[VIDEO] Shoes, Makeup & Hair Questions

Viewers posed questions on the WDSU Facebook page and Camille, Margaret and I answered.

[PHOTO] Guy Sleeping at State of the Union

President Obama had to have noticed this guy asleep last night…and on the same row as Gabby Giffords no less. He did wake up about 20 seconds after this screen grab when his head started to dive.

[VIDEO] Inside the WDSU Newsroom

Half Marathon: Fundraising Update, PSA & More

Fundraising: So here we are 45 days away from the half marathon and a ton of generous donors have helped me SHATTER the original goal of $5,000. As I type this post, the total raised is just shy of $8,000!

Did I mention we have 45 days left?

I’ve already upped the goal twice…first to $10,000 and now $20,000. Do I think we can hit that? Absolutely. That and more.

The response from people I know and those I’ve never met has been overwhelming. So many people have been touched by Tripp and Courtney’s story and want to do something. To join the Team Tripp project and/or donate, CLICK HERE. “Joining the team” means helping raise money. Once someone joins, all the money raised goes into the same fundraising pot.

PSA: We’ve secured the domain name RunningForTripp.com. It’s easier to remember and redirects to the fundraising page. It’s the web address we use in the PSA that is now airing on WDSU.

Training: I’ve run 15.07 miles so far this week with a long run of 8 miles ahead of me this weekend. Year-to-date I’ve run 37.82 miles. Since October 29th, the day I started focusing on the half marathon, my total is 136.57 miles. My average time is 9:57 per mile.

Excellent work by my chiropractor (Dr. Dave Edwards at Source Chiropractic in Metairie) has gotten me back to running pain-free. He fixed up the strained tendon in my lower left leg that had bothered me for a couple of weeks. He’s like Mr. Miyagi.

The journey continues. I hope you’ll join me!

Tripp Roth: The Fight Continues

Tripp Roth of Ponchatoula fought a brave fight for two years and eight months. He lost his battle with EB (Epidermolysis Bullosa) on Saturday, but the fight for research and a cure continues.

I’m running the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in Tripp’s honor, to heighten EB awareness and to raise money for DebRA of America – the Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association. DebRA will also donate a portion of the money raised to Tripp’s mom, Courtney.

The race is 50 days away (March 4) and that’s a ton of time to raise more money! With the help of many generous donors, I’ve already raised $2,215 in 13 days. 13 days! When the total reaches $2,500, Massage Envy will match that amount to put us at the goal of $5,000. You know what happens then? I’ll raise the goal to $10,000 and we’ll keep going.

Here’s my plea to businesses: Step up and help out! This is a chance to make a difference by shining a bright light on a terrible disease that most people have never heard of. Do a match — $500, $1,000, $2,500, $5,000 — anything. I’ll put your logo on the back of the “Team Tripp” shirts that’ll be made for race day, one of which I’ll wear in the race. And you’ll  already have a nice tax-deductible donation on the books for 2012.

Please visit my fundraising page HERE and read about EB and Tripp’s story. What he has been through in less than three years will make your heart hurt.

[VIDEO] My Evan Baxter Moment

I got a little tongue-tied during Wednesday night’s 10 p.m. newscast and I quickly heard about it from viewers on Twitter. Instant feedback. Gotta love it.

Half Marathon: Training Update

We’re now 57 days from the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon.

I ran 5.5 miles Sunday for my “long” run of the week. I’m battling through some major soreness in my lower left leg right now, but it should be fine in a few days. Hopefully.

The fundraising total has reached $1,680 in just one week! Thanks to the many donors for their tremendous generosity. The goal is $5,000 and we’re 34 percent there!

My running stats:
-  5.50 miles today
- 15.5 miles this week
-  17.71 miles YTD
-  114.48 miles since October 29th
-  9.57 per mile average

CLICK HERE to see why I’m running and please donate if you can. It’s simple, fast and totally secure.

