We lost a lot of trees. James and his wife Karen have been married for 41 years, and they have two sons. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. ABC 33/40 meteorologist James Spann, however, once said it came with ample . ", James Spann, far right, is pictured in this newspaper advertisement for the Action News Team at Birmingham's WAPI/Channel 13, where Spann anchored the weather from 1979 to 1984. James Spann is a television meteorologist based in Birmingham, Alabama. "But I said what I needed to say. THIS AFTERNOON: The sky is mostly sunny across South Alabama this afternoon, where temperatures are now in the mid 70s. "Obviously our landscaping is going to be a lot different now. Reach Drew Taylor at [email protected] or 205-722-0204. What did come as a surprise to Spann was when he was called to fill in for beloved TV personality Country Boy Eddie the following Monday morning. He is also the host of the weekly podcast WeatherBrains, which he started in 2006. Julien Saunders of Rich and Regular talks about how he and his wife give back Episode 2172: When, Why and How We Give by Julien Saunders Julien and Kiersten started rich & REGULAR in 2017 after their stint in real estate investing led them to discover the F.I.R.E movement. None of that made sense to me. ", This is a school photo taken of James Spann around 1970. He became one of Montgomerys youngest chief weathermen at the age of 23. ", As she assessed the destruction she remarked: "It's unbelievable! He was on the air for 37 years. We had been in a little box of an apartment, just tiny, tiny. Bill Naugher, CEO of Crest Publishers, said the book shows a part of Spann not many people get to see. They'd talk about ways of keeping black people out of the church. He also really loves his job, and said that "If you love weather, it's the greatest job in the world. There was zero loss of life and no serious injuries, despite some significant tornadoes, and James couldn't say enough about how happy that made him. Little information is available on his wife, but the pair got hitched on June 6, 1981, and have been married for 40 years. OK. "So, I left the radio station to go to work for Channel 33. Not long after his father left them, Spann and his mother moved to her family's home in Ashville, in St. Clair County, but they came back to Greenville a year later. James Spann's YouTube channel! "I was driving through Butler County and it was about 9 o'clock and it just hit me like a brick in the head: You need to go back to that church over there," he says. All rights reserved. While it takes a good chunk of time, he serving the community is just as important for his personal mental health as it is for the community. James places high value on giving back to his community and believes that being a servant to a community that has served him so well is vital to his happiness. The call letters, WBBR, stood for Black Bear Radio, in honor of the school mascot. James is married to Karen Spann. I needed to tell him that I've forgiven him. He worked for a variety of radio stations as a news anchor and weatherman such as WSFA /Channel . Because James was dissatisfied with Foxs diet of reality shows and other programming, he joined some of his former WBRC coworkers at ABC 33/40, which was founded by merging Annistons WCFT and WJSU-TV with a new low-power repeater in Birmingham. "You could get on the air and you could communicate with people in other parts of the country and the world with a little wire on your roof," he says. Since then, James has been working for ABC 33/40. We said this thing would bring six inches and people wouldnt believe it. I've been with the department 24 and have a son planning on getting into the academy. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, James Spann, 64, was covering the tornadoes when his house was hit by one, James Spann shared this image of his backyard but assured viewers his house 'was OK', Messages of admiration poured in as Spann returned to his reporting duties despite the shocking news he had just received, James Spann expressed his thanks to well-wishers and encouraged others to help vulnerable locals, James and his wife Karen built an in-home shelter in their Birmingham home, At least five people are dead and multiple casualties have been reported, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). The AMS stated he was the winner in part because of "his tireless efforts to advance the public's awareness of and engagement in the science of meteorology, particularly severe weather forecasting and response". A huge tree just missed our house! Though he says he learned that late in life, he now realizes that were put here to help people. That was the day that they realized forecasting and physical science alone wasn't enough - we NEED social scientists to take communication further. And weather phenomenons do not discriminate - seen during meteorologist James Spann's coverage of the deadly conditions. He praised the social scientists he worked with and the value they've added to the team over the years. Burns hosted the Country Boy Eddie Show on WBRC from 1957 to 1993. He also became a writer who specialized in weather-related topics. During his weather report on the afternoon of Thursday, March 25, James Spann, 64, learned that his own home had been struck. MMA news, interviews, pictures, videos and more since 1997. "I needed it, and I thought he needed it. "Thats the night I lost my innocence," he said. During his segment on the unbelievable weather conditions, the renowned meteorologist stepped off camera after finding out his home had sustained some damage, with his wife inside. If there is one tornado in the whole state, and it hits your house, that day is