Latest news with #KFDX
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Longtime KFDX, KJTL cameraman retires
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — After more than six decades, longtime KFDX and KJTL cameraman Steve Corbitt is calling it a career. 'I've already retired once, so this is my second retirement,' Corbitt said. 'This is official, official, especially according to my wife. I'm about ready to settle back and enjoy life with my wife and family, and my dogs. There are several things that we would like to do together, and, better do it now while I still can.' For the last 61 years, Corbitt has worked in a handful of different fields. 'An awful lot of it has been news coverage,' Corbitt said. 'But an awful lot of it has been production, commercials, politicals.' Corbitt's career began in the 1960s in his hometown of Wichita Falls. After a few years, he made the move to the Texas Gulf Coast, joining the team at KPRC in Houston in his early 20s. 'There was a lot of amazing things that happened to me early on because of KPRC,' Corbitt said. 'We did several ball games out of the Astrodome. The Astrodome at that time was brand new. The big new wonder of the world. Some of us wound up covering George Wallace. Some of us also ended up covering the racial problems in the South. The Vice President of the United States at that time came to Houston, and we covered that. There was a lot of history being made at that time.' Speaking of history, KPRC provided national and international news coverage of every NASA space mission, from Gemini 4 in 1965 to the Challenger explosion in 1986, and every single Apollo mission in between. 'The first time that they actually put a crew together to go out to NASA and everything, I got left off of it,' Corbitt said. 'So I wasn't very happy about that.' But all of that changed in 1970, when Corbitt was a part of arguably NASA's greatest moment. 'Apollo 13, NBC was the pool situation for all three networks,' Corbitt said. 'And an old-time director, Jack Dillon, for NBC, recommended that I be the lighting director on it.' Corbitt and his fellow KPRC crewmembers headed to Los Angeles, then to Hawaii, and ultimately, Pearl Harbor. Before Apollo 13 even left Earth's atmosphere, Corbitt and his team boarded the USS Iwo Jima. While astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Hays, and Jack Swaggart were preparing for their mission to the moon, Corbitt and the team from KPRC had a mission of their own. 'Our remote trucks for video and everything else, and a lighting truck, and all that, they were all pulled into the hangar bay. They were all parked down there,' Corbitt said. 'We had to assemble a studio in their hangar bay. That's lights, that's everything, control room, and video tape machines. Video tape machines in those days were as big as that news desk.' It's one thing to build an entire working studio on solid ground. It's another thing entirely to build one on an aircraft carrier while being at the mercy of the South Pacific Ocean. 'On the way, we also went through three days of a typhoon, which was no fun,' Corbitt said. The KPRC team wasn't the only crew looking adversity in the face. For days, Americans bowed their heads, hoping and praying that the three astronauts aboard the Apollo 13 would make it home safe. Then, on April 11, 1970, the Command Module re-entered the Earth's atmosphere, going radio silent for what felt like an eternity. 'We get to the pickup zone,' Corbitt said. 'Communication wasn't like it is now, and they were saying they didn't know if they were alive or not. All of our cameras were trained on the UDT team, and everything out there opening up and all this.' With the world watching, thanks to Corbitt and his team, an entire nation breathed a sigh of relief and rejoiced when the three astronauts emerged from the Apollo 13 Command Module. 'It was a shock to us that they were alive because they'd lost transmission on their way back, and that's the last we heard of them,' Corbitt said. 'They all come out, and we're just very happy. Extremely. Then, we had to turn around and come back.' Even now, some 55 years later, Apollo 13 was the highlight of Corbitt's long, incredible career. 'That stands out as one of the most prominent things, you know. I was so young. That normally doesn't happen,' Corbitt said. 'I felt like I was a part of history.' Corbitt spent the next several decades in production, film, and photography across Texas, and even beyond, before returning home to Wichita Falls. 'The reason why I came back is because, you know, family,' Corbitt said. In 2005, Corbitt joined the KFDX family, first as a photojournalist, then moving to the studio, where he's played a number of roles on the production team. Of course, Texoma probably knows him best from his cameos on the morning show. Things are going to be different around the studio in the mornings without Corbitt, and it goes without saying, he will certainly be missed. 'I think my time spent here has been well-spent,' Corbitt said. 'I've met some very good people, I've worked with some really great people, and I will regret not seeing some of them every day.' 'A lot of people that I've done interviews with over the years and so on, I've gotten to become very good friends with,' Corbitt said. 'And I'm going to miss seeing them, because a lot of them come in once a week or once a month.' After a career of over 60 years, the last twenty spent here with us, from the entire KFDX, KJBO, Texoma's Fox, and Texoma's Homepage family, thank you, Steve, and congratulations on a well-deserved retirement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas outpaces job growth nationwide, Gov. Abbott commends economy
