KOAA news broadcast, free concert, fundraiser at Olympic Downtown Celebration

Not in the Olympic mood? The Olympic Downtown Celebration will get you there when it takes the streets from 4-10 p.m. Friday. Watch acrobats and a BMX stunt team, check out the synthetic ice rink and see husband and wife Olympians Bret Hedican (hockey) and Kristi Yamaguchi (figure skating) light a commemorative torch.

KOAA-TV (Comcast channel 5/705) is co-sponsoring the Olympic Downtown Celebration and will have a significant presence at the event. The station will broadcastthe opening ceremony on a 15 by 27 foot high HD screen. Sports Director Eric Naktin will report live from the street. Also, KOAA will air its 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts live on location, pairing up anchors Rob Quirk and Jennifer Horbelt for the first time.

Cat Country (KATC 95.1 FM) is also aiding in the celebration by sponsoring a free concert featuring artists Rodney Atkins and Andy Gibson at 7 p.m. Atkins and Gibson fundraising for the Battle the Blaze Fund, which was established by the Pikes Peak Hill International Hill Climb to support local fire, police and other agencies that aided in the Waldo Canyon Fire effort.

“Rodney and Andy are helping us recover from the Waldo Canyon Fire and we’re happy they’re going to be here for our listeners,” said KATC program director Chris Brooks.

Locals win Heartland Emmy Awards

Last weekend the Heartland chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences held its annual Emmy Awards and three Colorado Springs residents walked away with statues.

KRDO anchor Heather Skold won for her narration of “Fallen Peace Officers.” The story aired in May about the construction of a Pikes Peak Region Peace Officers Memorial in Colorado Springs to honor officers who have died in the line of duty while serving the communities within the Pikes Peak Region. Skold and photographer Michael Lee Ring also won the Community Service Emmy for the same story.

“It’s an honor to be recognized but I’m not the hero,” said Skold. “That goes to Charles Frye, Jared Jensen and Brent Holloway, the three people profiled in the story. The goal of the piece was to raise awareness and give thanks to those who have served and continue to serve today. It was an honor to be recognized but the real honor goes to them.”

Pikes Peak Library District Multimedia Producer Jamey Hastings was also awarded a Heartland Emmy Award in the Interstitial Program Category for her piece, “Colorado Springs Beat: The News Photography of Stan Payne.” According to the PPLD website, the short documentary chronicles the work of Stan Payne, a Gazette Telegraph employee from 1947-1976, and was based on research by Dennis Daily, assistant manager of the district’s special collections.

The Heartland chapter of the NATAS was formed in 1986 and serves the television industry in Denver, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Wichita/Hutchinson, Omaha, Colorado Springs/Pueblo, Lincoln/Hastings-Kearney, Topeka, Grand Junction/Montrose, Cheyenne/Scottsbluff and North Platte.