Since leaving WAAY-TV I have been the News Director of WNAL-TV in Gadsden, AL. That gig lasted about 50 days and the station was sold to Pax TV which doesn't do news. So it was off to Las Vegas, NV to KLAS-TV where I served as the Operation Manager. I was there one year when WTVY-TV in Dothan, AL offered me the News Director position. We quickly took the opportunity to return to Alabama. I brought Reg Jones to WTVY-TV as the EP and Five PM Anchor. He is still there doing a great job. I was promoted after 18 months by Benedek Broadcasting which owned WTVY-TV to their Youngstown, Ohio station, WYTV-TV (watch the call letters it can get confusing) as the News Director. Benedek Broadcasting went bankrupt and I came to KRCG-TV in August 2001.
On the home front, Darcy (my wife) is in her junior year at Lincoln University studying Special Education. She also is a Para-professional at local high school in the Special Education Department. She is a one-on-one teacher for a 16 year old boy with Down Syndrome.
Zachary (son, 13yrs) is an eighth grader this year and plays Defensive End on the 8th grade football team. Zac's big into Scouting, paintball, skateboarding and architectural design. He talked me into a drafting table for his 14th birthday in September.
Alyssa (daughter, 10yrs) is starting fifth grade and is very heavily involved in competitive swimming. She recently competed in the Missouri State Show Me Games where she raced in eight different events over three days. The Show Me Games are an Olympic style event pulling competitors from all over the state. She didn't win but it was a great experience for her , Mom and Dad.
I still play a lot of golf when time permits but recently I tore the Meniscus cartilage in my left knee while shooting a feature story with one of our reporters. Yes, I still shoot stories from time to time. That is one of the great things about working in Market 139...I still get to work in the field with my staff. I have knee surgery scheduled for early September hopefully that will repair the injury.
It was great to hear from Melody, Linda Allen had called and so had Cliff Hill. I wish we could have made the party it sounded like a great time. I hope this letter finds everyone in good health and sprits. WAAY-TV was one of the highlights of my career and I remember my time with the station with great fondness.
P.S.
I forgot to mention that I have a former WAAY-TV employee working for me here at KRCG-TV. Paul Fowler former WAAY-TV production/news photographer/live truck operator has been working for me as a News Photographer for the last year. Paul was literally living a 1/4 mile from the station when we reconnected. He was surfing the net and came to KRCG.com and saw a name he recognized, mine. He called to talk and a month later I hired him as an editor/photog. It really is a small world.
Jeff Raker
News Director
KRCG-TV
P.O. Box 659
Jefferson City, MO 65102
office: (573) 896-5144
Cell: (573) 694-3313
jraker@krcg.com
Home Address:
Jeff & Darcy Raker
210 West Haven Dr.
Jefferson City, MO 65109
(573) 896-5144