Lots of Leslies

Leslie has become the most common name at WRAL Television. There are four of us now. There's Shelly and Lauren and Laura and Bill.

A lot of people have been calling the station this week and inquiring about the newest Leslie and wondering if she is my wife or daughter. Laura Leslie is our wonderful new legislative chief. She says "state politics is to me what March Madness is to a sports fan." Laura was born in Elkhart, Indiana and has a masters degree in English from Indiana University. She's won a slew of journalism awards and we are delighted to have her on our staff. Laura and I are probably distantly related. However, let me set the record straight - we are not married.

Then there's Lauren Leslie. You haven't seen her yet but you will. Lauren is in her final semester at NC State University and serves as a news production assistant. Lauren has done a great job on the assignment desk. She is an excellent writer and works hard to learn and grow. I see her becoming a reporter and/or anchor one day or a top notch producer. Lauren grabbed my attention with her full name - Lauren Marie Leslie. That is precisely the name of my daughter. Lauren's family roots are in Pennsylvania though her immediate clan lives now in the Sandhills.

Shelly Leslie and I go back many, many years. Shelly is the creative brains behind our WRAL promotions. She is one of the most talented people I know. You can go to Shelly with an idea and she will transform it into a work of art. She's a thinker, dreamer and true visionary. Those are some of the requirements of her job as Creative Director. I remember Shelly when she first joined our staff out of college. She soon excelled as a photographer and then moved on to promotions. She is also a dog whisperer, avid cyclist and triathlete in training.