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9333 WMMR audio on demand presents the Preston and Steve show podcast.

And now Preston and Steve's news updates with Kathy Romano.

They're Thursday, December 22nd. Good morning, Kathy.

Good morning and the news this morning, the man who delivered the news to Philadelphia for 45 years became the big story last night.

After a remarkable career spanning more than four decades, action news is Jim Gardner anchored his final newscast on Wednesday night.

Throughout the six o'clock newscast reporters and anchors said thank you to Gardner as they tossed it back to him one last time.

At the end of his last broadcast, Gardner had some final words as he wrapped up his time at the anchor desk.

What I need you to know is how much I'm going to miss you. Jim said to all of the six ABC viewers as he concluded his final broadcast.

We have had an un-stated agreement, you and I, I would like to say that we formed a covenant years ago.

We give you respect and our commitment to reporting in a no nonsense way.

Those things that are important to you and making sure that you that we tell you is at what we tell you is accurate and fair.

But we also promise to share in your joys and your sadness is your triumphs and your losses because they are ours too.

It was elegant. It was dignified. They wrapped it all up with a water balloon fight.

It was pretty wild. That's cute. Yeah. It was fun. It was wonderful. In fact, I would say it was a little bit, um, a little bit restrained.

Like they didn't get to, um, emotional, but they got, it was just the right note, especially for him. It was perfect.

Yeah, I think earlier in the week, um, Jamie, a potty got a little emotional and she was like, I don't, you know, I don't normally do this.

This isn't me. I'm not like this and he was like, it's okay. Like it's okay to show emotion. Right.

Um, he did at one point during that. I watched the whole thing. Uh, at one point you could see tears, um, like just like it.

Like a little, there was emotion there for sure. I think it was a family. Um, I don't, I don't remember what it was, but it was during that final, you know,

right. That statement that he made and, uh, and then they showed some behind the scenes, like back in the newsroom.

Everyone lined up and came to say goodbye to him to pictures and he got a little emotional then and then, uh,

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