On The Clock Today

This was the look on the Prince George's County Council dais after PG Council Member Leslie Johnson (District 6) notified the council members she would be resigning July 31st. 

Later, after executive session, they would state that the Council, as a body, wanted Johnson to make her resignation effective immediately. The remaining 8 councilmembers added that they would be revoking her access to her county-issued mobile phone, parking pass, access to county vehicles, etc. They also directed her staff to report to the County Administrator effective immediately. Interestingly, under law, they have no power to compel her to do any of these things. There was discussion of changing that law. 

Rain, Rain...

Lost a colleague at our sister station, WFED. Suzanne Kubota was a tech wizard with an editor's sharp eye, a writer's deft touch, and a comic's timing. She was great and generous soul and could make you laugh so hard your coffee/beer/milk/beverage of choice would come out of your nose.

I have known her since we worked together at both WTOP and WASH-FM back when dinosaurs roamed the earth. How can so much time have gone by? How can someone be here one day, sharing a joke on the way in to work, and then be gone the next?

There are a lot of aching hearts in the WFED/WTOP Hubbard Broadcasting group right now.

When delivering the news to us last night, Joel Oxley, the Senior Regional VP for WTOP/WFED ended with this: "Be safe and please take care of yourselves and those close to you."

So this is one of those days where you hold those you love a little longer, a little tighter, than usual. And tell stories about this wonderful coworker you had...

Don't Talk, Just Listen...

Ben Sollee from the back of the house @ Iota, a photo by KateRyanWTOP on Flickr.

My job isn't just about talking on the air. It's also about listening. And sometimes, that involves music.

...you've seen--and I hope heard--the interview I did with musician Ben Sollee not long ago on WTOP, 103.5 FM and on this blog. If not, check it out. It was a really nice talk.

Well, I made sure I got to his gig at Iota in Arlington, and yes, I biked there.

Regarding the bike part:
Um, can I just say that leg of the Custis Trail from oh, Nash to Veitch St is not made for my heavy Dutch bike? Wish I'd taken my Jamis. That said, I did burn some calories, so thanks for that.

And folks, is it me? Maybe my expectations about bike-friendly Arlington were too high, but I didn't see many bike parking facilities along the stretch of Wilson Boulevard where Iota is located, just one or two U-stands. Let me know if I simply overlooked something, and I'll know where to look next time.

Ok, but this isn't really about me. Really. It's about the show that Ben Sollee put on. Wow. And I think the crowd was with me on that one.

What struck me was Ben's obvious generosity in sharing the stage with the super-talented Phoebe Hunt, a musician from Austin, TX who was a perfect complement to his style. She was new to me and the pairing made it feel like you got a two-for-one deal with the ticket.

During the interview I did with Ben about his Ditch the Van Tour, he mentioned how they hauled 'the merch', all the stuff usually found at tables as you head into a show.

Like every good musician, Ben Sollee sells tee-shirts, and CD's but unlike many, he also has bikey stuff. I couldn't resist a hand-made bike bell: a little work of art for my lovely Dutch Gazelle bike.

Thanks, Ben Sollee, for a great interview and a great show!

And yes, concert photographers: your jobs are safe. As a reporter on a hard news story, I have no problem making my way to the front of a pack to get the vital sound or--now thanks to the internet--photos--but when folks are trying to enjoy a show? I'm loathe to get in the way.

This Week for WTOP

IMG_2300.jpg Leslie Johnson 1, a photo by KateRyanWTOP on Flickr.

I reported last week that Leslie Johnson had a plea hearing scheduled for June 30th and would be entering a plea of guilty to charges of witness and evidence tampering.

Daniel Valentine of the Gazette Newspaper in Prince George's got the story ahead of everyone else and had correctly reported that she would likely enter a guilty plea more than a month ago, (credit where credit is due) but that date was delayed.

I got word last week that the June 30th date was a go and broke that. After I reported it, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland issued a press release.

This past Thursday, Mrs. Johnson, a Prince George's County Council member and wife of the former County Executive Jack Johnson, had her day in court. This photo shows her flanked by her attorney Shawn Wright and an unidentified man, heading into the courthouse.

I snapped this photo as Mrs. Johnson walked into federal court. No matter what you think of the person involved in a case like this, I can never help wondering; what is it like--on the basic human level-- to have the experience of walking past a crowd of reporters and photographers, head into a courthouse and stand before a judge?

Mrs. Johnson will be sentenced October 13th. Her husband, who pleaded guilty to taking more than $400,000 in bribes, will be sentenced in September.