In all, the 10-day excursion cost the public approximately $100,400 to cover 14 government officials travel, according to financial documents. The station has always been a CBS affiliate but carried some NBC programming until WBRZ-TV signed on in 1955. She was eventually teamed up with George Sells and the two of them became one of the most successful news anchor teams in the country. Her two children include her daughter Annie and son Louis. Get access to our searchable data center of TOP LISTS. Beloved WAFB anchor Donna Britt passes away Golden Deeds recipient Donna Britt gets a standing ovation during the Golden Deeds awards Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, at the Baton Rouge Marriott. Donna Britt of WAFB gives the crowd some encouraging words before the fourth annual Red Wig Walk to raise awareness for HIV prevention on the levee near the USS Kidd in downtown Baton Rouge on Saturday, May 20, 2017. WAFB's weekday morning news is repeated on that station. Copyright 2021 WAFB. Donna Britt, beloved WAFB news anchor and 'a rare breed,' dies after battle with ALS. A married mother of two, she was a member of First United Methodist Church in Baton . show--"Great Day at 9A." Caitlin Francis Traffic. Photo provided by Sonya Gordon Participating in the Phi Delta Kappa Walk for Education on Nov. 7 are, from left, front row, Jayne Fleener, Donna Britt, Gwen Hamilton; back row, W.T. The People's Court also once aired on WAFB before going to WBRZ and later WGMB. Longtime Baton Rouge news anchor John Mahaffey passes away - WAFB Distinguished Citizen -- With Boy Scouts of America Istrouma Area Council 's inaugural Distinguished Citizen honoree Donna Britt, seated, are, from left, Scout Executive Gary Mertz, John Turner, Jerry Fischer, Louie Ballard, Mark Ballard, Franklin Foil, Paula Davis and Jay Grymes. Buckskin was also one of the first shows in the United States to have a sign-language interpreter for hearing-impaired viewers prior to closed-captioning. It's not standard. From left, longtime WAFB anchor Donna Britt on set as she is watched by her son, Louie Ballard, and husband Mark Ballard, Wednesday, June 13, 2018, as Britt signs off for one last time at WAFB studios in downtown Baton Rouge, La. The Baton Rouge Police Department has arrested the mother of a child who officials say died of a drug overdose. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts, https://www.linkedin.com/company/wafb-tv/, "GRAY AND RAYCOM TO COMBINE IN A $3.6 BILLION TRANSACTION", "Gray Acquiring Raycom For $3.65B, Forming No. They can irritate your throat, nose, and eyes, some may even cause cancer. My whole family is very excited. Advocate Photo by MARK BALLARD -- Three of the four candidates for Louisiana governor prepare Thursday as AARP forum moderator Donna Britt of WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge, reads a question picked out by seniors. Bond set at $1.5 million for Walter Allbritton III, man accused of driving into Target in Hammond, La last Friday. You could score a free Bojangles biscuit almost every day for a week. Lawhon says Mahaffey had a love for first family first but his second love was for television news. Photo shot on 3/7/2009. Parkviews choir performed the military service songs as veterans from the services stood in turn to the applause from the audience. I have ALS, Lou Gehrigs disease. The penny campaign was successful enough to purchase two. Power of 9 -- Veteran WAFB news anchor Donna Britt receives a bouquet of flowers from Capital Area United Way CEO George Bell, left, and Capital One Baton Rouge President David Mullens for her dedication to the Power of 9 initiative. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), a Black employee at Exxons chemical plant found a noose at his worksite in January 2020. Its happening at the Maurice A. Edmond Livestock Arena. Reception may vary by location and some stations may only be viewable with, "WAFB Official Says NBR to get Super Service from Station," North Baton Rouge Journal, April 29, 1948, Page 1. A married mother of two, she was a member of First United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge and the daughter of a Southern Baptist preacher. Donna announced her diagnosis to viewers during WAFBs 6 p.m. newscast on July 27, 2017. A write-up slip from elementary school showed she called a fellow 2nd grader poo-poo face. Asians are considered white when being white is a bad thing. From 1988 until 2019, The Price Is Right aired at 11 a.m. instead of 10 a.m., and The Young and the Restless aired at 4 p.m. instead of 11 a.m. But the WAFB position with the coveted part-time hours was too good to pass up. This is exactly what you wanted, so why not? he responded. The camps offer several activities like recreational games, community field trips, cultural arts, recreational sports, and more. She also didnt want any cameras anywhere near her altogether. