Flynn's First Goodbye Is Most Moving

Taking a look at the headlines:

The Goodbye Girl: Of Channel 4 anchor Lisa Flynn’s twin goodbyes on her 5:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts Wednesday, I was more moved by the first one.

Perhaps because Flynn started crying at the end of the 5:30 p.m. newscast on Channel 4 as she talked about calling an end to her 24-year news career to raise her seven-year-old son, I almost started crying, too. OK, I admit it. I'm a hardened newsman but even I shed a few tears.

At the end of the 10 p.m. newscast on Lisa’s goodbye on WNLO-TV, her cute son Thomas held a cake (which amusingly almost dropped) as the on-air and behind-the-scenes staff surrounded Flynn.

It was a nice touch. It also made it seem more like a celebration than a reason to cry. Good luck to a great lady and solid journalist.

* Up to the Minute Speculation: If former Rochester TV anchor Lia Lando doesn’t want Flynn’s job, here’s another intriguing possibility. Emily Smith, a former WBEN-AM reporter who currently is an anchor on CBS’ overnight program “Up to the Minute,” certainly should be considered if she were interested in coming back home. Smith was back on WBEN in February talking with an anchor about how differently New York City residents deal with the snow than they do in Buffalo.

Lando, a mother of two, seems like the early favorite for the job if she wants it. Tonight is her first night on the newscasts.

Hairy Information: You know a blog is growing when readers respond to some queries and point out on-air mistakes.

After a blog in which I wondered whether Channel 7 reporter Jason Greunauer made history by starting his career sporting a goatee, Mark Twain responded: “I think I remembered Stefan Mychajliw sporting a goatee on the air at some point at Channel 7 or at Channel 2. And remember the weather guy that pre-dated Don Paul at 4? Something McNally. He had a full-blown beard.” Mike Randall (OK, it wasn’t exactly Twain) was referring to Lou McNally.

Another reader, Buffalo State College communications professor Nanette Tramont noted that Channel 2 anchor Maryalice Demler misspoke Wednesday and “referred to Elizabeth Edwards’ new cancer regime instead of regimen.”

I’m counting on sharp viewers (and readers) to point out amusing and not-so-amusing on-air errors if they attach their names to the emails. I can’t see everything.

Sex and the City, Part 3: Back when the Batavia woman , Suzanne M. Corona, was charged with adultery and held an impromptu press conference after a court appearance, I wrote that any lawyer would have told her to keep quiet. After that, she turned up on 97 Rock talking about the case.

Sure enough, she was back in court Wednesday with a lawyer who did all the talking for her when they met the media. Smart move. Finally.

Clever Opening: Channel 4 has come up with a new idea that wasn’t “borrowed” from Channel 2. It opens newscasts now with 4 stories you don’t want to miss on 4.

Extended Runway: I see Lifetime is extending “Project Runway” by 30 minutes to 90 minutes. In other words, it will seem longer than the latest “Sex and the City” movie and that didn’t seem possible.

Buffalo’s Sportsman of the Month: Jeff Glor, the Western New York native who is a rising star at CBS News, did a piece Wednesday night on LeBron James, the NBA’s most sought-after free agent. A little while ago before the World Cup, Glor did a piece on American soccer star Landon Donovan.

Supreme Joke: Elena Kagan faced some very serious questions at the confirmation hearings for her Supreme Court seat. But she had one line that would have made Jerry Seinfeld, Alan King and Billy Crystal proud. Asked where she was on Christmas Day, Kagan replied: “Like all Jews, probably at a Chinese restaurant.”

That’s all folks!

pergament@msn.com