ACTION NEWS 5 ... IS BACK.

(West Raleigh, NC) -- The Action News 5 Team is coming together again. Well ... sort of. Legendary Anchors Charlie Gaddy, Bobbie Battista, Bob DeBardelaben, and Tom Suiter will anchor WRAL's 6 o'clock News on Friday, November 17, 2006.

The only one missing from the party: former sports anchor Rich Brenner. He left WRAL in 1982 for a disastorous turn in Chicago. Later, Brenner would go head-to-head with WRAL when he returned to the Triangle via WTVD-11 Eyewitness News.

That obviously didn't sit well with WRAL honchos. They usually don't forgive that sort of thing. Just ask Donna Gregory.

Then again, Brenner's successor, Tom Suiter, has more than eclipsed the exposure Brenner had. Of course, Suiter attributes a lot of what he learned in the business to Rich Brenner.

For the record, Brenner has carved a nice niche of his own at WGHP in High Point for the last 19 years. That's where he landed after his unceremoneous departure from WTVD.

This is going to be really, really, really fun. And ... fivesecondstoair.blogspot.com will be at WRAL for the big event! Hope we can bring you some great photos.

Randy Gupton, fivesecondstoair.blogspot.com

SHE'S HERE!

(West Raleigh, NC) -- Look Familiar? No, you're not seeing double. That's Catherine Grace Gupton with proud Daddy Randy.

The little bundle of joy was born at 5:03pm, Sunday, November 5, 2006. She weighed in at 6 pounds 11 ounces. That's the smallest little Gupton yet! At 20 1/2" long, with jet black hair, Catherine and family are excited to be headed back to Wake Forest later today.

More pictures will be forthcoming.

PACKED & LOADED.

(Wake Forest) -- The suitcase is packed & loaded. The hospital is simply hours away. After a week of "Overtime" we're ready to do it again. This will be the third child we have had to induce.

Everyone is ready and waiting. Tomorrow, November 5, 2006 a new Gupton will enter the world. The girls are playing at the house. My mom and sister are spending the night to keep them while we head off to REX early Sunday morning.

Does Catherine Grace have red hair? Does she have Hannah's legs? My feet? All the questions will be answered in less than 24 hours.

As always, you can catch the "COUNTDOWN with Randy Gupton" on You Tube http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=randygupton2

More as it becomes available...

Randy Gupton, fivesecondstoair.blogspot.com

THE WAIT IS ON.

It's Overtime.

In Basketball, it's when you've gone past regulation and are entering what you hope to be the decisive final period.

The difference in this game: the baby's got the ball. Hannah was due on Sunday. Here we are late Monday night -- and no baby.

But ... there is still news to report. Contractions have started. Though irregular, they are more frequent in nature -- and more painful.

If we don't have a baby by Friday, we'll have the option of inducing labor. We're probably going to shoot for Saturday night into Sunday morning. Still, we have yet to decide.

In the meantime, we'll keep you abreast of the very latest.

Randy Gupton, fivesecondstoair.blogspot.com

COUNTDOWN

Randy holds his second born, Cameron, September 8, 2004.

It could be anytime now. October 29th is our target date for the latest addition to the Gupton household to arrive. That puts us 18 days out. But ... you never know. Tonight could be the night. Tomorrow could be the day. Then again ... we may be late.

In any event, I'm as excited as a young child on Christmas morning.

Hannah attendend a Baby Shower held by the Ladies' Auxilary at church last night. We got a lot of items that were needed. We can always use more, however! :)

Keep checking back for more updates. In the meantime, you can get the video narrative of "Countdown with Randy Gupton" by visting the sister site for the blog -- You Tube. The latest update on Catherine's birth is available by clicking the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s-Wu6ul5MY

Until Next Time, Enjoy Life, People.

Randy Gupton, fivesecondstoair.blogspot.com

GOODBYE, BOB.

WPTF has lost a loyal and dedicated friend. Bob Royal, an employee of the station for some 60+ years has died after a long battle with cancer. He was 84.

For those of us who knew Bob, we were treated to wonderful stories about WPTF's history. And Bob knew the history well. Starting his career at WPTF in 1943, Bob was forced to take a couple of years off as he was drafted into service for World War II.

After the war, Bob returned to WPTF to finish out his career. I'm sure neither he nor any of his colleagues could have ever imagined just how long he would stick around. Working gave Bob purpose. It was a sincere reason for him to get up in the morning and carry on with life's daily grind.

As a News Anchor and Reporter, I learned to accept Bob's crusty ways. In a strange way, you sort of adored this genial fellow. And, oh yes, Bob could get mad. I guess age doesn't diminsh that with time. Bob would often come visit me and talk during my year-long stint as Curtis Media's Human Resources Director. It was during this time that Bob's battle with cancer resumed.

Bob never waivered. He fought every step of the way. Staying out of work just wasn't in Bob's nature.

What's lost beside Bob's loyalty is a sincere anchor to WPTF's storied past. You could feel the connection when you talked to Bob. You knew in some way you were speaking with someone who had deep roots into the history and legacy of the station.

Sadly, what WPTF was has faded away. The business has changed dramatically since Bob's arrival in the early '40s. Greed and running on the cheap have replaced a drive for quality programming and respectability. Even the famed WPTF Newsroom is currently in shambles.

Bob was that rare jewel -- that rare glimpse into what radio used to be. It's what those of us who grew up listening to those far away AM stations dreamed and romanticized it should be.

Bob Royal was a lot of things to WPTF. I promise you there are a lot of programs which would never have made it to air if it hadn't been for him.

Maybe in the final years, the technology and the business had passed him by. He hadn't passed WPTF, however. He was the grandfather clock -- the anchor to our past -- and a beacon of our longing for radio to be the warm, comforting and informative medium it once was -- again.

You Tubed!

The Blog Is JUICED!

Okay, after the tremendous outcries from all of you regular visitors to fivesecondstoair.blogspot.com, we've now added a compainion site at YOU TUBE.

Here, you can take a running bet on how long it will take Randy to go from a 38 waistline to a 40! Or ... you and your friends can place your money on whether or not Randy is still super-sizing his Extra Value Meal two years after McDonald's discontinued the option.

All joking aside, this is your place to check out the latest in the Gupton household.

After the hundreds of thousands of posts I've been receiving at the blog -- I'm sure this will take off just as well.

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=randygupton2

Randy Gupton, fivesecondstoair.blogspot.com