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WSLS anchor, assistant news director earn spots on Roanoke '40 Under 40' list

Brittny McGraw, at left, and Margaret Ashburn

Brittny McGraw, at left, and Margaret Ashburn

Two women from WSLS, Graham Media Group's NBC affiliate in Roanoke, Va., have been honored as "the next wave of Roanoke's leaders," and recognized on a list for the top 40 Under 40.

In an online feature called "Meet the Class of 2021," assistant news director Margaret Ashburn and anchor Brittny McGraw are listed as honorees.

"Applicants were judged not only on their career achievements, but also on their involvement in the community and other factors," The Roanoker said.

Of Ashburn, 31, the website said the following:

"A Magna Cum Laude graduate with a degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Georgia, Margaret Ashburn’s leadership has resulted in numerous awards for WSLS10, including a 2020 Emmy Award for Outstanding Newscast. She serves on the Junior League of Roanoke Valley board as secretary, and organized the first Carilion Toy Drive, while also volunteering as the Ronald McDonald House Committee co-chair. She began virtual training in May 2020 with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Virginia to serve as a wish granter and participates each year in the Special Olympics Polar Plunge by jumping in the New River in early February dressed as a penguin! She is also a high school Sunday school teacher for Second Presbyterian Church."

“Having the opportunity to give back to the community that gave me so much growing up is the greatest honor,” Ashburn said. “It's what pushes me to continue to want to be involved and do something for others, no matter how big or small the impact is. … My drive comes from holding this city so deeply in my heart.”

And from the nominations: "Ashburn works tirelessly to ensure the local news reported by WSLS 10 is professional, accurate, locally relevant, and responsible. In our divided and politically charged world, where even local news is often mistrusted, she manages the newsroom at WSLS 10 with strict adherence to journalism's canon of ethics. Ashburn dedicates much of her time outside of work to volunteering and she constantly seeks ways to give back to her community. ... It sounds clique, but Ashburn truly gives 100% percent to everything she does."

Read more.

Of McGraw, 39, the website said the following:

"Brittny McGraw knew she wanted to be a journalist since the third grade – she is now an award-winning journalist and WSLS10 evening news anchor. ... The Charlotte native and University of Chapel Hill graduate moved to Roanoke in 2017, becoming an integral part of the station’s newscast awards, most recently for an Emmy nomination on her story on integrating Floyd. She is an active member of the Junior League of Roanoke Valley, as well as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. An avid health enthusiast, she’s also known to lead her coworkers in station workouts! She is the station’s lead for their Habitat for Humanity Home for Good project and formed a Polar Plunge team to help raise money for Special Olympics Southwest Virginia, where the organization named her one of the top fundraisers."

“I have a passion for making sure people are informed about the world around them, and that’s even more critical in an age when inaccurate or misleading information can run rampant,” McGraw said. “It’s important that people have fair and accurate information so they can make the best decisions for themselves, their family and their community.”

And from the nominations: "When you meet McGraw for the first or 100th time, she always greets you with a smile. She brightens up any room that she walks into and is someone you can count on to put a smile on your face too … McGraw is not your stereotypical television anchor. While she is serious about what she does, McGraw also knows how to have fun. She is a teacher to younger journalists, offering advice to help their careers grow. Even the most seasoned journalists look to McGraw’s for input and critiques. McGraw is someone who never says no to a good opportunity. She's the first person to raise her hand and volunteer for something that will better the community. McGraw is someone you can count on consistently to go above and beyond her job description."

Read more.

Graham Media Group is so proud to have Ashburn and McGraw on the team.

WSLS-10 to host a socially distant Halloween event

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Wondering what television stations are doing about Halloween as the coronavirus pandemic continues on with seemingly no end in sight?

For a safe and free Halloween experience, WSLS-10 in Roanoke, Virginia, is hosting a drive-through trick-or-treating event.

It's slated for 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 30 at Layman Family Farms.

“Our goal is to create a safe experience where our children and neighbors can continue making positive memories during these trying times,” Vice President and General Manager Jaimie León said.

The event is intended to be a fresh way to support local communities and sprinkle in some fun during a pandemic.

People can be prepared for candy, music and so much more, the station said.

On the WSLS 10 drive-through route, visitors will stop at 20 candy stations. There will be about 120,000 individually wrapped pieces of candy. Center in the Square for providing all those treats.

In a partnership with Layman Family Farms, visitors will be offered discounted tickets to its fall festival.

To help keep visitors healthy and safe, WSLS 10 volunteers will be wearing masks and dropping candy directly into Halloween bags, to avoid physical contact.

WSLS 10 news team wins multiple Associated Press awards for reporting

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The WSLS 10 News team was honored to take home multiple awards Saturday afternoon at the Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters awards for content that aired in 2019.

It was a virtual ceremony this year, and the awards honor the news media in Virginia and West Virginia.

