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I'm an Emmy Award Winning meteorologist at Fox 61 in Hartford. For the latest forecast updates (and fun stuff too, like food and family pics), please follow me on Facebook, twitter and instagram. I look forward to interacting with you there!

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Thursday, April 30, 2009

Karma's A B*tch!

I LOVE this story because it shows you...what goes around, comes around!

Nick Mitchell (Norman Gentle) Results-Recap

Part 1:

Part 2:


OK tell me what you think of this...I need feedback! I have never done segments like this before!

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Nick Mitchell Talks About American Idol

Part1:

Part2:


I became fast friends with Nick! I can't wait to work with him some more. I told him I have not watched this season of American Idol and he helped me get up-to-date!

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Calling All American Idol Fans!


OK so I must admit, I am new to the world of American Idol. But hey, I guess that means I see things from a fresh perspective, right? Well how would you like to win a trip for two to LA and tickets to American Idol? Just watch FOX61 this Tuesday & Wednesday and next week after the show for the "clue of the day". I will also be twittering during Idol and sharing the tweets live on the news at ten! So don't leave me hanging! Make sure you follow me on twitter tomorrow night to give me your feedback! Then listen for the clue of the night! Click here for more details on how to win that free trip!

Sheff V. O'Neill Case Turns 20

Segregation didn't end after Brown V. Board of Education. In fact, many Hartford schools are still not integrated enough...but we're making progress!

Sunday, April 26, 2009

HARTFORD SETS RECORD HIGH TWO DAYS IN A ROW!

Issued Today from the National Weather Service (4-26):

RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE SET AT HARTFORD CT

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 86 DEGREES WAS SET AT HARTFORD CT TODAY. THE TEMPERATURE CLIMBED TO 86 DEGREES AT 230 PM THIS AFTERNOON AT BRADLEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 83 FOR THIS DATE SET IN 1908.

From Yesterday (4-25):

RECORD DAILY HIGH TEMPERATURE SET AT HARTFORD CT

A NEW RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THIS DATE WAS SET FOR HARTFORD CT. AT 327 PM THE TEMPERATURE AT BRADLEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT REACHED 91 DEGREES. THIS BROKE THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 87 DEGREES SET IN 1915.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

UCONN Goes Green For Earth Day



What a fun event! Happy Earth Day!

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

New Haven Breaks Ground On Wind Turbine



The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund funded the entire $70,000 project!

Sorry if I look a bit like a drowned rat in the standup! Of course it started POURING as soon as it was time to shoot my part of the story. For more on the future of wind turbines, click here!

Monday, April 20, 2009

Pic of the Old Dream Team

It figures that Sarah and I would wear the same colors for her last day on weekends. That always happened! Now you can catch Sarah on the FOX61 Morning News 6-9. That means now I can buy that cute suit jacket too! Hehe.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Tour of the Hartford Courant, the Future Home of FOX61

The Hartford Courant and FOX61 are going to be under one roof this fall! So the Courant was nice enough to give us a tour of the building and a sneak peek to the future studio site.

This is the future site of the FOX61 studio. Hmmmm...I'm not a contractor, but shouldn't we start building the set if we're going to move in this fall?


The studio will be overlooking the newsroom. Looks a little boring now, but when we move in, this will be the largest newsroon in southern New England!


This is totally unrelated to the merger. But I think it's cool! This is what your newspaper looks like before a single letter is printed onto it. We got to see and hear the presses running during our visit. At 10:00 AM on Friday they were printing feature sections for the Sunday paper. The presses may be deafening but you can't help but marvel at the machines printing, cutting, folding, and racing newspaper through the maze of different processes.

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has been raising concerns about the merger. He thinks combining news operations will reduce news options for consumers. I could see this being a problem if we were the only two news operations in the state but there are plenty of other ways for consumers to get the news. But that's just my personal opinion.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed the tour! Sorry I have not written a lot lately. Doing traffic was kind of boring and I had nothing to write about. I'm back to my regular schedule now!

