LITTLE ROCK — SWITCHING CHANNELS: KTHV-TV, Channel 11, Today’s THV This Morning anchor Alyson Courtney left the Gannett Co. Inc.-owned CBS affiliate over the weekend to join KATV, Channel 7.
Courtney, who began at Channel 11 as a reporter in 2003, broke the news on her Facebook page about 9:30 p.m. Sunday:
“Embarking on a new adventure. Thankful for my precious family and the friends that stick by me, that guide me and love me despite all my faults! I am so very blessed.”
Later, Wess Moore, Courtney’s husband and now former co-worker at KTHV, was cleaning out her desk at work.
Courtney tells Paper Trails that she is now employed with KATV, an ABC affiliate owned by Allbritton Communications.
But didn’t Courtney’s contract with Channel 11 include a noncompete clause?
“My contract did include a noncompete,” she says.
“I will be off the air for six months.”
Meanwhile, over at Channel 11, Melissa Dunbar-Gates will temporarily fill Courtney’s vacated position until a permanent replacement is named.
VISIT ON TRACK: Union Pacific Railroad has set the dates for its No.
3985 Challenger steam locomotive goodwill tour, which will begin in Kansas City, Mo., on May 29 and conclude in Little Rock on June 9. The train is traveling this route, dubbed the “Little Rock Express,” after voters chose it over three others in the railroad’s “Great Excursion Adventure” online contest. The train also will go through Jefferson City, Mo., and St. Louis.
No tickets will be sold for this excursion and general public train rides will not be available.
Five individual winners (none from Arkansas) - determined by the number of points they received by gathering referrals via Facebook or Twitter - and their guests will ride on the train. However, those voting for the Little Rock Express will be entered into a drawing for the chance to ride a brief segment of the tour.
HIS REIGN: Scores of parades roll through New Orleans and the surrounding area during Carnival season, but locals know reigning as the king of the Krewe of Rex on Mardi Gras is the ultimate honor. Rex is considered the king of Carnival - the mayor of the city even holds a ceremonial toast to the Rex and turns the city over to his leadership for that day.
And the 2011 Rex - Herschel Abbott Jr., 69 - is an Arkansan. Born in Little Rock, he grew up in Monroe, La., attended Tulane University and made New Orleans his home. Abbott, a lawyer, serves on several organizations’ boards throughout the city. On July 1, he’ll begin serving as chairman of the board of the National World War II Museum.
Paper Trails appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Contact Linda Caillouet at (501) 399-3636 or at lcaillouet@arkansasonline.com
Arkansas, Pages 9 on 03/09/2011