Guest

Avenues to Employment

Laurabree Monday — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 22:40:51 GMT

Apparently my team’s New Year’s resolution did not include updating blogs! I’m afraid we’ve left this page in a sad state of affairs, but we have made an April resolution (Why not? Who says resolutions have to be in January? :) to get back on the Blog Bandwagon!

It is amazing how busy one can get, but it’s also amazing how much one can get done when they’re super busy!

Case in point. For those who watch the news you know I’m in Leadership York County this year. Back in September our class decided we wanted to focus on a project that would hopefully help put a dent in the county’s high unemployment problem.

So, Leadership York County (a program of the chambers of commerce of York County) partnered with the United Way of York County to host Avenues to Employment, a free job skills fair. That project is now at its most critical point -- and I'm in charge of Marketing! Needless to say, that's taken up more than a little bit of my time!

Here are the details and please spread the word. The fair will be held on Saturday, May 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.at Baxter Hood Center (452 S. Anderson Road in Rock Hill) and is open to the public.

Avenues to Employment will help job seekers improve their interview skills, how to 'dress to impress' for interviews, develop and improve resumes (be sure to bring your latest version), use the Internet to search for jobs, learn about business ownership and discover available education and training opportunities. The event is intended to help people improve skills that will lead to employment.

They say give a busy person something to do and it will get done. Well, give nearly 30 busy people something to do and it's truly remarkable what can be achieved.

Here's to hoping Avenues to Employment is a success! Please click the links below to find out more information about Avenues to Employment.

Avenues to Employment Flyer
Avenues to Employment Brouchure

Celebrity Apprentice

Lucas McFadden — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 22:37:29 GMT

I am a huge TV fan, which makes sense since I work in TV. I also love reality television because mainly I can escape for an hour or two. Working in TV News can be very stressful and sad so reality TV really doesn’t take a lot of effort.

I have many favorite shows, but I am hooked right now on NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice. First of all I really like Donald Trump. When he is in the boardroom he will ask the type of hard and uncomfortable questions TV reporters often ask the people they are interviewing, so I like that he is doesn’t take it easy on these celebrities. Plus, man the dude gives away thousands and thousands of dollars to charities.

Second, I just love the concept of the show. We all work with folks who would be great project leaders and others we wish WE could fire! I have learned so much from watching this show in terms of how to get along with people from different backgrounds. I find it fascinating.

I really like the celebrities who are on the show this season. Cyndi Lauper, WOW!, she is something. I had to idea she was such a scatterbrain. I mean she is all over the place during challenges. It’s like dealing with a kid. But she is so talented and she does get the job done. Hey it makes for good TV.

If I had to pick which celebrity on the show I am more like it would probably be celebrity Chef Curtis Stone. He is laid back, fun, but he still knows when to work. It’s funny to be all nice and laid back he will throw someone under the bus if he has to.

I am excited because they are bringing back the original Apprentice concept for folks who have just lost their jobs because of the economy. I know I will be watching that show as well.

Inside Rock Hill

Lucas McFadden — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 22:36:59 GMT

I am going behind the scenes at the City of Rock Hill. I’m taking a 10 week Community Civics Course that basically teaches city residents all about their city.

Each week one city department will put together a presentation. For example, the Rock Hill Fire Department brought in an old car and showed us how they rescue someone who is trapped inside a car. It was truly amazing to see these fire crews in action. I mean how often can you watch this type of activity on purpose.

I am lucky, I know, because of my job I get to interview various city department heads and get to see some pretty cool things, but I have learned more from this class than from my job. That’s because I have the time to really take in the information inside of getting it and just repeating it hours later. Plus I do get to see people that I normally would never get to meet because they might not be the ones who can speak to the media.

I am so impressed with how the various city departments explain what they do. I mean they have slide shows, pamphlets and some really great hands-on activities.

If you want to learn more about your city, as a Rock Hill resident, I would strongly encourage you to sign up for the next class. If I could I would do it again!

Can you wrap a gift with just three pieces of tape?

