October – Angelica Wallingford

Grammy-winning musician Bill Yeager leads SDSU jazz studies through experience

The generic phrase “be prepared for anything” is often met with a sigh and eye roll from those who hear it. In the case of San Diego State’s Director of Jazz Studies Bill Yeager, it’s the advice he credits for his success as an award-winning musician and a lifelong educator.

Yeager started at SDSU in 1985 after founding and running the Los Angeles Jazz Workshop for 10 years. In just a few short years, he accepted a full-time position and has led the jazz studies program to be one of the most prestigious in the country, including an upcoming trip to Montenegro for Jazz Appreciation Week slated for next semester.

Justin Joyce, an SDSU graduate student and drummer in the jazz ensemble led by Yeager, cites his passion as a driving force behind his students succeeding in the field.

“His constant desire for his students’ success is very apparent,” Joyce said. “There (are) too many ways he’s influenced my life, but every one of them ultimately has improved my sense of awareness, work ethic and enjoyment of life and how music is one of life’s necessities.”

Yeager’s journey to becoming SDSU’s director of jazz studies wasn’t a rocky road filled with bumps and dips; but rather, a winding path of unexpected twists and turns.

“My advice to you is to be prepared for any and all opportunities that are offered to you in life,” Yeager said at SDSU’s 2017 Professional Studies and Fine Arts commencement ceremony. “You don’t always end up doing exactly what you think you will be doing for your life’s work.”

His resume reads like that of a seasoned studio musician rather than an educator. The lifelong trombonist has played in bands for Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, and has been featured on recordings for Ray Charles, various organizations and record companies. He’s also received multiple Grammy nominations, including a win for a record he did with Charles.

Yeager, 66, says it all started in elementary school when he had to pick out an instrument to learn. He started out wanting to play drums as his first choice and the trumpet as his second, but a savvy sales associate convinced him otherwise.

“I think the guy at the music store wanted to sell a trombone and he said that my lips were too big for the trumpet, which, of course, is absurd,” he said. “It was this guy who’s just trying to see a certain product, but that’s how I picked trombone.”

His love of jazz, however, didn’t come until high school. Yeager was a natural at playing classical music, but jazz became an obstacle for him. His high school band director would play him jazz records and have him pay close attention to their characteristics.

“Jazz has come hard for me,” Yeager said. “It was something that I had to really work at. Maybe that’s why I think I’m a good teacher in the jazz area, because I had to really work on it. It didn’t come as natural to me as playing sonatas and concertos.”

After getting acquainted with his new instrument, Yeager took to music like a fish takes to water. According to him, it was music that helped him go from a straight-C student to getting A’s throughout his academic career and creating a positive chance that has stayed with him all his life.

“I got C’s in everything except music and physical education,” Yeager recalls. “Music gave me self-confidence where I didn’t have any.”

Upon graduating high school in 1970, Yeager enrolled in the University of North Texas, which, at the time, had the largest music department and the most prestigious jazz program in the country. He completed his bachelor’s degree in ’74 and his masters of music in ’76, with an emphasis on performance and a minor in conducting and jazz.

While still an undergrad, he started getting jobs in recording studios in Dallas, which at the time was known as the “jingle capital,” Yeager said.

“The studios were run by alumni of the University of Texas, and that’s how I got my foot in the door,” he said. “I’d travel 30 minutes to and from Denton to Dallas for sessions, it helped me tremendously as a musician.”

Prior to founding the Los Angeles Jazz Workshop in ’79, Yeager became the director of instrumental music at Grove School of Music, founded by jazz pianist Dick Grove, whom he was introduced to when Grove did a clinic at the University of Texas. He received the job while playing in a night band conducted by Alf Clausen, best known for his composition work on “The Simpsons.”

“(Clausen) was getting so busy that he didn’t really have time to conduct that band anymore,” Yeager said. “So, Dick (Grove) came to me and said, ‘We’d like you to be the director of the band.’”

Eventually, being the conductor of a jazz band was only one of a multitude of responsibilities he had at the Grove School. Yeager became the conductor of two other bands, founded the Professional Instrumental Music Program and became an instructor.

However, two years into his time at the Grove School, he and Grove had a major disagreement involving repertoire that led them to part ways.

