Channel Surfing
by Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times
February 22, 2005

 

WPVI weekend weather anchor Karen Rogers will be joining the station’s morning news as a traffic reporter, replacing John Valerio of SmarTraveler traffic.  According to a station spokesperson, Rogers will team up with weekday weather anchor David Murphy for an AccuWeather/traffic team.  Valerio, who is not an employee of Channel 6, will continue doing the traffic for the 5 p.m. news.

 

Versatile Rogers has worked as a feature reporter for the old “Philly After Midnight,” news reporter, hosted specials, and was a weather anchor before her latest assignment.

 

Here's the up to date traffic scorecard - John Valerio and Karen Rogers for WPVI, John Ogden for WCAU, Bob Kelly for KYW, and Dorothy Krysiuk for WTXF.

 

A tropical tasting party to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the “Cruise to Nowhere Aboard the Moshulu,” will feature celebrity bartenders and servers Don Tollefson of WTXF, Lou Tilley of CN8, Michael Smerconish of WPHT 1210-AM, Steve Levy of WCAU, SallyAnn Mosey of WPVI, Paul Deanno of KYW, and Steve Morrison of Y-100.  It takes place Thursday at 6 p.m. Call 215-923-2500 for reservations.

 

Alycia Lane, who brought her finance to meet “Dr. Phil” last week, has set a wedding date – August 27, 2005.  In a phone conversation, Lane said that she and North Carolina businessman Jay Adkins are planning to get married in New York City in front of 50-100 people.  Since both were previously married, it will be a non-traditional ceremony. 

 

Lane said that Adkins, who currently spends half the week in Philadelphia and who has an 11-year-old daughter from a previous marriage who lives here, will eventually move to the area full-time.

 

Meanwhile, in an article in Sunday's "Philadelphia Inquirer," Lane discusses how she wants to be taken seriously as a journalist...while there is a photo of her dashing to the studio with her anchor necessities - hairspray, brush, and purse. 

 

Washington Crossing native and former Philadelphia radio and television personality John Ziegler seems to be thriving in Los Angeles.  He was promoted to the 7 p.m. shift on KFI 610-AM radio and his first book “The Death of Free Speech” is due in June.  His show can be heard online at www.kfi640.com.

Sources at WCAU say its unlikely that reporter Sheela Allen Stephens will return to the air.  The veteran reporter has suffered from heart problems the last couple of years and lost her husband, WCAU photographer Lonnie Stephens to cancer a couple of months ago.  If she doesn’t return, she’ll be missed. I always enjoyed her reports.

With Elton John performing here on July 4th, here is a list of my favorite underrated Elton John songs:  "Empty Garden" (Hey Hey Johnny), "Sacrifice," "Island Girl," "Blue Eyes," "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," "Kiss the Bride," "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word," and "Little Jeannie."  "The Philadelphia Freedom Concert" is featured on the home page of www.eltonjohn.com.