WRSE is On the Air - Chapter 1

Originally published April 9, 2015.

"Good Morning, it's six o'clock and time for the WRSE - WMJM news.  Here to bring you up to the minute is Pete Moss."  

And with that, Jeff in the Morning gestures to Pete on the other side of the glass, opens his mike and grabs his first Mountain Dew of the day. 

How long has he been here now anyway, he wonders while walking to the break room to pluck another crawler from the box of doughnuts Karen dropped off earlier.  

"...Roseville police will continue to investigate.

"In more local news, the Roseville High School speech team is preparing for it's first trip to the state finals this weekend.  It's a first for the school's newest program - qualifying four students in six different speech competitions.  We'll have a full report on the team during our "On the Town Hour" at 3:05 today.

"Finally, in sports, Roseville native Jake Bauer says the trip to Indianapolis with the Wisconsin Badgers was exhausting, disappointing, and wonderful.  The assistant team manager, Bauer says that's just three emotions associated with the Badgers' exciting weekend at the Final Four.

"That's your news up to the minute.  More news at the bottom of the hour, breaking news at once on WRSE - WMJM.  I'm Pete Moss."

Jeff walks back into the studio while wiping the sugar from his mouth, take another swig of Mt. Dews, flip on his mike and speak to the news guy, "So, Pete..."

"Good Morning, Jeff.  How is it going?"

"Just great, Pete and top of the morning to you... I heard your piece in the news about the town council meeting.  Is there an opportunity for some jobs to be coming to Roseville?"

"It's too soon to say, Jeff.  The council is working on a potential incentive package for the company, but they is debate over how much, is too much to offer.  Some council members want to know what kind of guarantees the company will give in committing to Roseville.  We still don't know the name of the company, when we have more, we'll let everyone know here on WRSE - WMJM."

With that, the next song starts playing as Jeff lets the audience know the current temperature; today's forecast high; and whether or not they need an umbrella.  He finishes a second before the first lyric of "Rollin' in the Deep" plays across the Rose valley.

Turning away from the mike, Pete picks up the phone to make morning calls to the police and sheriff's department, and the local State Patrol to see if there are any traffic issues for the morning commute or accidents or incidents worthy of mention on the next newscast.  It's a pretty dull routine most days, but if you don't make the calls you'll miss the news the audience expects to hear.

After the calls, its back to the break room for a refill of hot tea and a piece of fruit.  The area's congressman is to stop in later this morning for an interview to air on Sunday's public affairs program.  There was so much going on these days, or not, he thought, he'd have to assemble a game plan before the congressman arrives.  Well, he has two hours to wait, much too soon to worry about it.

Over the break room speaker, Pete heard Jeff talking to a woman who was the 4th caller to win $8 in fresh pasties from Karen's Kandie Kitchen.

That meant he had six minutes before the next newscast.  That's enough time to check the computer's news headlines, look at the radar, adjust the order of the newscast, and add a new kicker story to end the next newscast.

"Hi, Vicki.  Ready for the remote?" Pete asked on his way back to the newsroom.

"Sure am.  The sales staff is going to hand out our new give - away items and while I don't know who it is yet, but someone from the Packers is going to make an appearance.  You might need to come down!"

"I will.  When you know for sure who is coming, and when, can you shoot me a text?  Thanks, Vick."  With that, Pete quietly closed the door, took a sip of his tea and sat down.  Rotating toward the computer screen and keyboard, he quickly moved the stories in the rundown and tightened a couple of the leads.

Just before 6:30:00, Pete made eye contact with Jeff as the last vocals from that insanely popular Frozen song that all the moms asked the station to play faded out.

"We shouldn't be freezing at all today with a high of 47 and partly sunny skies.  Now with a look at the news, here's Pete Moss."

Downtown, inside Karen's Kandie Kitchen and at Gus and Tom's, the breakfast crowd quiets and paper rustle a little less as the newscast began.  Gus and Tom have sponsored the news for years and just about everything else at the station since it went on the air.

Tom and Gus knew the advertising helped their business - there are folks regularly driving in from out of town on weeknights to eat.  Gus played for the Roseville Hawks 30 years ago and helps out with the high school broadcasts.  Tom records their commercials and sometimes sits in for special trivia and promotions.

The family restaurant and pizza joint is also the go to spot for radio remotes in Roseville.  That's why this morning, the sound of the station was coming over their speakers while bus boys cleared space for Vicki's broadcast later on.

Come back for Chapter 2 at 3 pm CDT today.