SOFT NEWS Nik Wallenda's tightrope walk over Niagara Falls set for June 15

For fair use education/research purposes.

The link: http://www.buffalonews.com/city/communities/niagara-falls/article827344.ece

The article:

Nik Wallenda's tightrope walk over Niagara Falls set for June 15
By Tom Precious


Nik Wallenda's tightrope walk, already attracting worldwide media attention, is expected to bring out tens of thousands of spectators for the 1,800-foot walk between Goat Island and the Canadian side of the falls.

ALBANY — Daredevil artist Nik Wallenda agreed with state parks officials today to perform his tightrope walk over Niagara Falls on June 15.

Sources said the state is expected to sign the agreement by Thursday.

The agreement with the state Parks Department also calls for Wallenda to pick up the state's costs — for security, preparation work, maintenance — of about $150,000, an official in Albany said today. That does not include other costs Wallenda will incur, including expenses for a rescue helicopter and costs borne by Canada.

The event, already attracting worldwide media attention, is expected to bring out tens of thousands of spectators for the 1,800-foot walk between Goat Island and the Canadian side of the falls.

Reached this afternoon, Wallenda said the sides are "extremely close" to finalizing terms of the walk.

"However, we are not there yet," he said.

Wallenda said he needed to talk to his legal team before commenting further.

But officials in Albany said Wallenda's team signed an agreement earlier today to perform the walk June 15.

The walk, which even needed an act of the state Legislature to happen, is expected to be broadcast live nationally.

Wallenda recently told an Ontario newspaper that Canadian officials had signed off on the June 15 date, but that he was awaiting word from New York state.

There had been speculation that New York officials had wanted the walk to occur later in the summer, but officials said the mid-June request was granted in Albany this afternoon.

He would have been one of the kids I met when the survivors of the family tragedy were putting their act back together on a gig at the Enchanted Forest in Old Forge.

Nice to see he grew into the family industry

Yes Chuck, same family. I seriously doubt I'll venture up the road to watch it at the falls, but I'll probably be one of those eyes on the TV screen.

Michael

Damn only if he would do this a week later cause I'll be up there for holiday and business. Now that aint something you going to see every day

My question is "why?"

Did you see all the money he's putting into this venture? I would think it could be put to better use.

Kind of reminds me of Evil Knievel's farce jumping the canyon (Snake River?) He put a fortune into that and barely made it off the platform. But he certainly had world wide attention and that's all these nuts want is lots of attention.

And the funeral will be held on June 18th, three days later. Darwin Award material!

night driver said:

He would have been one of the kids I met when the survivors of the family tragedy were putting their act back together on a gig at the Enchanted Forest in Old Forge.

Nice to see he grew into the family industry

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Old Forge is a cool place! I went there with my Grandparents one summer.

Well, I mentioned earlier that I wouldn't be one to venture up to the falls to watch it. Guess what, apparently I'm going to be there. The sweetie wants to go because it's a 'once in a lifetime event to view in person', her words...oh well, at least the weather will be good and I'll get some awesome pictures and if I bring enough camera's and tripods, maybe some good video too. I'm more of a 'still picture' person myself.

Fortunately, you too can watch it live if you have the urge. Obviously, the masses have to be entertained and please don't look behind the curtain, otherwise you're going to find out what is really going on...

For those that may feel the desire to watch this 'daredevil stunt', its available on the Main Stream Media.

Michael

For fair use education/research purposes.

The link: http://www.buffalonews.com/wire-feeds/24-hour-national-news/article851812.ece

The story:

ABC will televise Wallenda's walk over Niagara Falls

NEW YORK (AP) - ABC is turning Nik Wallenda's attempted tightrope walk over Niagara Falls into a prime-time television event next month.

The network said today it will devote its entire prime-time schedule to a three-hour special on June 15 with the daredevil's attempt. Part of the show will be an examination of the greatest stunts of all time.

Wallenda is a member of the famous daredevil family. His great-grandfather, Karl, fell to his death in a tightrope walk in Puerto Rico at age 78.

