Connecting - June 20, 2024

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June 20, 2024

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Colleagues,

Good Thursday morning on this June 20, 2024,

As earlier announced in Connecting, the AP is sponsoring a dinner for its retirees and the first one will be held on Saturday night, Oct. 19, in Kansas City.

Future gatherings will be held in other parts of the country.

The Jack Stokes Memorial Dinner, named for our beloved colleague who died a year ago, will take place at one of Kansas City’s top names in barbeque – Jack Stack Barbeque - Freight House on the south edge of downtown, across the railroad tracks from venerable Union Station. The AP is covering the cost of dinner for a retiree and guest.

Thus far, nearly 40 have registered to attend – including some flying in from the coasts – and I hope you will consider being there for a great weekend to meet up with former colleagues.

There’s more to the dinner than just the dinner – there’s plenty to do in Kansas City for you to make a long weekend of it and toward that end, our colleague Cliff Schiappa compiled a listing of things to do and see while you’re in town. Check it out in today’s Final Word.

PRAISE FOR WEDNESDAY’S AP ARCHIVES STORY: Our colleague Ann Bertini writes: "I don’t always get to read Connecting, and I’m so glad I opened it up today. It’s wonderful to see one of Kelly Tunney’s key legacies recognized — establishing the AP archives. I remember when Archivist Valerie Komor joined the AP and began collecting materials. And I enjoy reading about how it has grown over these last two decades."

THE PROBLEM WITH DAY-BEFORE DEADLINES: Sports headline in my local newspaper delivered to my driveway Wednesday morning: "Willie Mays will miss MLB's Negro League tribute game", attributed to a statement he made to the San Francisco Chronicle on Monday. The Hall of Fame outfielder died Tuesday afternoon - too late for the print edition to carry the next day since it's printed three hours away. Deep audible sigh.

Have a great day – be safe, stay healthy, live it to your fullest.

Paul

Stories of your first AP bureau

Michael Doan - “What are you doing in Pittsburgh?” the drunk on the night desk kept asking me at the Pittsburgh Press. “You should be back in California!”

I was starting to think he was right. I also got encouragement from Bob Dobkin, an AP writer staying in the same apartment building where I lived in Pittsburgh.

So I packed all of my belongings into a U-Haul trailer and headed for Portland, (Ore.), not far from my home state. I knew the bureau chief, Frank Wetzel, when I was on the Delaware State News and he headed the Baltimore bureau.

After reaching agreement with Frank, I took the northern route to Portland, a big mistake in March. I slipped on the ice in South Dakota and broke some ribs on the way.

I started out on the Portland radio desk, which provided great discipline for writing concise copy. Portland may have been the best place I ever lived, but that was the trouble: Not much happened there in 1966 through 1968. We used to post bulletins whenever a princess was selected for the Portland Rose Festival

Only a traffic fatality, a forest fire, a drowning and a legislature item carried me through a weekend of radio splits.

It was hard to leave this idyllic place, but I moved on to Las Vegas, San Francisco and Washington, where lots DID happen.

-0-

David Tirrell-Wysocki – Concord, 1977 - As I jolted awake at my desk in the Concord bureau, my first thought was that my first day at the AP would be my last.

It was June 1977. I had flown in the previous night after a week in the Rockies, celebrating my brother’s wedding. After a restless night, I reported to the bureau and was greeted by News Editor Jon Kellogg.

Jon showed me to a computer to introduce me to my new link to the outside world. I was nervous. I had never worked on a computer, having come from a local radio station where we pounded out stories on a typewriter made before I was born. I was concerned that tapping the wrong computer key or hitting two at the same time would blow the thing up.

Jon patiently explained the ins and outs of the terminal, how to file stories and how it all fit in the AP scheme of things. Soon, a week of high-altitude partying, a long flight and a short night took their toll. I fell dead asleep. Maybe it was while trying to digest the differences between coding for the AAA-wire, the state wire, the sports wire, the business wire, the broadcast wire.

