Good Morning America in the Valley

GUSTAVUS — Good morning Mahoning Valley!

ABC’s “Good Morning America” has taken over this small northern Trumbull County township.

Buses transported about 1,000 people from the former Gustavus Elementary School to the Double L ranch, near a farm owned by Henry and Linda Lipps. The TV show is broadcasting live from the Lipps farm.

People started lining up at 2:30 a.m. today waiting to board the buses. The first bus left the school two hours later.

While people were cold, they are excited to be here, particularly to see Brad Paisley in concert.

The anchors are also going to interview John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, and his wife, Cindy. The two spent the night at a Howland hotel after a Monday rally in Vienna, that attracted about 7,000.

The logistics of the TV’s show posed a bit of a challenge.

The road leading to the Lipps farm and the Double L ranch is so narrow that the buses taking people there were delayed; unable to turn around easily.

It was also a challenge for some in the local media. A WKBN car turned into a ditch near the site — the driver thought it was a driveway entrance — and had to be towed. (Though WKBN was kind enough to allow Vindicator reporters to sit in the car for this post.)

Those here are corralled in the Double L’s barn waiting to be escorted to the Lipps farm.

McCain is expected to speak briefly at 7:20 a.m. and then be on air from 7:30 to 8 a.m. The Secret Service is keeping people from Lipps while McCain is there.

For continuing coverage — even though cell phone reception is spotty here — check Vindy.com.