Daredevils routinely used to make tightrope walks over the Niagara River gorge, downstream of the falls, until the practice was banned. Nik Wallenda's stunt will be the first attempted walk over the falls themselves.

Quick reminder for anyone interested, it's on ABC tonight starting at 9:00PM eastern time.

I'm trying to get out of going, don't have the urge to deal with the crowds and I'm still doing yard work, heh, heh...

We'll see, if I do go I'll post a few pictures.

Michael

I have to admit that I really don't like watching stuff like this. Seems kind of macabre just waiting for the guy to take a mistake and bite the dust live for everyone to see. Not my cup of tea. I wish him well but imo he's a brick short of a load. He has nothing to prove and it certainly isn't worth his life or depriving his wife and children of their spouse and father.

Good Luck Mr. Wallenda!

Hfcomms said:

I have to admit that I really don't like watching stuff like this. Seems kind of macabre just waiting for the guy to take a mistake and bite the dust live for everyone to see. Not my cup of tea. I wish him well but imo he's a brick short of a load. He has nothing to prove and it certainly isn't worth his life or depriving his wife and children of their spouse and father.

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He is wearing a tether.

lassiesma said:

He is wearing a tether.

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If that is the case then that is a relief and I wish him luck. I recall reading about a rescue helicopter and usually his family never works with tethers or any safety devices at all and that explains why the family has had so many deaths from tightroping over the years.

I hope he can complete it. This is a dream of his and I applaud just about everyone who works hard to achieve a dream.

Hfcomms said:

If that is the case then that is a relief and I wish him luck. I recall reading about a rescue helicopter and usually his family never works with tethers or any safety devices at all and that explains why the family has had so many deaths from tightroping over the years.

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Yes, Hfcomms, he is wearing a tether, it was the only way ABC would add their assistance and broadcast it. He was not a happy camper, to say the least. But, hey money talks.

There has been speculation that he might remove it once he's into the walk, being the daredevil and all. But he claims he would only remove it if it presented a safety hazard. Not likely this evening since the wind is going to be less than 10mph and the weather is awesome.

Michael

Ok, it is June 15th and I have not heard a peep as to how he did. Nothing on TV about it.

Its on ABC now. He'll start the walk around 10pm eastern time.

Anne in TN said:

Ok, it is June 15th and I have not heard a peep as to how he did. Nothing on TV about it.

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It's on ABC right now. I'm not watching, so I don't know if he's done it yet.

Or here:

Live video: Nick Wallenda makes tight rope walk across Niagara Falls - @CTV_Television

Submitted 18 mins ago from www.orlandosentinel.com by editor

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/vide...Wallenda-Tight-Rope-Walk-Across-Niagara-Falls

OK, I weakened and turned on the TV. They were just interviewing him.

The walk is in 20 minutes, if you want to see it.

Ready to go!

I'm watching it with a TV card in our PC.

Hope he makes it!

Yepper, I've got it on the television myself. Ha, I talked my way out of it, although the sweetie called me about 30 minutes ago and told me the crowds were not as large as she expected them. Both her son and her actually got a nice parking spot and walked over the bridge to the Canadian side, the advantage of having an enhanced NY state license. They found a nice spot to see it all live. I'd say I was envious, but that would be a total untruth, I'm watching on TV with all the comforts of being home...

Here we go!!!

Michael

Pictures of the safety tether,

Red Baron said:

Pictures of the safety tether,

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Their heads are gonna explode.

He's praising God with every step.

Well, he did it!!!

MADE IT!!!

"Passport please?"

Wat i the purpose of your trip, sir?"

"To inspire people all over the world."

No kidding. The Canucks made him produce his passport,

I just got to see it. Weee! Great guy! Great family!

Red Baron,

I found that kind of amusing to, all for show though. I'm pretty confident they knew he was coming, heh, heh...

Michael

That was awesome! And for those of you who haven't ever been to the Falls, even TV couldn't convey the total enormity of his situation, LOL.....