“He would have 30 people write a television excerpt based on, let’s say, ‘Frère Jacques,’ and so, here are my guys paying money to be in this band and they would come to a rehearsal and we’d play 30 versions of ‘Frère Jacques,’” Yeager recalled. “And it was like, you know it’s not fair. That’s not what they came here for. So, we basically had a parting of the ways, and I knew I was right.”

Yeager founded the Los Angeles Jazz Workshop in 1979 so jazz musicians could have the opportunity to showcase their skills rather than play “30 different” TV jingles. In a remarkable move, all 30 musicians from the Grove School moved to Yeager’s rival institution which helped his new endeavor start off with a bang.

Before he knew it, Yeager’s workshop grew at an exponential rate to include instruction in composition and arranging, led by some of the best musicians in Los Angeles.

“I had a complete full band, the very first day,” he said. “And then that grew into two bands, then three. Eventually I had five full 18-piece big bands. That essence of having that number one Grove band 100 percent leave and come with me made it to where I could pay the rent.”

In the meantime, Yeager took up piloting a small plane that once belonged to a dear friend in Los Angeles who suffered a stroke and could not fly alone. During his final years at the Los Angeles Jazz Workshop, he was hired as an instructor at SDSU, commuting back and forth from Los Angeles to San Diego in his Cessna 172 airplane before securing his tenure and settling in Cardiff-By-The-Sea.

“I have become very attached to my SDSU students and totally committed to San Diego State University,” Yeager said in the commencement speech. “The SDSU Jazz Studies program has flourished into becoming one of the best in the country.”

Yeager’s last statement rings true. He has led the Jazz Studies program to a multitude of awards and numerous performances with great jazz musicians such as pianist Matt Hall and students from his Los Angeles Jazz Workshop and Grove School days.

After knowing him for the past six years, Joyce looks back fondly about how Yeager has gone the extra mile, providing more than just instruction to his students.

“To be honest, I’ve never really thought of him as a professor, he has always shown more guidance and advice to just be considered a professor,” Joyce said. “He’ll tell you directly what you need to hear to help you succeed as a professional.”

Yeager has no plans on retiring just yet. He says he wants “at least another five years” at SDSU. After some reflecting, he harkens back to a modified version of his old saying that he told the 2017 PSFA graduating class: “Be prepared for anything, because nobody knows what can happen.”

Originally published in the Daily Aztec in October 2018.

Friends of SDSU launches drive to put SDSU West on 2018 ballot

Friends of SDSU, a group dedicated to a ballot initiative for the creation of a new west campus for San Diego State on the current site of SDCCU Stadium, began its signature gathering efforts Oct. 21, the day of the university’s homecoming football game.

The group hopes to get the SDSU West Campus Research Center, Stadium and River Park Initiative on the November 2018 ballot. The initiative would allow for the sale of much of the SDCCU Stadium site to SDSU, freeing the university to build a satellite campus in Mission Valley that could potentially include student housing, research and technology facilities, a river park and a new multi-use stadium.

The choice to start signature gathering during the culmination of San Diego State’s homecoming festivities wasn’t a deliberate one, but rather one of serendipitous timing, said SDSU West spokesman Fred Pierce.

“It coordinated perfectly with our schedule,” Pierce said. “We had a 21-day notice period where when we published the initiative, we had to actually print it in the newspaper. And it just so happened that when we looked at the schedule, 21 days ending up on homecoming was perfect timing.”

For the initiative to appear on the 2018 ballot — alongside the rival SoccerCity plan — it needs to receive more than 71,000 signatures from San Diego residents by the end of December. The group anticipates a healthy level of support, especially from alumni.

“One in seven college graduates in San Diego attended SDSU,” Friends of SDSU steering committee member Gina Champion-Cain said in an Oct. 20 press release. “We’re hoping to see these proud alumni at the game and convert their support of the university into a signature for its future.”

The group had booths set up at various places around SDCCU Stadium before Saturday’s football game, staffed with dozens of signature gatherers and flyers about the initiative for uninformed or interested voters.

One signature gatherer, Stephanie Mercy, said she believes San Diego needs a sports team and could see SDSU West as a viable option, but that she’ll hold out until both the initiatives are released for San Diegans to make the final decision.

“At this time I don’t know, let’s see both proposals and make a decision on Election Day,” Mercy said. “It’s a way of giving us choice and I’m all about choice.”