I’m not sure if Jon nudged me or if I awoke from the slap of my notebook hitting the floor, but I was horrified and ready to head back to the radio station. Jon was gracious, showed me to the coffee pot and offered to pick up where we had left off – wherever that was.

His instruction must have worked. I spent 33 years at the Concord bureau and not once did I blow up a computer.

A New York scene

Malcolm Ritter - Ah, New York, where high society meets real life, and the prestigious Metropolitan Museum of Art frames a burst of youthful joy.

Parts of Fifth Avenue were closed to traffic Tuesday for a festival. In this spot passersby were invited to try double dutch, which involves skipping not just one rope but two that are moving in opposite directions. (In this photo you can see only one rope because the other was moving too fast for my iPhone to capture).

The crowd gave this girl a nice hand, but the real roar came a few minutes later for a boffo performance by a young woman dressed as if she might have just been walking home from her corporate law office.

Juneteenth Journos

Adolphe Bernotas - Juneteenth drew 13 journos (most retired, some working) to their monthly gathering in Concord, N.H., representing radio, television, photos, newspapers and wire services of our craft. Among them were two New Hampshire mayors, one current, one former.

From the bottom clockwise – Mike Recht; Bob La Pree; Dick Osborne; David Tirrell-Wysocki; Lee Jones; Jim Van Dongen; Karen Wadsworth, former state legislator and mayor representing Lebanon, N.H; Lisa Brown; Concord Mayor Byron Champlin; Adolphe Bernotas; Fred Kocher; Dick Lutsk; and Dale Vincent.

Stories of interest

Backlash for Bezos (CNN Reliable Sources)

By OLIVER DARCY

Backlash for Bezos: The well-respected, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Maraniss, who has worked at The WaPo since 1977, called for a leadership change at the Jeff Bezos-owned newspaper Wednesday night.

Maraniss, who retains the title of associate editor at The WaPo, wrote in a candid Facebook post, "I don't know a single person at the Post who thinks the current situation with the publisher and supposed new editor can stand. There might be a few, but very very few." Maraniss went on to say that Bezos "owns the Post but he is not of and for the Post or he would understand." Reflecting what other Posties have told me, Maraniss added, "The issue is one of integrity not resistance to change." Spokespersons for The WaPo and Bezos did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

But the post from Maraniss is yet another sign that The WaPo body is rejecting the Will Lewis organ transplant, if you will. And it's difficult — if not impossible — to lead an organization, especially a newsroom, if there is no one following. Making matters worse for Bezos, stories about Lewis are continuing to trickle out. The WaPo and The NYT investigative teams will not suddenly cease chasing the story. And the Prince Harry lawsuit drawing attention to the Rupert Murdoch U.K. hacking scandal is still six months away from trial. Which means plenty more ink will be devoted to Lewis in the days, weeks, and months ahead. And it’s hard to believe it will be for flattering new stories.

Read more here.

AP classes, by the year...

(EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a listing of Connecting colleagues who have shared with me the year and the bureau where they started with the AP. If you would like to share your own information, I will include in later postings. If your name is listed without a bureau, please send me your first bureau and I'll add. Current AP staffers are also welcomed to share their information.)

1951 - Norm Abelson (Boston)

1953 – Charles Monzella (Huntington, WVa)

1955 – Henry Bradsher (Atlanta), Paul Harrington (Boston), Joe McGowan (Cheyenne)

1958 – Roy Bolch (Kansas City)

1959 – Charlie Bruce (Montgomery)

1960 – Claude Erbsen (New York), Carl Leubsdorf (New Orleans)

1961 – Peter Arnett (Jakarta, Indonesia), Warren Lerude (San Diego)

1962 – Paul Albright (Cheyenne), Malcolm Barr Sr. (Honolulu), Myron Belkind (New York), Kelly Smith Tunney (Miami)

1963 – Hal Bock (New York)

1964 – Rachel Ambrose (Indianapolis), Larry Hamlin (Oklahoma City), Ron Mulnix (Denver), Hilmi Toros (New York)

