CADIZ, Ky. (WTVF) — A familiar face here at NewsChannel 5 has certainly made all of us proud, and we are not the only ones.
This is how it usually works for reporters at NewsChannel 5. We get our assignments first thing in the morning, and the work is heading out and seeing who we can get to talk about the subject. That's what the situation was again on Friday.
Who can I get at such short notice? I should mention the subject Friday was the retirement of NewsChannel 5's Tuwanda Coleman. The place I was headed was her hometown of Cadiz, Kentucky. Within mere minutes of making a few calls to Cadiz, a crew was ready to talk Tuwanda. They were friend George Radford, county historian Jim Wallace, cousin Regenia Wilkerson, county judge-executive Stan Humphries, county court magistrate Mike Wright, Cadiz mayor Todd King, and childhood friend Paul Fourschee.
"Tuwanda was the same person then that she is today," Fourschee said. "I certainly remember Tuwanda in elementary school. We attended first grade together all the way through 12th grade. It was a small school. Our class was only about 125 people. She was the most gentle, kind, concerned, smart, capable, a wonderful person to know."
"Well, she just has class," added Wallace. "She had it then, and she has it now."
"She was a role model of what a student should be," Wright continued. "When Tuwanda was in high school, she was a member of the National Forensic League. She was a state champion dramatist."
With that public speaking ability, people in Cadiz had an idea that might lead Tuwanda in an interesting direction.
"When you're from a small town like Cadiz, everyone noticed when she made it to television," Wright said. "That was a big thing for the people here.
"I was really excited about it," Wilkerson smiled.
"She's done such a great job of representing Trigg County," Radford said.
Friday, as Tuwanda retired from NewsChannel 5, Fourschee was looking back on a yearbook message from those school days.
"Paul, it has been really great knowing you all these years. Best wishes always, Tuwanda," he read from a yearbook.
Now, all these people have a message for her.
"Hey! I want you to help me with the family reunion this year!" laughed Wilkerson.
Well. Besides that.
"Well done, Tuwanda," Fourschee said.
"We took pride in seeing you on TV," added Wright.
"Relax! Take a deep breath!" Radford said.
"As a Trigg County resident to another, congratulations Tuwanda," said Humphries.
"I appreciate everything she's done on NewsChannel 5," said King.
"I want to tell her that I'm very proud of her, that we all love her," said Wilkerson.
Get ready to get inspired - Tad found a second purpose later in life, turning his hobby into his full-time gig. He helps the planet, helps homeowners and finds fulfillment in a slower pace after being on the front-line during the pandemic.
-Rebecca Schleicher