your April 27. Be sure you don't miss any groups, and know where your weaknesses are so that you can address them. In addition, James was asked to join WAPI (NBC 13) in Birmingham as the principal weather anchor. At that point, they'd listened to their friends complain about doing everything right, and still not really "feeling . Obituary. There were ten tornadoes across the state on March 25, 2021, one of which struck his home while he was live on air. Alabama meteorologist James Spann was broadcasting live when severe weather struck his own home. He wanted to write a book for kids who loved science and weather, but also a book that addressed fear by giving valuable information to overcome that fear and not scare them. (Photo from James Spann's "Weathering Life"). He doesn't shy away from the fact that it is challenging, and notes that to be successful in this field you have to be willing to put in long hours and work really hard. Juliet DragosBio, Age, WZZM, Family, Husband, Net Worth, Salary, Von Miller Bio, Age, NFL, Family, Wife, Net Worth. However, just because the state might not experience a massive outbreak as it did on that day, all it takes is one tornado. After three years in Demopolis, he came back to Birmingham in 1989 and returned to doing what he loved, anchoring the weather at WBRC/Channel 6. OU alumnus James Spann is founder and managing partner of Norman-based Boyd Street Ventures. Bill Castle shot this video in 2013 pic.twitter.com/v66RKG8dho. I love a good routine and thrive when I have a structured schedule, but James' productivity puts my best days to shame! Newberry's son testified against Spann's release at the time. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. View our online Press Pack. We lost a lot of trees. "They all looked the same -- black suits, black ties and these glasses with black rims," Spann remembers. "I've been married for 38 years. James talked highly of the next generation, praising the younger and upcoming workforce as brilliant with outstanding work ethics. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. About three years ago, on his way back from Mobile on a Sunday morning, Spann also went back to revisit his old church, Greenville Baptist Church. Though there was widespread news coverage, when you have 62 tornadoes in one day, some will slip between the cracks (especially ten years ago when social media was around, but not as widely used as it is now). During the 1973 Brent tornado and the 1974 Superoutbreak, he assisted in the transmission of information. He was on TV for ten hours on April 8, 1998, during a tornado warning for western Jefferson County. When Channel 13 was sold to Times Mirror and renamed WVTM-TV in 1980, James impressed his new supervisors enough that he was transferred to KDFW, a Dallas-based sister station, in 1984. "It's been a long journey. . ALABAMA has been ravaged by a series of several deadly tornadoes, toppling trees, destroying homes, and cutting off power supplies across the state. ABC 33/40 meteorologist James Spann, however, once said it came with ample warning. To learn more about where James' story began and the winding road that brought him to where he is today, I encourage you to read his autobiography, "Weathering Life." UPDATED at 2:16 p.m. CDT on Monday, July 8, 2019 to add that Spann received a certificate in broadcast meteorology from Mississippi State University in the early 1990s. Karen told her husband: "Oh, it's a miracle. Tags: 'Vietnam' Asia Retire To Hanoi. Burns gave Spann four rings of the cowbell for his success as a meteorologist, the highest honor on his long-running show. For a while after that, Spann says, his father promised his mother that he would come visit him. Alabama Blues Hall of Fame member Mac Arnold's first band included James Brown on piano. Carolyn Spann encouraged her son's passion, driving him to ham radio gatherings in Birmingham and letting him hang antennas and wires all over their new house. "He just has a unique experience that most people don't know about," Naugher said. ", The 64-year-old later tweeted a statement regarding the damage to his home echoing his earlier comments, while adding: "As I often say, tornadoes happen to real people, at a real place, at a real time.". Prosecutors had sought the death penalty, but a technicality in the law led Spann to get life in prison with the possibility of parole. James volunteered as an amateur radio operator while attending Tuscaloosa High School. ", Forensic MeteorologyWeather Resources + GuidesSeminars, STM WeatherPO Box 117Cropseyville, NY 12052, 2021 STM Weather | Privacy PolicySite Design by Dapper Fox, when a system produced 25tornadoesacross the state of Alabama. He decided to remain at ABC 33/40, informing viewers on the storm. After 23 years at ABC 33/40, hes not planning on going anywhere else. Source of the photo: Mike Smith's blog. There is so much damage everywhere. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The blizzard of March 1993 came as a surprise to many across Alabama when the snow began falling that Friday afternoon. Spann, who studied electrical engineering at UA, paid for his college tuition while working at WTBC, where he stayed for five years and worked his way up to program director before he got an offer to join Tuscaloosa TV station WCFT/Channel 33 in 1978. "A reasonable overall budget for living in this city is about US$1,100 or US$1,200 per month, including rent of US$500.". I am so saddened to hear of the death of Birmingham TV legend Country Boy Eddie. Her family was in attendance again to argue against his release. J.B. is my mentor, and the main reason I am a professional meteorologist today. 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