1965 – Bob Dobkin (Pittsburgh), Harry Dunphy (Denver), John Gibbons (New York), Jim Luther (Nashville), Larry Margasak (Harrisburg)

1966 – Mike Doan (Portland, OR), Edie Lederer (New York), Nancy Shipley (Nashville), Mike Short (Los Angeles), Marty Thompson (Seattle), Kent Zimmerman (Chicago)

1967 – Dan Berger (Los Angeles), Adolphe Bernotas (Concord), Lou Boccardi (New York), Linda Deutsch (Los Angeles), Don Harrison (Los Angeles), Doug Kienitz (Cheyenne), David Liu (New York), Bruce Lowitt (Los Angeles), Chuck McFadden (Los Angeles), Martha Malan (Minneapolis), Bill Morrissey (Buffalo), Larry Paladino (Detroit), Michael Putzel (Raleigh), Bruce Richardson (Chicago), Richard Shafer (Baltimore), Victor Simpson (Newark), Michael Sniffen (Newark)

1968 – Lee Balgemann (Chicago), John Eagan (San Francisco), Joe Galu (Albany), Peter Gehrig, Charles Hanley (Albany), Jerry Harkavy (Portland, Maine), Herb Hemming (New York), Brian King (Albany), Samuel Koo (New York), Karren Mills (Minneapolis), Michael Rubin (Los Angeles), Rick Spratling (Salt Lake City)

1969 - Ann Blackman (New York), Ford Burkhart (Philadelphia), Dick Carelli (Charleston, WVa), Dennis Coston (Richmond), Mary V. Gordon (Newark), Daniel Q. Haney (Portland, Maine), Mike Harris (Chicago), Brad Martin (Kansas City), David Minthorn (Frankfurt), Cynthia Rawitch (Los Angeles), Bob Reid (Charlotte), Mike Reilly (New York), Doug Tucker (Tulsa), Bill Winter (Helena)

1970 – Richard Boudreaux (New York), Richard Drew (San Francisco), Bob Egelko (Los Angeles), Steve (Indy) Herman (Indianapolis), Tim Litsch (New York), Lee Margulies (Los Angeles), Chris Pederson (Salt Lake City), Brendan Riley (San Francisco), Larry Thorson (Philadelphia)

1971 – Harry Atkins (Detroit), Jim Bagby (Kansas City), Larry Blasko (Chicago), Jim Carlson (Milwaukee), Jim Carrier (New Haven), Chris Connell (Newark), Bill Hendrick (Birmingham), John Lumpkin (Dallas), Kendal Weaver (Montgomery)

1972 – Hank Ackerman (New York), Bob Fick (St. Louis), Mike Graczyk (Detroit), Lindel Hutson (Little Rock), Brent Kallestad (Sioux Falls), Tom Kent (Hartford), Nolan Kienitz (Dallas), Andy Lippman (Phoenix), Mike Millican (Hartford), Lew Wheaton (Richmond)

1973 - Jerry Cipriano (New York), Susan Clark (New York), Norm Clarke (Cincinnati), Joe Galianese (East Brunswick), Merrill Hartson (Richmond), Mike Hendricks (Albany), Tom Journey (Tucson), Steve Loeper (Los Angeles), Tom Slaughter (Sioux Falls), Jim Spehar (Denver), Paul Stevens (Albany), Jeffrey Ulbrich (Cheyenne), Owen Ullmann (Detroit), John Willis (Omaha)

1974 – Norman Black (Baltimore), David Espo (Cheyenne), Robert Glass (Philadelphia), Steve Graham (Helena), Elaine Hooker (Hartford), Sue Price Johnson (Charlotte), Dave Lubeski (Washington), Lee Mitgang (New York), Marc Wilson (Little Rock)

1975 – Peter Eisner (Columbus), David Powell (New York), Eileen Alt Powell (Milwaukee)

