Alycia Lane

Lane was last seen on the air in December 2007 after the now-infamous incident involving an NYPD cop and a few choice words. She was no stranger to making news in Philly, not necessarily for good reason.

Lane has sued CBS3 for wrongful termination. But she is leaving Philadelphia behind and following her beau, radio host Chris Booker, to Los Angeles. She says she hopes to get a job in TV, although rumors of a future in real estate are also swirling.

Larry Mendte (larrymendte)

Mendte is a household name in the Philadelphia area — a local guy who people trusted. However, he was convicted last August of illegally accessing former co-anchor Alycia Lane’s e-mail account hundreds of times. He recently got off his sentence of six-months’ house arrest.

He has kept himself under the radar lately. He has started a blog in which he shares stories, poetry and other writings. Mendte’s wife, Dawn Stensland (dawnstensland), anchors the 10 p.m. newscast on Fox 29.

Gerald Kolpan (geraldkolpan)

Kolpan was a 21-year veteran of Fox 29, the most tenured member of its on-air staff. Kolpan was the go-to features reporter, known for his quirky stories and quirky delivery. He was released from the station earlier this year.

His release came just months before the release of his book, Etta, which is a fictional tale of the Sundance Kid’s companion. Kolpan is also keeping busy with an age discrimination lawsuit against Fox 29. (See the update.)

Don Tollefson and Billy Vargus

Within a year, Fox 29 canned two of its three sports anchors. Don Tollefson, a well-known broadcaster in Philly, was released last year (literally days after returning to the air after recuperating from a car accident). Billy Vargus was released this spring after 12 years at the station. No word on any future in the Philadelphia sports scene, though. Vargus still has a link to Fox 29 — his wife, Sue Serio (sue_serio), is the meteorologist for Good Day Philadelphia.

Joe Staszak is now the lead sports anchor/reporter, occasionally getting help from former Eagle Hugh Douglas and 610 WIP’s Anthony Gargano. Senior sports producer Tom Sredenschek has also taken up anchoring duties.

Angela Russell (thenewslady)

Russell was an anchor/reporter at CBS3. She co-anchored the 4 p.m. newscast with local news legend Marc Howard and reported for the 11 p.m. newscast. Known for her conversational tone and engaging reports, she was released from the station in January.

However, she quickly landed on her feet. She picked up the lead anchor job at KIRO in Seattle, Wash. She anchors the 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts.

Paul Deanno (pauldeannoKOMO)

Deanno was a popular morning meteorologist for CBS3. He was one of the few reporters to (reportedly) leave on his own terms to become chief meteorologist at WTVJ in Miami a few years back.

Miami must not be like Philadelphia. There were no reports on why Deanno quietly left Miami in the fall of 2008, but he is reunited with former CBS3 colleague Angela Russell in Seattle. He is the morning meteorologist at KOMO. (See the update.)

Sally Ann Mosey

SAM, as she was known by colleagues, was a popular, cheerful meteorologist at 6ABC. Like Deanno, she (reportedly) left on her own terms, making a name for herself at WNBC in New York City.

However, WNBC announced some hefty layoffs beginning in December 2008. The station released many of its big name personalities, likely to cost cut. Mosey was among the cuts.

Rumors quickly swirled in Philadelphia about a possible return to the area, much like Fox 29 meteorologist John Bolaris after his stint in NYC. Mosey has followed his example. She is now a freelance meteorologist for WTXF, and her first appearance back on air in Philadelphia will be on July 19.

Lane is moving to the Hollywood Hills to follow her boyfriend, former Q102 DJ Chris Booker, who is working at KAMP in Los Angeles. She reportedly has a house in the Hollywood Hills.

Not familiar with the Lane name? You will after reading a few posts. She’s been absent from here for a while.

Her future plans — Lane said she hopes to land a TV job. Just no more trips to New York City this time.

Fresh off house arrest, former CBS3 anchor Larry Mendte is suing the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Also involved in the suit is Inqy columnists Michael Klein and Jonathan Storm and retired Daily News columnist Jill Porter.

The suit alleges that the three columnists put Mendte in a negative light and prevented him from salvaging his broadcasting career. He says Klein and former co-anchor Alycia Lane formed a close friendship that, in essence, distorted some facts in his reporting. The inaccuracies, the suit says, caused the district attorney to up the charges from misdemeanors to felonies.

Mendte is seeking $50,000 in damages.

Meanwhile, Lane is still in the process of suing Mendte, CBS3 and Daily News gossiper Dan Gross.

What would Philadelphia be without philly.com?

Before you answer that seroiusly, give philly.com credit for its uncanny ability to organize all the gossip and sensational stories in one convenient page.

Case in point — Double Trouble, a look at all the controversial duos of the Philadelphia area in 2008.

The nice compilation of Councilman Goode and his aide, “Bonnie and Clyde,” the gay twin porn stars and, of course, Larry and Alycia, gives you all the information — and probably more — than you’ll ever need to know.

