medical marijuana, then you’d better live somewhere else. The fact is that Virginia has North Carolina beat when it comes to voting on, approving, and implementing new initiatives.

Actually, our neighbors to the north have been getting the better of us for quite some time. For example, Virginia approved its statewide lottery in 1987, while we didn’t start scratching off until 2005. 

In 1994 Virginia approved the development of a live horse racing track, and three years later, Colonial Downs opened along with a number of off-track betting parlors. Here in North Carolina, we’re just now getting around to allowing sports betting, but we’re nowhere close to approving a live horse racing facility. 

Meanwhile, the first medical marijuana dispensary in Virginia opened in August 2020, and one year later, Virginians were able to purchase and possess small amounts of weed for recreational purposes. The General Assembly in Raleigh is still debating medical marijuana, and there’s no provision for recreational use in sight. 

Speaking of recreational, if you’re over 125 years old, you may recall that in 1919 Congress passed the 18th Amendment which prohibited the sale of alcohol. But goody-two-shoes North Carolina started banning booze 10 years BEFORE Prohibition went into effect. Virginia, on the other hand, kept selling spirits until the Feds made the ban official. In the interim, those of us in The Old (Dry) North State got into our cars, drove into Virginia, and put our money in The Old Dominion’s coffers (estimated at nearly $400 million in today’s dollars). That kind of senseless revenue loss is the common theme that runs through North Carolina’s heel-dragging policy decisions on the lottery, racetrack and off-track betting, and pot. And that brings us to casinos.

After several years of negotiating, and federal recognition of their tribe, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) were able to operate a casino, which opened near Cherokee in 1997 with video poker and slots. Managed by Harrah’s, the casino has undergone a number of expansions and renovations, the last of which was completed in 2021. As promised, revenues from what is now a full-service casino and resort have helped to improve the lives of Cherokee tribesmen. In that regard, North Carolina was ahead of Virginia whose legislative body didn’t approve casino operations until 2020. But unlike our state’s initial focus on one major gaming facility, Virginia gave approval for casinos to operate in five different cities. One of those, Danville, opened a temporary casino earlier this year with a full-blown Caesar’s resort to open next year. 

According to the Winston-Salem Journal, Caesar’s Danville brought in nearly $12 million dollars in its first two weeks of operation, with $715,521 of that going directly into the city’s coffers. And, not surprisingly, a member of Danville City Council told me that most of the gamblers came from outside of the city, many of whom made the short drive from the Triad to spend their money in Virginia — the same way we once did with booze, lottery tickets, parimutuel betting, and now marijuana.

As is, most people in our area can drive to Danville in under an hour. But they wouldn’t have to leave home at all if we had a casino here in the Triad. And think of what a boost that would be if folks throughout North Carolina and Virginia spent their mad money here. It would mean more funding for our students, teachers, police, and firefighters. That’s why our state lawmakers need to drive up to Virginia, smoke some legal weed, chill out, and then adopt that state’s five-city casino plan as soon as possible. It’s a long shot, I know, but sometimes you have to gamble in order to gamble.

Generally speaking, I don’t like to label people, but Florida Governor Rick DeSantis seems hell-bent on wanting to be called a homophobe. His “Don’t Say Gay” law, which was enacted in March, hasn’t just angered the LGBTQ community, it has also struck fear into the hearts and minds of teachers who dare not expose their students to words or images which might suggest that humans can be anything other than heterosexual. Much of Righteous Ron’s bombastic dogma of late derives from his war with the Walt Disney Company which dared to oppose his restrictive and discriminatory policies. Given the two adversaries’ battle for the moral soul of Florida and subsequent fight for who should control Disney World’s tax district, it’s not surprising that the latest controversy involves the showing of a Disney film to fifth-graders in Hernando County.

