All posts by Donna Green-Townsend

WCBS-TV Reporter and UF Alumnus of Distinction Reflects On Covering 9/11 Attacks

April 15, 2010News2001, 9/11 coverage WCBS-TV, Donna Green-Townsend, Lou Young, September 11thDonna Green-Townsend

Lou Young has been a top reporter for WCBS-TV in New York City since 1994. Has won 8 Emmy Awards, and most recently received an Emmy in the Spot News category for his coverage of the Bronx Zoo Skyfari Rescue. He also has been honored with awards from the Associated Press, United Press International, Radio-Television Digital News Association, and New York Academy of Television Arts Awards. Listen below to Donna Green-Townsend’s 2010 interview with Young on his experience reporting for WCBS-TV from ground zero following the 9/11 attacks.

UF Alumnus and WCBS-TV Correspondent Lou Young Shares Experience Of Covering September 11th, 2001 In New York (04/15/2010)

Long-time broadcast journalist and alumnus from the University of Florida, Lou Young, paid a visit to his alma mater today (April 14, 2010). Young, who works for WCBS-TV in New York is the recipient of numerous awards, including eight Emmys. His body of work includes coverage of the invasion of Iraq, the controversial 2000 presidential election and school shootings in Littleton, Colorado among many other stories. He’s considered one of the first to begin reporting online. He’s also coauthor of the book, “The Art of Justice” about high profile trials. Young sat down in the studio with WUFT’s Donna Green-Townsend to share one of his most memorable reporting experiences.

2010 Will McLean Song Contest Winner and Finishers

March 11, 2010Artsacoustic musicians, Dawn DeWitt, Donna Green-Townsend, Florida acoustic musicians, Florida Boy, Florida song contest winners, Home On The Withlacoochee, Michael Denney, The Withlacoochee Way, Will McLean Folk Festival, Will McLean Song Contest 2010Donna Green-Townsend

Here are the 2010 Winner, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers of the Will McLean Best New Florida Song Contest

Dawn DeWitt with Roadside Revue — 1st place winner Dawn DeWitt (with bass)

Winner Dawn DeWitt “The Withlacoochee Way”

2nd place Walt Leuzinger “Home On The Withlacoochee”

3rd place Michael Denney “Florida Boy”

Just prior to the 2010 Will McLean Festival, Donna Green-Townsend talked with the three winners and produced the following feature that aired on WUFT on March 11, 2010.

Back to the list of winners by year

or

Click here to go to the Will McLean Festival website

UF Geophysics Professor Plans Scientific Trip To Chile’s Earthquake Zone (03/10/2010)

March 10, 2010NewsChile earthquake, Donna Green-Townsend, earthquake researcher, Ray Russo, UF Geophysics Professor, University of Florida earthquake researcherDonna Green-Townsend

Aired on WUFT on March 10, 2010

Chile’s president is urging citizens along the coast of his country to move quickly to higher ground following five strongly felt aftershocks, including the biggest since last month’s eight-point-eight magnitude quake. A University of Florida geophysics professor is anxious to get to the Chile earthquake zone. Professor Ray Russo will work with a team of specialists from around the country to deploy and operate about a hundred high-sensitivity earthquake recorders to measure aftershocks in the area. The team hopes to determine the extent and nature of the fault that slipped in late February in Chile. Information gathered could provide insight into how adjacent segments of the Nazca-South America plate boundary might behave in the next few decades. Russo talked with WUFT’s Donna Green-Townsend about the research team and how they plan to go about their work in Chile.

Oak Hall Senior Takes His Biodiesel Project Concept Before A Senate Committee In Tallahassee (03/08/2010)

March 8, 2010Newsbiodiesel fuel, cooking grease into fuel, Donna Green-Townsend, Eric Christian, Oak Hall High School, Senate Higher Education Committee, Senator Steve Oelrich, Steve OelrichDonna Green-Townsend

Aired on WUFT on March 8th, 2010

What started out as a science fair project for an Oak Hall High School student in Gainesville has turned into a “real life” energy strategy. Oak Hall Senior Erich Christian’s creation of a biodiesel facility which turns cooking grease into fuel has even gotten the attention of Republican State Senator Steve Oelrich. Oelrich has filed a Senate bill to help schools cut through red-tape when trying to implement similar projects. Christian and two other Oak Hall students will appear before the Senate Higher Education Committee on Tuesday (March 9th). Christian sat down for an interview with WUFTs Donna Green-Townsend.