Enjoy.

Former CBS3 anchor Larry Mendte received six months’ house arrest, among other punishments, for hacking into the e-mail account of former co-anchor Alycia Lane. His other punishments include:

• $5,000 fine
• 250 hours of community service
• Three years’ probation
• Filtering device on computer
• No contact with Lane

Here’s Mendte’s version of the story.

The sentencing comes nearly one year after the entire Lane-Mendte debacle began unfolding at CBS3. Lane was arrested in New York City in mid-December for allegedly punching a cop. She was subsequently released from her contract. In May, Mendte’s computers were confiscated after an FBI probe into the hacking accusation; he accessed Lane’s e-mails more than 500 times since January.

Both Mendte and his wife, Fox29 anchor Dawn Stensland, directly addressed Lane at the sentencing hearing today, apologizing for his actions. Check out all the local coverage below:

CBS3
NBC10
Fox29
6ABC
Philly.com
Wikipedia (yeah, the intro graph is kind of entertaining)

I’m thinking of hosting a party on Monday.

For one, it’s my one and only week off from The Temple News this semester. But more importantly…

It’s the day of Larry Mendte’s sentencing!

Odds are he’ll receive a fine, probation and some community service — the six-month jail sentence is unlikely — for hacking into Alycia Lane’s e-mail account. But this whole thing is actually nearing an end (or, at least, so we think…).

Any bets?

I wonder what Susan Barnett‘s contract says.

CBS3 officially announced in April that Philly-area native Barnett assumed the role left vacated by Alycia Lane – lead anchor at 6 and 11 p.m.

However, after the Larry Mendte saga, no such press release was…released. We, the unassuming viewers of local television news, were to assume that anchor/reporter Chris May permanently took the position.

Apparently, not so.

Philly.com is reporting (I’d link, but their video links don’t work too well…at all) that nixed Fox29 anchor Dave Huddleston allegedly met with station management at CBS3 for a lead anchor opening.

Hmm…

The Barnett-May team may not be bringing in the ratings that Larry and/or Alycia (depends on whom you ask, I suppose) brought in, and the station wants a fix.

Could Huddleston be that fix?

Forget Larry having an “improper relationship” with Alycia. Yeah, people cared about that, but overall, not as much as they do about DeMentri.

I discovered with help that DeMentri’s bio had been yanked from the Web site. Station management refuses to admit he’s gone. But he more than likely is.

The interest in DeMentri seems to be dwindling. Philly.com hasn’t posted much of anything lately, other than a report by Dan Gross of DeMentri being spotted in Rittenhouse Square with a “brunette babe.”

Based on the sole gravity of the situation, I’d think the Larry and Alycia saga would be much more noteworthy and of interest to more people. And though the posting of Mendte’s statement garnered me the most hits ever (for which I’m grateful), collectively, more people are interested in DeMentri. Weird.

Perhaps it’s because no one else really cares enough to write about DeMentri. Maybe it’s because there are so many people around the world writing about Larry and Alycia. Maybe I’m just looking too deeply.

But whatever the case, the obsession with DeMentri continues to exist today, with posts regarding him in higher demand than those of Mendte or Lane.

You guys are weird.

In it, he acknowledges that the entire situation that has been publicized for more than eight months began five years ago when Alycia Lane arrived in Philadelphia.

Mendte admits having an “improper relationship” with Lane — long dinners, late nights — and that his wife discovered it early in 2005, which is when it apparently ended. But the “mutually self-destructing feud” did not.

Mendte apologized to his wife, his family, the viewers and Alycia Lane in his statement below.

Read the full statement after the jump.

Larry Mendte Statement
Aug. 22, 2008

For 30 years, I have reported stories here in Philadelphia and across the country, and, now, I have become one through no one’s fault but my own.

My actions have hurt and disappointed my family, colleagues, friends and viewers who trusted me, and for that, I am truly sorry.

My family has been incredibly strong and supportive. You will notice, however, that Dawn [Stensland] is not here with me today at this podium. She wanted to be, but I asked her not to. Although the image of my loving wife standing by my side may have helped me, I think it would hurt her. She still has to anchor the news, which she has done with remarkable personal strength and grace right through this process. Having her here with me now would have pulled her directly into this intense media spotlight, and I will not do to that to her. I have already done enough to her.

Let me explain. This whole episode started five years ago when Alycia Lane came to Philadelphia. Almost immediately, Dawn heard rumors that Alycia and I were a little too close and she should watch out.

The rumors were true. Alycia and I had a flirtatious, unprofessional and improper relationship.

Dawn found proof of that relationship when she waited in my office on New Year’s Day 2005 and read e-mails that I had left out on my desk, e-mails between Alycia and me that confirmed her suspicions.

Dawn confronted me with the emails. I told her the truth. I told her I loved her, and I apologized. I then immediately stopped having long dinners with Alycia, staying out late with Alycia, and I stopped allowing her to come into my office to do her makeup everyday.