Though “Don’t Say Gay” only restricts the teaching of sexual orientation or gender identity in grades K-3, Florida collaterally restricts the use of certain books and films in all grades. Enter Jenna Barbee, a teacher at Winding Waters School in Brookville, Florida. Barbee elected to show Disney’s animated Strange World to her class because its environmental message was relevant to her lesson plan. But the film also features a bi-racial gay couple, and, as it happens, one of Barbee’s students is the daughter of school board member Shannon Rodriguez. Not surprisingly, Rodriguez called for a State investigation of Barbee’s Orwellian transgression. Fortunately, public support seems to be with Barbee, but that doesn’t change the laws and lists which continue to hamstring teachers and ban certain educational materials.

The thought occurs to me, however, that DeSantis’s war on Disney hasn’t gone far enough. If the Governor (and would-be President) is so concerned about protecting impressionable young minds against harmful messages, then why stop with Strange World? Why not expand his ban to include all subversive Disney films? Here, then is a list of other “dangerous” movies from Uncle Walt’s studio:

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) — Two problems here. First, it’s not appropriate for kids to know that Snow White is a virgin, and second, who she sleeps with is her business, even though in this case, size does matter.

Pinocchio (1940) — This film suggests that all Italian boys are liars.

Bambi (1942) — Because of Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, hunters had every right to shoot Bambi’s mother. Normally images of murder would be suitable for a 6-year-old, but the film should be banned because it might spur a debate on 2nd Amendment rights.  

Song of the South (1946) — In Florida, I guess it’s OK to show a film with a Tar Baby but to have a happy-go-lucky slave like Uncle Remus depicted as being smarter than his White owners is too much for Uncle Ron’s followers to take. 

Lady and the Tramp (1955) — This is a horrible film for kids because it suggests that all males are tramps who refer to their lady as the “B” word.

Mary Poppins (1964) — After emerging from dirty chimneys, Bert and the Banks children are covered in soot. It’s OK to appear in Black face in Florida, but only if you’re a patriotic legal citizen. The Mary Poppins cast is from England, so they don’t even speak good American.

Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) — This film is all about witches and Satanism which is OK, but children do not need to know that magic can happen in a bed.

Gus (1976) — In this film, a farm animal is exploited by the local college and made to kick field goals without any financial compensation as was available to Florida State University students at the time. 

Beauty and the Beast (1991) — While folks in Florida have no problem with beastiality, this film is banned because the main female character is allowed to read books.

Pocahontas (1995) — The problem with this film is that it depicts a Native American girl falling in love with a White man. Florida legislators probably believe this film is responsible for the bi-racial gay couple who later appears in Strange World.

I hope that Governor DeSantis will ban these and all other Disney films from being shown in public schools because children don’t need to be exposed to left-wing concepts like love, tolerance, and open-mindedness.

Growing up watching TV variety shows, I often wondered how the jugglers could keep so many balls in the air at one time. Today I wonder the same thing about my friend Dick Wolf who has nine hour-long dramas on the air every week. No other writer/producer in the history of television has ever come close to that feat. In addition to Law and Order, Wolf produces Law and Order: Special Victims Unit,  Law and Order: Organized Crime, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, Chicago Med, FBI, FBI: Most Wanted, and FBI: International. Perhaps even more impressive is that in this era of the 500-channel universe and a myriad of streaming services, all nine of Wolf’s dramas air on a broadcast network, and all nine are commercially successful.

I first met Dick in the spring of 1999 at an event for the Museum of Television and Radio (now the Paley Center) in New York City. A few months later I interviewed him at length for volume one of my TV Creators book series. Back then we talked about our shared love of old TV westerns and heroes like Hopalong Cassidy. Dick also recounted how he spent his summer breaks from the University of Pennsylvania working at ad agencies, then eventually ended up creating national campaigns for major brands like Crest Toothpaste. “I’ve essentially never earned a dollar that wasn’t somehow writing related,” he told me. And Dick came by his talent honestly. “My grandmother wrote title cards for Paramount in the silent era, and my father was a second-generation screenwriter.”

We reconnected by phone late last month, but our conversation was marked by irony because it took place during a writers’ strike. And so, as I spoke with a legendary wordsmith, not a single word was being written for any of Dick’s nine shows.

