Morning Roundup: Join us in 1977 edition

Good morning, Houston. We were going to begin the day talking about how American Idol contestant Sanjaya Malakar finally got voted off the show last night, but then we ran across this item: Wednesday was the 30th birthday of KTRK's Live at Five afternoon newscast. Big deal, you say? Why yes, it is — because, thanks to Channel 13, you can watch the very first episode of the show, from April 18, 1977. Dave Ward (with a lot of hair) and Jan Carson anchored, Ed Brandon was at the weather desk, Bob Allen had sports and Marvin Zindler — at least 30 facelifts ago — reported on the 1947 Texas City disaster. Among the features: a super-groovy opening theme, vintage ads and lots of '70s clothes. Be sure to check it out. And before we go on, just one thing: Malakar wasn't good enough for the show that gave the world Taylor Hicks? What's up with that?

>> The first step's a doozy: Firefighters had to use a crane to rescue a construction worker who apparently fell down an elevator shaft Wednesday morning in a building under construction at Memorial Hermann Memorial City Hospital. The worker fell about one story; fortunately, he's in good condition apart from an injured ankle.

>> Two Gallants case dropped: Via Houston Calling, Pitchfork reports that charges against Two Gallants drummer Tyson Vogel have been dropped, bringing an end to the story that began when police raided the band's show at Walter's on Washington after a noise complaint Oct. 13. You remember that — the skirmish, the Tasers, the footage on YouTube. Does the band plan to play Walter's again? "Definitely," Vogel said.

>> Meet your newest enemy: Sure, we all know about the perils of property ownership, but has it ever occurred to you that your home or business could be swallowed whole by a ditch? No fooling: According to KHOU, so-called "orphan ditches" — feral ditches that no one cares for — are causing trouble all over the place. "Every time it rains I lose six [inches] to a foot of ground and probably in the next month or so it's probably going to be up to the door swallowing my business in," business owner Stephen Thorp said. We're not erosion control experts, but if this continues, won't the entire city eventually disappear? Just saying.

>> Today's weather: Look for remarkably stable weather the next few days: highs around 80, lows around 62, partly cloudy with a southeast breeze. Not bad. And, really, not much else to say.

Except for all this ...