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Beloved WAFB anchor Donna Britt passes away, Donna Britt's last newscast - June 13, 2018 (end of show farewell), LSU WR Malik Nabers arrested in New Orleans; prosecutors refuse to charge with condition, Health experts, former athletes respond to NCAAs proposal to reduce game time and plays. Donna loved to travel and she and her family saw much of the world together. Longtime WAFB anchor Donna Britt waves as she sees her husband and son in the studio, Wednesday, June 13, 2018, as Donna Britt signs off for one last time at WAFB studios in downtown Baton Rouge, La. During that time, she spent 8 hours every week in December those 17 years manning a Christmas kettle. "He not only had the camera-ready looks including a million-dollar smile, but he was a born story-teller. It is owned by Gray Television alongside low-power, Class A MyNetworkTV affiliate WBXH-CD (channel 39). She attended numerous scouting Camporees and was fiercely proud of carrying a canoe over mountains and paddling the Northern Tier Extreme Boy Scout Adventure on Americas Northern border. Coincidentally, the call letters of the station, WAFB, also spelled out their new owner: American Family Broadcasting (although the WAFB calls predate this ownership by 40 years when its former original sister radio station signed on in 1948 with the slogan "Always For Baton Rouge"). Submitted by SVCINC COL Clay C. Le Grande, Jr., USA (Ret) Baton Rouge, LA 70817-3432 H - (225) 752-9780 c.legrande@cox.net. 'Unmasking ALS' -- At the ALS Association Louisiana-Mississippi Chapter's Black & White Gala Bal Masqu Unmasking ALS Together are Iron Horse Award winner Donna Britt, center, with board member Flynn Foster, left, and Dr. Jyoti Pham. It will still be breezy in the afternoon, but not as much as the morning, otherwise today will become sunny and nice with highs in the 70s. Carys biggest bookstore turns the page. Longtime WAFB anchor Donna Britt checks out a cake held by coworker Derron Daquano as she is joined by friends, family, and coworkers, Wednesday, June 13, 2018, after signing off for one last time at WAFB studios in downtown Baton Rouge, La. She assumed his gender. Volodymyr Dorogobid, 38, and Tigran Avetisyan, 39, both of Brooklyn, New York, were booked on three counts of unlawful use of an unmanned aircraft system and also for obstruction of justice for tampering with evidence. Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. 3 Local TV Group", "Gray Closes On $3.6 Billion Raycom Merger", ":: Baton Rouge Business Report:: Ron Winders heads back to Savannah", "Longtime WAFB anchor Donna Britt dies following battle with ALS", "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds", Louisiana State Archive and Research Library, LA Art and Science Museum (Yazoo&MS. new job as an afternoon anchor at WAFB in Baton Rouge, After leaving ABC11 last month, Tisha Powell lands a new anchor job, Given a second chance: ABC11s Tisha Powell on why shes leaving the news business, NC Supreme Court blocks transfer of school funds in Leandro court case, Get ready to change your clocks. I have ALS, Lou Gherigs disease. A Gray Media Group, Inc. Station - 2002-2023 Gray Television, Inc. 2002-2023 Gray Television, Inc. Owned by Branson Visitors TV; Gray holds a 50.1% interest in this company. What to Watch Friday: Dateline and 20/20 update Murdaugh murder trial coverage, $3B superstar region project planned for Apex after years-long delay, Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife, son in June 2021. When they told her they could make that happen, she asked her husband: Do I really want to go back?. Donna passed away on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021. Detectives with the Baton Rouge Police Department are still searching for answers regarding a man who was found dead last year. Disbarred attorney Alex Murdaugh received two consecutive life sentences Friday morning. Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Broome does not like Kiran Chawla of WAFB Just Baton Rouge 1.53K subscribers Subscribe 31 Share 12K views 5 years ago Mayor Sharon Broome of Baton Rouge tells WAFB they. Oprah moved to WBRZ but since then aired on WVLA until the show ended its run in 2011. Regis and Kelly (now Live with Kelly and Ryan) continues to air on WBRZ. Brett Meredith, left, presents the Above & Beyond Award to Donna Britt at the organization's Volunteer Recognition Breakfast. Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Broome does not like Kiran Chawla of WAFB Donna Britt, third from left, has always been a supporter of community events, like the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. But three days of testing at Houston Methodist Hospital have removed doubts. WAFB also has a Cox cable channel devoted to airing simulcasts and rebroadcasts of its news broadcasts. Said program ended in late 1990 after Black resigned from WAFB. I feel so fortunate to be able to find that and to be able to find that at home. Unfiltered With Kiran - Facebook Donna passed away. Attached is a group shot of the 1980 LSU Flag Line. Upon being taken over by AFLAC, station management canceled the daily Storyland on September 30, 1988 and converted it to a Saturday morning hour-long program called Buckskin Bill and Friends that began airing on November 5, 1988. WAFB news director Rob Hays, left, poses with longtime anchor Donna Britt, Wednesday, June 13, 2018, as Britt prepares to sign off for one last time at WAFB studios in downtown Baton Rouge, La. Jeanne Burns - BRProud.com Tisha Powell's new job as an afternoon anchor at WAFB in Baton Rouge is something she didn't think was possible. Then shelter shared desperate plea. A familiar landscape in Central Louisiana left devastated by Category 4 Hurricane Laura is given new life in the upcoming film 65 thanks to Sony Pictures. Longtime WAFB anchor, reporter Paul Gates dies at 69 - WBRZ Crawford Wheeler II. The show had a way of educating young children while making it fun to learn. Former WAFB anchor George Sells picks up new reporting projects for his My whole family is in this viewing area, even my dad who lives in North Mississippi, Powell said. Photos: Congrats to 2018 Golden Deeds award recipient, Donna Britt! News - WAFB A family is grieving one week after 41-year-old Jeross Banks was hit and killed while riding his bike to work along LA-1 in Iberville Parish. On September 12, 2011, WAFB became the first station in the market (and, to date, the only station) to begin its morning newscasts at 4:30a.m. instead of 5 a.m. On March 26, 2020, WAFB became the second station in the Baton Rouge market to launch a 4 p.m. newscast in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and on August 3, 2020, WAFB became the first station in Baton Rouge to expand its 6 p.m. newscast to a full hour.[11]. Left to right, second row: Katherine Jensen, Liz Jensen, Mary Greenfield, Sonya Godwin, Colleen Colclough, Rhonda Silvio, Renee Breaux, Dedee Alford, Lorna Matlock, Cheri Mullinex, Margaret Elgin, Merietta Spencer, Tammy Norton, co-captain Kathy Fergus, captain Donna Britt. It was a gross departure from procedure. Mark Ballard: My wife Donna Britt has ALS. . Shes probably just going to another network or something, it's not like that's a direct quote from the news station or anything, Looks like she got cancelled for forgetting to use the #Defundthepolice hashtag. Law enforcement leaders and community organizations gathered for the Page/Rice Camera Initiative, unveiling one of the new crime cameras in north Baton Rouge. WAFB's newscasts have had the second-highest ratings at 10 p.m. in any of the country's biggest television markets according to The Des Moines Register in Iowa. Pretty well known that Mayor Broome and the police chief hated her since she was the only reporter in Baton Rouge whod call them out on things. Neither Moreau nor station executives will discuss what led to th One of Donnas biggest passions while at WAFB was her ten years as a volunteer at Progress Elementary School where she referred to herself as the schools library elf. Every month, she decorated the schools library with giant cardboard decorations she painted at home. Bond has been set for a St. Gabriel police officer who was arrested in connection with the murder of a Denham Springs man that happened overnight, officials said. A legal challenge to a consent judgment announced Wednesday is possible, a lawyer for Mayor LaToya Cantrell said, The Kentwood Police Department along with members of the Hammond Police Department and other law enforcement agencies arrested a Kentwood man after a months-long drug investigation. He was 77 years old. Moving on: Ex-WAFB reporter Kiran Chawla launches YouTube channel, will Press J to jump to the feed. One person was taken to the hospital after a crash in Zachary early Thursday, March 2, according to emergency responders. In addition, the new owners cancelled the station's beloved 33-year-old half-hour local weekday program Storyland, then the longest-running children's program, hosted by Buckskin Bill Black, and rechristened it as Buckskin and Friends, an hour-long show that aired on Saturday mornings until it was cancelled in September 1990. Until 2015, WAFB aired the syndicated version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire; the show aired on sister station WBXH until its cancellation in 2019. But besides that,he was a really fine human being.". The fight happened in front of Camille Shade Hall on Southerns campus, jail records show. The station made this change to give its noon and 5 p.m. newscasts a strong lead-in. Donna Britt, beloved WAFB news anchor and 'a rare breed,' dies after She did different themes highlighting different kinds of books. All rights reserved. Get access to more than a decade of story archives. If they are not WAFB viewers now, they will be.. Longtime friend and former co-anchor Margaret Lawhon smiled as she spoke of Mahaffey's nickname "The Duke" and how he got the name. Liz Koh WAFB. Please continue, we want to know how deep your knowledge is, That she made a comment that got out of hand, Nick Tullier's father is somehow