The 10 News team won the following:

  • First Place - Best Team News Coverage - Michael Brown

  • First Place - Best Serious Feature - John Carlin and Paul Eldert for Project Ezekiel

  • First Place - Best News Promo - Marine Manhunt, Michael Brown Arrested

  • First Place - Douglas Southall Freeman Award - Jenna Zibton and Howard Swank for ’30 Days of Hope'

  • Second Place - Continuing Coverage: Missing Marine Manhunt

  • Second Place - Outstanding Sports Operation of the Virginias - John Appicello, Brooke Leonard, Eric Johnson

  • Second Place - Best Newscast

WSLS-TV dedicates fifth Habitat For Humanity 'Home for Good'

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It’s a Home for Good.

Smiles, cheers and well-wishes greeted the Ayamba family in Roanoke, Virginia, as 14 family members stood proudly on their new front porch.

WSLS 10 partnered with Habitat For Humanity in the Roanoke Valley on the station’s fifth project.

This year’s Home for Good, the Apostle Build project, also included support from Journey FM and 20 area churches.

“What an amazing feeling to be up here on this porch, leading to this beautiful home WE built,” WSLS 10 Vice President and General Manager Jaimie Leon said. “We are grateful for our partnership with Habitat For Humanity, our generous corporate sponsors and our wonderful volunteers.”

War forced the Ayamba family from their home in Central Africa. The Ayambas moved from refugee camp to refugee camp before relocating in the United States. They settled in Roanoke in 2016, with the goal of building a better life for their 12 children who range in age from 1 to 25.

“Well it’s very incredible that we’re here on the porch of the house," said Mwenebatu Ayamba, the oldest son. “It’s very exciting and I’m really happy for this.”

WSLS 10’s John Carlin and Brittny McGraw broadcast this year’s house dedication live during the station’s 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. newscasts.

This Habitat project was the largest build ever, featuring seven bedrooms.

WSLS 10 staff members rolled up their sleeves and worked side-by-side with the family and volunteers during the four-month build.

“I think it’s easy to forget that with a house this size, how much more work is involved,” said Brian Clark, a Habitat construction manager. “If you think of some of our single-story builds, this is like taking two houses and stacking them on top of each other, and so it’s easy to forget that much more work.”

Habitat For Humanity Roanoke Valley has built 244 homes serving more than 1041 individuals since 1986.

WSLS embraces cutting-edge technology in new studio

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In late April, WSLS-TV celebrated its first day in a new building, which hadn't happened in more than 63 years.

The team unveiled the new set on "Virginia Today." The new studio is the culmination of many months of hard work, and more than a year of planning.

Roanoke's first television news station has moved from downtown to a location that's close to the Berglund Center. WSLS now boasts a brand-new, state-of-the-art set with all the latest television broadcast technology.

Graham Media Group CEO Emily Barr said it's as much the viewers' home as it is the station's.

"The building by itself is going to be the key," Barr said. "It's the magic that happens inside."

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WSLS team members spent weeks extensively training on the new set, doing rehearsal after rehearsal. The production department put in a lot of long days and nights, learning the ins and outs of the new advanced system. Without this team, the newscast couldn't happen.

It took at least 15 miles of cables to make this set come to life.

"This set embraces a lot of new technology (and) a lot of display technology that's just being developed," said Michael Wright, a set designer.

Wright meticulously designed every square inch of this set.

"It's like having a baby," Wright said. "It really is giving birth to something and it's a lot of moving parts -- a lot of interrelated pieces so I am super proud of it."

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There's a news cube wall, which allows a 90-degree turn in video.

As Wright explains, it's the tiny details that really make the set pop.

"The hard scenics on the set are fabric, printed fabric," said Wright. "Like you print shirts in the store, they can now print fabrics for scenery and that's built with internal lights so that instead of the old days that you front light from the studio, this is internally lit so it has more of a luminous feel -- and that in turn makes talent look good."

The new set also enhances Storm Team 10's ability to track severe weather.

WSLS takes home 4 first-place honors at Virginias Associated Press Awards

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WSLS 10 has been honored with four first-places awards as well as two more second-place honors in the Associated Press Awards for the Virginias.

WSLS 10 took home more honors than any other television station in the Roanoke-Lynchburg, Virginia market.

“These wins are station wins and everyone should be proud of our accomplishments,” Vice President and General Manager Jaimie Leon said. "I couldn’t be more proud of our team, and that’s what it takes to do excellent journalism -- TEAMWORK.”

The 10 Sports team of John Appicello, Alyssa Rae and Eric Johnson won the Best Sports Operations of the Virginias for the second consecutive year.

First-place awards went to:

  • Continuing Coverage: “Abduction of Baby Emma” (WSLS staff)

  • Outstanding Sports Operation of the Virginias: (John Appicello, Alyssa Rae, Eric Johnson)

  • Multimedia/Online Journalism: “Aircraft Carrier Landing” (John Carlin and Lee Friesland)

  • Old Dominion Heritage: “Craig County Barn Quilts” (John Carlin and Carter Malpass)

And in second place, WSLS earned the following honors:

  • Website: WSLS.com (Jeff Williamson, Heather Butterworth, Samantha Smith)

  • Serious Feature: “Second Chance” (Jessica Jewell and Lee Friesland).

WSLS 10 competes in the large-market division, which includes Roanoke/Lynchburg, Richmond, and Norfolk, Virginia markets as well as Charleston, West Virginia.