Lucas McFadden — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 20:56:56 GMT

Obviously Christmas is right around the corner and many of you – mainly us guys – will start wrapping your presents Christmas Eve. So I have a question for you – Can you wrap a gift using just three pieces of tape.

I watch the NBC sitcom “The Office” and in one episode Pam said you should use just three pieces of tape when it comes to gift wrapping.

I don’t know about you and I don’t think this is a gender issue, but I have never wrapped a gift using just three pieces of tape. I mean I use three pieces just on the top! Don’t even get me started on the sides. Man I bet you I go through – no lie – like seven pieces of tape on the ends. I can never get them to meet.

My wife can wrap very well and will do most of our presents (though I do kick in and help out!), but I’ve noticed even she has to use more than three pieces of tape. This year we are using more gift bags. This could be because of the odd shape of the gifts we are giving to our loved ones.

Whether you use three pieces of tape or like 50 it’s really the thought that counts. Now I know that is a little over the top, but really it’s nice to know that someone went through all of that effort just for you.

I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

It is raining so it must be the weekend!

Laurabree Monday — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:06:06 GMT

September 29, 2009

It’s raining so it must be the weekend....but we sure know how to make the best of it!

The family and I just took a week to explore the Carolinas – but it rained – an awful lot on both ends of our trip. There were five of us – my parents, brother and of course my husband were all with me for the Palmetto exploration. We arrived at the Table Rock Resort after driving through what we thought must be the worst of the storm – but no, that was just the start. So what’s a family to do – the answer my Mom decided, was a puzzle. It became of obsessive project, 1000 pieces all needing to find their home! Oh my, what an adventure, it had been years since any of us had touched a puzzle - but you know, it was a lot of fun.

When we got to the VERY end, that LAST piece was missing...but my wonderful husband managed to find it. I hope you enjoy the pictoral play by play below! Maybe now, on the next rainy day, you'll think to dig out a puzzle and enjoy some quality time! If you do -- be sure to pass those completed puzzle pics along!

Accidents Happen...

Mia Macy — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:25:53 GMT

Accidents Happen...

So, being a photojournalist, I've had to cover my fair share of wrecks. Some could be classified as more of just fender-benders, while others involved people getting hurt or even killed. I wouldn't consider covering accidents as one of my Favorite things to do, seeing as those involved are obviously not having a good day to begin with, and then having a news crew roll up, is probably the last thing they want to see at that moment.

About a month ago, I was involved in a car accident of my own. I was on my way home from the movies, about 2 minutes away from my apartment, when a minivan pulled out of a parking lot and hit the rear-passenger side of my car. The whole thing only took a few seconds so I didn't really have time to think.

1:*BAM!* "WHAT THE!" 2:"AAAHH...SPINNING INTO INTERSECTION" 3:"car stopped moving...get out of traffic"...

The other driver and I pulled into a parking lot to inspect the damage. A girl that witnessed everything also stopped and called the police for me, seeing as at that moment I was a little upset about everything.

The other driver asked me if I was alright and I said I was OK...My right leg was numb, and my back felt kind of sore, which worried me, but there was no blood so I figured I'd be OK. A police officer came and took down our information as well as the witness's statement.

After hearing all of our accounts of what happened, he found the other driver at Fault...I think for failure-to-yield if I remember right. At this point the officer leaves, and we all start heading home. That particular night it happened to be pouring down rain, and since my rear passenger door took the brunt of the impact, it refused to close all the way, allowing all the rain to get inside and soak my seats. I was not exactly a happy camper about this, seeing as I bought my car brand new at the end of last year, and was worried that now instead of having that "new car smell" it'd be more like that "moldy interior smell".

The next morning I spoke to my insurance company and they told me I needed to call the other driver's insurance company to file a claim. I called them up, and they said they couldn't do anything until they heard their client's version of what happened. Well, I started to get anxious seeing as I needed to know if they'd be paying to fix my car, and supply me with a rental car to use while mine was being worked on.

