I was amazed by the driver’s acumen.

And if I didn’t know it already, I added “truck driver” to the list of jobs I’ll never be able to do.

I can honestly say the driver’s test was the only test I ever failed in high school. I hit the barricade when I was parallel parking and passed the test the second time by the skin of my teeth with a C.

After my near run-in with the tractor trailer, I began thinking about all the other jobs I could never do.

I might as well add any job in the transportation industry – bus driver, pilot, taxi driver, valet parker, pirate ship captain – because I still can’t parallel park, and I’m also terrible with directions.

And add the entire medical field to that list because I get grossed out by blood.
The list could go on and on, but I won’t bore you.

It took me longer than most to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, even though all the signs were there: creative writing was my favorite subject in elementary school, I wrote poems (angsty teenage ones) in high school and I minored in English in college. (My major was economics because I didn’t think I could make a good living as a writer.)

Well, it’s been  12 years  since college, and I’m pleased to say I’m making a living as a writer and editor. It was tough going at first (living with my parents for longer than I care to admit), but I now have a home, a wife and a step-dog.

If I could offer any piece of career advice to a young person, I would say: If you do what you love, the money will follow. I stole that from someone, but I can’t quite recall from whom. So here’s another lesson for young readers: Don’t plagiarize.

I say all this to let you know I’ll be moving on from The Voice-Tribune this week for a new opportunity in the newspaper field. I’ve been on staff at The Voice for more than six years, learning just about every facet of how a newspaper runs – including how to spell “hors d’oeuvres” (it’s a tricky one).

It’s been a great ride.

Farewell.

And each summer I know I’ll receive at least one postcard from an exotic place like Philadelphia.

Have you ever seen a postcard lying around, picked it up and red the message even if it wasn’t addressed to you?

I have.

It’s really kind of an invasion of privacy, but it’s almost impossible to resist. And besides, the addressee is typically written right next to the message, so it just takes a quick shift of the eyes to read it – not that any postcard has ever had state secrets on it.

They all pretty much say the same basic things: I’m having a great time in (insert location); I did this and that; I miss you; Love, so and so.

So why do people still steal a peek?

I think it’s because deep down inside we all still like to get mail, even in the computer age. And when we see a postcard with a photo of Mount Rushmore, we’re just hoping it’s for us. And if it’s not for us, we’re going to read the message anyway just to get a little satisfaction.

Postcard writing is a dying art in the days of cellphones and email. Let’s face it: They’re pretty complicated. First you have to buy one, then you have to write an inscription (with a pen!) and finally you have to find a stamp and a mailbox. I could send 28 emails for the amount of time and effort it takes to send one postcard.

But if my mother has anything to say about it, they will continue to be sent. For every postcard she sends me, she sends her grandkids at least three. That means a new generation is being exposed to them.

And while they are antiquated and slow, postcards send a subtle message that emails often don’t: I care about you, and I took the time and effort to show that I care.

CHRIS HUMPHREYS | contributing photographer Louisville Sports Commission staff, from left, Karl Schmitt, Troy Killian, Brooke Jung, Greg Fante, Lisa Mills and Julie Howell.

After the excitement of the Derby Festival miniMarathon and Marathon in April, some local runners tone down their training routines.

But the Louisville Sports Commission is hoping to change that with two new races, the Louisville Sports Commission Half Marathon and the Louisville Pure Tap 5K, which are set for Saturday, Nov. 12.

“Louisville is a great running community, and there is a vibrant series of races in the spring, and once you get to the summer and the fall … there are no half marathons,” said Karl Schmitt, executive director of the Louisville Sports Commission. “We think there’s room on the calendar for a quality half marathon in Louisville in the fall.”

The Sports Commission partnered with the Derby Festival to produce the event because of the festival’s expertise at putting on races, Schmitt said.

Derby Festival President and CEO Mike Berry said his organization is excited to be a part of the event.

“The Kentucky Derby Festival has been actively involved with producing road races in Louisville for nearly 40 years, and we think that organizational experience will be invaluable,” Berry said. “The LSC Half Marathon is a great way to get in shape for the holidays, and we’re looking forward to working with race organizers on what promises to be one of the premier local sporting events in the fall season.”

Medals for race winners will be dipped in Maker’s Mark red wax.

The 5K offers less-experienced competitors a shorter distance than the 13.1 mile half marathon, which will be open to both walkers and runners. Both races start at Preston and Witherspoon streets and end at the Belvedere, but each will have unique courses.