However, the stadium is just the beginning. Pierce said SDSU is landlocked, and that expansion would not only bring more potential students to San Diego State, but more innovation in research, technology and business.

“We need room for growth for new students, we need growth for research activities, technology transfers and business incubation,” Pierce said. “We also need a new football stadium. It’s been threatened that they are going to tear down Qualcomm and the stadium that the opponent initiative, SoccerCity, has proposed doesn’t work.”

Pierce cited the large stadium attendance from this season as a prime example why he believes SoccerCity’s stadium plan isn’t a viable option. SoccerCity’s stadium only allows for 30,000 seats, less than half of the over 70,000-seat current stadium.

The stadium seems to be the turning point for potential voters. Longtime SDSU football and Major League Soccer fan Jose Flores said he is leaning toward SDSU West but wants to hold out to see stadium renderings before making a final decision.

“Being a fan of both (SDSU football and Major League Soccer) I’m kind of torn,” Flores said. “It seems like SDSU West would have the bigger stadium and it could cater to both sports but I would love to see what the designers come up with before making my mind up.”

Along with SDCCU Stadium, signature-gathering efforts also launched at different locations around the city, with nearly 75 signature gatherers available to share information with voters, Friends of SDSU said.

Originally Published in The Daily Aztec in October 2017.

SDSU professor receives grant for autism research

San Diego State assistant professor of special education Jessica Suhrheinrich was named a co-recipient of a $1.4 million grant from the Institute of Educational Science for research on education strategies for students with autism spectrum disorder.

Suhrheinrich and her colleagues at UC Davis’ Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, which include Aubyn Stahmer, Patty Schetter and other affiliated researchers, applied for the project in August 2016. They were informed in late spring that the project would be funded and received the funding in September.

“Collaboration across departments or institutions can often lead to new ideas and innovation,” Suhrheinrich said. “My UC Davis colleague, Aubyn Stahmer, has expertise in ASD and research and community partnerships to increase use of evidence-based practice.”

The three-year grant will utilize an online survey methodology across the state that will allow them to gather data from participants including school district administrators, teachers and principals. The data will include information about student outcomes such as how students are included in the educational environment, student behavioral data and information on the types of training that teachers receive.

Suhrheinrich and her colleagues will also examine a collaboration of various statewide disability organizations called the California Autism Professional Training and Information Network, or CAPTAIN.

“One of the bigger goals of this project is if we can identify what’s effective about interagency collaboration within the state of California and the CAPTAIN collaborative,” Suhrheinrich said. “Then it would allow us a protocol or some standards for replication in other states or across other types of disability needs.”

Suhrheinrich said her interest in autism research started when she was a psychology student at Earlham College, where she worked clinically with a family who had a son who was diagnosed with autism. She worked with several other children through college and eventually taught elementary school for a couple of years. It wasn’t until she started looking toward grad school that she wanted to bring her experiences together.

“That really piqued my interest in autism spectrum disorder and how I could learn more about the experience of individuals with autism and their families and how I could work toward really making a difference in the way their base provided,” Suhrheinrich said.

SDSU Special Education Professor Bonnie Kraemer, one of Suhrheinrich’s colleagues, said she has been involved with autism research for 15 years and was the recipient of a number of both foundation and federal grants.

“I hope that it increases the use of evidence-based practices in all schools,” Kraemer said. “All of the work has had been shown to be effective in clinical settings.”

Pamela Starr, director of Student Disability Services, says that SDSU works with each student with an autism spectrum disorder individually to ensure that each student gets what they need to have a “level playing field and access to their education.”

She said that just because one method worked for one individual with ASD, it won’t necessarily work for others and that each individual has their own specific needs. General accommodations can range from have a note taker present in class to possibly providing a smaller audience for presentations

“Another opportunity would be to empower the individual with ASD to educate others about some of the characteristics of their ASD, to assist in destigmatizing some of the characteristics and your behaviors which others may not understand,” Starr said.

Suhrheinrich said she believes that a factor in gaining the federal funding came, in part, to autism being considered a public health concern. This is because there is not much known about the disability including what causes it, how to treat it, how it affects the individual and how different services can respond in comprehensive ways.

Suhrheinrich said one of the bigger goals of the project is to see what is effective about interagency collaborations within California and the CAPTAIN collaborative and hopefully apply it nationwide.