After about the fourth call, they tell me they'd be paying out my claim and would be giving me a rental car to use. They towed my car to the autobody shop, and my mom took me to pick up my rental car. The other driver's insurance company was paying for me to Use the rental car, but would Not be paying for the insurance on the rental car. The people at the rental car place explained that if I were to get in an accident using their car, that My insurance would cover the expenses after my deductible, but would Not cover the "Loss of Use"... Basically that means, if something happened to the rental car, every day that it would be in the shop not being able to be used, I would have to pay for it.

I asked the woman how much the insurance would be, and she said "$20 A Day". I wasn't thrilled seeing as I had no idea how long I'd be having to use the rental car, so at first I declined the insurance. It wasn't until my ride home in the rental car, that I decided maybe I'd made a mistake... Every car that passed by me, made me sweat a little, so the next day I agreed to paying for the insurance.

The next three weeks seemed to go by extremely slow. I called the autobody shop every couple of days for a progress report, and even dropped by a couple of times. I explained to the main guy that I wasn't trying to be a pest, but that I was paying to use the rental car and it was really starting to add up.

$350 later, I got my car back. When I went to pick it up, the repair guy said "We have a small problem...." NOT, what I wanted to hear, but it was just that they couldn't find the same kind of decal to put on the side that got hit, so that it would match the other side. I told them it'd be fine if they just took the one off the other side so that it'd match.

I got into my car, half expecting it to smell like mold, but the car repair place had shampooed the inside so it was nice and clean. As I was driving home, I was super aware of all the drivers around me, paranoid about something else happening. I was about 3 minutes from home, when all of the sudden this guy from Michigan JUST missed hitting me, as he cut infront of me. I let out a shaky breath, thanked God, and continued home safely.

Since having my car back, I've been a little more nervous about being out on the road.Even though it's been a month, I still shiver a little when driving past other people's wrecks, and hope for them that they're all as lucky as I was.

What I Want to be When I Grow Up!

Lucas McFadden — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:24:39 GMT

I guess the timing is right to ask this question since kids are heading back to school. I knew pretty early on that I wanted to do something in TV. I have always been fascinated with the entertainment business and working in TV news I get to enjoy the industry. It wasn’t until high school that I turned my focus to TV news.

So many people in this industry will be asked from time to time “if you didn’t work in news what would you do?” For me this is an easy question. I would either be a dentist or orthodontist. Strange I know, but anyone who knows me knows I LOVE (putting it mildly) my teeth. I love my dentists The Sharps on Ebenezer Road in Rock Hill. I starting going to them as soon as I had my first tooth.

As a kid I had really bad teeth, but I always liked to smile. In the back of my mind I was always aware of my bad teeth. In high school like many kids I got braces. I was really happy to get them because I knew if I was going to work in TV news I had to have great teeth. With braces I had it all – rubber bands, train tracks even headgear. In two years I got my braces removed and they really changed my life. The shape of my face changed for starters. I also had the confidence to flash my giant smile and not worry about it.

I had a dentist appointment just the other day and when it’s time to go to Dr. Sharp I say it’s like Christmas morning. Odd – yes, but nothing beats the way your teeth feel after you get them cleaned. Take care of them – they will be with you your entire life.

License Plate with the Number 666

Lucas McFadden — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:23:23 GMT

Okay don’t freak out. My wife and I often talk about what would we do if we got a license plate and it had the number 666 on it. We recently saw a car with the number 665 and that got me thinking, so I asked the CN2 newsroom this exact question. The newsroom was split – some said they would return it and others said they would keep it.

As for me – uh – I think I would keep it and here’s why. First I can never remember my license plate number, so this way I would never forget it. Second to me – yes – I know it’s a very, VERY bad number, but my faith is strong so I would just over look the number. Third I do not have the time to redo all of that paperwork to change it and then go and sit and wait at the DMV.

What would you do? Keep it or return it? Let me know.
lucas.mcfadden@cn2.com

Beating the heat

Laurabree Monday — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:36:25 GMT

By Laurabree Monday - News Director, On 8/10/09 10:09 PM

Mid 90’s…that’s a bit much for the Monday household. As much as we love the weather in our house - it was a hot weekend! So Sunday we decided to head north and hit the mountains.