“We chose the (half marathon) route specifically to take people through the scenic loop in Cherokee Park,” Schmitt said. It also will take runners through downtown and to portions of West Louisville.

The 5K course goes down River Road and the River Walk.

Schmitt expects 2,500 to compete in the half marathon and 300 to 500 to compete in the 5K.

“It’s going to be a real runner’s experience,” Schmitt added. “We’re going to have mile markers and a clock every mile. There will be 13 mile markers out there and 13 timing devices.”

About 55 percent of the more than 2,200 runners currently registered for the half marathon are men. Among those is 36-year-old Graham Honaker, who has been blogging about his training routine on the LSC Half Marathon website (www.lscmarathon.com).

“This is really a great thing for Louisville,” Honaker said. “This puts something else on the menu for runners to look forward to. You’re a more effective runner if you are training for something.”

The race is designed to showcase Louisville. Medals for winners will be dipped in Maker’s Mark red wax, and the Louisville Water Co. will be providing water. Companies providing food and refreshments at the post-race celebration at the Belvedere include Bearno’s Pizza, Bluegrass Brewing Co., Consumers Choice Coffee, Maker’s Mark, Nancy’s Bagels and Kroger.

You’ll also find The Voice-Tribune’s guest columnist Talia, who is 12, at the finish line. Through her Talia’s Love 4 Life Project, she will be signing up people to be organ donors.

“It’s a fabulous project that she’s working on,” Schmitt said. “We think it’s a good crossover in that people who are inclined to participate in a 5K or a half marathon are people who are a little more cognizant and understanding of their bodies and may be a little more apt to be organ donors.”

On a mission

The half marathon and 5K was created to raise money for the Sports Commission and further its mission.

“Our mission is to attract, host and create sporting events and activities that do three things: promote economic vitality in the community, and that’s primarily through heads in hotel beds; improve the quality of life – and that can be more things to do, more things to participate in, promote healthy lifestyles; and the third component is to brand Louisville as a great sports town,” Schmitt said.

The Sports Commission is an 11-year-old, not-for-profit organization with a staff of six. It is governed by a 60-person volunteer board.

“Our volunteer workforce, starting with our board, is very strong and that’s what makes us work,” Schmitt said.

Most big cities have sports commissions, he added. “We’re a relatively young sports commission. We try to take the community’s assets and bring events to town. (We) marshal a lot of resources so that when people come to this community they know their event is going to be successful.”

Louisville’s assets, according to Schmitt, include a central location, good facilities, affordability, navigability, great neighborhoods and a long history of hosting major sporting events.

The Sports Commission works closely with the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau, Bellarmine University, the University of Louisville and the Kentucky State Fair Board to help bring events to town. It also offers support services such as executing event permits, security, medical and health, promotion and sponsorship.

Additionally, “The NCAA has a very high regard for Louisville,” Schmitt said. That is evident by the fact that Louisville has hosted or will host 19 major Division I and II NCAA events, including everything from cross country and soccer to volleyball and field hockey, from December 2010 to December 2012.

The Sports Commission also was involved with the 2007 Senior Games and has a continued role with Ironman Louisville, which will be held in the River City through 2016. Another upcoming event with which the Sports Commission is involved is the World Elite Cyclo-cross Championships, which will be held in February of 2013 at Eva Bandman Park. Cyclo-cross is a form of bicycle racing over a short course featuring pavement, wooded trails, grass, hills and obstacles.

And although it is sometimes difficult to measure, Schmitt said there is a connection between sports and sporting events and promoting healthy lifestyles.

“It’s such an enormous problem facing this country and this community that we all have a responsibility to do what we can to encourage healthy lifestyles,” he said. “For us, it’s through sporting events. If we can encourage people to participate in an event or maybe a parent to bring a child or their children to come watch an event and become motivated to participate in sports, or if we can help create more sports that children or adults can participate in – that’s our way of helping. We’re just one small piece of the puzzle.”

Saturday, Nov. 12
5K start: 7:30 a.m.
Half marathon start: 8 a.m.
Registration: Half marathon, $75 (ends Nov. 4); 5K, $20 (race day registration available)
Info: www.lscmarathon.com

Talia.

Love 4 Life Project

Join Voice-Tribune columnist Talia at the finish line of the Louisville Sports Commission Half Marathon on Nov. 12 as she signs up people as organ donors.

Keep an eye out for her at the finish line and sign up to save a life.

Read Talia’s column here.

Race day road closures

The following streets will be closed on Saturday, Nov. 12.

Main Street
7- 8:30 a.m.

