The Orlando Sentinel from Orlando, Florida • A4

A4 Orlando Sentinel Wednesday, December 29, 2010 People Arts Read more at OrlandoSentinel.com/entertainment A nchorand health reporter Barbara West leaves WFTV-Channel 9 today after 24 years. Her final telecast will be the noon news, and she is expected to say farewell. She is best known for her questioning of then-Sen. Joe Biden during the 2008 presidential campaign, an interview that either wowed or infuriated viewers. But career and contributions are far greater than one interview or story.

Here are reminiscences from people who know her reporting, her style (she was Miss Vermont 1969) and her charity work. Greg Warmoth, anchor at WFTV: consider her a very close friend. We started here months apart. The thing never forget about her is her passion for others. She did at least a decade of blood drives twice a year at the station.

She spearheaded that, she was the face of that. They took weeks to plan. set up all the interviews. be here all day and all night. She made sure the anchors had all their talking points.

She fronting it. She was living Pat Clarke, WESH-Channel 2 sportscaster and former WFTV colleague: love Barb. just a class act. I enjoyed working with her. She was always doing things.

She was emceeing some different function every day. wondering if she ever said no to anyone. And I say that with great respect. a great personality trait. I had my charity golf tournament all those years.

She never missed my event. She was there for me even though she played golf once a year. I remember co-hosting functions with her. Affable and approachable you teach Wendy Chioji, former WESH anchor: hard to imagine WFTV without Barbara West. She has been such an integral part of the team over there.

We worked at competing stations, but never as competitors in a negative way. She has always been kind and nice and generous and classy. Always out in the community making it Chris Schmidt former WFTV news director and now a strategic- planning consultant: is the consummate professional, always in the game, always prepared. always remember on hurricane days, she came to work looking immaculate even if the electricity was turned off in her home. Her trip to Chernobyl the 10 th anniversary of the nuclear was one of the highest-rated newscasts that WFTV ever had.

I remember people writing letters thanking her because they had learned CPR at a program Barbara put on called Life Saver Des Cummings, president, Florida Hospital Foundation, and executive vice president, Florida Hospital: has a passion for health and healing, which she demonstrated in the Central Florida-wide launch of a personal health hotline known as Ask-A-Nurse in partnership with Florida Hospital. The purpose was to improve the health of all of our citizens by giving them 24-hour access to specially trained health professionals. It received a massive response from viewers. It was personal, on-air project. The service continued for eight years, and more than 5 million callers responded.

I salute Barbara West as a pioneer health reporter who has done more to advance the knowledge of health and healing in our community than anyone I Jane Watrel, a former WFTV reporter who works at the NBC affiliate in Washington: was just awesome to work with. She was a news dynamo. She had great ideas for stories that no one else was doing. She was so engaged in what was going on in the newsroom. She took her medical beat so seriously.

As an anchor she was serious about doing a good job and being professional. I remember seeing her for the first time and going, I thought she was big league. She could have easily worked in a bigger Danny Treanor, meteorologist at Central Florida News 13 and formerly of WFTV: is one of my favorite people. Barbara what a good- looking person to work with. Standing by me, she makes me look good.

Her dedication she just plowed right in there. She worked at health reporting until she became an Hal Boedeker can be reached at Barbara West will depart WFTV-Channel 9 today after 24 years of reporting and anchoring for the station. WFTV BARBARA WEST SIGNS OFF TODAY Colleagues salute charity work and reporting on health issues By Hal Boedeker TELEVISION CRITIC Comedy The NBC show Comic brings its live show to Orlando tonight at 8. Tickets range between for the performance at Hard Rock Live, at 6050 Universal in Orlando (inside Universal CityWalk); call 407-351-5483. Attractions Glide along only outdoor ice-skating rink tonight at Light Up UCFat the UCF Arena.

The daily holiday event, which also includes holiday movies, music and a light show, takes place from 5-10 p.m. and ends Sunday. Prices vary, go to lightupucf.com. The UCF Arena is at Building 50 N. Gemini Orlando.

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I All you need is Orlando do-it-yourself ad builder. Sorry, Luke it seems that the awkwardly timed revelation of your parentage is destined to be preserved for all time. Empire Strikes second movie of the original saga will be among this batch of 25 filmsto be included in the U.S. National Film reports. Each year the registry adds 25 movies deemed historically or significant to American culture.

Celebrities Wars: The Empire Strikes will be added to the U.S. National Film Registry. Put in the vault Others on the list: (1980) the (1976) (1973) Night (1977) (1992) There Be (1946) (1914) Pink (1964) Tree Grows in (1945) of (1959) Labyrinth: THX 1138 (1967) Front (1931) (1976) a (1934) Way for (1937) and Mrs. (1971) (1891) of the Sign (1913) of a (1996) Sir Dad: Sir Elton John and David Furnishare proud parents of a son born to a surrogate in California on Christmas Day, Us Weekly magazine reported. The boy is named Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John.

Coming soon: Natalie Portmanis everywhere, Deadline.com reports. Tuesday, a day after the confirmed she is pregnant and engaged, a trailer for her film Other online. Leaving: In the latest setback for the ambitious Broadway production of Natalie lead actress who suffered a concussion during its first preview performance, is quitting the show, The New York Times reported Tuesday. Stars and studs: In the world of celebrity-athlete romances, singer Rihan- nareportedly has broken up with LA Dodgers slugger Matt Kemp(per Usmagazine.com), while Kim Kardashianhas taken up with the New Jersey Kris Humphries(per People.com). Witherspoon engaged: Reese Witherspoonis ready to give marriage a second shot.

The is engaged to Hollywood agent Jim rep confirmed to Usmagazine.com Tuesday. The two have been dating for almost a year. Witherspoon and actor Ryan Phillippedivorced in 2008; they have two children. News services contributed to this report. Product: OS44Broadsheet PubDate: 12-29-2010 Zone: FLA Edition: ROP Page: PEOPLE User: dacollins Time: Color: CK.