We spent the afternoon at Grandfather Mountain (see link below) and enjoyed a nice meal in Blowing Rock. If you haven’t made the drive it’s about 2.5 hours and well worth the trip. The Mile High Swinging Bridge was a treat to walk across (although when the winds kick in someone with a fear of heights might not love it). The 228-foot suspension bridge is more than a mile in elevation and moves a bit as you walk across. On the other side you’ll find beautiful views. In fact, on a clear day you can see the Charlotte skyline more than 80 miles away. When we visited Sunday it was very hazy…we had about a 10 mile view but it was still very pretty.

The best part was the temperature!

72-degrees on top of Grandfather Mountain while it was 93-degrees in Rock Hill! I even threw on a light jacket!

If you’d like to learn more I put the link below and if you have any day trip getaways you and your family enjoy we’d love to hear about it.

Just email me at: laurabree.monday@cn2.com if you have a suggestion!

http://www.grandfather.com/

Trey's Tabloid - Favorite Actors/Actresses

Trey Maggio — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:18:55 GMT

Everyone has a favorite actor or actress! Whether its Johnny Depp, or as far back as Eugenie Besserer who was an inspiration to many as the first female actress to speak on film. There are thousands of characters being portrayed on the silver screen with thousands of actors and actresses inspiring the lives of many out there. So to you, Who is your favorite Actor/Actress?

For me, an amazing actor is someone who can portray a role in one movie, and a completely different role in another, while never making you think he's someone different than the character your seeing at that time. In saying that, I have to give honor to whom will always be my favorite actor, Heath Ledger. Every movie I saw with Heath Ledger in it was something incredible to me. From a surfer and skateboard team founder legend in Lords of Dogstown, To the crazy Bat-man villain Joker, Heath nailed every role he acted. Though many people will remember Heath as the joker, There is still one last trick up his sleeve.

Heath passed away on January 22nd 2008, But in the next few months, you may soon be hearing his name one last time. The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, stars Heath Ledger. This is the movie he had begun to film up until his death. During the production of this movie, when heath passed away, there were still a few scenes of his character that needed to be filmed, But instead of closing this project down, director Terry Gilliam turned this footage into a work of art, casting many big names to play the same character as heath, throughout different parts of the movie. Names such as Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, and Jude law will all share the role with Heath Ledger as "Tony".

Heres the newly released trailer to the Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus

@ Yahoo! Video

Email me at trey.maggio@cn2.com with your favorite Actor/Actress and tell me why you like them so much! I'd love to post another blog with viewers/readers responses! Until next time, I'm Trey, Over and out.

Movie Quote of the Day:
This is Skip Engblom and the Zephyr Skateboard Team. Here's our entry fees. Now where's our trophies?"-Lords of Dogstown - Heath Ledger, Skip

Summer is coming to an end...

Mallory Cage — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:17:43 GMT

Wow... Summer is almost over. I can’t believe I only have a few weeks left here at CN2. When I think back to my first days here and how confused I was by all of the broadcast lingo, it seems silly now because I understand it all now. I really can’t measure how much I’ve learned in my few months, it’s definitely more than what I learned in school last year-though don’t tell my dad that because he might decide it’s not worth paying for. It really has nothing to do with the quality of the school, USC is a great school with an amazing journalism program, but you can’t replace hands on experience.

The first time I was sent out with a photographer and no reporter was one of the most nerve racking moments of my life. I froze up when Jennifer said she was ready and I could start asking questions. Luckily Jen knows how to take care of us and jumped right in and soon I was asking away. Now interviews are usually a piece of cake. There are still some stories that are hard to swallow. Like today a mom came by whose daughter was missing. Seeing her cry was extremely difficult and I wanted to comfort her more than interview, but I guess that’s all part of the business.