I've ALWAYS been partial to the light show they used to do at night. Tho the WINTER version has always been a BIT more impressive.......

My family has had a retail/deli presence in the Falls since before I was born....

Red Baron said:

No kidding. The Canucks made him produce his passport,

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Now what would have been funny is if he had forgotten it and they made walk back over on that rope!

K-

Nice, somehow I figured with all the practice, he would accomplish this.

Here's the latest article. Check out the picture...

Michael

For fair use education/research purposes.

The link: http://www.buffalonews.com/topics/niagara-falls-wire-walk/article905678.ece

The article:

WALLENDA COMPLETES WIRE-WALK
[By Anne Neville



NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — Melissa Brydges and her daughter Elizabeth Brydges came from Orchard Park to watch history happen before their eyes.

The pair was among the first in line to get to Terrapin Point on Goat Island to snag a prime spot where they could watch Nik Wallenda become the first person to walk across Niagara Falls in over a century. Four thousand people are being allowed onto the island to see the event.

The women lugged folding chairs and blankets to make their evening wait for Wallenda's appearance more comfortable.

"We wanted to see Nik Wallenda make history," said Melissa Brydges. "My mother used to talk to me about the Flying Wallendas when I was little."

"This is so exciting that we get to be here," said Elizabeth Brydges. "I didn't realize it was going to be such a national event."

As evening approached, police cleared Terrapin Point, the closest spot on the American side to the walk, of the few remaining tourists and secured the pathways with long metal gates.

Five costumed historical characters from Encounter Niagara Tours, who mixed with tourists in the state park, were among the last to leave Terrapin Point.

Dressed in authentic historical garb were Christopher Russell, portraying Father Lewis Hennepin, who discovered the Falls; Peter Green, as Augustus Porter, one of the earliest settlers of the region; Aaron Rath as inventor Nicolai Tesla; Anne-Marie Konecki as wire-walker Signorina Maria Speltorini, Kathleen Ordiway as Annie Edson Taylor, the first to go over the Falls in a barrel; Madeline Green, 9, as Celinda Eliza Whitney, one of the girls for whom Three Sisters Island is named.

"People are delighted to see us and talk to us," Ordiway said.

In the meantime, several hundred people formed orderly lines behind three checkpoints through which all wristband-wearers had to pass to get into Terrapin Point.

When the gates swung open at 6 p.m., hundreds of people with wristbands filed past a security table where they opened their bags for examination and dumped any food or drinks. Inside the fenced-off area, Delaware North concession booths sold hot dogs for $5, hamburgers for $6 and bottles of water or soda for $3.

Everyone was required to open their bags, and people could be seen drinking the last of their water or giving away unopened bottles to those who did not have wristbands.

One woman, irate that she would not be allowed to bring a cooler to Terrapin Point, stormed away from the checkpoint saying she had no car nearby to put the cooler in. But for the most part, viewers were excited and happy to take their spot to see Wallenda's walk.

The first person in one of the three lines was Mark Callen of Williamsville, a professional photographer who said he had arrived at the park at 9 a.m. to scout out spots where he could shoot photos. Callen said he scouted out the sloping topography of Terrapin Point, which allows plenty of unobstructed seating on a grassy hillside, before taking his place at the spot where the line would form about 4 p.m., an hour before police cleared Prospect Point.

"I want to be toward the top of the area," Callen said. "If you're too close, you're not going to be able to see enough of the backdrop of the falls."

Wallenda's wire is rigged with about a third of it over the land at Prospect Point and the upper rapids of the river. The wire crosses the brink of the falls very close to the edge of Terrapin Point, then veers across the lower river toward the Canadian side. It does not cross the falls again after leaving the brink near Terrapin Point.

Earlier in the day, State Parks Police Lt. Patrick Moriarty noted that traffic as flowing smoothly and prime parking spaces on Goat Island were still available as late as 4 p.m.

"We think people may have taken our advice and planned their routes, where they would park," said Moriarty, who noted that the parking lots of some closed downtown businesses had opened to accommodate the crowd.

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