Senate Public Hearing and River Rally Coincide To Bring Attention To North Central Florida Springs, Rivers And Water Resources (02/11/2010)

February 11, 2010NewsBob Knight, Donna Green-Townsend, Lee Constantine, Rally For The Rivers, Senate Select Committee, Senate Select Committee on Florida's Inland Water Resources, Water HearingDonna Green-Townsend

Aired on WUFT on February 11th, 2010

The Senate Select Committee on Florida’s Inland Water Resources will hold a public hearing tomorrow morning from 8:30 to 10:30 at the Quality Inn Riverfront Hotel in Palatka. People are encouraged to attend to give their points of view on what are the best ways to protect all of Florida’s springs, rivers and other resources. As Donna Green-Townsend reports, the hearing takes place in the same location as a three-day “Rally For The Rivers” event.

Urban Meyer Changes His Mind

December 28, 2009SportsDonna Green-Townsend, Gator Football, Gators, Tim Tebow, University of Florida, Urban MeyerDonna Green-Townsend

(Originally aired on December 28, 2009 on WUFT)

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In late December of 2009, University of Florida Gator Football Coach Urban Meyer stunned Gator Nation when he announced he was stepping down as head coach. Meyer cited a health scare as the reason. Gator fans breathed a huge sigh of relief when Meyer changed his mind. Donna Green-Townsend reports.

Cattle Ranchers of Florida: Keepers of the Last Frontier

November 22, 2009SpecialsBenjamin DeHart, Bob Stone, Bobby Hicks, Busy Shires Byerly, Conservation Trust for Florida, Donna Green-Townsend, Florida cowboy exhibit, Florida Folklife Program, Florida's Cattle Industry, Florida's cowboys, Frank Thomas, Keepers of the Last Frontier, Lucky Mud, Maggie McKinneyDonna Green-Townsend

_3JustinGopherwCrackerhorse279 — Justin Gopher with cracker horse. Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation, July 2007.

“Keepers of the Last Frontier,” that’s one way to describe Florida’s cowboys. Maintaining the five century old tradition of cattle ranching in the Sunshine State is challenging as rapid growth continues to encroach on what used to be sprawling cattle ranches. Donna Green-Townsend talks with two people involved in the effort to save this longtime industry for future generations. In “Cattle Ranching: Keepers of the Last Frontier,” she talked with Bob Stone, the Outreach Coordinator for the Florida Department of State’s Folklife Program which has had a travelling exhibit dedicated to the lifestyle of Florida’s cowboys. She also spoke with the Executive Director of the Conservation Trust for Florida, Busy Shires-Byerly, who is reaching out to cattle ranching families with information about how to conserve their family land through various creative conservation strategies.(From Donna’s audio archives November 22, 2009)

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The Musicians

West Florida Wrangler -By Maggie and Michael McKinney (Lucky Mud)

Cow Hunter’s Dream – By Benjamin DeHart

I’m Florida – By Bobby Hicks

Cracker Cowman – By Frank Thomas

Links

Florida Cattle Ranching Exhibit

Florida cattle ranching photos

Conservation Trust for Florida

State Library and Archives of Florida

Plight of the Honey Bees

November 12, 2009Specials, Videocolony collapse disorder, Donna Green-Townsend, honey bees, IFAS, University of FloridaDonna Green-Townsend

Aired on WUFT November 12, 2009

Honey Bees In Trouble

Mindgame

October 1, 2009Arts, FeaturesHippodrome State Theatre, MindgameDonna Green-Townsend

Mindgame

A gripping thriller that will keep the audience guessing all the way to its fearful climax. Mindgame has a little bit of everything, from sex and horror to laughs and special effects. Critics say Mindgame serves up a variety of twists and turns as well as highs and lows.

In the play true crime writer Mark Styler is looking for his next subject. After “monster” success with his books, he turns to Fairfields Institute for the Criminally Insane to obtain access to one of its notorious patients – a serial killer known as Easterman.
It’s coming up on the 30th anniversary of Easterman’s arrest, and there’s huge interest in the story. If Styler can just get past the strange behavior and reluctance of Dr. Farquhar, head of the asylum, he’d be off and running to the next leap in his career. But will he get the interview with Easterman and will it be what he expected?
Soon, nothing can be trusted, not even Styler’s own eyes. Through a series of lies, manipulations and memories, dark secrets are revealed and questions keep surfacing.