Over the past week my eyes were opened to the horrors of animal abuse. After hearing the little boy and mother talk about the brutal killing of their puppy and then talking with the people of the Committee for Responsible Pet Ownership it broke my heart. I have always been an animal lover and I just couldn’t believe someone could treat animals that way. I would love to encourage everyone to adopt from their local shelter, but I know that isn’t always the best option though the experience touched me enough that I’ve decided that my first pet will be a rescued animal. I know it will be difficult, but I think it’s worth possibly helping to save a life.

While I can’t believe how fast the summer has gone, it’s kind of like a typical day here. We have deadlines and while at the beginning of the day it seems like you have plenty of time, by three o’clock you’re scrambling. I guess that’s kind of how life is in general...

I really can’t wait to go back to school, but I’m definitely going to miss my CN2 family. I’ve spent almost every week day with the reporters, photographers, producers, everyone and its going to be strange to not see them. I can’t express how grateful I am to have gotten the chance to work with this amazing group of people and even though I was upset and nervous about being trusted and thrown out on my own, it’s ended up being one of the most exciting times of my life.

The Cat's Out of the Bag...

Mia Macy — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:50:51 GMT

So Friday night I was telling our intern, Mallory, how I'm bad about updating my CN2.com blog. Our News Director, Laurabree, overheard our discussion and immediately began saying how I need to get better at staying on top of updating... I told her I wasn't sure what to write about.

Laurabree tells me I should just write about a recent story I've done. That particular day John and I went to an Animal Adoption Fair in Fort Mill and she suggested I write an entry discussing that, seeing as I like animals. I thought about it, and figured maybe it could be a good idea... Well, after hitting some major writer's block, I decided to take it in a slightly different direction, and talk more about my Own experience with animal adoption. This is the tale of my cat, Monster.

I moved into my own apartment about 3 years ago...After a year of living by myself, the solitude started to get to me, and I decided it'd be nice to have a pet around the place, to keep me company. At the time we had a family dog, Scooter, that lived with my mom, and I didn't want to feel like I was replacing him in any way, so I didn't want to get another dog... That and I didn't think it'd be a good idea to get one anyway, since I'm gone during the day, it wouldn't have anyone to play with, or be able to go outside and stuff.

I've owned parakeets before, and I was contemplating getting another one, but then decided against it, seeing as they tend to get their kicks out of squawking really loud when you're trying to watch tv, or just want quiet...

Had a couple fish over the years, but they're not exactly Cuddly companions, and I wanted something that would at least Act like it was listening when I talk to it...

After a lot of hard thinking, I decided to get a cat... No one in my family had owned one before, so I had no idea what I'd be getting into.

As if it was a sign from above, a couple weeks later our receptionist, Laurie, told me about how her husband caught a stray kitten and asked if I'd like to keep it. I was a little nervous, but everyone talked me into it. That afternoon I went to K-mart with some cat-knowledgeable co-workers to pick up everything I'd need to take care of my new kitten.

Litter box: Check... Cat-Litter: Check... Kitten Food: Check... Scratching Post: Check... Toys: Check...

Once I got home, I introduced my new roommate to his new home. He was pretty tuckered out from all the excitement, so he curled up on my foot-stole and fell asleep, looking like an innocent little ball of fur. I tried to figure out an appropriate name, but couldn't think of anything right away. I figured once I got to know his personality, it'd be easier to name him. For the time being, I just referred to him as "Little Dude".

A few days went by and I found out that raising a kitten was going to be a lot more work than I had planned on. I assigned friends to stop by my apartment during the day to make sure he wasn't getting into any trouble, while I was at work.I quickly learned that cats seem to think Fresh Loaves of Bread are to be used as scratching posts, and that if you close doors, that's a signal for them to start howling at the top of their lungs until you open the door back up. ((At least that made it easier for me to pick a name for him... I chose "Monster"...seemed appropriate))

Yes, I began to have some regrets about taking in this furry little hellion, and even considered giving him away. I didn't end up doing that, and over the last 2 years of owning him, we've grown pretty close... Well, as close as a human and a cat can get. This past February our dog, Scooter, went into heart failure and we had to put him to sleep. We had Scooter for 13 years, so it was a sad time for my whole family. Losing Scooter made me made me even more glad to have Monster around, but we still have our disagreements. Kind of like when he spreads used cat litter across the kitchen floor, or jumps atop the refridgerator to knock down my boxes of cereal.

