Dave Scott with his trombone.
TV meteorologist and feature reporter Dave Scott has retired after 30 years at KUSI-TV to focus on his other passion as a jazz trombonist. His final newscast was Sunday night, March 27. He started at KUSI in 1992.
“I turn 65 in April and I believe it’s time for me to start another chapter and follow my dream of music,” Scott told Times of San Diego. “All of us have only so much time in this life.”
Scott admits the passing of his brother and parents served as a “wake-up call.” His brother was age 55. His mom passed in 2019, followed by his dad in early 2020.
“It was a wake-up call that we don’t have all the time in the world,” Scott said. “It makes you realize how precious life is. I’m at a point where I want to spend more time with my kids and more time with my music.”
For 20 years, Scott worked the weekend shift delivering reports for both early morning and nighttime newscasts. On some mornings, Scott would bring along his two sons to live remotes. “They would still be asleep when I put them in the car and they would wake-up on location at the beach or zoo or wherever,” Scott said.
Scott’s music affection began at age 12. Growing up in Hawaii, Scott heard jazz trombonist Trummy Young perform at the Sheraton Waikiki. Young (1912-1984) played for 12 years with Louis Armstrong in Armstrong’s All Stars. “I had never heard a trombone playing melody, normally it’s just whole notes,” said Scott. “When I heard Trummy, I knew right then that’s what I wanted to do with my life.
“My dad ran a typewriter business and a trombone cost $300 at Harry’s Music Store in Honolulu. My dad told me if I saved $200, then he would cover the rest. So, I got a newspaper delivery route job and saved the money. Trummy also was working at the music store at the time. So, I bought my first trombone from Trummy Young.”
A box of donuts played a part in the launch of Scott’s weather reporting career in the late 1980s, when he was a college student.
“I took a box of donuts and walked into the local National Weather Service office to meet the chief meteorologist, Wilbur Shigehara,” Scott said. “They allowed me to intern there and learn all about weather. I also interned at Channel 10 in their sports department, but I really wanted to do weather.”
In 1990, Scott then took his resume videotape and arrived at a TV station in Yuma, Ariz. “I sat in the lobby all day, waiting to talk to the news director. He finally came out and agreed to look at my resume tape. Two weeks later, he called and offered me a job covering sports.
“But, I wanted a job in weather. So, I called my dad who asked me, `Have you done all this work for a job in sports or in weather?’ I answered, `Weather.’ He replied, `There’s your answer.’ So, I said no to the job offer. The next week, the same news director in Yuma called me and offered me a job doing weather.”
Scott spent a year working as a TV weathercaster in Yuma, followed by a year in Tucson, before arriving at KUSI in the summer of 1992, initially wearing bow ties on the air. According to Scott said, “The bow ties started because Bob Dale wore bow ties (Dale, 1925-2008, was TV weathercaster in San Diego for decades).
“Bob was an idol of mine,” said Scott. “I figured if bow ties worked for Bob Dale, then they would work for me. Before he passed away, he gave me some of his bow ties.”
Over the years, Scott estimates he has produced between 4,000 and 5,000 “World of Wonder” segments on various nature-related topics. He also spent three years producing and hosting “More of the Wild,” an animal series with San Diego Zoo’s Joan Embery.
“Joan was great to work with,” said Scott. “It is amazing how animals respond to her. She has a magical gift with animals.”
In 1997, Scott completed his certification in broadcast meteorology from Mississippi State University. The following year, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in geosciences with the emphasis in meteorology from MSU. In January 2001, he was awarded a seal of approval in broadcast meteorology from the American Meteorological Society (AMS).
“It took several years of hard work to get that AMS seal,” Scott said. “I’m very proud of it because I was working full time while going to school.”
Scott recalls his interviews with famous celebrities have included Robin Williams, Carol Channing and Neil Armstrong. “But the most amazing people I have met have been the everyday people of San Diego, especially the heroes in our military and Pearl Harbor survivors, such as Stu Headley and Ray Chavez,” Scott said. “I was fortunate to interview Stu and Ray a number of times. It is important to remind everyone how our military service men and women have sacrificed for the freedoms we have in our country.”
Scott is currently a member of a band that performs weekly at several restaurant venues in San Diego County. He can be reached for bookings at [email protected].