[VIDEO] New Orleans Trivia With the Saints

New Orleans Saints Chase Daniel, Courtney Roby, Junior Galette and Jed Collins tried to answer a few “easy” trivia questions about the city they play in…and it went downhill from there. This is must-see TV.

Lions/Saints a Big Winner for WDSU, NBC

Early numbers for the Saints-Lions prime time matchup on WDSU show it was a huge ratings-winner. New Orleans  led all markets with a 58.2 rating/76 share. Detroit was next with a 41.1/61.

Nationally, the game drew a 19.3 overnight rating and a 32 share, the third-best overnight for a Wild Card Saturday game since the 1999 playoff season.

Half Marathon: Training Update

We’re now 60 days from the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon and a very supportive Twitter/Facebook/website crowd has helped me raise $1,035 (22% of the goal) in a little more than three days. That’s pretty amazing. Please continue to spread the word and help me raise EB awareness. I’m running in honor of Tripp Roth. If you haven’t done so already, please take a moment to read his heart-wrenching story on his mom’s blog.

I’m working on securing a corporate donor to match the money raised up to the goal of $5,000, so if anyone knows anyone…

My Running Stats:
-  7.11 miles so far this week (three more today, then five on Saturday)
-  105.87 miles run since October 29th
-  9:56 per mile average
-  14,391 calories burned

CLICK HERE to donate.

[VIDEO] The Voice In My Ear Strikes

Norman and I were having a perfectly good Sugar Bowl conversation until “the cup” got in the way.

Half Marathon: Help Me Raise Money!

If you have a healthy child…or two or three, please read this. I have two and feel like this is the best way I can help. You can help, too.

I’ve decided to run my first half marathon for Tripp Roth, the little boy in Ponchatoula who suffers from a rare genetic skin disease called EB (Epidermolysis Bullosa) or the worst disease you’ve never heard of.

Tripp has lost eyesight and speech from scarring, breathes with the help of a tracheal tube and takes sedatives to get through the three hours it takes to bathe him every other day. His entire body is wrapped in protective bandages. Tripp hasn’t played outside in more than a year and his mom Courtney spends her days inside their Ponchatoula home, holding him in a rocking chair.

My goal is to raise $5,000 for Debra of America and increase EB awareness. 

Please read Tripp’s heart-wrenching story then visit my fundraising page. No child should have to deal a disease like EB.

Thanks in advance for your support…and help me spread the word!

Half Marathon Training

I recently decided to confirm my insanity and run the Rock & Roll Half Marathon in New Orleans on March 4th. I never thought I’d run a 10k, much less 13.1 miles. But here we go.

I’ve been loosely training for the half since October 31st when I ran the Children’s Hospital Jazz 5k with ‘Team 6.’ I started tracking mileage on October 29th and finished the year at 98.75 miles, with two long runs (8.5 & 9 miles) at the end of the year. I challenged myself to hit those marks because I needed to give myself the confidence that I could actually do this thing. Mission accomplished.

I’ll update my progress here and let you know in the next couple of weeks for whom I’ll be running.

Below is a bar graph of my runs in 2011. I LOVE my Nike+ Sportswatch GPS, by the way. It changed the way I run. I highly recommend it.

Anyone who has some training tips to offer, comment below.

Bring It, 2012

Here’s to a happy and prosperous new year…and less public corruption in New Orleans!

SWTV Year In Review

This has been quite a year! To mark the end of 2011, I’ve compiled month-by-month highlights from this website.

Click through for a look back at a six-alarm fire, Reggie Bush’s pre-game song selection, Super Bowl bling, Grand Isle coverage, the Mobile Leprechaun in the spotlight, behind-the-scenes video, The Special Man, sports anchor Scott, my interviews with Gov. Scott Walker and Al Scramuzza…and more.

Thanks for visiting my website, following along on Facebook and Twitter and watching WDSU News this year.

Here’s hoping that 2012 will be another great year.

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