Overall I would say adopting a pet can have it's challenges but also it's rewards. Sometimes you just have to take the torn up loaves of bread with the soft purring ball of fur that loves to lay on your lap while you watch tv.

Animal Abuse

Laurabree Monday — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:02:38 GMT

“Oh my gosh. Really. Oh my goodness.” I just couldn’t believe what I was reading this week. A 19-year-old is charged with torturing a puppy. Now when we say torture….really, torture. Authorities say a chainsaw was involved. It’s so awful the details aren’t appropriate for television. James McAlister is now sitting in a York County jail and a 4 year old boy believes his loving Pet named Buddy has run away – and is waiting for him to come home.

It’s a heartbreaking story and when our Reporter Dianne Gallagher went to speak with the boy’s family you could see there’s so much more to it. There’s true fear that if someone could do that do a puppy they could do it to a person.

Clcik here to see the story from Wednesday.

On top of that, even McAlister’s own mother is speaking out. Believing her son has a real problem and scared for the rest of her family.

What do you think about this case? Email me at: laurabree.monday@cn2.com

Free Family Film Festival!

Trey Maggio — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:13:55 GMT

Whats up movie watchers? Trey Here.

So check this out, For the rest of this month and next month EVERYONE can go see a movie for free! Its pretty easy, all you really have to do is just show up. Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at Regal Manchester Stadium 14 in Rock Hill, right off of the Dave Lyle exit, their playing G and PG rated movies at 10 am. This is a great idea for parents with kids who want something to do. I'm looking at the list of movies being played and just because they are G or PG doesnt mean they wont attract your attention too! My favorite kids movie actually made this list! Surfs up plays June 30th, July 1, and July 2nd! You might even see me up there to check out Star Wars: Clone Wars on July 14, 15, or 16, I'm a little curious to see it since I didn't get the chance to when it was recently in theaters. This is definitely an opportunity you don't want to miss! So check it out!

Click Here for a complete list of movies.

Never Far From Home

Laurabree Monday — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:40:52 GMT

June 26, 2009 11:23 AM

I was off this last week, actually traveling to Hawaii for a wedding. Rough I know. It was a wonderful week exploring both Oahu and the Big Island and I felt thoroughly relaxed by the end. In fact, I believe palm trees might just be the cure to many ailments (see attached picture:)! While Hawaii is of course part of the states, being off the mainland does make you feel quite removed (and even a News Director needs the occasional break from the constant influx of news).

So, you can imagine my surprise when I was sitting in Honolulu’s airport waiting for our flight back, when what did I hear on the television above? What was that about South Carolina? The Governor is missing? And he did what?

My first thought was that something truly terrible had happened at home, I panicked I’d missed a big news event. And I suppose I did, but the way these networks were covering Sandford’s MIA attempt you’d have thought the state had floated off and become an island like Hawaii!

I’ve got to tell you, listening to people’s reaction was embarrassing. The comedy reels played nonstop and the laughter grew louder. I’m glad to know in the big picture everyone back home is safe and sound, but if image is everything, South Carolina has some uphill climbing ahead.

- DAILY BUGLE - TREY's TABLOID - TRANSFORMERS -

Trey Maggio — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:08:06 GMT

What’s up movie watchers? It’s yours truly Trey Maggio here at the CN2 Headquarters.

We’ll if you haven’t heard yet, the most anticipated movie of the summer is here! “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” This new installment of the Transformers franchise looks like it’s going to be AWESOME. I personally can’t wait to check it out, but first let me share a few things with you that I’ve learned about the movie by swimming around the inter-web.

