A Lesson from the Kids from Way Back in 1978

Like YOU don't buy anything, counselor, living in one of the most expensive cities in the Country! Who was your childhood hero, William Kunstler? Only a barrister would seek to demean the bond between parent and child. Do us all a favor and take Pelosi to a Giants game to show her some real human beings instead of the martinets (or should I say marionettes?) she's surrounded with.

Hello, Mr. Parker,

My son stumbled across your blog with one of my 1979 stories from WDEF TV. What a treat to find that on line after these many years!

Someone followed up with the question, "What ever happened to Dale Pandelis?"

Well...a lot!

I was at WDEF for seven years, 1977-1983. I moved to Ithaca, New York in 1983 after marrying WDEF's then general manager Gary Bolton. In those days, WDEF and six other television stations (plus 14 radio stations and 23 newspapers) were owned by Roy H. Park Broadcasting, which was headquarterd in Ithaca.

I have just returned south after living in upstate New York for 24 years.

While there, I worked as a reporter for WROC TV (also a CBS affiliate)for a number of years.

After divorce, I went to law school at State University of New York at Buffalo. In my reporting, both in Chattanooga and Rochester(NY), I had covered a lot of trials and court stories and liked that environment. Worked as assistant district attorney in Niagara County for a time after receiving my law degree.

I am now in Charleston, South Carolina, teaching high school students at risk for dropping out, getting in trouble with the law and other catastrophes. It is most rewarding work. It draws on everything I ever learned while working in broadcasting and in the legal profession.

I still think about those terrific days at WDEF TV 12 (as it was called then). Those seven years at WDEF were a really good time in my life. And how nice it was to see that someone in Chattanooga (you) dragged me from the archives and put me out there!

Incidentally, you asked if anyone could identify any of the children in my 1979 story re: "who do you most look up to?" The last child in the piece, a little red headed first-grader, was my daughter Krystin Pandelis. She grew up, went to college at University of Georgia for a couple of years, then finished her degree in sociology through the University of Maryland while in Germany with her husband,Army Capt.Tommy Jacobs, for three years. They have two children of their own now, boys 13 and 15, and live in Charlotte, North Carolina. Krystin works as outreach coordinator at a shelter for battered women in Monroe, North Carolina. Her husband (who left the Army after serving as an Apache helicopter pilot in Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan), is now an associate with The McKinsey Co., a global consulting firm with offices in Charlotte.

My son showed us all (Krystin, me, her husband and children) your blog with the story, and we enjoyed it tremendously. A very nice way to be pulled back into a very happy time in the past.

Thank you!

Could you tell me, does WDEF ever have "reunions" or anniversary celebrations where former employees are invited back? PLease let me know if so. I'd love to come visit the station.

Dale Hall (formerly Pandelis)

Wonderful to hear from you.  I never know how the people from our past will react to seeing their old material.  In fact, there is one news director down south, who keeps threatening me for showing his 70s mustache (you know who you are!)  Believe it or not, Doris Ellis is still here.  Drop us an email with your contact info, so we can stay in touch.  Dellis@wdef.com or wparker@wdef.com.

I think the real question is: Whatever happened to Ed Parry?