KSNV’s ‘Chopper Tom’ Hawley questioned after airborne incident
A man accustomed to reporting from the air has himself made news at high altitude.
“Chopper Tom” Hawley, the longtime traffic reporter for KSNV Channel 3, was questioned by Metro police Sunday night at McCarran International Airport after an altercation aboard a Frontier Airlines flight from Denver to Las Vegas.
KSNV News Director Mark Neerman said Monday afternoon that he had discussed the matter with Hawley after Hawley appeared on the station’s morning newscast. Hawley referred questions about the incident back to Neerman, who said in a phone conversation, “We are taking the matter very seriously, but cannot comment as it is a personnel issue.”
Neerman did not specify how Hawley’s on-air schedule would be affected. Hawley was not on the station’s 5 p.m. telecast, during which he typically appears to provide traffic updates.
According to a Metro spokesman, the incident unfolded over central Utah, and Metro was called by the flight crew to meet the plane at its gate at McCarran. The flight pulled in around 8:45 p.m., and Hawley was taken from the plane, while the remaining passengers waited.
Hawley and other witnesses were questioned and gave statements to the police . Nobody was detained or arrested.
Metro forwarded its report to the FBI, since it is the agency that oversees such in-flight disturbances. The FBI’s media relations department did not respond to an email seeking comment about the incident.
A Rancho High graduate with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies from UNLV, Hawley has been with the NBC affiliate since 1995.
MARTIN & LEWIS: THE MUSICAL
Jerry Lewis already knows what is going to consume his life after the Las Vegas premiere of “Max Rose” on Friday night at Regal Village Square and his own shows at South Point Showroom from Sept. 30-Oct. 2.
“The big plan is a Martin & Lewis Broadway show,” Lewis said in a chat at his Las Vegas home earlier this month. “It’s going to take all my time. That’s all I can tell you. It’s still very fresh.”
Lewis hopes to have the show ready to open by the end of 2017. The targeted theater is Marquis Theatre, as Lewis has a long relationship with the venue’s owner, the Nederlander Organization. “What we want to do is develop and sell a show about two people who were very famous,” Lewis said, then pointed to his temple. “I have a lot of ideas swimming around right up here.”
SUPER ADDITIONS
Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds and his wife, Aja Volkman (the front woman of alt-rock band Nico Vega), are expecting twins. Reynolds first mentioned his expanding family during Criss Angel’s “H.E.L.P.” fundraiser on Sept. 12, and mentioned the twins once more during an interview Monday on “Mercedes in the Morning” on 94.1-The Mix. The couple have a 4-year-old daughter,Arrow Eve Reynolds.
Reynolds made the comments about the twins in response to a different sort of question: Whether Imagine Dragons would perform, as rumored, during Super Bowl LI in Houston on Feb. 5. “I cannot confirm or deny,” was how he responded to questioning from co-hosts Mercedes Mix and J.C. Fernandez. Lady Gaga, rumored to be headlining at the Park Theater when it opens at the end of the year (and no verification, yet, of her being signed there), is set to perform during the halftime show.
Norm Clarke is resuming his “Conversations With Norm” speaker series at Cabaret Jazz at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts at 2 p.m. Sunday. His guests are a pair of my all-time favorites in VegasVille, Clint HolmesandKelly Clinton-Holmes. Serving as host is KTNV Channel 13’s Shawn Tempesta.Tickets are $25; proceeds go to the Smith Center’s education outreach programs.
And, Norm and I will both be featured — at the same time — on “Our Metropolis,” the KUNV 91.5-FM show hosted by Gary Larson. The show airs at 8 p.m. Sept. 27, and it’s really interesting. I know. I was there.
John Katsilometes’ column runs Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday in the A section, and Fridays in Neon. He also hosts “Kats! On The Radio” Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on KUNV 91.5-FM and appears Wednesdays at 11 a.m. with Dayna Roselli on KTNV Channel 13. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