The plot is pretty simple as it has been two years since the last movie ended. Sam Witwicky (Played by the young Shia LeBeouf) is preparing to go off to college. This of course is a big step for him as he will have to leave his “guardian robot” friend “Bumble Bee” behind, as well as his girlfriend Mikaela (Megan Fox). At the same time the leader of the good guy robot team known as the “Auto-bots”, is being told by the government that they don’t feel safe with ANY robots living on earth wither they are good or bad, and are forcing them all to leave. Optimus Prime, the leader, understands that earth does not want them on the planet and will agree to leave as long as the inhabitants of earth are willing to live “defenseless” from another attack of villains. Without knowledge of an attack being planned onto earth, banning the Auto-bots from your planet couldn’t be a worse idea!

For those of you who have seen the first movie you know that the main “bad guy robot” (also known as the “Decepticons”) of the film went by the name of “MEGA-TRON”. Towards the end of the movie Megatron is defeated and one of the last clips you see of him is the army dumping his body parts, gadgets, and gizmos into the ocean In hopes of the deep water pressure compacting him into nothing. Now with that said, within the first Transformers 2 preview that was released you actually see little mini robots on the bottom of an ocean appearing to try and repair some sort of robot! BUT contrary to most opinions this is actually may NOT be Megatron! This could be the new robot known as “The Fallen” and also the expected bad-guy for this movie. Though, it is not for certain that Megatron WONT be in this movie, it is not for sure he will either. The secrets of this movie have been kept very "hush-hush" So my theory could be completely wrong! Who knows until you go see it :)

Another Decepticon villain that could return for this film is known as “Star Scream”, the transorming jet. Very quickly at the end of the transformers 1, you see Star Scream retreat into outer space. His return to earth is still a possibility for this film. (Personally I hope he comes back, being he is my favorite Decepticon!)

Well that’s just a little bit of the plot for the movie that’s due to hit theaters July 1st. So be sure to go check it out! There is also a clip and trailer all in one at the bottom of this page courtesy of “YouTube”. Let me know your opinion as well! Shoot me an Email at Trey.Maggio@cn2.com It’d be great to hear from you! Well that’s all the space I’m aloud so with this closing up id just like to say thanks for reading!

-Trey Maggio

Quote of the Day:
“We are here. We are waiting.”
-Optimus Prime - Transformers 2007

Through the eyes on an Intern!

Mallory Cage — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:06:02 GMT

Well I have been working at CN2 for a little over a month now, but now I am finally taking the time to express how it’s all going. My name is Mallory and I am currently a print major at the University of South Carolina. Now some people might find it strange that a print student is working at a TV station, but with the way newspapers are fading it actually makes a lot of sense to know all areas of the industry. I would one day like to write for a magazine like Sports Illustrated, but who knows with the conversion of most print materials moving to the web. Working for a broadcast station has confirmed one thing for me; I want to work in Journalism. I love how every day is different and the way each story is almost like an investigation. Most stories don’t usually turn out the way I had envisioned them, it seems unexpected information is often uncovered and the story changes completely.

Last week I had my first experience with breaking news, but it wasn’t until earlier this week that I experienced a story that really hit home. Every summer for the past three years as well as this summer I have been a lifeguard at my neighborhood pool. When I heard about a near drowning that happened just down the road from my pool it made me feel sick to my stomach. The other lifeguards and I had been discussing what happened actually right before I went on duty Saturday and I think it shook us all up. As a lifeguard for a pool that has been fortunate enough to not have experienced many accidents or any serious ones, to hear of a similar pool going through something like that scared the daylights out of all of us.

All we can say to parents is that a drowning is 100% preventable. But you cannot expect a lifeguard to do all of the work. If your kid can not swim I would recommend setting guidelines as to where he/she can go in the pool if they can go in at all. Things like stay in the shallow end, and even when they are on deck tell them to avoid going near the edge of the deep end. Those are just some ways you can help prevent kids from falling into water that is over their heads. Parents should never drop their kids off at the pool, the lifeguards are not babysitters. However, if it is a party, make sure the host of the party as well as the lifeguard knows if your child is not a good swimmer. It’s amazing how much of a difference a simple tip can make. One word from you could mean that the lifeguard makes a mental reminder to keep a special eye out for your child.

Better Choices?

