JONES COUNTY, Ga. — When you talk to folks in Central Georgia, many still remember Teevee the cat.
TeeVee the black cat brought us good luck and served as the 13WMAZ mascot until the 1970's.
And now 70 years since we hit the airwaves in 1953, the station, the personalities and the good times are woven into the fabric of people's lives. People like Michelle Clark.
“I was introduced to it by my Mom and then my Mom introduced my daughter to it,” Michelle said.
Michelle says Channel 13 is generational in her family.
She grew up with Bill Powell, Tina Hicks and Frank Malloy.
And sure, faces have changed through the years but in this family the dial never did.
Michelle’s Mom didn’t stop with one generation, she spread the love of Channel 13 to her granddaughter Taylor.
“We would watch the news and she told us we had to watch the full segment of the news before we could watch Sponge Bob Sophia first," Taylor recalled.
And on Fridays, “This is Home” was always a favorite.
“My grandmother would look forward to Fridays because of the song,” Taylor said with a smile.
11-year-old Taylor Clark is talking about her Grandmother Henrietta.
The cheerleading coach who worked in Baldwin County would call foul if anyone didn't run a full-court press to Channel 13 at six o'clock.
“Like the news is on hurry up and turn to the news I'm like Mama you already saw it I'm a watch it again,” Michelle said about her Mom.
“She was the most amazing grandmother ever, Taylor said.
Henrietta was special, she called her granddaughter every day after school, pumped her with confidence and told Taylor she could do anything.
So maybe what happened next isn't much of a surprise.
Last year, Taylor became one of us, got her official badge, and began reporting as a JJ.
Her biggest cheerleader the one that encouraged her to become a junior journalist, Henrietta never got to see that happen. A year from last February she passed away.
“She's still watching me from up there up in heaven. But it's just like, it's kind of different," Taylor said solemnly.
Henrietta knew Taylor was going to audition, and who knows, maybe she gave Taylor the confidence boost during the process.
One thing is for sure, the woman who nudged her granddaughter to stay informed inspired a part of our future.