involved? There you go. Her mother trained for a ministry in church music. From what I can tell, the Tulliers got involved because his wife started saying things on FB, which got a lot of people fired up. WTF did she do? Former Baton Rouge television news icon Donna Britt, who ended her 37-year run on WAFB in 2018 due to her battle with ALS, has passed away. The WBXH broadcasts were included in the upgrade. Photo by Carol Anne Blitzer. Meet the Team - WAFB I worked at NBC33 (yes that 33), and live in Houston now. Id like to share some personal news with you tonight, Donna said. Former WAFB-TV news anchor George Sells is keeping busy in retirement, producing video obituaries and lending his distinctive voice to various projects. SI Predicts Three Permanent Opponents For Each SEC Team If League Moves To Nine-Game Model, NCAA Proposing Timing Rules Changes In College Football To Shorten Games, Four-Star Destrehan LB Kolaj Cobbins Commits To LSU, Skenes Tallies Career-High 13 Strikeouts In 12-2 Victory Over Butler, Lady Tigers Set For Matchup vs. Georgia In Quarterfinals Of SEC Tournament, Nick Saban Not Happy With Proposed SEC Schedule, Incredible Sucker Punch Landed In Yesterday's SIU-Edwardsville vs.UT Martin Game, Checking In On Mississippi State Softball Player Brylie St. Clair At The Farm, XFL QB Reportedly Cut For Leaking Plays To Other Team, Georgia's Jalen Carter Returns To The NFL Combine After His Arrest On Wednesday Night, Nick Saban Adds Charlie Strong To His Staff, Kirby Smart Issues Statement On Latest Jalen Carter Arrest Warrant News, NFL Inside Jay Glazer Shows Off Girlfriend While On Vacation, Kliff Kingsbury's Girlfriend Is Back At It With New Swimsuit Photos, Tennis Star Genie Bouchard Celebrated Her Birthday At The Pool With Her Sister, CBS Sports Includes Jayden Daniels In Top 10 QB Power Rankings. During this campaign, he asked children to bring in their pennies to buy an elephant. Vernon Roger dead at 51 - Google Groups About Us - WAFF Her ALS diagnosis is causing her to pull back on those activities. Britt first announced her ALS diagnosis to viewersduring a newscast in 2017. Photo 1 - LSU Pershing Rifles, Company D-17, Color Guard of Elijah Jones, Todd Dixon, Chris Scheuermann, and Ethan Nicosia. His last day on the air will be Friday, Sept. 2. About a week after a man disappeared, the Baton Rouge Police Department continues to ask the public for help locating him, as new evidence has surfaced in the case. One person was injured in a shooting in Baton Rouge on Wednesday, March 1, according to the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriffs Office. "But he was a solid journalist, he loved the news business, and he loved to beat the competition. Andr Moreau Leaving WAFB - Adweek So, I think both of the major TV stations have benefited from John Mahaffey having been there.". One locally produced show that brought years of enjoyment to children was hosted by "Buckskin Bill" Black (William Black) that ran in different formats from 1955 until 1990. Despite becoming rarer among other television news operations, WAFB occasionally broadcast an editorial that was usually delivered by the station manager. It was also in 1988 that the owners petitioned CBS to air the network's daytime programs in a different orderairing syndicated programming at 10 a.m., The Price Is Right at 11 a.m., and The Young and the Restless at 3 p.m. (later 4 p.m.) as a way to boost ratings as a lead-in to the noon and 5 p.m. newscasts. Donnas husband, Mark Ballard, says her family was by her side as she passed away peacefully Thursday morning. Longtime WAFB weathercaster Diane Deaton is retiring after 37 years But a group of folks is already trying to take care of the problem. The emcee for the evening was WAFB News Anchor Donna Britt and Auctioneer Jeff Taylor conducted silent and live auctions. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates on LSU Football and Recruiting. WAFB was one of a handful of stations that shifts the air times of various CBS programming. From: Clay Le Grande [mailto:c.legrande@cox.net] Sent: Sunday, November 22, 2015 12:38 PM LTG Middleton Chapter Massing of the Colors Parkview Baptist School gym was ablaze with Old Glory on Tuesday, November 10th as the Military Order of the World Wars LTG Troy H. Middleton Chapter hosted its annual Massing of the Colors ceremony for the student body and public at Parkview Baptist High School. WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg, Mississippi moved to channel 7 to accommodate this switch. Jun 8. Parkview Baptist School lived streamed the Massing of the Colors Ceremony and it can be viewed at http://ow.ly/2bwdsa. He was worried about how he'd get his car fixed. Authorities say the individual could have information about the incident. Photo 2 - Ms Donna Britt, WAFB 9 News Anchor, the MOC guest speaker, is greeted prior to the program by LTG Middleton Chapter Vice Commander, LTC Reginald Brown, USA Retired. Photo 2 - Ms Donna Britt, WAFB 9 News Anchor, the MOC guest speaker, is