Chestnut Street
8-9:00 a.m.

Lexington Avenue
8-9:15 a.m.

Cherokee Park
8-10 a.m.

Cherokee Parkway
8:15-10:15 a.m.

Grinstead Drive (Cherokee Parkway to Cherokee Road)
8:15-10:30 a.m.

Cherokee Road (Grinstead Drive to Baxter Avenue)
8:15-10:30 a.m.

Baxter Ave. (Broadway to Liberty Street)
8:30-10:30 a.m.

Liberty Street (Baxter Avenue to Ninth Street)
8:30-11:00 a.m.

Muhammad Ali (Ninth Street to 21st Street)
8:40-11:30 a.m.

Main Street (21st Street to 12th Street)
8:45 a.m.-noon

Main Street (12th Street to Fifth Street)
6 a.m.-noon

She was among the first wave of people to get an iPhone 4S upon its release last Friday.

The iPhone has all the bells and whistles, but one of the most highly-touted additions is the Siri app.

Siri is basically a personal assistant on your phone. You may ask it (or she, since the app has a female voice) any number of requests to which she gives a response – although in my experience, not a very prompt one.

You may ask her to call or text someone, schedule an appointment or set an alarm. She even answers general questions like, What’s the temperature in Miami?

I must say, I was skeptical at first, having tried out other talk to text applications with poor and sometimes humorous results.

My wife once had a talk to text app turn “baby sit” into “baby sh…” well, you get the point.

But Siri actually has pretty good ears. She understands most questions and does a good job of transcribing talk to text.

Apple’s website says this: “Talk to Siri as you would to a person. Siri does what you say, finds the information you need, then answers you. It’s like you’re having a conversation with your iPhone.” Click here to see more.

And Siri is kind of sassy. I asked her some questions, and here are her responses.

What do you look like?
In the cloud, no one cares what you look like.

How old are you?
I don’t see why that should matter.

Mac or PC?
A fine question. Now can we get back to work.

Do you like Bill Gates?
I’d rather not say.

What do you think about Steve Jobs?
This is about you, not me.

I think Siri got annoyed with me asking her stupid questions – as did my wife. It was kind of like playing with a magic eight ball.

But websites are popping up full of things she says. I have a feeling it won’t be long before she has a place in everyday vernacular, much like Google.

Although my nephew (who wore a red cape nearly every day for a year) used to suspect I was hiding a red and blue leotard under my clothes. It all added up to him: I was tall, had dark curly hair and worked for a newspaper, just like Clark Kent.

But let it be known, the similarities stop there. And that all became very evident while cleaning out the gutters the other day.

Since I do in fact lack the ability to fly, I used a rickety four-foot aluminum ladder to climb onto the roof of my house. Standing on the top step (yes, I know there’s a warning against that) I pulled myself up to get to a section of gutters overhanging the garage.

After a few minutes of pulling muck out of the gutters, it was time to get down, and that’s when it hit me: The ladder was too far down for my foot to reach.

I was stranded eight feet from the ground.

I had two choices: I could take a blind leap of faith and hope my foot hit the top step or I could signal my wife who was inside the house.

I decided on the latter.

Our dog was lying outside in the sun, so I tried to get her to signal my wife.

“Go get mommy,” I called to her. “Go on.”

She perked up, turned her head sideways quizzically and slumped back down.

And that’s when I was hit by another realization: My dog is not Lassie. But honestly, I knew that one already.

I found some pebbles on the roof and tossed them at a first-floor window hoping my wife would hear them. She didn’t.

I needed something more substantial, so I took off my shoe and threw it at the window. The loud thud echoed through the house, and my rescuer popped her head outside.

She grabbed my feet – a shoe on one and a white sock on the other – and guided them toward the ladder as I eased myself down.

It was humbling.

I – a college graduate, a published writer, a newspaper editor – had gotten stuck on a roof. You won’t find me wearing a red cape anytime soon.

Christie Leigh Mueller.

Christie Leigh Mueller grew up loving college football, but after discovering that many of her fellow female students at Rhodes College in Memphis didn’t share that love, she decided to do something about it.

And that’s how she came to write “Gridiron Belles: A Guide to Saturdays in Dixie,” a book that shares basic rules of the game, etiquette, tailgating, traditions and lots of fun quotes.

Over the course of three years, Mueller attended games at every Southeastern Conference stadium to do research for her book, and she’s currently on a book tour, visiting a new SEC stadium each week.