Jim:: I remember seeing a survey from years ago that said even in normal times, most actors and writers only make a few thousand dollars a year, because they can’t get work.

Dick:: Right, there’s 90% unemployment, and I’ve been saying this for 35 years, “Why can people who cannot qualify for health insurance vote on throwing people out of work?” This strike is incredibly complex. This is the end of May, and it looks like they’re not even going to start talking to the writers again until they close with the actors and directors. So, you’re looking at a very protracted period of labor upset.

Jim:: Back when you were only producing Law & Order and SVU, you told me that you employed anywhere from 120 to 150 people on each show. Is that still the average today?

Dick:: It’s much more now. I was talking about actors and writers and crew. But when you get into post and scoring, and all the ancillaries that are not direct production costs, it’s closer to 300 people on a show. Right now, I’ve got about 3,000 people out of work.  This is my fourth strike, and in 1987 that strike went on for six months and two weeks. In my opinion, this current strike is going to go on just as long if not longer. And it doesn’t just affect writers and directors and actors. It affects everybody who works on those shows which are all shut down.

Jim:: Years ago, I asked you if you had a sixth sense about which shows will be successful, and you said, “It’s always a crapshoot.” Now that you’re the most successful TV creator in history, is it still a crapshoot when you start a new show?

Dick:: Every time. You never know what the audience is going to react to, but I’ve managed to at least cut down the size of the ranks. You do learn what not to do as much as you learn what to do.

Jim:: Somehow you and your shows have managed to stay relevant for over 40 years and across several generations. How have you managed to do that, and do you ever consciously concern yourself with going after the youth market?

Dick:: I have a strange belief that if you put out good stuff the audience will buy it, and I only do stuff that I want to watch, and there’s not that much on TV that I want to watch that I don’t make. It sounds terrible, but it’s true.

Jim:: Are you concerned about the trend toward artificial intelligence with regards to crafting stories and scripts?

Dick:: I’m not worried about it because I’m in a unique situation, but if I was a 30-year-old writer I’d be absolutely terrified. Five years from now, machines will be writing Shakespeare.  We should not pretend that the genie can be put back in the bottle. It can’t.

Jim:: Is it still fun for you, or is it more like work?

Dick:: Well, it’s both. The work IS fun. I mean, it’s taken 40 years and not many people say “no” to me anymore [laughs]. That’s not a bad position to be in.

Jim:: What’s changed for you over the years?

Dick:: When I got out here, I was always the youngest person in every meeting, and now I’m always the oldest by much more than a decade.

Jim:: You’ve innovated so many things like the split-format drama and streamlined pace.  What will be your final innovation?

Dick:: My last innovation will be coming up with a show that can’t be cancelled. [both laugh]

Last month Samantha Hutchinson, a 38-year-old bride from Charlotte, and her new husband Aric were leaving their wedding reception in a golf cart, when 25-year-old Jamie Komoroski drove her car into the newlyweds, killing Samantha. The Charleston, South Carolina coroner determined that Samantha died of blunt force injuries. Meanwhile, the Folly Beach police found that Komoroski had a blood alcohol content of .26%, which is three times the legal limit. The circumstance of this tragic incident was sadly unique, but the result was not.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 37 Americans die in drunk-driving crashes every day. That’s one death every 39 minutes. In 2021, a total of 13,384 people died in alcohol-impaired driving traffic deaths, and that was up 14% from 2020.  

In South Carolina where Samantha was killed, over 290 people die each year in alcohol-related crashes. Here in North Carolina, the stats are even worse, with over 420 drunk driving deaths per year. And if you really want to get steamed, consider that according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 4 million American adults say they drive drunk each year, and according to the CDC, intoxicated drivers get behind the wheel no less than 112 million times per year. That means only by the grace of God are millions of motorists not dying because of drunk driving.  

To their credit, national groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving and others are making a difference in terms of education and awareness. SafeHome.org, for example, reports that 78% of Americans are aware of and concerned about the dangers of drunk driving. And here in the Triad, Daggett Shuler has prevented countless numbers of teens from driving drunk through their “Safe Sober” campaign, which is significant considering that nearly 30% of drunk-driving-related fatalities involve young drivers in their early 20s. But education and prevention alone must be accompanied by strict, consistent, and clearly-defined DWI laws. 