Laurabree Monday — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:04:30 GMT

CN2 has been leading the way on some Breaking News stories this past week. It’s been a busy time in our newsroom but it’s also made me stop and think. These are heartbreaking stories that both involve teenage girls. When I was a young teenager heading into summer I was looking forward to working at our town pool. It’s a different world (but I suppose that’s what every generation says).

First an Indian Land teacher and coach faces several charges for having a relationship with one of his middle school students. While there’s no question the responsibility lies with the adult – one still wishes this young girl had the strength to seek help.

Then, on Thursday it’s believed a 15 year old girl had just robbed a Rock Hill Convenience store when she was shot and killed by police.

I want to know at what point these young women could have made better choices. Were strong role models available to them? How do we as women work to build enough confidence in our young girls so they believe their lives are worth more? It may just wishful thinking to believe these situations could have been avoided, but I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Email me at: laurabree.monday@cn2.com and I’ll post your comments.

What did Mondays ever do to you?

Laurabree Monday — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:03:15 GMT

I'll be honest; I'm generally a glass half full person. I think every day we're here is a great day. I think people get a little too worked up about a slow driver in front of them (although I’ve had my moments), and I think people don't appreciate their good health enough. But even I would sometimes find myself complaining about Mondays. You know, back to the grind…end of the weekend…alarm clocks going off.

That was…until I married a Monday (my husband is WSOC Meteorologist Keith Monday). Suddenly I had a new appreciation for the day and I think Mondays get a bad rap! Thanks to my husband (and my new last name) this is now how I try to see Mondays: A fresh start. A new day. A time to reflect. A reminder that time goes by way too quickly.

The blogs you are going to find on CN2.com are going to be a little bit about everything (and maybe sometimes about nothing). But I hope you leave here having had a chuckle, a positive thought, or even a negative reaction (as long as you tell us about that too)!

I hope you enjoy learning a little bit more about the wonderful people who work here at CN2. Maybe you’ll even have the occasional revelation… because really, what did Mondays ever do to you?

Let me know your thoughts…send your comments to laurabree.monday@cn2.com

Welcome to Link to Lucas

Lucas McFadden — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:02:01 GMT

Alright welcome to my first blog posting. I’m really excited about this and I really like the name of my blog “Link to Lucas.” While I do love my name (thanks mom and dad) Lucas is a name that is hard to use, so when I came up with this title I was pumped! The meaning of my blog name is simple; I wish I had an interesting story. See a blog is a link to a person. I’m just lucky enough that my name starts with an “L.”

Let’s take a stroll down memory lane. CN2 gave me my first break into the TV news business back in the summer of 2001 (THANKS JOHNNY BARNES & BILL BEATY). I interned here when I was home from college during the summer. Once I graduated from the College of Charleston, CN2 hired me and the rest is history.

Well I’m back here at CN2 News after taking a four year break to work for WIS News 10 (NBC) in Columbia. Born and raised in South Carolina (I’m from Fort Lawn, Chester County) we watched WIS more than the Charlotte Stations because WIS covered more South Carolina news. When I got the chance to work at WIS I couldn’t turn it down. I had a blast at WIS; I was the Sunrise reporter with my own segment called “Live with Lucas.” There I got to do anything you could imagine. Really if you think of it I probably did it live on the air or did something close to it! If you see me out ask me about my adventures. I got up every morning at 1:30 AM (no lie) to be at work at 2:00 AM and I got off work around noon and I really didn’t mind that schedule. I’m a morning person, but still it was a hard schedule to live. I still stay in touch with my WIS friends and I’m lucky to have spent four years in Columbia.

When I got the chance to come back to CN2 News and to be closer to my family I couldn’t turn down that offer either. I am now married to Kati and God Bless her because she has to put up with the crazy news business. Okay back on track. I was excited to see the changes that have been made here at CN2 since I left back in 2004. It’s like a different station. We have more news to cover, we anchor the news from the field when we can and there is a new way to communicate to our viewers (Web Channel, Facebook & Twitter).

I hope you’ve enjoyed the changes so far because we are just getting started. Thanks for visiting CN2.com and I look forward to sharing with you more of my life.