“It would allow us a protocol or some standards for replication in other states or across other types of disability needs,” Suhrheinrich said. “So, not just focused on autism or not just in the state of California but that perhaps this model of interagency collaboration to increase the use of evidence-based practices could be used more broadly.”

Originally published in The Daily Aztec in October 2017.

City College stands with Umpqua

About 200 of San Diego City College’s faculty, staff and students gathered for a moment of silence for the victims of the Umpqua Community College shooting in Oregon on Oct. 8 in Gorton Quad.

The moment of silence at City was a part of a larger observation coordinated by the American Association of Community Colleges, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.

“I think it’s for all of us to be aware that safety is all of our business. Safety is something that we all ought to be aware of. We can’t just rely on a certain group of people but we all have to be aware of safety at the college and we have to be the eyes and ears for the police department,” City College President Anthony Beebe said. “It’s a big campus; it’s 60 square acres here and the only way that we can have the entire place covered is if all of us take a little bit of responsibility in making sure that we report anything’s weird or suspicious like I was saying and making sure that somebody’s aware of it. Don’t just turn your back and walk away. We can’t do that; we have to be responsible for that. That’s the critical piece of it.”

In his President’s Waypoint newsletter, Beebe addressed the tragedy at Umpqua and recalled the time he spent in Roseburg, Oregon, as a firefighter just one mile from the community college.

“… No one could have imagined that some 40 years later, the small community college just a mile down the road from that station would become the site of the most deadly mass shooting in Oregon history,” Beebe wrote.

San Diego Community College District Chancellor Constance M. Carroll also released a statement to the district’s faculty and staff on the shooting on Oct. 1.

“Our thoughts, best wishes, and support have been extended to our colleagues at Umpqua for what they have suffered today and for the valuable and promising lives that have been lost,” the statement said.

Carroll also referred to a YouTube video entitled “RUN. HIDE. FIGHT. Surviving an Active Shooter Event.” The almost six-minute video shows what options people could have in a potential active shooter situation.

“… Coping with an active shooter situation is a matter of personal decision,” Carroll wrote in her statement. “Therefore, I am resending the video that was previously distributed and discussed at our campus and departmental meetings.”

On Oct. 6, President Beebe sent a follow-up email to City College faculty and staff thanking them for the outpouring of responses he received from his President’s Waypoint.

In the email, Beebe tells faculty and staff that he met with Chancellor Carroll before the weekly Chancellor’s Cabinet meeting to address everyone’s concerns.

Beebe also mentioned that he also brought up those concerns during the Chancellor’s Cabinet meeting.

“In the end, the Chancellor’s Cabinet was unanimous that the district move forward with the following 12 point safety response plan for City College,” Beebe said via the statement.

The 12-point safety response plan includes the hiring of two full-time City College officers, police forums and town hall meetings, safety and evacuation plan, safety surveys and “Knight Patrol,” paid student ambassadors who will act as the eyes and ears of administration and College Police, according to the email.

Originally published in City Times, October 2015.

Editorial: Prioritizing campus safety

On Oct. 1, Christopher Harper-Mercer fatally shot nine people and injured nine others in a rage-filled attack on Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon.

With this event still very fresh in everyone’s mind, it begs the questions: What if this happens at San Diego City College? Are students, staff and faculty prepared? Is there a plan?

Memories of evacuation and disaster drills are far gone in most of the minds of current City College students and most students currently have no experience with drills dealing with active shooter situations.

In light of this recent tragedy, it’s evident now more than ever that City College needs a plan. Not a plan that’s talked about through email to administrators and never really put into action but a plan that’s known by students, staff, faculty, administrators and everyone who  attends City on a regular basis.

A YouTube video entitled “RUN. HIDE. FIGHT. Surviving an Active Shooter Event,” linked to San Diego Community College District’s staff and faculty in an email by Chancellor Constance M. Carroll, shows three different ways people can deal with a potential active shooter situation.

In the Oct. 1 email, Carroll said that this particular video was discussed and distributed in departmental and campus meetings, which would mean that this issue would have been discussed long before the recent shooting in Oregon.

Why wasn’t any of this information or this video shared with students?

According to the 2014 edition of the City College Fact Book, the campus had 16,737 students in the spring 2014 semester. With thousands of students spread out over an open campus spanning 60 acres, you would think that some type of disaster preparation drill would have been shared with students at this point.