1976 – Brad Cain (Chicago), Judith Capar (Philadelphia), Dick Chady (Albany), Steve Crowley (Washington), David Egner (Oklahoma City), Marc Humbert (Albany), Charlotte Porter (Minneapolis), Chuck Wolfe (Charlotte)

1977 – Robert Burns (Jefferson City), Charles Campbell (Nashville), Dave Carpenter (Philadelphia), Ken Herman (Dallas), Mike Holmes (Des Moines), Scott Kraft (Jefferson City), John Kreiser (New York), Peter Leabo (Dallas), Kevin LeBoeuf (Los Angeles), Ellen Nimmons (Minneapolis), Dan Sewell (Buffalo), Estes Thompson (Richmond), David Tirrell-Wysocki (Concord)

1978 – Tom Eblen (Louisville), Doug Pizac (Los Angeles), Charles Richards (Dallas), Steve Wilson (Boston)

1979 – Scotty Comegys (Chicago), Brian Friedman (Des Moines), Sally Hale (Dallas), Phillip Rawls (Nashville), Linda Sargent (Little Rock), Robert Wielaard (Brussels)

1980 – Jeff Barnard (Providence), Mark Duncan (Cleveland), Bill Kaczor (Tallahassee), Mitchell Landsberg (Reno), Kevin Noblet (New Orleans), David Speer (Jackson), Hal Spencer (Providence), Carol J. Williams (Seattle)

1981 – Paul Davenport (Phoenix), Dan Day (Milwaukee), John Flesher (Raleigh), Len Iwanski (Bismarck), Ed McCullough (Albany), Mark Mittelstadt (Des Moines), Roland Rochet (New York), Lee Siegel (Seattle), Marty Steinberg (Baltimore)

1982 – Dorothy Abernathy (Little Rock), Al Behrman (Cincinnati), Tom Cohen (Jefferson City), John Epperson (Chicago), Ric Feld (Atlanta), Nick Geranios (Helena), Robert Kimball (New York), Bill Menezes (Kansas City), David Ochs (New York)

1983 – Scott Charton (Little Rock), Sue Cross (Columbus), Mark Elias (Chicago), Diana Heidgerd (Miami), Carol Esler Ochs (New York), Amy Sancetta (Philadelphia), Rande Simpson (New York), Dave Skidmore (Milwaukee)

1984 – Owen Canfield (Oklahoma City), Wayne Chin (Washington), Jack Elliott (Oklahoma City), Kelly P. Kissel (New Orleans), Joe Macenka (Richmond), Eva Parziale (San Francisco), Cliff Schiappa (Kansas City), Andrew Selsky (Cheyenne)

1985 - Betty Kumpf Pizac (Los Angeles)

1986 – Joni Baluh Beall (Richmond), Tom Coyne (Columbia, SC), Dave DeGrace (Milwaukee), Alan Flippen (Louisville), Jim Gerberich (San Francisco), Howard Goldberg (New York), Mark Hamrick (Dallas), Sandy Kozel (Washington)

1987 – Donna Abu-Nasr (Beirut), Dave Bauder (Albany), Beth Harris (Indianapolis), Lynne Harris (New York), Rosemarie Mileto (New York), John Rogers (Los Angeles)

1988 – Peg Coughlin (Pierre), Kathy Gannon (Islamabad), Melissa Jordan (Sioux Falls), Bill Pilc (New York), Kelley Shannon (Dallas)

1989 – Charlie Arbogast (Trenton), Ron Fournier (Little Rock)

1990 – Dan Perry (Bucharest), Sean Thompson (New York)

1991 – Lisa Pane (Hartford), Ricardo Reif (Caracas), Bill Sikes (Buffalo)

1992 – Kerry Huggard (New York)

1993 – Jim Salter (St. Louis)

1996 – Patricia N. Casillo (New York)

1997 - Pamela Collins (Dallas), Madhu Krishnappa Maron (New York), Jennifer Yates (Baltimore)

2000 – Gary Gentile (Los Angeles)

What to do, what to see, what to eat in Kansas City

Cliff Schiappa - Here are just a few things to keep an AP retiree occupied while in the Kansas City metro area.