A Louisville native who graduated from Sacred Heart Academy, Mueller is a business etiquette consultant and an Auburn fan, but we won’t hold that against her.

Her book is available online at at www.gridironbelles.com.

Tell me about the book.
When I went to Rhodes College, it was a very Southern school. I thought every Southern belle understood football like I did, and it turns out they don’t. One of my sorority sisters really liked this guy and she said, “But he loves football and you know so much about football … what should I talk about?” So I ended up hand-making her a book … and realized she probably wasn’t the only girl who didn’t understand football.

Of the stadiums you visited, which was most impressive?
I think it was Alabama. It’s a huge stadium, and they have multiple JumboTrons … and it’s fan-friendly. Their tailgating is just unparalleled; it’s unbelievable. They’ve mastered football: tailgating, fans, winning – they’ve really figured football out. But that’s not to say the rest of the stadiums are lacking anything.

What is a gridiron belle?
A gridiron belle is a belle who really understands everything that football entails; somebody who appreciates the game and is willing to have fun 12 Saturdays a year and just embraces football season. They embrace the fandom and that fanaticism, but they do it in a very feminine, ladylike way.

When did you develop an appreciation for football?
My grandfather (Ken Porco) played football for U of L. So my grandmother figured out how to be a fan very early on. I have a July birthday, so they would give me birthday money in July, and I would always save it to buy an outfit for the St. X-Trinity game … that’s kind of when I realized there was a girl’s aspect to football, and as an athlete myself, I really appreciate the game and the competition.

What do you want to accomplish with this book?
I really want to close the gap in the battle of the sexes. I really want women to appreciate and understand football and not be so judgmental toward the people who do love the game. I want men and women to be able to hang out on Saturdays and not just the guys go watch the game and the girls have to go shopping. I don’t want to be shopping on Saturday.

I want relationships not to take a break during the fall anymore because (football) is so fun. It’s something bigger than ourselves.

What has been the response to the book?
The belles love it because it looks pretty, and the gents are loving it because they want their girlfriends or wives to understand the game.

As far as game day goes, what advice would you give for looking your best?
Give yourself plenty of time to get ready. Look at the weather. If it’s going to be 100 degrees you’re not putting on a full face of makeup and you’re not wearing long sleeves. But if it’s cold, you need to make sure that your gloves, or your hat or your scarf is your team colors. You always need to dress in your team colors. Comfortable shoes are a big thing.

Any especially notable team traditions?
Not to be biased, but Auburn has a great tradition of rolling Toomer’s Corner. After a win, everybody toilet papers these great oak trees right in the center of campus. It looks like a blizzard.

What’s next?
I definitely want to write a gridiron belles cookbook just because the food is such a big part of tailgating in the South. (She’s accepting recipe submissions.)

photo by CHRIS HUMPHREYS | Voice-Tribune

Ready to be counted.

Well, I was having trouble sleeping last night, so I turned to that age-old remedy: counting sheep.

I picture them jumping over the baseboard of my bed with a “baaa” as they go.

One … two … three …

And for some reason, I see little cartoon sheep – white balls of fur with black faces – not the real ones I’ve only ever seen at the State Fair. I guess those guys don’t seem agile enough to be jumping over a baseboard.

Four … five … six …

And as I was lying there counting, the whole activity struck me as odd. So like any child of the 21st century, I decided to Google it.
It turns out that counting sheep dates back hundreds or maybe thousands of years.  Miguel de Cervantes referenced counting goats (hey, they’re close to sheep) in his 1605 book “Don Quixote.”

I believe I was introduced to it by the less brilliant but still insightful mentors of my childhood: Bert and Ernie on “Sesame Street.”

Seven … eight … nine …

The real goal of counting sheep is to occupy your mind to stop thinking about all the things that are keeping you awake. It really takes focus for me to continue counting because all those other thoughts – No iPhone 5, seriously, Apple? Did I lock the back door? What should I write for my blog? – keep sneaking in.

10 … 11 … 12 …

Well, back to my Internet research (I used Wikipedia; don’t arrest me journalism police). A recent study by researchers at Oxford University found that imagining a beach or a waterfall expends more mental energy and is a more effective sleep remedy than counting sheep.

How about counting sheep on the beach? I can see my cartoon sheep now with big smiles and sunglasses.

13 … 14 … 15 …

In my vast research, I didn’t find an origin for counting sheep, so I’m going to propose that a shepherd probably came up with it. But part of a shepherd’s job is to count sheep and make sure he hasn’t lost any, so maybe being a shepherd is just a really boring, sleep-inducing job.

