Politics and Sleep Deprivation

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Memories from 1988

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The political parties are staging their conventions in August 2020.

2020 and COVID-19

We’ll be hearing a lot about the political conventions taking place in the final two weeks of August 2020.

Most of the coverage will contrast these COVID era conventions to those of years past.

One of the thrills from my fifteen years covering local news on television was the Republican National Convention in 1988.

The station I worked at in Rochester, NY was part of a group of stations that chipped in resources to fund a Washington, DC bureau.

We were able to get interviews from our local legislative delegation on issues of interest in our communities.

An extension of that model was tested in 1988 when the company decided to take the bureau to both Democrat and Republican conventions.

Each station sent extra personnel to provide more coverage for our local audiences. My colleague Rob was assigned to produce coverage for the Democratic Convention.

I was assigned to produce the coverage for the GOP Convention in New Orleans.

My press credential from the 1988 GOP Convention. Photo: Newvine Personal Collection

Our local team flew into New Orleans on the Saturday before the convention.

We began taping reports on Sunday

It felt like one big story that took almost a week to report. Most of our days began with meetings of the state and local delegations. Those were breakfast events with a guest speaker.

Actor Charlton Heston was the guest speaker one morning. While he did not part the Red Sea as his Moses character did in the movie, he did create some excitement among the party faithful.

Most of our daytime hours were devoted to working in and around the Superdome to interview Republicans from the Rochester area.

I recall the afternoon when Presidential nominee George H. W. Bush announced his choice for his running mate. Once it was clear Dan Quayle was the choice, everyone scrambled for telephone lines.

I recall a good forty-five minutes of busy signals as we tried to call out.

This was long before cell phones became part of the journalist tool kit.

The closest I got to a souvenir from the week I worked the 1988 Republican Convention was this instant photo taken with cardboard cutouts of Ronald Reagan and George Bush. Photo: Newvine Personal Collection

President Ronald Reagan was the keynote speaker on the opening night of the convention.

We were in our workspace at the Superdome, and you could hear the roars from the crowd as the President and Mrs. Reagan were brought into the convention.

Many of us worked our way to the upper level of the arena to get a glimpse of the President.

Two nights later, I was in the room when George Bush made his acceptance speech. That means I was there when the words “Read my lips, no new taxes,” were uttered.

Throughout the week, there were plenty of moments that still take up a little space in my memory. Those moments include sitting in the audience of the Larry King overnight radio program.

We were just looking for a place to sit after a long day covering the events. Larry made reference to us on the air during the program.
My lasting impression was how little sleep I got during the week, and how easy it was for me to fall asleep once I got back home from New Orleans.

It was the busiest week in my career up to that point, and I enjoyed practically every minute.

Steve Newvine lives in Merced.

He worked as a television journalist in the 1980s and 1990s.

You can reach him at SteveNewvine@SBCGlobal.net .

He latest book is Course Corrections, and is available at Lulu.com

Swinging through Summer with Youth Golf-

First Tee Programs Help Kids Learn the Game & Build Character

Area youth are learning the basics of golf through the First Tee of the Central Valley Program at St. Stanislaus Golf Course in Modesto. Photo: Steve Newvine

You will not see smiles on the faces of these young folks as they learn the basics of the game of golf.

That’s because those upturned lips are covered with the symbol of the COVID restrictions of this year: face masks.

They are part of First Tee of Central Valley and the annual summer program held at area golf courses.

First Tee started nationally in 1997 in an effort to bring more young people into the game.

There is no First Tee program going on in Merced County this summer. But that did not stop several parents from taking their youngsters from Merced County north to the program sites in Modesto, Stanislaus County.

“The Merced County programs were ready to go, but the two courses we worked with there (Rancho Del Rey and Merced Country Club) were not able to open up for First Tee due to the County Health Department COVID restrictions,” said First Tee of Central Valley Executive Director John M. Griston. “But our program is open to all, and at least five to ten families Merced County families are driving forty miles away to take part.”

First Tee of Central Valley manages the nine week summer enrichment program from an office in Modesto. Two Merced County courses, Rancho Del Rey and Merced Country Club also host golfers, but not in 2020 due to concerns regarding the COVID restrictions. Photo: Steve Newvine

Youth aged five to seventeen are eligible to participate. “It’s open to kids from all backgrounds,” John says. ”Diversity is huge element of the program.”

For nine weeks, the participants are introduced to elements of the game with instruction based on their age.

The youngest golfers learn the basics. The middle level builds on that skills base as coaches add exposure to character values to the program.

According to the First Tee website (firstteecentralvalley.org), those nine character values are:

• honesty,
• integrity
• sportsmanship
• respect
• confidence
• responsibility
• perseverance
• courtesy
• judgement

As the players age into the appropriate level of the instruction, golf learning continues while the core character values piece is enhanced with other skills such as building interpersonal skills, communicating, and asking for help.

The nine core values of First Tee are shown on this sign at one of the program sites.

First Tee of the Central Valley is one of a few enrichment programs for youth going on this summer.

Many programs that generally take place at schools, churches, and community centers did not operate this year.

“Safety is our number one concern,” John says. “But through our headquarters in Florida, there was a plan for coming back. We were ready to go.”

That plan includes masks, temperature checks, and the cleaning of golf equipment after each session.

This year, First Tee of Central Valley had three-hundred applications.

Through its fund-raising efforts, the non-profit organization was able to fund forty scholarships for families requesting help.

No one was turned down.

They also offer sibling and military discounts to families.

First Tee has three levels for golf instruction and character building based on the participant’s age. Photo: Steve Newvine.

The program is focused on golf and character development.

But it also has a leadership element.

Former participants who have aged out of the training frequently come back as coaches.

“People are drawn back to the program because they feel it’s a way of giving back to the community,” John says.

He should know. Growing up in East Los Angeles in the 1970s, John was in a neighborhood where he had no access to golf courses.

But he had coaches in baseball who were inspirational.

After serving in the Armed Services, he decided to volunteer for First Tee upon his retirement.

It was during that time as a volunteer that he was moved by something he saw in his First Tee coach training.

“I saw kids who didn’t have shoelaces in their shoes,” he said. “When I saw those kids gravitate to the game, that’s what got me.”

First Tee of Central Valley Executive Director John Griston. Photo courtesy: First Tee of Central Valley

Once the summer program ends, the organization will look to a fall program as well as other special events scheduled across the calendar.

First Tee will provide outreach to schools and other organizations. The need for volunteers is always there, and like most non-profits, fund raising is a key to success.

As for the face masks, everyone taking part in the program at St. Stanislaus Golf Course understands the new reality.

The coaches as well as the kids take it all in stride.

“It’s hard to see their smiles under those masks,” John says. “But we know the smiles are there.”

Steve Newvine lives in Merced.

He has written Course Corrections, My Golf Truth, Fiction, and Philosophy. The book is available at Lulu.com