As I’ve noted in previous columns, penalties for drunk driving are weak and inconsistent and can vary from county to county. In fact, according to M.A.D.D., over one-third of people convicted of drunk driving are repeat offenders. Translation? They get caught, they get a slap on the wrist, then, after a period of time, they drive drunk again. And it’s no wonder. According to a 2018 investigation by the Charlotte Observer, judges in some North Carolina localities only convict 10% of drunk drivers.

The problem stems from a system of guidelines that allows a judge to weigh three factors in every DWI case. Those include “Mitigating” factors, “Aggravating” factors, and “Grossly Aggravating” factors.

If a drunk driver has had an otherwise safe driving record, that’s a mitigating factor that often results in a small fine and a suspended sentence. If the driver has had two or more drunk-driving convictions within the past five years, that’s an aggravating factor that can result in jail time of from 2 days to six months. If the intoxicated driver is operating a vehicle with a revoked license and causes serious injury to another person, that’s a grossly aggravating factor that can carry a prison sentence of up to three years. 

And yet, even with these guidelines in place, every judge has latitude in sentencing. Take for instance the case involving Taylor Roberts who, in 2018, was driving drunk at high speeds when he crashed his car, killing a female passenger. Taylor reached a plea deal with a Forsyth County assistant district attorney and was only sentenced to three to five years in prison. And that brings me back to Jamie Komoroski who, because she killed Samantha Hutchinson in South Carolina, could only serve a maximum of ten years in prison for DWI homicide. 

The only way to prevent more repeat offenders from driving drunk and possibly killing someone is to pass and enforce stricter laws for a first offense. Beyond that, we need to make sure those laws and guidelines are consistent from county to county and from state to state. Given the current composition of our General Assembly, however, it’s not likely that such reforms would pass. That’s why I support making alcohol-related vehicular manslaughter or homicide a federal crime. Since every state receives federal funds for the maintenance and construction of roads and highways, and since drunk driving-related fatalities occur on those roads, then Congress should have the authority to pass legislation that would codify penalties and enforcement for drunk-driving-related deaths regardless of the state in which the offense occurs. Failure of any state to abide by such a congressional act would result in loss of federal funds.

As it stands now, drunk drivers are a menace to society, but so are the state lawmakers, prosecutors, and judges who allow them to continue to get behind the wheel of a deadly weapon.

In defending his network’s recently televised town hall with Donald Trump, CNN CEO Chris Licht said that the event made “a lot of news.” Unfortunately, the big news about CNN’s town hall is that it was an unmitigated disaster. Moderator Kaitlin Collins, a seasoned Washington correspondent, did the best she could to fact-check Trump’s rapid-fire lies in real-time, but her facts didn’t resonate with the live audience for two reasons. First, no matter what she tried to interject, Trump talked over her. Second, CNN stupidly only let Trump supporters sit in the auditorium, and those MAGA-heads didn’t want facts to get in the way of their beliefs. The CNN Town Hall thus devolved into a political rally for Trump which only served to entertain and energize his base. It was also a far cry from the town halls and debates which our nation had come to expect for most of our history.

According to Smithsonian magazine, America’s first town hall took place in 1633 in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and then every Monday morning thereafter. Those town meetings were held to settle and establish, “such orders as may tend to the general good as aforesaid.” The decisions made became law and, “every man to be bound thereby, without gaynesaying or resistance.” As Smithsonian columnist Jackie Mansky noted in her 2016 article, the Dorchester model spread to other New England communities, serving as a regular “majority-rules” forum in which citizens decided on important issues of the day. Those town halls eventually evolved into our modern-day city council and county commissioners’ meetings.