Since you can’t really check “shepherd” on your tax forms for occupation anymore, it seems like the modern-day equivalent to that job would be some type of night watchman.

So a more modern spin on counting sheep might be counting cars on a car lot or even robbers (cartoon ones with striped jail outfits and black masks) jumping over a chain-link fence.

Seven … eight … wait … 16 … 17 …

But then again, there’s always Ambien.

1967 advertisement for sugar.

Since I work in the newspaper industry, I always find it interesting to look back at historic publications to see how times have changed.

So when I ran across some old copies of LIFE magazine at Joe Ley Antiques, I just had to get some. At $3 apiece, they were a steal (even though the original cover price was 35 cents).

As a side note, if you’ve never been to Joe Ley (615 E. Market St.), it is well worth a visit. It is full of rare and interesting finds – it’s more museum than antiques store.

LIFE magazine was a weekly staple in many homes throughout the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s. The particular issue that struck my fancy was dated Jan. 27, 1967.

It features an in-depth story on the Vietnam War by veteran war correspondent Robert Sherrod (even in 1967 things were looking grim) and a lighter cover story on swimsuit trends.

But honestly, what interests me most about old publications is the ads, and I just had to share this full-page ad with you. The tagline is: “‘Shorty’ needs a sugarless, energy-less soft drink like a fox needs a dog whistle.” My, how things have changed!

I can imagine Don Draper from “Mad Men” knocking back a glass of scotch and coming up with that advertising gem for Sugar Information Inc.

We hear about childhood obesity 24/7 in today’s culture, and yet in 1967, LIFE readers were being told to feed more sugar to their kids.

In the small text the ad says: “What makes Shorty rebound like a champ every time? Energy – what sugar’s loaded with. It makes a man feel nine feet tall.”

It continues: “Synthetic sweeteners put back nothing. So play safe with your family – make sure they get sugar every day. Kids need what sugar’s got … 18 calories per teaspoon – and it’s all energy.”

LIFE magazine Jan. 27, 1967

I  paged through the magazine hoping to find an ad on the benefits of smoking but was out of luck on that one.

The validity of the sugar ad is laughable, but it made me wonder if that discounts the validity of the stories in the magazine. Will the things we think of as beneficial be considered unhealthy in 2051?

I love the printed word, and as I write this blog post, it kind of pains me that these words will never be set in ink – another sign of how the times they are a-changin’ (couldn’t resist the 1960s reference).

You won’t run across this story in a pile of old newspapers at an antique store 40 years from now, but on the other hand, it won’t ever be next to locked next to an ad for the benefits of sugar for all eternity. And you know what? I might just be OK with that.

For Berry Baxter, reaching mile 6.2 of a 26.2 mile run was a milestone as he competed in the Ford Ironman Louisville triathlon last year.

After a 2.4-mile swim in the Ohio River and 112-mile bike ride, Baxter knew he just had 20 miles to go.

“It becomes a test of wills,” said the 48-year-old attorney. “It’s just really about proving that I can do it.”

Baxter will be among more than 2,500 competitors from 29 countries and 48 states racing in the fifth annual Ford Ironman Louisville, which will be held Sunday, Aug. 28, starting at Waterfront Park and finishing at Fourth Street Live!

Ironman Louisville has become one of the largest in the world in terms of entries, according to Ironman spokesperson Shelby Tuttle.

“(Louisville) is a great venue,” Tuttle said. “It’s just really scenic. The fans have been a huge impact on us keeping it (in Louisville).”

The Louisville Sports Commission and World Triathlon Corp. agreed in April to continue holding the event in Louisville through 2016.

Ironman triathletes aren’t your typical athletes. The average age is 37 and a majority are white-collar professionals. Seventy percent are male.

“People tend to get their start in Ironman races a little later,” Tuttle said.

The race begins around 7 a.m. with a 2.4-mile swim in the Ohio River. The 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run that follow go through not only downtown Louisville but also Butchertown, Prospect, Clifton, LaGrange and Clarksville, Ind.

Last year’s overall winner, Paul Ambrose, finished the race in a time of 8 hours and 29 minutes. Top woman, Rebekah Keat, finished in 9:33:15. Competitors have until midnight to finish the race.

Baxter finished last year in 12 hours and 12 minutes. He is hoping to break 12 hours this year.

Allison Siu, a former University of Louisville rowing team member, will be among the first-timers in this year’s race.

The 22-year-old student has raced in two Olympic distance triathlons (.93 mile swim, 24.8 bike ride, 6.2 mile run) to prepare for the race.

