Recently we had the opportunity to meet up with Jaime Cerreta, a news anchor for Arizona’s Family and host of Jaime’s Local Love, to share a few bites at one of her favorite local hangouts, JT’s Bar & Grill. Cerreta vouched for its motto as “Arcadia’s Friendly Neighborhood Dive Bar” and it was evident from the moment we stepped through the (very) crowded doors on a Wednesday evening.
While a plethora of regulars were jammed in to watch a USA World Cup match, Cerreta said it wasn’t much different from any other night. We split The Works wings ($16), beef tacos ($10), and a surprisingly excellent house salad ($6), all served by manager Chuck Sanders, who – naturally – is well-acquainted with Cerreta.
In fact, we ran into several people Cerreta knew throughout our interview. Her passion for reporting on community stories has ingrained her into the city and over the din of a boisterous soccer match, we talked about her life in Arizona, career in news, and more.
Why did you want to meet up here?
JT’s is one of my favorite places in town; it’s somewhere my friends and I have been coming to for years. They have some of the best wings in Phoenix! It’s one of those spots that actually feels like it’s part of the neighborhood. In fact, I can see some of my neighbors right over there by the bar.
Tell me a little bit about you. You’re from Arizona, right?
Yes, born and raised here. Went to Chaparral High School and Arizona State University at the Walter Cronkite School of Broadcast Journalism.
Not everyone knows you’re part of the family behind Cerreta Candy Company in Glendale. It’s been there for over 50 years, and still produces some of the best sweets in town. What was it like growing up with that institution?
I actually say that my career in broadcasting got started at the candy company because I just loved the microphone they had to page people or make announcements. So on weekends, all of the families would trade off going in to check on things at the factory and I remember going with my family and racing right over to the microphone. It was more exciting than the candy!
Did the microphone help convince you to go into journalism?
Yes, but really it was Channel One back in the day. I remember watching the anchor at the time, Lisa Ling, talking to all sorts of people and thinking, that’s what I want to do.
What did you do after you graduated from ASU?
My TV career really started in Joplin, Missouri, as a one-man band reporter. So I would shoot all of my stories, write, edit, all of that for about 18 months. Then I went to Springfield, Missouri, to work anchoring a morning show for a year, which was a whole new experience. It was tough but I learned a lot in my time there.
After that, I went to Beaumont, Texas to anchor the morning show during the week and it was so much fun! I loved the community there, the Cajun influence everywhere. Twelve days after Christmas everyone was prepping for Mardi Gras.
Finally, I was in Oklahoma City for seven years, anchoring in the evening and then was able to make my way back here to Arizona’s Family, which was 13 years ago.
*We broke off as thunderous cheers and high-fives rained down after a USA goal.
Are you much of a sports fan?
Of the sports themselves, not really. But I enjoy going to games and being in these kinds of atmospheres because it brings everyone together and unites them. Actually, while I was in Oklahoma City the OKC Thunder basketball team started and that was one of the best things I’ve ever been able to experience. There was so much passion and pride within the city, everyone was wearing their colors, and it just brought the entire community together, which I loved.
Community seems to be pretty important to you. Is that one of the reasons why you host Jaime’s Local Love?
Absolutely! It’s one of the reasons I’m in this business, I wanted to get to know people and share their stories that are happening right around us. It’s so easy to drive by, especially in Phoenix, all of these storefronts and never stop to think what’s in there. So I want to be able to show people that, show them this community we have.
How long have you been hosting Jaime’s Local Love?
Eleven years here but it actually started while I was working in Oklahoma City. I started collecting places to go and things to do in this list for when my parents would come to visit. Eventually, I brought it to my boss as an idea and it worked out. Back then it was called Jaime’s Favorite Places. Here at Arizona’s Family, I pitched them the idea for Jamie’s Local Love and I drew out the logo on a post-it note exactly how it is, with the outline of the state and the heart in the spot for Phoenix.
You’re anchoring in the afternoons now, how do you like that?
I love it! The News at 3, it’s not just fluffy, it’s a hybrid of hard news – in fact we’ve won Emmys for our breaking news – and community stories, so it just made sense for me. And it has been good for me. I was at a place in my life where I really needed a change. I’d done anchoring at nights, weekends, all kinds of hours where you’re never able to spend time with friends. It’s tough and it was hard on my health. I was ready for something that was Monday to Friday with more normal hours.
You mentioned your health, how are things going with your eyes? You had an operation last year, right?
Yes, an emergency vitrectomy. I’m doing much better but it’s been a long road this past year. I’d been coming down the stairs and saw a rip down my vision in my left eye. Now this is five years after I’d already had a retina tear in that eye. There was a flood of reddish brown in my vision, which was a vitreous rupture.
Two days later, I had surgery and I had to lay on my stomach with an air bubble in my eye to hold my retina place as it healed. It was so strange to watch as the bubble shrank over time! And then I got cataracts, which is common after vitrectomy. In December, I had cataract surgery on both eyes and upgraded to a light adjustable lens in both eyes. It took a little bit to dial in, but for the most part, my vision is awesome. I thank God for science and how these doctors are able to do incredible surgeries to heal and repair your vision.
You’ve been such a big part of promoting what we have here in town and supporting our state. What do you recommend to people who come to visit?
I always ask them, what’s the vibe? Because there’s so much here and it helps to guide ideas. Cerreta Candy Company I always recommend, obviously. Hotel Valley Ho because of the history, plus they have such an amazing pool there. Kembara I think is really special. Tarbell’s, of course, is always great.
Oka Sushi out in Fountain Hills is quite delicious. I have to shout out my sister and brother-in-law’s Loot N’ Booty BBQ Team that’s here locally. And I love telling people to do a day trip up to Cave Creek or through Old Town Scottsdale, just getting to see all around town.
What do you think of the new food scene here in Phoenix? It’s really changed and grown so much over the last several years.
I think it’s important to remember that some of the big names that are here now started out small. I really enjoy the personal experience of seeing someone build something around their passion. We need to pay attention to the smaller owners who have been here a long time and make sure they’re still doing well amidst all the change.
That said, the exposure has been the best. People know we’re here and now we’re on the map for spas, shopping, golf and now we have the expansion of the Michelin guide here. We deserve it, our people deserve it.