Televised town hall meetings in which political candidates answer questions from an audience are a relatively new concept. They were pioneered by, believe it or not, a once-failed Presidential candidate and a future FOX News CEO. In 1968 former Vice President Richard Nixon, who was the Republican nominee for President that year, teamed with Roger Ailes to produce and broadcast a series of live town hall events titled “Man in the Arena.” Unlike his 1960 debates with John Kennedy in which Nixon came off looking pale and nervous, the 1968 town halls were staged just for the GOP nominee. In later years, other candidates like Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton used televised town halls to promote their candidacies and enhance their public image.

Over the past few years, CNN has become known for its town halls, some which focus on issues in the news, and others that feature declared presidential candidates. It was the latter that went awry earlier this month when Donald Trump was given a national forum in which he continued to deny that Joe Biden had won in 2020 and said that the MAGA insurrectionists were fine people. He also used the town hall to berate and defame E. Jean Carroll just one day after having been found guilty of sexually abusing and defaming her. The question now is, “How can televised town halls and debates be improved?”

Veteran CNN correspondent Christine Amanpour, knowing Donald Trump’s propensity for being Donald Trump, warned Chris Licht ahead of time not to go through with the town hall, and certainly not to broadcast the event live. Her suggestion to tape the town hall and have the ability to edit out egregious and defamatory statements prior to broadcast is a valid point. After all, why have a live broadcast if you’re not taking live, call-in questions?  

So, let’s talk about the live audience. If the host network wants to broadcast a town hall, then it should be incumbent upon that network to invite an equal number of audience members from each major political party so to ensure that a balanced mix of questions will be asked of the guest. In the case of a general election debate, the same standard should hold true, even though questions would only come from a moderator. When broadcasting a primary debate, the audience should be comprised of an equal number of supporters for each candidate. Beyond that, live audiences must be instructed in advance not to applaud except when the moderator cues a commercial break. Other forms of demonstration or protest would not be allowed at any time. Controlling the composition and deportment of the live audience will preclude the event from becoming a political rally for any candidate.

Next, I’d like to suggest some reforms for the candidates themselves. For town halls, the candidate must observe common courtesies toward the moderator or, in the case of a debate, toward the other candidates. This means no one is allowed to interrupt or talk over anyone else. It also means that no candidate can resort to name-calling or making a false statement. Moreover, debate participants would not be allowed to run past their allotted time to speak, and, in the case of a town hall, the candidate would not be allowed to keep repeating himself or veering off into a topic not related to the question. If any candidate violates any of these rules, a buzzer would sound, and the offending candidate will be warned. If he is buzzed for a second time, he will be removed from the debate stage and the broadcast will continue with the remaining candidates. If, during a town hall, a candidate is buzzed for the third time, the broadcast will end. 

The goal of televised town halls and debates should be to inform and educate the audience, and to let them learn about public policy initiatives, and about the candidates who are discussing their views on important issues of the day. If it takes a tape delay, new rules, or a buzzer to accomplish that goal, then so be it.

During his 17-year NFL career, Ricky Proehl was one of the most respected wide receivers in the game. He was also one of the most successful, with two Super Bowl rings to show for it. Today he is one of the Triad’s most respected entrepreneurs and philanthropists, first for creating Proehlific Park, and second for establishing the P.O.W.E.R. of Play Foundation. The former is a family fitness center and sports complex which includes the area’s first inclusive playground for special needs kids. The latter is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports after-school athletic activities and educational programs for latch-key kids and at-risk youth.

“We’ve learned that by showing a child love, acceptance and respect, that we can, in turn, help change their lives. The Foundation teaches the children in our programs through our core values of Play, Opportunity, Work, Excellence, and Respect. We tell them, ‘You can do whatever you want to do if you surround yourself with good people and make good choices.’”

On June 8, the community will have an opportunity to support Proehl’s Foundation and help sustain its mission by attending a “Blue Jeans and Bourbon” fundraiser. The event will take place at Proehlific Park from 6pm until 9pm.

