WMAQ Channel 5 - NewsCenter5 Special Report - "Winter Of '79" (Part 2, 1979)

Here's Part 2 of a NewsCenter5 Special Report on WMAQ Channel 5 about the great snowstorm of 1979. Features Jim Ruddle, Chuck Henry, Rich Samuels reporting from CTA Control, Dr. Barry Kaufman reporting from Cook County Hospital, Roberta Baskin reports from O'Hare airport - with statements from Don Halliday, General Manager of American Airlines, and Stephen Ray reports from the Hyatt Regency Chicago hotel.
(also includes a tiny snippet of a carpet commercial at the very end)
This aired on local Chicago TV on Wednesday, January 24th 1979 during the 9:30pm to 10:30pm timeframe.
About The Museum of Classic Chicago Television:
The Museum of Classic Chicago Television's primary mission is the preservation and display of off-air, early home videotape recordings (70s and early 80s, primarily) recorded off of any and all Chicago TV channels; footage which would likely be lost if not sought out and preserved digitally. Even though (mostly) short clips are displayed here, we preserve the entire broadcasts in our archives - the complete programs with breaks (or however much is present on the tape), for historical purposes. For information on how to help in our mission, to donate or lend tapes to be converted to DVD, and to view more of the 4,700+ (and counting) video clips available for viewing in our online archive, please visit us at:
www.fuzzymemori...

[@Tomovox_PAMS_Radio_JIngles]

The Blizzard of '79 was wonderful fun for my and my brothers. It was wonderful because we didn't have school. We had a ball at home. The snow drifts were so high in our backyard, they went as high as the garage roof, and over the wooden fence. We had an instant sledding hill so our dad built us a sled! I recall the snow forming walls along either side of our driveway that were nearly as tall as I was. That was in 1979. The Blizzard of 2011 was terrifying. It took awhile for me to realize this was because now I was the one responsible for making sure everything was running in our home. Would the furnace keep going? Was there too much snow on the roof? We were literally trapped in our house for nearly 3 days. The blowing snow blocked our garage door and front door. If I wanted to get out, I'd have to open the 2nd floor window and walk out on top of the snow. So those warm fuzzy memories of the Blizzard of '79 was thanks to my parents who never let their fear show, and made it all look like the most fun we ever had in a winter.

[@mikehughes4969]

I remember 79 quite well. If you were 11 years old like I was, it was pure freaking awesome. School was cancelled, we had a massive neighborhood wide snowball war in the woods near my house. Great memories.

[@batterymakermarkii2654]

I remember all of this vividly.

[@luisreyes1963]

Ah, what memories the Chicago Blizzard of '79 invokes. ☃️

[@johnsjohnson448]

Chuck Henry went on to have a very long and successful run as an Anchor/Reporter with KNBC-TV 4 in Los Angeles. Thanks for sharing.

[@Dulcimertunes]

The Big Snow of 1967 was wonderful as I was a kid. But winters 1977-79 were torture to drive through.

[@ramencurry6672]

Some people are lucky to have very short drives of only a few miles on a local road. That way it makes it easier to appreciate winters

[@hailmaryrecordings8255]

I was 9 years-old & the snow-banks were 3-times my height in some places that year.

[@chicago-l9125]

I have a boatload of memories riding the "L" and buses during the "Blizzard of 79". I was 22 years of age at that time. So, trudging through all that snow, along with the long waits on public transportation just didn't seem to phase me. In fact, strangely enough in some ways, it was kinda fun. Alright, I'll admit that was "lunacy" on my part, but I'm just bein' honest, folks.

[@joeferguson2606]

We were younger and strong

[@altfactor]

In more recent years, Rich Samuels has become well-known in the Midwest as a historian specializing in Chicago broadcasting history.

[@LanceEhlers]

0:37 "We hope to have videotape on those smashed cars coming up a little bit later in tonight's newscast" because, despite the anguish which may have been caused by the crazed snowplow driver, we know a high-octane edit of automotive carnage occurring to strangers and their property will thoroughly entertain you and will cynically help you to momentarily forget about your own struggles. And with that, here's Jim with some depressing news about your forthcoming shitty commute. Jim?

[@altfactor]

Or maybe the tape was being rushed back to the WMAQ studios.

[@joeferguson2606]

1:53 trains driving right past stops in poor neighboorhoods..one of the reasons Jane Byrne won her election

[@exchurchmouse]

Wow! This happened not too long before I was born!

[@scottthomas7870]

Dick Kay was a stud reporter--so was Rich Samuels

[@quantumrobin4627]

I was conceived in the blizzard of 78’, and don’t remember the one in 79’…😊

[@jtm322]

Snow plow driving going “berserk” and someone dies?? What the fug?

[@TheBandit7613]

I know what happened. I private contractor plowing snow went nuts after working excessive hours. Says he didn't get enough time with his family. He hit 34 cars and a person not in a car. The person didn't survive. His name is Thomas Blair 46, of Sauk Village. He was driving a road grader.

[@mikehughes4969]

Clearly you've never spent a winter in Chicago.

[@exchurchmouse]

Yikes

[@anthonybanchero3072]

With the commuter trains, it was before METRA. Noticed the Railroad names still in use, Chicago and NorthWestern, and Illinois Central Gulf.

[@taiwanarnold5927]

Man I was 3 going on 4 in August of 1979 when winter of 1979 blizzard

[@altfactor]

Snowplow Rage!

[@TheBandit7613]

Fake news even in the 70's. The picture shown is incorrect. The guy was operating a road grader. He was a contractor. He killed the person by backing over their car. He hit a total of 35 cars and one pedestrian. He was a 46 year old man who lived in the burbs. It's been so long I can't remember his name. I also think something funky was going on because the story was never followed up on. You never heard about it again, did you?

[@josephhoman8602]

@@MrMenefrego1 you never heard anymore about the snow plow driver who went on a rampage,I don't know why you mentioned it..just delete the comment..im asking you to do it right now and if you don't well then,uhhh let's not go there..delete the comment NOW!!!!!!

[@josephhoman8602]

@@MrMenefrego1 I was only joking around Jeff..I guess I was just feeling like I should leave a stupid comment...I hope your not offended..if you are im sorry sir

[@TheBandit7613]

@@josephhoman8602 Okay, a year later. I was born in ILL and moved to Colorado after I graduated high school. I worked for CDOT for 30 years, road work summers, snow plowing winters. Plow drivers take most of the blame. Problem is, we do what we're told. Not too many hours to keep the OT down. They can't plan for that amount of money. So when it snows, we are stuck in traffic with everyone else trying to plow. It can get stressful. I retired and moved to Vegas! No more snow for me!