“It’s always been something on my bucket list, and I feel like I’m kind of in the peak shape of my life having just finished rowing,” Siu said. “I’ve had a lot of fun with it and like the challenge.”

She is hoping to finish the race in 15 hours.

The number of people who don’t finish the race is typically 10 to 15 percent, depending on the weather, Tuttle said.

Baxter clearly remembers crossing the finish line last year.

“It’s pretty amazing. It’s a little bit emotional,” he said.

But it also left him with a question: What next?

Where to watch

Key viewing areas will be at Waterfront Park from 7 a.m. until about 8:30 a.m. where racers will start the swim and make the transition to the bike race.
Racers start crossing the finish line at Fourth Street Live! around 3 p.m. and continue until midnight.

For more information, visit www.ironmanlouisville.com.

Contact writer Jacob Glassner at jacob@voice-tribune.com. Staff writer Ashley Anderson contributed to this story.

By the numbers

2.4: miles of swimming
26.2: miles of running
29: number of countries represented
37: average age of racers
48: number of states represented
112: miles of biking
$25,000: prize purse for the event

“I could bring in elephants, I could bring in a chorus, I could bring in a car,” said Szesny of the custom-designed set. “My job is to build the playground and provide the toys.”

After a year-and-a-half in the making, “Great Day Live!,” a daily lifestyle and entertainment show, is set to debut on Monday, Aug. 22.

Veteran broadcasters Rachel Platt, WHAS11 news anchor, and Terry Meiners, 84 WHAS radio personality, will host the one-hour show, which will air weekdays at 9 a.m. on WHAS11.

“Rachel and Terry are talented and versatile people who are also excellent interviewers, so we’re excited to see their talents at work in this new show,” said WHAS11 President and CEO Mark Pimentel.

Voice-Tribune Managing Editor Angie Fenton has signed on to the cast as the show’s entertainment correspondent. She’ll be joined by Laura Rogers, who will serve as a reporter and assistant producer.

Platt and Meiners have worked together for more than a decade, with Meiners doing remote interviews on “Good Morning Kentuckiana.”

“I’ve known Terry for years and years and years, but this is the first time working side by side. I’m scared,” Platt said with a laugh. “But I tell you what, it’s going to be fun. He’s going to keep me on my toes.”

“Rachel and I are going to be a great tandem because we balance each other in a lot of ways,” Meiners said. “I’m delighted to be a part of the launch of fresh, local TV. I like to call it news, knowledge and nonsense.”

“It’s going to be a slice of our area – what different people are talking about and what they are doing,” Platt added.

Senior Producer Holly Rudolph will be working behind the scenes finding content for the show.

“It’s lifestyle, entertainment, fashion, fitness, food,” Rudolph said. “It’s going to be a little bit different everyday. We want to keep people’s interest by keeping them surprised and not always knowing what to expect.”

The show also will include guests such as new Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Donna Hargens and U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth.

The studio is designed to be flexible, said Szesny. It includes a demonstration area with a built-in kitchen, a motorized green screen and a wrap-around couch that Szesny calls “home base.” It’s where Platt and Meiners will kick things off discussing the news of the day.

“A lot of things happen in the morning … so the set and show concept is meant to be very topical right off the top,” Szesny said. “Every day this show is meant to entertain, be relevant to the market and have some fun.”

The show also may feature weather or news when there are breaking stories.

The Voice-Tribune’s Fenton will handle live remotes for the show.

“We are very happy for Angie and thrilled that she has extended The Voice-Tribune brand and her reach into this wonderful new form of content from which everyone in our great city is able to benefit,” said Jonathan Blue, chairman and managing director of Blue Equity LLC, of which The Voice-Tribune is a portfolio company. “We fully endorse this partnership with our good friends at WHAS and know that it will be a great success.”

Szesny expects the show to evolve in the next few months, but a constant will be its entertainment value.

“At the end of the day, I want people to say, ‘I learned something and I was entertained, and I feel like this is truly a reflective show of Kentuckiana’ – and that’s what local programming is all about,” Szesny said.

‘Great Day Live!’ Cast/Crew

Rachel Platt, host
Terry Meiners, host
Kirk Szesny, executive producer
Holly Rudolph, senior producer
Laura Rogers, reporter/assistant producer
Jim Ghrist, director
Angie Fenton, entertainment correspondent
Phil Dunaway, director of photography
Tony Wyleta, editor and photographer
Sam Gray, audio operator
Eric Severs, camera operator