BBQ will be provided by Sweet Old Bill’s of High Point, and Old Nick Williams Distillery will offer up its historic bourbon. Tito’s Vodka and Pepsi will also be served. Live music will be performed by Bandemic and local favorite Brody Bett will belt out a few tunes. Attendees can also visit the photo booth and try their hand at axe-throwing. As a special treat, several members of the Carolina Panthers’ first Super Bowl team will be on hand to greet everyone. And of course, there will be both silent and live auctions featuring some real collector’s items.

“We will be auctioning off some autographed items from current and past NFL players. Folks can also bid on tickets for Winston-Salem DASH and Greensboro Grasshopper home games. And there’s a chance to win facial services from Dermatology Specialists,” said Natasha Hilburn, executive director for the P.O.W.E.R. of Play Foundation.

Individual tickets are $100 and a full table can be purchased for $1,500.

“Proceeds will go directly to providing scholarships for less fortunate children to attend our after school and summer camps. The funds will also be used for Ricky’s ‘Santa’s Helpers’ campaign in which the Foundation will provide Christmas gifts for over 300 foster children during the holidays,” said Hilburn.

Tickets are tax-deductible and can be purchased online at ProehlificPark.com. You can register for the event by clicking on the “P.O.W.E.R. of Play” tab. You can also mail or deliver a check to: Proehlific Park, 4517 Jessup Grove Road, Greensboro, NC 27410. For more information call (336) 665-5233.

This fall will mark the 20^th anniversary of Triad Today, a weekly public affairs program which airs on ABC 45 and My48. There are a lot of folks to thank for the longevity of Triad Today but were it not for the efforts of one man, those TV stations wouldn’t have even been able to broadcast my program. That man was Newton Minow, an attorney and one-time FCC chairman who was an advocate for quality television. Minow passed away on May 6 at the age of 97.

Newton Minow is best known for referring to television as a “vast wasteland”, but that one phrase unfairly made him seem more like a critic than an advocate. Moreover, it diminishes his many accomplishments while at the helm of the Federal Communications Commission, a post he was appointed to by President John Kennedy in 1961. And though he only held the job for two years, very few commissioners ever did more to advance the mission of broadcasting than Minow.

It was Minow who shepherded the “All-Channel Receiver Act” which required manufacturers of TV sets to include UHF channels (those above channel 13) on their receivers. He made sure there was federal funding for educational programming, was an advocate for young viewers, and he pushed for the development of communications satellites. Minow also lobbied for political candidates to be given free airtime.     

Minow reigned at a time when mostly individuals and families owned local TV stations, and in an era when the FCC advocated for viewers rather than large corporations. That’s why his words carried a lot of weight with station owners in speeches like the one he gave to the National Association of Broadcasters on May 9, 1961.

Associated Press correspondent Tammy Webber recently recounted that speech in which Minow challenged those in attendance to sit down and watch their station for a full day, “without a book, magazine, newspaper, profit-and-loss-sheet, or rating book to distract you. I can assure you that you will observe a vast wasteland. You will see a procession of game shows, formula comedies about totally unbelievable families, blood and thunder, mayhem, violence, sadism, murder, Western bad men, private eyes, gangsters, more violence, and cartoons. And, endlessly, commercials, many of them screaming, cajoling, and offending.”

Minow concluded his remarks with a message of hope, and a reminder of something that many of today’s corporate broadcasters have forgotten.

“My faith is in the belief that this country needs and can support many voices of television — and the more voices we hear, the better, the richer, the freer we shall be…A broadcasting license is an enormous gift from the government that brings with it a responsibility to the public…After all, the airways belong to the people.”

Thirty years after delivering those impassioned words, Newton Minow continued to be concerned about the quality of television programming, saying, “In 1961 I worried that my children would not benefit much from television. But in 1991 I worry that my grandchildren will actually be harmed by it.”

That warning was issued a decade before network and cable channels started to be overrun by the likes of Honey Boo Boo, the Kardashians, Big Brother, Real Housewives, Duck Dynasty, and “drag” races. And if that’s not bad enough, poor Newton Minow lived just long enough to witness the rise of Tik Tok. Talk about harming your grandchildren.