Students are usually told to just to report suspicious activity to the Campus Police or the San Diego Police Department wherever and whenever they see it on campus. The population at City College needs something more than “alert the police.” Alerting the proper authorities is a great idea, but we need to be aware of what else we can do when a major catastrophe happens. We need a plan of action. We need to have some ideas on what we can do during potentially dangerous situations.

The “RUN. HIDE. FIGHT.” video should have been shared with students. Not just shown and discussed at campus and departmental meetings. Showing and discussing with administration doesn’t really help if something were to happen on campus.

At the end of the day, it’s better to have a plan and not use it than to be left unprepared if something happens at City College.

Originally published in City Times, October 2015.

Punk’s not dead, it just went pop

Pop punk is a genre that is guaranteed to ruffle some feathers. Some consider it a poser genre that gives “real” punk music a bad name and others see it as the essence and attitude of classic punk rock wrapped up in a nice radio-friendly package. Instead of fighting over it let’s just all sit back and enjoy the music. Here are some of my favorites:

1. New Found Glory – “Radiosurgery”

These guys are pop punk royalty; to have any pop punk playlist without them would be committing musical blasphemy. The challenge with this one was picking a song out of their massive library for this list. “Radiosurgery” is off of their latest album of the same name and has all the elements of an old school NFG song while also giving a nod to their hardcore roots. All in all, this is a near perfect pop punk song. “Radiosurgery” is going on two years old but the Orlando five-piece just released a new song and is planning on heading into the studio next year to record an album. In the mean time, you can check out all of their songs on iTunes.

2. Bayside –“Oliver’s Army”

Bayside is not really considered a pop punk band but its cover of Elvis Costello and the Attractions’ classic song is a perfect example of a pop punk cover done right. In fact, the band’s latest album, “Killing Time,” walks a fine line between both pop punk and the straight up aggressive alternative that it’s known for. Anthony Raneri’s killer vocals combined with the bands slightly up-tempo take on the song take this cover to the next level. In fact, the EP that this song is on is full of cover songs that Bayside has taken to the next level. You can get all of Bayside’s music on iTunes.

3. Knuckle Puck –“Stateside”

Pop punk bands seem to be popping up everywhere these days and most of them pretty much suck. Knuckle Puck, on the other hand, has proven to be one of the most talented bands of any genre that I’ve listened to in a while. “Stateside” is just one of the songs off of their stellar new EP “The Weight That You Buried.” The Chicago four-piece takes pop punk to the next level with their emotionally charged lyrics and aggressive in-your-face melodies. If you’re a fan of bands like The Story So Far then Knuckle Puck will have a place in your iTunes library. You can get all of their music on the band’s Bandcamp page: KnucklePuck.Bandcamp.com.

4. All Time Low –“Somewhere in Neverland”

All Time Low is one of the more popular and “mainstream” pop punk bands out today. Everyone listens to them, which could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you look at it. “Somewhere in Neverland” is off of the band’s latest release “Don’t Panic” and addresses themes that everyone can relate to: growing up and taking responsibility; all while under the guise of a classic alt love song. Plus, the fact that the song refers to one of the most beloved Disney movies isn’t bad either. You can get this song, along with the entire album on iTunes.

5. Man Overboard –“Where I Left You”

This song is one of the more mellow tracks on this list but don’t let that make you think that Man Overboard is a laid-back sounding band. In fact, if I had to compare them to anything it would be a mixture of old school blink-182, circa the late 1990s/early 2000s and New Found Glory a la “Not Without a Fight.” “Where I Left You” is one of the best songs on the band’s latest album “Heart Attack.” The semi-heavy pop punk sound and really catchy lyrics make for enjoyable listening experience. You can get their music on iTunes and catch them out on tour, with a stop in San Diego on Nov. 15 at the House of Blues.

Originally published in City Times, October 2013.

The hits and misses of the fall TV line-up

By Angelica Wallingford and Paola Garcia

The weather is a little colder, leaves have started to change color and TV networks like The CW, ABC, FOX AND CBS have released an onslaught of new shows this fall. It’s likely only a couple from each channel will live to see the light of another season. Here’s a review of a few of fall’s most anticipated shows.

