Best of the Springs...

I swung by Clear Channel this morning to hand out "Best of the Springs" awards to Captain Dan and Paul at K-Lite and Val Hart at Y96. Warren was over at KOAA giving Laura Rojas her "Best teeth" honors (OK, she wasn't actually there, but I think Georgiann did get the reader's pick for "hottie"). And there are a few hundred other categories on gazette.com or in your morning paper.

Here are the broadcast categories. You can't complain about the readers' picks - 'cause that's democracy in action - but if you think we blew the staff picks, feel free to pipe up:

BEST RADIO PERSONALITY
VAL HART, KCCY (96.9 FM)
Hart returned to the Springs last summer after a year with a country station called "The Wolf," up in Seattle. Evidently, the espresso IV drip they issue at the Seattle airport didn't agree with her. In any case, we're happy to have her back - and glad somebody's around to keep her morning co-host, Willie, in line.

READERS' CHOICE - BEST RADIO PERSONALITY
CAPTAIN DAN AND PAUL, KKLI (106.3 FM)
Paul Richards and Captain Dan Jackson are like a warm pair of slippers for your ears. They’re comfy, broken-in and make easing into another day just a wee bit easier.

BEST RADIO STATION
KILO (94.3 FM)
KILO is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year — 30 years of head-banging, eardrum-busting, turn-that-noise-down rock.

READERS' CHOICE - BEST RADIO STATION
KRCC (91.5 FM)
The Springs' favorite radio station just keeps getting better. This year, it added digital subchannels chockablock with more of the music and public radio programming that keeps this community supporting the analog mothership. In a radio world filled with narrow formats and niche programming, KRCC offers something for everyone.

BEST TV NEWS PROGRAM
KOAA/CHANNELS 5&30’S 5 P.M. NEWS
The numbers don’t lie, and KOAA’s 5 p.m. team of Georgiann Lymberopoulos and Rob Quirk was the top local newscast, beating out KOAA’s 10 p.m. team of Rob Quirk and Lisa Lyden by the slimmest of margins in the latest ratings. In your face, 10 p.m. Rob Quirk!

James Jarman is making his mark on KOAA/Channels 5&30.
BEST TV REPORTER
JAMES JARMAN, KOAA/CHANNELS 5&30
Jarman’s turned into the Springs’ very own Chris Hansen (who made his name with “To Catch a Predator” on NBC’s “Dateline”) with his series of reports on local sex offenders.

READERS' CHOICE - BEST TV REPORTER
TAK LANDROCK, KRDO/CHANNEL 13
As KRDO’s investigative reporter, Land-rock takes on a lot of serious stories: “Former councilman accused of drugging his date,” “Bridging the racism gap,” “Prostitution problem in Colorado Springs,” “Investigation finds cotton candy sweet, sticky.” We kid. We kid because we love.

BEST TV ANCHOR
JEANNETTE HYNES, KXRM/CHANNEL 21
We renamed this category the “Lisa Lyden Memorial Award” last year so we could spread the wealth a little more. Jeannette Hynes recently left KXRM/Channel 21
[Note: This thing was written like two months ago, and so there were a few things that changed while it was at the printer's. Like, obviously, Jeannette. Also, we gave James Jarman the reporting nod before the whole Newsome thing, thereby missing out on a whole lot of really easy jokes.]

READERS' CHOICE - BEST TV ANCHOR
LISA LYDEN, KOAA/CHANNELS 5&30
You know, Lyden has won this for the last we-don’t-know-how-many years. We’ve completely run out of anything intelligent to say. Lisa, you rock.

BEST TV WEATHERPERSON
MARTY VENTICINQUE, KRDO/CHANNEL 13
It took us four tries to spell Venticinque right, so he'd better be worth it. Marty's geeky, but in a good way. You can tell he loves this stuff, even if he's not loving getting up at 3 in the morning.

BEST HOT NEWS HAIR — TEAM AWARD
KRDO/CHANNEL 13’S 10 P.M. NEWS
It’s a good-hair-day group, and they’re making Veda Salons proud.

Laura Rojas of News First Now boasts a dazzling smile.
BEST TV TEETH
LAURA ROJAS, NEWS FIRST NOW (COMCAST CHANNEL 9)
Rojas, host of the 4 and 9 p.m. news on KOAA’s cable sibling News First Now, has network-quality teeth.

READERS' CHOICE - BEST STATION FOR TV NEWS
KOAA/CHANNELS 5&30
KOAA has been the top-rated station in town for years — no small feat for an NBC affiliate, since that network has been struggling.

READERS' CHOICE - BEST FEMALE NEWS HOTTIE
GEORGIANN LYMBEROPOULOS
Is it just us, or is Georgiann looking hotta than evah these days?

READERS' CHOICE - BEST MALE NEWS HOTTIE
MATT MEISTER, KRDO/CHANNEL 13
Those eyes, those teeth, that hair . . . that weak system developing over Montana that could bring a trace of snow to the higher elevations. Matt gives us all these things.

BEST RADIO SHOW
TRON SIMPSON, MORNINGS, KCMN (1530 AM)
Although Tron’s a pretty funny guy all by himself, what’s really amazing are the guests he gets (by phone, but still . .