The relationship that was once close quickly turned into a personal feud.

Alycia Lane then became friends with others in the building, including the new general manager. Suddenly, I had shows and responsibilities pulled away from me without explanation. The GM angrily confronted me one day and said that I was bad mouthing him. I was not. But clearly, I was not on the list you want to be on with the new GM.

I found proof that it was Alycia who was undermining me when I saw an e-mail she sent to management that she left up on the computer she uses on the set.

I then started looking at other e-mails with passwords I learned when Alycia asked me to help set up her work retirement account, a private stock account, and when she showed me personal emails. I did this without her permission, and it was wrong.

I saw more e-mails bad mouthing me. I confronted Alycia and asked her to stop. She said that she would not. I complained to management about the problem, and I felt they ignored me.

My role at the station was still being diminished when Alycia told me during an argument on the set that she was the rising star and that I was 50 and on my way out. Regrettably, this made it into the newspapers.

During a meeting the next day, the general manager acknowledged that he had checked my contract and he really couldn’t move me.

We were the fastest growing newscast in the country. We were winning local and national awards. And, my GM was checking my contract to see where he could move me.

I felt I was in trouble. My career, my future, my family’s future was in trouble. And, this is where I got into more trouble – federal trouble.

I then started checking Alycia Lane’s e-mails by illegally gaining access to all of her accounts. I used a device called a keycatcher that is much too easily available on the internet. I started seeing things that might be of interest to the press, and I passed some of them on.

I was not the source of every story about Alycia Lane or the sole source on many, but I was a source, and I was getting some of the information from her emails.

It was wrong. I admit it was wrong. I told you the motivation, but I make no excuses for my behavior.

And, that is why today I pled guilty to a federal charge brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. I have cooperated fully with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney from the very beginning.

I have offered to give speeches to colleges, corporations and community groups about internet security. I make that offer publicly now.

My father used to say that everyone serves a purpose in life, if only as a bad example. I am now an example who can help others. Many employees and students are cavalier about misuse of the Internet and e-mails. They don’t know that it is a federal crime and you will be prosecuted. I am living proof of that.

I know that pleading guilty and cooperating defies the new world order that teaches to deny, deny, deny at all costs.

Many people told me, ‘Maybe they’ll never find out the whole truth. With a good lawyer you might get away with it.’ I have a good lawyer. That’s not the point. I just can’t do that to my family. I can’t allow this to drag on. And, I don’t think one more penny of the taxpayer’s money should be spent on this case.

Most importantly, I did it. I tell my children all of the time that if you don’t take responsibility, nothing will change. I am taking responsibility and am seeking help to change.

I apologize to Alycia Lane for what I did. And I ask that this long mutually self-destructive feud now end. We have both paid a high cost. And, others have been hurt as well. I am sorry to all.

My wife also is owed apologies. I will forever be in Dawn’s debt for her forgiveness and her loyalty. I will work every day to deserve her love, and I love her more everyday. The rest of my family also has been strong and loyal for me during this time. I don’t know what I would have done without them.

I want to apologize one more time to the viewers, the people who kept us on the air with their loyalty and their trust. I let you down. I hope the day will come when I will once again be worthy of your trust.

I do want to stay here in Philadelphia. I realize that I may never anchor here again, but I love this city far too much to move. This is where I grew up; this is where I want to raise my children. I don’t want to take this city from them because of my mistakes.

There is one last thing I would like to say. Many of you know I attended catholic schools in the area. Confession is a big part of my faith. So is forgiveness. It is something we have all asked for at one time or another in our lives. I do so now, and as always, I put my life in God’s hands.

On the advice of counsel, I regret to say, I will not be taking any questions.

Thank you.

###

Larry Mendte has pleaded guilty to one felony count of hacking into Alycia Lane‘s e-mail inbox.

CNN, again, has picked it up. And CBS3 led their noon news with the story.

Supported by a dozen family members inside court, including his wife, Fox29 anchor Dawn Stensland, Mendte was quiet as he left the courthouse. Stensland did have one thing to say:

I love my husband, and he’s a good man.

Though Mendte could face up to six months in jail, federal prosecutors agreed not to discuss sentencing at today’s brief hearing.

After hearing an assistant U.S. attorney recount the government evidence of his hacking into Lane’s account more than 500 times, Mendte verbally acknowledged the evidence.

From the Inqy:

Mendte told the judge that he was “a little nervous, your honor, but I feel okay” as she sought to make sure that Mendte wanted to plead guilty and was legally competent to do so.

Apparently, he also acknowledged he’s been seeing a therapist since the entire scandal erupted.

Sentencing is scheduled to take place in November. A press conference by Mendte’s attorney is scheduled for later this afternoon. CBS3.com is your place for the up-to-the minute details…and of course, I’ll blog about them later.