MUSEUMS

INDEPENDENCE: Head east from downtown KC on I-70 to Independence for the Harry S Truman Museum and Library https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/ If you want more Truman, check out his home about a mile from the Library: https://www.nps.gov/hstr/index.htm

KANSAS CITY: Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. This is the major art museum in the city with free admission. Recognized for its Chinese collection, photography, as well as the architecture of both main buildings. It’s walking distance from the Country Club Plaza. Probably the must-see of all the museums. https://www.nelson-atkins.org Tip: Wander over to the museum after sunset to see the internally illuminated Bloch Building.

KANSAS CITY: Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art: https://www.kemperart.org/ It’s just around the corner from the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. Combine the two for a full day of art appreciation.

KANSAS CITY: These two museums are literally next door to each other, so plan to see both:

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum: https://www.nlbm.com/

American Jazz Museum: https://americanjazzmuseum.org/

KANSAS CITY: Kansas City Museum: http://kansascitymuseum.org/

KANSAS CITY: The National World War I Museum and Memorial: https://theworldwar.org

It’s got the world’s most comprehensive WWI collection. Located adjacent to Union Station and Crown Center.

KANSAS CITY: The Steamboat Arabia museum. This is a fascinating display of a steamboat that sunk near Kansas City in 1856 and was entombed in mud until it was recovered in 1988. An amazing view into what was important to common folks in the mid-19^th century as the entire contents of the ship were salvaged and put on display. https://1856.com

OVERLAND PARK, KS: Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art: https://www.nermanmuseum.org/

This museum, on the campus of Johnson County Community College, is in the southern suburbs, so it’s a bit of a drive.

FOOD

Because the easiest way to get in an argument in Kansas City is to ask two people where the best barbecue joint is, here’s a list of a few that are good and well known, along with an interesting magazine piece about barbecue: https://kansascitymag.com/bbq/the-10-best-kansas-city-bbq-spots-we-ate-at-50-plus-spots-to-pick-em/

Char Bar Cooked Meats and Amusements https://charbarkc.com/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=yext

Their Burnt Ends are awesome.

Gates https://gatesbbq.com/

They have a number of locations around town. It’s a hoot to walk in and have the person yell “Hi! May I Help You?” If you don’t know what you want, step aside and let the person behind you go ahead.

Arthur Bryant’s https://www.arthurbryantsbbq.com/

Their sandwiches are piled high with meat. Probably the best known ‘cue place in town, it’s where visiting POTUS always stop for lunch.

Firorella’s Jack Stack www.jackstackbbq.com

Their lamb ribs are wonderful, as are their sides. While there, walk across the old railroad bridge to check out Union Station. It’s a very cool space, the second largest railroad station in the country.

Joe’s Kansas City www.joeskc.com

It’s a combination gas station and restaurant. Go at an odd hour to avoid the lunchtime or dinner time rush.

Q39 www.q39kc.com

Arrive early for lunch, otherwise you’ll be in a line.

A few other restaurants besides barbecue:

Café Trio. www.cafetriokc.com

Only open for dinner, great décor, good service, delicious food and a convenient location adjacent to the Country Club Plaza. Their patio bar offers a beautiful view of the Plaza and a pianist offers delightful music indoors.

Tailleur: A nice place for lunch and yummy house-made desserts https://tailleuronmain.com/ near 39^th and Main.

Pierpont’s: Beautifully appointed, nice menu, awesome bar in a great location at Union Station. Private dining rooms are available for small groups of 6 or more. https://pierponts.com

Kansas City is known for the historic stockyards, so with that, here are some good steakhouses:

The Majestic: Old school vibe with steaks, cocktails, and nightly jazz. https://majestickc.com

Golden Ox: Located right in the former stockyards, it was refurbished a few years back. https://goldenoxkc.com

For a longer listing of steakhouses: https://www.visitkc.com/visitors/places-eat/guide-steakhouses-kansas-city

SHOPPING

The Country Club Plaza is Kansas City’s crown jewel offering local and national shops and restaurants. Opened in 1923, it was the first planned suburban shopping center and the first regional shopping center to accommodate shoppers arriving by car. https://www.countryclubplaza.com It’s located about four miles south of downtown Kansas City, Mo.