“It’s hard to believe how fast 30 years goes by,” Scott said. “I’m so grateful to the McKinnon family (owners of KUSI), my KUSI family and becoming part of everybody’s family watching at home. But, all the stars have aligned to say that it’s time for me to move on.”
KPBS to Unveil New Name of Renovated Building
KPBS, San Diego’s Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio affiliates, will announce a new name and unveil signage for its renovated building at San Diego State University at a press conference on Tuesday morning, March 29.
Construction on the building at 5200 Campanile Drive has been underway since November 2020. In 2017, KPBS launched its “Building on Trust” fundraising campaign with donations earmarked for expanding the building by approximately 12,000 square feet, renovating some existing space, upgrading technical equipment and investing in future funding for programming and technology.
Announced donors to the campaign have included $8 million from The Conrad Prebys Foundation and $5 million from Carol Vassiliadis, the largest gift in KPBS history from a living individual. The $85 million capital campaign is the largest campaign in KPBS’ history, a spokesperson said.
In a statement to Times of San Diego, Nancy Worlie, KPBS interim general manager, said, “We’ve been quietly fundraising for this important project since 2017. On top of that, we weren’t able to have a groundbreaking event because of the pandemic. But now we are about eight months away from completion and our excitement can’t be contained much longer. For nearly 62 years, KPBS has served the public. This building represents the physical manifestation of that public service mission. Front and center is a Community Engagement center, and our lobby is open and welcoming like the rest of the space. I am so excited to share KPBS’ home with the community and all that it represents for our future.”
KPBS said the Building on Trust campaign will move to a public phase this summer, when KPBS members and the general public will be invited to donate to the campaign.
Heather Milne Barger, KPBS director of communications, confirmed that scheduled speakers at the Tuesday press conference will include: Worlie, interm KPBS GM; Adela de la Torre, president, San Diego State University; Grant Oliphant, CEO, The Conrad Prebys Foundation.
After construction is completed in early 2023, Milne Barger said an open house event for the public with building tours will be scheduled.
Pizza by Fox 5’s Heather Lake Added to Sammy’s Menu
KSWB Fox 5 San Diego morning reporter Heather Lake concocted the winning pizza recipe in a recent pizza-making challenge organized by San Diego-based Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza restaurant chain.
Heather Lake
Lake’s winning “Hot Honey” pizza consists of all-natural pepperoni, prosciutto, bell peppers, red onions, house-made tomato sauce and spicy honey. The dish has been added to the spring menu at all seven Sammy’s restaurants.
The pizza challenge, held on National Pizza Day in February, was judged by Pam Kragen, dining and features reporter for The San Diego Union-Tribune, Mia Stefanko, co-publisher of Ranch & Coast Magazine and Sami Ladeki, Sammy’s founder.
As part of her victory, Lake’s designated charity received a $5,000 donation. She selected the Monarch School, a public school that serves 300 homeless students from kindergarten through 12th grades.
Other pizza challenge competitors included Jenny Milkowski of KUSI-TV, Eric Kahnert of KFMB-TV, Blas Galindo of Televisa, Rick Morton of XHTZ-FM Z-90 and Geoff Alan of KHTS-FM Channel 93.3.
San Diego AMA Offers Workshops on Traffic, Nurturing
The American Marketing Association San Diego chapter will present two, in-person content marketing workshops, both led by Frank Cowell, CEO of Digitopia.
“Drive Traffic” is the workshop theme on Tuesday, March 29 at Hera Hub in Mission Valley, 8885 Rio San Diego Dr., San Diego. Topics will include Google keywords that drive measurable results, a feeder content strategy to convert visitors, how to engage ready-now buyers, podcast production and strategies for Linkedin and social media platforms.
“Nurturing Leads” is the workshop theme on Tuesday, April 12 at Downtown Works in Pacific Beach, 4438 Ingraham Street. Topics will include developing human-to-human relationships with prospective customers, follow-up strategies that take contacts to the next step, long-term strategies for top-of-mind brand awareness and email marketing tactics to keep your brand preferred when it’s time to buy.
Times for both workshops are from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Cost to attend each workshop is $40 per person. For registration information, visit sdama.org.
Rick Griffin is a San Diego-based public relations and marketing consultant. His MarketInk column appears weekly on Mondays in Times of San Diego.