greeted prior to the program by LTG Middleton Chapter Vice Commander, LTC Reginald Brown, USA Retired. She was 62. i mean, no way it was a race thing. There were several characters that were regulars on the show including "Seor Puppet" (a marionette voiced by Sid Crocker) and "Whatsyourname" (another puppet voiced by Mary Hillen). Remembering Donna Britt: Look through pictures of her time at WAFB Honestly, I didnt think this was possible, Powell said. Picture shot on 3-13-01. The #1 subreddit for all things relating to Baton Rouge, Louisiana! Britt, who has been with WAFB for over 37 years, has announced she will retire from the local news station after being diagnosed with ALS 11 months ago. "Andre has been a big part of our success story and we're sorry to see him go," WAFB News Director Robb. . WAFB's Greg Meriwether, left, applauds honorary chairwoman Donna Britt, Saturday, July 14, 2018, during Dancing for a Cause benefiting the Arc of East Ascension at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales, La. Donna adapted the same promise and always signed her name with lower-case letters, what she called a sign of continued commitment to serve God in the most enthusiastic and excellent way possible. Over the years, Donna supported numerous charities including those tied to research for ALS, Sickle Cell disease, HIV/AIDS and cancer. Mahaffey, a graduate of the University of Texas, retired in 1999 and continued living in Baton Rouge. Authorities arrested the stationmaster at the trains last stop, in the city of Larissa. Had to be about the Hammond stuff, that was the last thing she covered. Im sure her employer hasnt been thrilled with her dating partner being a news topic on multiple occasions in the past few years. what role does individualism play in american society. Copyright @2023 TigerDroppings.com. After years of your input and suggestions, BREC is putting your vision into your parks. I also saw Kevin Gallagher fanning flames on Twitter. BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - Longtime Baton Rouge news anchor John Mahaffey has died. For the last nine months, doctors have tried to diagnose it, however many of the symptoms are the same for other diseases. Take a look back through some pictures of her television work, volunteering and life in Baton Rouge. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry is seeking to get an endorsement from former President Donald Trump. Photo 3 - US Coast . College football is exploring a new clock operating rule that could significantly impact games next season. During an investigation, police say evidence was found to place the babys mother under arrest. Wtf ? Murdaugh, 54, faced two counts of murder and two weapons charges in the June 7, 2021, shooting deaths of 52-year-old Maggie Murdaugh and . Based on the BRPD press conference the other day, it is abundantly obvious that BRPD needs no help looking like fools. United Cajun Navy and community partners will organize a Search for Millard. Its a multimillion-dollar project that has been met with more delays than promises. And they look at me like, Youre one of us and we want to make this work for you.. On June 25, 2018, Atlanta-based Gray Television announced it had reached an agreement with Raycom to merge their respective broadcasting assets (consisting of Raycom's 63 existing owned-and/or-operated television stations, including WAFB), and Gray's 93 television stations) under Gray's corporate umbrella. By Steven Ardary, Patrick Phillips and Gray News staff. Both stations share studios on Government Street in downtown Baton Rouge, while WAFB's transmitter is located on River Road near the city's Riverbend section. Powell, who said she is still in the middle of unpacking at her new home, will co-anchor the 4 and 5 p.m. newscasts at the station starting Aug. 9. Over the years, she played for thousands of church services as well as hundreds of weddings and funerals. Asians arent immune from cancel culture. "They just looked for somebody who looked all right . A study revealed that those who spent more time with their dogs experienced a 300% increase in oxytocin levels. Originally broadcasting an analog signal on UHF channel 28, WAFB moved to VHF channel 9 in 1960. Like house plant? Beloved WAFB anchor Donna Britt passes away - KPLC You have permission to edit this collection. That means dinner at home every night with her husband and daughter. DA popular local celebrity. Mahaffey started his career in Baton Rouge television at WAFB-TV. Known for her bubbly personality and community involvement, WAFB news anchor Donna Britt shows off her red wig in 2016's Red Wig Walk, which raises awareness for HIV prevention, treatment and supportive services. In an interview with The News & Observer the week before her final broadcast on ABC11, Powell said that she had worked nights for about 15 years at the station, and that working from home some during the pandemic had opened her eyes to the time she was missing with her youngest daughter, who is 7.