Westport area offers some unique locally owned shops and restaurants. It’s about a mile north of the Country Club Plaza.

Brookside is a similar neighborhood shopping district with distinctive shops and restaurants, about two miles south of the Country Club Plaza.

Crown Center, home of Hallmark Cards is an enclosed three-level mall with an interesting mix of shops and restaurants. It’s about a mile south of downtown. Take the footbridge across to Union Station, the second largest railroad station in the nation. https://crowncenter.com

If you just want to wander a bit around Kansas City’s upscale neighborhoods, drive south on Ward Parkway from the Country Club Plaza and you’ll see some beautiful homes between 55^th Street and 65^th Street. If you head west of Ward Parkway a few blocks you’ll cross State Line Road into Kansas and you will enjoy wandering the small town of Mission Hills. Some amazing mansions there as well.

If you want to venture further afield, check out the town of Weston, Missouri, about 20 minutes north of the Kansas City Airport. Some cool shops, restaurants and architecture in this small river town. As you drive down the hill into downtown it will feel like you’re on horseback riding into town for provisions.

Then head further north, about 30 minutes more, to St. Joseph, Missouri. Check out the Pony Express Museum https://www.ponyexpress.org/ Also, the Albrecht_Kemper Museum http://albrecht-kemper.org/

ENTERTAINMENT

Kansas City Jazz has had a huge influence in music around the world. With that, here’s an interesting primer on the roots of this art form: https://pendergastkc.org/topics/jazz

Some cool jazz clubs in Kansas City:

The Blue Room: Located in the American Jazz Museum at 18^th and Vine, the Blue Room is where serious afficionados hang out to hear local musicians. https://americanjazzmuseum.org/blue-room

Lonnie’s Reno Club: A pricey and swanky jazz and dinner club created by trumpeter, vocalist, and tap dancer Lonnie McFadden located in the Ambassador Hotel. https://lonniesrenoclub.com

Black Dolphin and Green Lady Lounge: Two jazz clubs next door to each other at 18^th and Grand. Black Dolphin is only open Friday and Saturday nights while Green Lady is open every night. No websites, just Facebook pages.

The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is an architectural and acoustical masterpiece which is home to the Symphony, Opera, and Ballet. https://kauffmancenter.org Here are the corresponding performances:

Kansas City Symphony October 18^th- 20^th Kristin Chenoweth performs with the Kansas City Symphony https://kcsymphony.org

Kansas City Ballet October 11^th- 20^th “Alice (in Wonderland)” https://kcballet.org

Today in History – June 20, 2024

By The Associated Press

Today is Thursday, June 20, the 172nd day of 2024. There are 194 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On June 20, 1837, Queen Victoria acceded to the British throne following the death of her uncle, King William IV.

On this date:

In 1782, Congress approved the Great Seal of the United States, featuring the emblem of the bald eagle.

In 1863, West Virginia became the 35th state.

In 1893, a jury in New Bedford, Massachusetts, found Lizzie Borden not guilty of the ax murders of her father and stepmother.

In 1943, race-related rioting erupted in Detroit; federal troops were sent in two days later to quell the violence that resulted in more than 30 deaths.

In 1944, during World War II, Japanese naval forces retreated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea after suffering heavy losses to the victorious American fleet.

In 1947, Gangster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel was shot dead at the Beverly Hills, California, home of his girlfriend, Virginia Hill, apparently at the order of mob associates.

In 1967, boxer Muhammad Ali was convicted in Houston of violating Selective Service laws by refusing to be drafted and was sentenced to five years in prison. (Ali’s conviction was ultimately overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court).