For the record, I never agreed with Minow’s belief that television in 1961 was a vast wasteland. True enough, the airwaves back then were replete with Western dramas in which bad guys got shot every week, but there was never any blood or gore, and there was always a lesson to be learned about good versus evil. And true enough there were lots of sitcoms on the air, but the good-natured comedy of those shows was generally born out of affection for the parties involved. Truth be told, Mr. Minow might have been somewhat of an alarmist then, but his prophetic warnings about the future were, I’m sorry to say, spot on.

Philo Farnsworth is widely considered to be the principal inventor of television. He was not only a genius, he was also a visionary, and he shared that vision with his wife Pam one afternoon in 1926, while the couple was driving up the California coast from Los Angeles to San Francisco. In his book, “The Last Lone Inventor”, Evan Schwartz recounted that conversation, in which Philo told Pam that “Television would become the world’s greatest teaching tool. Illiteracy would be wiped out, and viewers would be able to watch news as it happened.” Philo also told Pam that television would bring about world peace. 

Pride of authorship aside, Farnsworth believed that his invention had value and he was right. Fortunately, he didn’t live long enough to see how that visionary value would be abused. Farnsworth died in 1971, the same year that 27-year-old Jerry Springer resigned from Cincinnati’s city council after it was discovered that he had paid prostitutes for sex. It was a harbinger of sleaze to come. Twenty years later, Farnsworth started spinning in his grave when Springer launched a talk show that was anything but a great “teaching tool”. Unlike Philo’s invention, Springer himself once admitted that his show had “no real value”. And yet, The Jerry Springer Show lasted for 27 years, and by 1998 he had bounced Oprah Winfrey (whose show had value) from atop the ratings. Jerry Springer died of pancreatic cancer on April 27. He was 79 years old.

Springer was not the first television personality to broadcast valueless content. Joe Pyne did it from 1964 to 1969, followed by Sally Jesse Raphael, Geraldo Rivera, and Morton Downey Jr. in the 1980s. And when he started his show in 1991, Jerry had competition from the likes of Maury Povich and Jenny Jones. But it was Springer who elevated trash talk TV to an art form, by presenting such themes as, “Stop Pimping My Twin Sister”, “I Married a Horse”, “I’m Happy I Cut off My Legs”, and “I Cut off My Own Genitals”.

Early on Springer defended giving a forum to every kind of dysfunctional weirdo imaginable, and he refused to accept responsibility for the brawls that ensued or the cumulative effect his shows would have on viewers. Commenting for his best-selling video, Too Hot for TV, Springer said, “Television does not create values. It’s merely a picture of all that’s out there — the good, the bad, and the ugly.” Strictly speaking, Jerry’s assessment was correct, but by giving a voice to those who comprise that “picture”, he propagated and popularized their dysfunction, thus lowering the bar for what is acceptable in a broadcast setting. And that brings me back to value.

In 1957 the Supreme Court determined in Roth v United States that for something to be considered obscene, the material must be utterly without redeeming social value. Clearly, there is absolutely no redeeming social value to interviewing someone who married a horse or pimped someone’s twin sister. So, how then could a bona fide obscenity like The Jerry Springer Show have remained on air for so long?

One reason is money. Springer and the TV stations that aired his show made lots of money. The other reason is viewership. Not only did Jerry’s show appeal to less-educated people, it was also a guilty pleasure for highbrow folks as well. As professors Charles McCoy of SUNY-Plattsburgh and Roscoe Scarborough of University of Virginia noted in a 2015 article for TheConversation.com, “Many cultured viewers feel quite badly about watching trashy television, but they can’t seem to stop themselves. It’s like being unable to look away from a car crash.”

Nevertheless, I believe that Springer’s chair-throwing, cursing, brawling TV show had a long-term negative impact on the nature of public discourse in our country. Today it has become commonplace for folks to air their dirty linen on TV, or to berate a store clerk, or to yell, “Liar!” at the President of the United States. True, Jerry Springer isn’t responsible for our values, but he made it fashionable for us to act like assholes whenever we felt the need to do so.  