AUSTIN (KFDX/KJTL) — Texas Governor Greg Abbott recognized Texas as the leader of annual job creation in the nation. Over the last 12 months, Texas has led the nation in job creation, with 198,300 nonfarm jobs added. Based on June data, Texas set new records with the number of Texans working and the size of the labor force in the state. 'Thanks to the strength of the Texas economy, more Texans are working than ever before,' said Governor Abbott. 'While we pause to celebrate job gains over the year, we also recognize the strength of Texans throughout this disaster and the outpouring of support from our fellow Americans over the last two weeks.' Data about June employment from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Texas Workforce Commission shows that: Texas reached a new high with the largest labor force ever in the state's history at 15,850,100. Texas reached a new high for Texans working, including self-employed, at 15,210,500. The unemployment rate in Texas dropped to 4.0% over the month of June. Texas added 198,300 nonfarm jobs from June 2024 to June 2025, more than any other state and growing at a faster annual rate than the nation as a whole. To see the stats for Texas cities, check out the report from the Texas Workforce Commission. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Texas flags lowered to honor Hill Country flood victims
AUSTIN (KFDX/KJTL) — Governor Greg Abbott has ordered that flags across the state of Texas be lowered to half-staff in honor of those lost in the Hill Country floods over the holiday weekend. RELATED | Texas Roadhouse to donate profits to Kerr County Flood Relief 'In heartfelt remembrance of those whose lives were tragically lost in the recent floods, I ordered Texas flags across the state to be lowered to half-staff,' Abbott said. 'Cecilia and I continue to pray for their loved ones as they grieve this unimaginable loss and urge all Texans to continue praying for all impacted by this devastation. Texas stands united in mourning and in our resolve to support those who strive to heal and recover. May God bring comfort to every family affected and strength to the thousands of first responders still working on the ground.' Governor Abbott said that all businesses, individuals and other entities are to fly their flags at half-staff until sunrise on Monday, July 14. While Governor Abbott's Day of Prayer proclamation was Sunday, July 6, he still urges Texans to continue praying for the lives that were lost, for anyone still missing, for the recovery of the communities that were impacted and for the first responders working day and night to find everyone that is still missing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tales N' Trails Museum wraps up another successful History Mystery Day Camp
NOCONA (KFDX/KJTL) — It's been a week of hands-on history in Nocona, where kids at History Mystery day camp wrapped up their final day of fun and learning. From goat milking to ancient hunting tools, this camp brought the past to life in some unforgettable ways. Over the past week, kids ages 5-12 explored everything from farming and ranching to Native American survival tools. They milked goats, tasted goat's milk, planted flowers and even crafted their own pottery. One of the biggest highlights was learning how to throw an atlatl, an ancient tool Native American hunters used to hurl spears. Camp leader, Melanie Howington, said the purpose of the camp is to help bridge the gap between past knowledge and the way things are today and make it fun. 'Their toys are all electronics; they're all touch keypad. They don't understand slingshots and Slinkys. Up at Wichita Falls museum, Leanne brought us Slinkys and told us the history of Slinkys and they got to do that and play jacks. I want them to see how things evolve and how it's different now from back to when it was', said Howington. No matter the age, the focus remained the same, making the past feel real and showing how history still connects to their everyday lives. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Austin McCollum earns second in the Texas-Oklahoma Junior Golf Tournament
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Austin McCollum is a name one should become familiar with on the links. The freshman won a TAPPS 1A state championship and recently added a T-O Junior Golf Open Championship division runner-up to his collection. 'It was really amazing,' McCollum said. 'I mean, just everybody around me was so supportive. Being a local kid here, I heard there had to be crowd control because of all the people. It was really amazing.' McCollum started day two, two strokes behind the top spot. By the 9th hole, he had a one stroke lead. McCollum battled with Reed Blacklock, a senior from Lubbock, all the way until the final hole. The duo ended up tying, and they went into a tiebreaker. He ended up finishing second in his debut. While this was not the result he wanted, he knows this is just the beginning. 'I think I can learn,' McCollum said. 'I'm the youngest kid in almost every event I've played in, I'm still right there with every single one of them. That is a really big motivator, even coming up just short.' For the full story, please click on the video at the top of this web page. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
