Many Thanks to Many Fine People
Editor’s Notebook
by Ted Owen
Patriotism is still alive and well in America.
Did you watch the Super Bowl last weekend? There were almost more flags and military personnel than fans. On top of that, a great game was played right up until the last seconds, sealing a victory for none other than the team named the Patriots!
I was delighted to see that nothing was done at the game by terrorist groups. There was heavy security, but nonetheless, the game was free of attacks of any kind and even some of our troops in the war zone got to watch the game thanks to the NFL and CNN.
I have particularly liked the way people in this country have been treating each other since Sept. 11. I hope that respect and nationalism continues forever.
How grand it is to see flags everywhere on cars, trucks, homes and on dresses and lapel pins. For a guy like me who was born on Flag Day, June 14, it is great to see so many flags.
I have several things to share with you. First, I want to thank President George W. Bush for setting aside such a large portion of the national budget for homeland security. Our intelligence departments and armed forces were nearly decimated by the Clinton administration. The attack hastened the buildup and the emphasis in this budget will expedite our country’s safety.
I recently flew to Florida and was impressed with the security at the airports, even though I was randomly selected to be searched with secondary inspections at every stop going and coming home. It sort of makes you feel better knowing they are trying to be thorough.
I want to congratulate Mexican President Vicente Fox for sticking to his promise to fight diligently to eradicate the drug cartels in his country. Since his election, he has allowed drug lords to be extradited to the U.S. for trial and has supported the U.S. Treasury Department’s freezing of alleged money laundering businesses near our border to stop the flow of illegal funds from getting into the hands of drug kingpins.
We have a lot of wonderful and very talented people in San Diego. Many of them have great influence and impact on our region. One of those is Maj. Gen. Charles Bolden, the commanding general of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (airplanes, helicopters and personnel), at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station. He has been stationed in the Southern California area twice and now he is leaving us again.
President Bush has nominated him for the No. 2 position at NASA , deputy administrator. The 34-year Marine Corps veteran flew l00 combat missions in Vietnam in the A-6 Intruder, has been a test pilot, and spent 14 years at NASA, including four space missions. He flew the l990 space shuttle mission, which deployed the Hubble space telescope, was the commander of the first shuttle mission with a Russian cosmonaut aboard, and set an international altitude record of 400 miles above Earth. The assignment will also earn him his third star when he is promoted to lieutenant general after Senate confirmation.
Men like Charlie Bolden bring a special talent to San Diego. Along with his wife, Jackie, they played a key role in military affairs here. His Marines are deeply involved in the war on terrorism and are in harm’s way every day in Afghanistan.
Some of the first casualties of the campaign have been Marines stationed at Miramar. The region will be different without Jackie and Charlie Bolden, but we wish them God speed and good luck on their next assignment.
I want to comment also on Joan and Irwin Jacobs’ gift to the struggling San Diego Symphony. What a tremendous gift , $120 million over a 10-year period.
Talk about a helping hand, this is a save of the highest magnitude. Our struggle to keep the orchestra operating has been a major effort every year, but with their gift, we can be assured of quality symphony performances for the next decade.
Irwin, Joan and their children are a unique family. They know what it takes to make a difference in their community and have put up the funding each and every time the need arises. Their children are taking after them and are as giving as mom and dad. We are fortunate to have them living in our town.
Last, I want to comment on the recent departure of Lis & #233; Markham, the former vice president and general manager of KSWB 5/69. We reported her leaving her post in the Feb. 4 issue, but as usual there is always more to the story behind the headlines.
Lis & #233; has been the driving force behind the rise of the KSWB franchise. When she came here from central California, the station was located above the salt flats in Chula Vista and the ratings were nonexistent. The Tribune Cos. in Chicago brought in the best executive in the state and put the money up to build a state-of-the-art facility. Lis & #233; moved the station to its new location in Kearny Mesa and built a two-story, multimillion dollar broadcast house to start the station on its quest for a major news presence in the region.
Before her arrival the station had no newsroom or newscast. Today KSWB is a force at 10 p.m. with a rapid-fire news program of local, state and national news with an entertainment flair added. But beyond the news presence is the impact the station has had on the community.
The McCormack Fund, named after the founders of the Tribune Cos., has a commitment to help each community it serves by donating large sums of money to area programs that impact kids. Their KSWB Cares for Kids program has matched with cash contributions of more than $8 million. That’s correct , $8 million.
On the news front, in the last five-plus years Lis & #233; and her team have earned 16 local Emmys, eight Golden Mikes, two Best Newscasts, seven Associated Press awards, and the Vision Award for best regional and local production. These and others have set a high bar for the competition in the area of local news and programming.
Although our story said Lis & #233; resigned, it didn’t say that she was retiring due to health problems. She is in danger of losing her sight due to a rare eye infection for which she has been undergoing treatment to correct for months.
It is so rare that only a handful of doctors can even identify it, let alone treat it. If she had stayed at the helm she may have lost the battle for her sight. No job is that important.
We have broadcast our own television show on KSWB for the past three years and it has spread our coverage to as far north as Santa Barbara and south to Ensenada. The viewership is ten-fold for our positive thinking television message thanks to the power of the KSWB signal.
In addition to building San Diego’s first all digital television station from the ground up, Lis & #233; has found time to become a civic leader and role model for women. She has personally won the Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business award, our Best Companies To Work For award, and the YWCA TWIN award. She was a member of many civic organizations as well.
The best way to sum up this piece on her is to quote the inscription on a sculpture her employees gave her at her retirement dinner: “You set a course to build what others could not see. Inspired by your leadership, integrity and vision, we followed. Together, we created a most remarkable business. And in so doing, our lives were changed for the better. Your example and your belief made us unstoppable. You are the original heart and spirit of San Diego’s WB. Its continued excellence is your legacy. Respect, gratitude and love is our gift to you. Your family at KSWB 5/69.”
Lis & #233; may be on the sidelines for now, but I guarantee that when she is healthy again she will once more play an integral role in broadcasting in California. For me personally I hope it is sooner rather than later.
And now you know the rest of the story. Good luck Lis & #233;. Our thoughts and prayers go with you.