Springer often referred to his show as “stupid”, “camp”, and “an hour of escapism”. But in later years he also came to grips with his legacy, seeming to be apologetic, if only in a joking manner. Appearing on David Yontef’s podcast, “Behind the Velvet Rope”, Jerry said, “I just apologize. I’m so sorry. What have I done? I’ve ruined the culture. I just hope Hell isn’t that hot because I burn real easy. I’m very light-complected and that worries me.”

What Philo Farnsworth invented had real value. What Jerry Springer did with that invention had, in his own words, “no real value”. May both men rest in peace no matter where they are now.

As both a print journalist and a broadcaster, I am compelled to comment on the recently resolved defamation suit involving Dominion Voting Systems and FOX. To recap, Dominion filed suit against FOX for broadcasting numerous lies about the integrity and accuracy of DVS tabulations during the 2020 Presidential election. Though Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump by more than 7 million votes, FOX hosts like Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, and Ann Coulter told their viewers that the election had been stolen in part due to rigged vote counts by Dominion.

That FOX News and its on-air personalities defamed Dominion was never in question, but during pre-trial discovery, attorneys for Dominion learned that the talking heads at FOX had admitted privately that the election had not been stolen. It was also revealed that the reason for their duplicity was purely monetary. Murdoch did not want to lose viewers and revenue, and both would have happened had his News folks told the truth on air. At any rate, the damning and mounting evidence put FOX attorneys in a precarious position. Dominion was seeking $1.6 billion dollars in damages, and likely would have been awarded that amount by a jury, so FOX cut a deal to pay DVS $787 million dollars and avoid a lengthy trial. It was believed to be the largest such settlement in a defamation action, and it seemed to send a warning to purveyors of fake news everywhere. Unfortunately, the victory was hollow for several reasons. First, because FOX News is not likely to alter its behavior. As Angelo Carusone, chairman of Media Matters for America, told CNN, “My warning to everybody is FOX News is about to burn brighter and hotter as a result of this.”

Second, is the problem with transparency, or lack of it. We’ve all seen TV courtroom dramas in which a guilty party is offered a plea deal, but only if he agrees to publicly allocute to his crimes. Yet when the Dominion deal was negotiated, there was no requirement that FOX News personalities go on air and admit to having lied about DVS and the so-called rigged election. That means there’s no real closure in the FOX defamation case. In other words, gullible FOX viewers will never be told by their idols that the 2020 election was not stolen, thus the votes they cast in the future will continue to be based on lies. 

hird, and most importantly, I’m concerned about the damage that FOX has already done, not so much to Dominion, but to our democracy. Donald Trump was a frequent call-in guest on FOX News programs, including leading up to the January 6 insurrection. Together, the former President and his lap dog anchorpersons spewed and reinforced “the Big Lie” to such an extent that they inspired and encouraged viewers to rise up and revolt in protest over the stolen election. Trump himself may eventually be indicted over his role in inciting thousands of violent insurrectionists to storm the Capitol in hopes of preventing the 2020 votes from being certified. But what of FOX News? Now that they have admitted privately to defaming Dominion, why shouldn’t they be charged with aiding and abetting Trump’s failed attempt to overturn the election by obstructing the work of Congress? And what of the hundreds of injured police officers and of those who died as a result of the insurrection? Shouldn’t FOX News be charged as an accessory to those assaults?

Paying out $787 million dollars is chicken feed to Rupert Murdoch plus his insurance will cover part of it anyway. Nevertheless, it’s hardly a fitting punishment for the multiple and far-reaching offenses that FOX News has committed against the electorate. Perhaps then prosecutors will go out on a limb and charge Hannity, Carlson, and Coulter with personally perpetrating hate crimes. Or maybe the FCC will revoke the network’s license to broadcast. But don’t hold your breath that any substantive penalties will be meted out. Unfortunately, as it stands now, these despicable, lying personalities are going to get away with heinous behavior, which almost resulted in the overthrow of our government. They tried to steal something precious to us and we stopped them just in the nick of time. The question is, will we be able to stop them again if there’s a next time?