In 1972, three days after the arrest of the Watergate burglars, President Richard Nixon met at the White House with his chief of staff, H.R. Haldeman; the secretly made tape recording of this meeting ended up with the notorious 18 1/2-minute gap.

In 1974, the film noir “Chinatown,” starring Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway, was released by Paramount Pictures.

In 1990, South African Black nationalist Nelson Mandela and his wife, Winnie, arrived in New York City for a ticker-tape parade in their honor as they began an eight-city U.S. tour.

In 2014, the Obama administration granted an array of new benefits to same-sex couples, including those living in states where gay marriage was against the law; the new measures ranged from Social Security and veterans benefits to work leave for caring for sick spouses.

In 2016, a divided U.S. Supreme Court bolstered police powers, ruling 5-3 that evidence of a crime in some cases may be used against a defendant even if the police did something wrong or illegal in obtaining it.

In 2022, the nation’s youngest children got their first chance at vaccines for COVID-19. Roughly 18 million kids under 5 became eligible, and shots began at a few locations.

Today’s Birthdays: Actor Bonnie Bartlett is 95. Actor James Tolkan is 93. Director Stephen Frears is 83. Singer-songwriter Brian Wilson is 82. Actor John McCook is 81. Singer Anne Murray is 79. TV personality Bob Vila is 78. Actor Candy Clark is 77. Producer Tina Sinatra is 76. R&B singer Lionel Richie is 75. Actor John Goodman is 72. Rock musician Michael Anthony is 70. Rock musician John Taylor is 64. Rock musician Mark degli Antoni (de-glee-an-toh-nee) is 62. Christian rock musician Jerome Fontamillas (Switchfoot) is 57. Actor Nicole Kidman is 57. Country/bluegrass singer-musician Dan Tyminski is 57. Movie director Robert Rodriguez is 56. Actor Peter Paige is 55. Actor Josh Lucas is 53. Rock musician Jeordie White (AKA Twiggy Ramirez) is 53. Rock singer Chino Moreno (Deftones) is 51. Country-folk singer-songwriter Amos Lee is 47. Country singer Chuck Wicks is 45. Actor Tika Sumpter is 44. Actor-singer Alisan Porter is 43. U.S. Olympic beach volleyball gold medalist April Ross is 42. Christian rock musician Chris Dudley (Underoath) is 41. Rock singer Grace Potter (Grace Potter & the Nocturnals) is 41. Actor Mark Saul is 38. Actor Dreama Walker is 38. Actor Chris Mintz-Plasse (plahs) is 35. Actor Maria Lark is 27.

Got a photo or story to share?

Connecting is a daily newsletter published Monday through Friday that reaches more than 1,800 retired and former Associated Press employees, present-day employees, and news industry and journalism school colleagues. It began in 2013. Past issues can be found by clicking Connecting Archive in the masthead. Its author, Paul Stevens, retired from the AP in 2009 after a 36-year career as a newsman in Albany and St. Louis, correspondent in Wichita, chief of bureau in Albuquerque, Indianapolis and Kansas City, and Central Region vice president based in Kansas City.

Got a story to share? A favorite memory of your AP days? Don't keep them to yourself. Share with your colleagues by sending to Ye Olde Connecting Editor. And don't forget to include photos!

Here are some suggestions:

- Connecting "selfies" - a word and photo self-profile of you and your career, and what you are doing today. Both for new members and those who have been with us a while.

- Second chapters - You finished a great career. Now tell us about your second (and third and fourth?) chapters of life.

- Spousal support - How your spouse helped in supporting your work during your AP career.

- My most unusual story - tell us about an unusual, off the wall story that you covered.

- "A silly mistake that you make"- a chance to 'fess up with a memorable mistake in your journalistic career.

- Multigenerational AP families - profiles of families whose service spanned two or more generations.

- Volunteering - benefit your colleagues by sharing volunteer stories - with ideas on such work they can do themselves.

- First job - How did you get your first job in journalism?

- Most unusual place a story assignment took you.

Paul Stevens

Editor, Connecting newsletter

paulstevens46@gmail.com