How could I forget, I have some exciting news! Sarah French is going to join the FOX61 Morning News from 6-9 AM. I am happy Sarah will get to anchor more but I am so sad to lose her on weekends. She's my buddy! Rebecca Stewart will be joining us in her place. She's not only a fantastic anchor but she's also one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. I know Rebecca will fit right in! The new changes go into effect starting Monday! Rachel, Sarah, Rebecca...What's with all the biblical names??

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Behind The Scenes

This is what it looks like behind the scenes at FOX61! The morning show is especially hectic because in a 4.5 hour show there are so many camera angles. I want to take this moment to give Kudos to Rachel Lutzker and Joe Fury because they give radio reports AND TV reports every ten minutes. That means they are literally running around like chickens with their heads cut off all morning long. There are so many times "Weather On the 6's" comes around and Joe is still cutting a radio report leaving the anchors to stall until he's ready. Both Joe and Rachel have to work very hard and rarely complain. If you ever have a question about "behind the scenes" stuff. Just ask me!

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

My New Schedule

It's safe to say I have settled into my new schedule. Bedtime is now at 8:30 PM (just like when I was 8 years-old), I wake up at 3:00 AM, to be at work by 4:30 AM. It is so strange waking up that early. I feel like someone is playing a sick joke on me when the alarm goes off. And sometimes I'm in bed before the sun sets (depressing!) On the other hand, it's almost like you get a head-start to the day. It's also nice to have the rest of the day ahead of you when work is over. No one is at the mall or the Doctor's Office.

Sorry I don't have any fun video to post. The webmaster doesn't put the traffic report online because it's always changing. Maybe soon when I'm not so lazy, I'll do it myself! (Me, not lazy? Don't hold your breath...hehe)

Monday, April 6, 2009

Help Fight MS

One of my best friends Maria was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis last year while I was in Allentown, PA. I saw the effect this condition had on her day-to-day life. MS is an autoimmune condition that attacks the central nervous system. She needs to give herself a shot every other day just to feel normal and recently got a blood infection from the whole process. There is so much that doctors still need to learn about MS. They don't know why it progresses faster in some people and slower in others. Some people with severe symptoms end up in a wheel chair, unable to walk. Others get dimentia. Then there are a "lucky" few who can successfully control their flare-ups with medication. But without enough knowledge about this condition, doctors cannot tell Maria which category she will fall into. As you can imagine, she is scared about what the future holds...There is no cure.

I know times are rough but if you can, please help us raise money for the MS Walk on April 8th. I feel so bad I can't walk with her because I will be working. But at least I can help her raise money for a cure and to help support other people with MS.

Here's Maria's fundraising Page. Thanks for all your help!!!!!!

Friday, April 3, 2009

Sexy Sunglasses & Traffic Train Wreck

Not 1, not 2, not even 3...there were 5 accidents this morning and it was overwhelming to say the least. I had a few rough hits where I confused accidents, lane closures, and cameras. But I got the hang of it towards the end. Geez....I needed a drink after this morning!! (Just kidding.)

This segment saved the morning for me because it was so fun!! Of course my microphone isn't working! I am convinced that I emit some sort of crazy energy that causes microphones to break. Anyway, enjoy and STOP GETTING INTO SO MANY ACCIDENTS! ;)

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Traffic Day 1

I made it through 3 hours of traffic thanks to the miracle of post-its!! Joe Aguire from Clear Channel spoon fed me all the information which I jotted down on post-its stuck to the monitors surrounding me. Shhhhhhh....don't tell anyone.

Since this was kind of a boring blog post I decided to include a baby picture of me. Look in my hand, it's a clicker! I was practically born with a remote in my hand. Ha! In reality, I was actually snapping my own photos. Don't be fooled by my cute face, I was a little terror!

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Traffic Reporter Starting Tomorrow

2.5 weeks of traffic instead of reporting starting tomorrow (Thursday). Be sure to watch, I'll at least be good for a laugh! This gives our slogan "traffic and weather together" a whole new meaning!

FOX61 Morning News 4:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Weather & traffic, on the 6's
Monday - Friday

I'm scared! Wish me luck!

Instagram @RachelFrankCT