Emjay ran into Gus & Tom's with her arms loaded with WRSE pens, can koozies, and bumper stickers for the remote starting after the 10am news.
It was her final trip from the station vehicle and she had to get things ready before people started crowding inside.
Vicki was doing sound checks on the cue channel with Patti who was back at the station covering the board before her own shift started in the afternoon. Vicki had been at WRSE for 2 years - practically a lifetime in small town radio - and was excited about her growing audience. It made her glad to work where she grew up.
Mentor? No, Vicki never thought of herself as a mentor, other thinking she needed one. But, she was adopted by the local Girl Scout Troop #317 and loved it. Those cute faces looking up at her and asking questions... was pretty cool for a 23 year old who graduated not quite two years ago.
"Just set those on the table near the stage, please Emjay." Vicki was learning that while helping the scouts was fun, it was more of a kick to guide someone more like her. Emjay, a rising junior at the state college knew her stuff. The book and classroom stuff, that is, it's another story when you work in a small community and become a large fish in a small pond.
In the front door burst co-owner Tom and the station's weather guru, Kevin Storm. He insisted that was his real name, and it certainly influenced his career path. Kevin returned to Roseville after a long career in Chicago radio and ten years consulting with the National Weather Service. There was no way a place like WRSE could afford their own meteorologist, but he liked to keep his hand in the game and considered it a way to give back to the town where he grew up.
Looking around his restaurant, Tom approached Vicki when she finished setting up to learn what she wanted him to do on air. "OK, Tom thanks for coming in early. After we go live, I'll set-up what we plan to do till noon and then tell everyone where we are and introduce you. When I do that, you have a minute or two to say 'Hi' and plug any specials or whatever you want to highlight."
"Your ten o'clock news is brought to you today by Marberg Implement and Gus & Tom's, here's Pete Moss."
"Thanks, Jeff. New this morning, sheriff deputies are investigating a series of break-ins in vacant cabins on Rose Lake. Deputies are still investigating, but say the crime scenes look similar to a series of break-ins that happened last month near the town of Boyd.
"Construction along County Road MJ continues through the weekend. Public Works officials expect both lanes over the river to re-open in time for the fishing opener. Officials say the sinkhole that destroyed the bridge has been repaired and crews are working around the clock to finish their work.
"Today's forecast calls for a high of 47 and partly cloudy skies. In sports, WRSE has learned that former Green Bay Packer LeRoy Butler will be in town today for the Roseville High Athletic Banquet. If you don't have tickets, you may be able to see and hear #36 at Gus & Tom's after 11am.
"That's your weekend news, I'm Pete Moss... now here's Vicki, broadcasting live from Gus & Tom's."
Emjay Marberg was ten feet away when Vicki started talking and smoothly brought Tom into the broadcast.
Tom, Emjay couldn't think of a time when she didn't know Tom. He started his first food business with a make-shift cart selling lunches to the crew at her family's implement dealer.
She wasn't interested in the family business. Not yet, anyway, but it was nice to staying close to home while learning on the job.
Vicki wrapped up the interview, teased the next feature and introduced the first song of the morning, she was off and running. As she took off her headset, 12 Girls Scouts and two adult leaders walked in the front door. Behind them, two red wagons loaded with cookies.
Ken Records walked in a few minutes later. Ken hosted the weekday morning talk show - a mix of local news, local gossip (although no one ever called it that and Ken tried to keep it on the up and up), and obits Monday through Saturday.
He came in as a favor to Tom. Tom said in a late night call about a plan that might make a difference in the lives of many around Roseville.
Kevin Storm was here too, to discuss Severe Storm Awareness Week.
The song ended and Patti hit the first of three commercial spots before giving Vicki a cue seconds before going back on air.
Vicki introduced Kevin, Ken, and threw it over to Tom. She noticed a gleam in his eye. "Thanks, Kevin, Vicki, and Ken... thanks for coming down to the restaurant. Gus and I are pleased to announce a community challenge this morning. But first, I asked Kevin to tell us about what severe storms have done around Roseville."
"Tom, the biggest storm that ever came through the area was in April 1963. It hit the community of Rosebud."
"Did you say Rosebud?" Tom asked.
"That's right, Tom. All these years later not many folks even know about Rosebud. There was heavy rain, hail, and trailing F-3 tornado that wiped it off the map. Seven people died and the survivors agreed to salvage what they could and rebuild. Their new town is what we call Roseville. There may be a few items left over from the storm, but the only one I know of is in the county museum. It's a small winter sled.
"Storms like the one that destroyed Rosebud can happen anytime conditions are right. Thankfully, modern technology does a better job predicting when they are going to happen. But forecasters like me need every person listening to do their job to survive a storm."
"Thanks, Kevin." Tom said as he turned, "that's where you come in Ken. Gus and I want to create storm preparedness kits for each person living at the Oak Leaf and the staff there. And beyond that, we want to put weather radios in the home of every older adult living in Roseville.
"Until noon today, Gus and I will do a double match. For every dollar given to the Roseville Community Foundation, we will match two dollars. Our goal is $5,000 - with the match we'll have a total of $15,000. Enough to help people prepare."
"Wow, Tom, thank you. That's great."
Ken was genuinely surprised and impressed. He knew Gus & Tom and they are smart business people and good promoters. It was nice to see them put their money where there hearts were.
"Alright, folks. We have one hour and 45 minutes to meet that goal. And, while I'm sure our owner Jack will have something to add, I'm going to start with some WRSE cash in the kitty, $250."
Two girl scouts rushed up to Vicki. "Miss Vicki, we want to help. We'll donate the profits on the three dozen boxes of cookies we brought in for storm preparedness."
"That's great girls. Do you want to tell me that again, but on the air?" Jacklyn grinned while Chloe backed away.
"Say, Ken, we have some momentum going already. Girl Scout troop #317 is donating the profits from all the boxes of Girl Scout cookies they brought in this morning. I know we can help them sell out those cookies before time is up.
"To kick off our efforts, let get into the rhythm of giving with Eddie Rabbitt's 'I love a Rainy Night.'"
Chapter 3 in a Radio Story goes live tomorrow at 9 CDT.
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