(Photo contributed) Jason Parkin, a meteorologist at KCCI-TV in Des Moines, holds the Best Newscast Emmy award the KCCI news team received for a broadcast on Oct. 29, 2007, the night of the Barton Solvents explosion and fire. All members of the broadcast team earned the honor. [Click to enlarge]

A Des Moines television station's newscast in October 2007 has won the station a Best Newscast Emmy and the 10 p.m. newscast had a touch of Le Mars.

Former Le Mars resident and Le Mars Community High School graduate Jason Parkin, a meteorologist with KCCI-TV in Des Moines, was working the 10 p.m. Oct. 29 newscast and was one of several members to receive the Emmy award.

In a memo to KCCI staffers, the station's news director Dave A. Busiek, said the winning newscast was the 10 p.m. newscast on Monday, Oct. 29, 2007, the night of the Barton Solvents explosion and fire. The producer was Megan Osborn.

"I happened to be doing the weather during that newscast," said Parkin, who has been with KCCI since October 1998.

Several News Channel 8 staffers attended the Upper Midwest Chapter of the National Television Academy 2008 Regional Emmy Awards ceremony on Oct. 25 in Minneapolis.

"A Best Newscast honor is a team award," the news director noted. "Everyone on staff who touches our newscasts, which is just about everybody on staff, shares in the award."

"I was very happy to be a part of the newscast that received the award," said Parkin. "I am blessed to work at one of the best television stations in the country with some of the best and most talented people in the business."

Parkin said he normally works the weekends, but happened to be working the Monday night broadcast that earned the station the Emmy award.

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"There are five of us in the weather department here," he said.

"To be honest, I enjoy the forecasting and geeky weather stuff more than I enjoy whatever fame and recognition comes with the job," Parkin added.

Parkin, a 1988 graduate of Le Mars Community High School, earned a degree in communications from the University of Iowa in 1992. While he has enrolled at Iowa State University from 1992 through 1994 earning his degree in meteorology, Parkin worked at KLEM/KKMA in Le Mars.

"I got my broadcasting start at KLEM," said Parkin, "and will always be grateful to Dave Ruden for his guidance and friendship."

While in Ames, Parkin worked at WOI Radio and KASI/KCCQ Radio in Ames. Parkin was then hired by WHO Radio and moved to WHO-TV in August 1997 as a TV meteorologist

He joined the KCCI team in October 1998. His profile on the station's website notes "Jason grew up in Le Mars, Iowa, and said he was scared of severe weather as a child. That fear, fortunately, turned into fascination and led him to a career in meteorology. Jason's advanced weather training has been recognized by the American Meteorological Society and National Weather Association."

The Upper Midwest Chapter of the National Television Academy, the region in which KCCI's newscast team was awarded the Emmy, includes members from Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota and celebrates excellence in television.