“Gotham”

Money, secrets, corruption and power; just another typical cliché crime drama right? In the case of Fox’s new show “Gotham” it couldn’t be more wrong.

“Gotham” starts off with the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne. Rookie Det. James Gordon and veteran Det. Harvey Bullock, played by Ben McKenzie and Donal Logue respectively, are assigned to the case. Gordon quickly realizes that all is not what it seems to be in Gotham City and unbeknownst to him the murder of the Wayne’s is the catalyst that throws Gotham into chaos.

A major highlight of the show is Robin Lord Taylor’s portrayal of Oswald Cobblepot better known as the Penguin. Taylor’s take on the iconic villain is refreshing and brilliantly played out in a way that makes the viewer feel sympathetic towards this small-time criminal who is working his way up Gotham’s underworld. McKenzie’s portrayal of an up-and-coming James Gordon is interesting to watch and is somewhat relatable. Gordon is just a guy trying to do his best in the situation he’s put in. There are also subtle hints skewed throughout the episodes at other popular characters that may or may not be appearing in future episodes.

For “Batman” fans the liberties that the show takes with the beloved characters may be an annoying turn-off from the series. However, for the casual fan or avid TV viewer, it’s an intriguing and thrilling crime drama guaranteed to keep the viewer on their toes.

“Red Band Society”

Everyone is thinking it, but they’re also saying it, “Red Band Society” is a little too similar to another FOX series: “Glee.” Although it draws from other works, namely “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Breakfast Club” and even the British version of “Skins,” the show adds its own twist of modernity with a heartwarming storyline executed by a group of ill teenage misfits.

In this show we meet Kara, a blonde cheerleader with a heart disease, Jordi and Leo who both suffer from Osteosarcoma, Dash, the rule-breaker who does not let cystic fibrosis slow him down and Emma, a 15-year-old with an eating disorder. They all inhabit the pediatric ward of Ocean Park Hospital. The introduction to this unique set up is left to the last member of this group, who we later find out is a character named Charlie, a kid who has been in a coma for months.

There’s no denying that there is a good plot in there, yet the fact that there’s no shortage of “inspiration” from other works it’s what leads to believe that this show could be good, but could it be good enough? While the pilot was charming, the show so far from being a hit.

“How to Get Away with Murder”

Producer Shonda Rhimes’ newest addition to ABC’s Thursday night line-up isn’t a winning case; it’s an obstruction of justice.

Viola Davis stars as Professor Annalise Keating, a criminal defense attorney and professor at a law school in Philadelphia. Keating is a no nonsense and ruthless lawyer with a “take no prisoners and win at all costs” attitude whether it be in the courtroom or the classroom. She selects five of her students who impress her the most to come work for her and her team. At certain times the show cuts to a forest where it’s discovered that Keating’s students have murdered someone and they argue on how or if they should dispose of the body.

The problem with the show is that the pacing is way too slow and most of the characters are just boring. The flow of the show is somewhat confusing as well. It shifts from what appears to be past and present at random times leaving the viewer to guess when certain events took place. The twists and turns are sometimes too frequent and it makes it feel as if the show is trying way too hard to be an edgy murder mystery.

“The Flash”

The newest adaptation of this superhero from the DC Comics family arrived on TV screens this fall and it’s clear from the start that Barry Allen is here to stay. “The Flash” is a spin-off from The CW’s current vigilante hit “Arrow.”

In the first episode we are introduced to Barry Allen, played by the naturally dorky Grant Gustin. As a child, Allen has the misfortune of seeing his mother mysteriously die and his father be erroneously convicted of this crime . Iris West, Allen’s love interest, is also his life long partner-in-crime since her father took Allen in when we was left an orphan all those years ago. Finally, on a night where everything seems to go wrong after an unexpected explosion at S.T.A.R. Labs , Allen gets struck by lightning. We are then left to explore Allen’s new powers with him before we see him fight this episode’s villain.

Throughout the pilot we see very strong, powerful and emotional performances but the best were delivered by John Wesley Shipp who plays Allen’s father and Jesse L. Martin who plays Det. Joe West.

“The Flash” reportedly debuted to 4.8 million viewers, scoring solid numbers for The CW, according to TVbyTheNumbers.com. Lighthearted, fun and genuine support for this hero make the show a definite early hit.

Originally published in City Times, October 2014.