By Kira Golden
Patrick Evans, 48, is the meteorologist for CBS Local 2 News for the Coachella Valley. He also started his own business—Fulvio’s Foods—which sells Italian sausages made with his own family’s recipe, and is quickly gaining momentum here in the valley. He was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia. He attended the University of Virginia and studied Environmental Science, Political Science, and Communications. Evans grew up watching and admiring Johnny Carson, saying, “I really fell in love with television, watching him. I just thought that would be the greatest job in the world—to be able to entertain people; inform people.” So when he landed his very first job as the floor director for the evening newscast at a small TV station in Virginia—WVIR TV—it set the tone for his career to come. He began working there while he was still in high school and continued on through college, and stayed on after he earned his degree. He believes that the most defining moment in his career so far was his decision to come to work for CBS Local 2. “I fell in love with the desert,” he explained, adding that his favorite thing about the Coachella Valley is the weather—yes, even the summers! Appropriate response for a meteorologist, though he also cited the natural beauty of the desert and the diverse population as reasons he loves it here. “I like to be involved in the community, and there was ample opportunity for that.” He added that he feels inspired by the level of philanthropy in this Valley, as he has proved with his involvement in local charities—he serves on the board for the YMCA as well as the Desert Symphony. Some of his other achievements include getting a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars last year and, the year before that, being named the Italian American of the Year by the Sons of Italy here in the Valley.
When asked what makes him tick, Evans laughed. “No one has ever asked me that question,” he said. After some thought though, he came to the conclusion that he is driven by interpersonal interactions. “I’m very much an extrovert. I enjoy being around people… in my personal life and in my work, both at the television station and at Fulvio’s, I enjoy most every aspect of dealing with other people.” However, he did say one thing that upsets him about some people, is dishonesty. In fact, he jokingly stated that there was a long list of things that tick him off. “Slow drivers in the left lane,” he laughed. But in all seriousness, the thing that upsets him most is people who abandon their pets. “I have three rescue dogs. I think if you make a commitment to an animal it’s like having a baby.”
Despite his insistence that many things tick him off, Evans’ easy-going sense of humor shines through. In his free time, he loves to cook, especially Italian food, and he likes to sing at piano bars. “Because,” he explained, “most Italian men, after two drinks… we all think we’re Frank Sinatra.” He’s a big fan of that genre of music, and also loves Dean Martin, fellow Italian crooner, and old country music, like Roger Miller and Hank Williams. He enjoys playing golf, but when it comes to watching sports, his favorite football team is his alma mater, the University of Virginia Cavaliers. “I enjoy college sports in general, though I was never much of a player.” His favorite vacation spot is the island of Kauai in Hawaii. He sees a lot of movies in his line of work, but said he’s typically not a big movie-goer. There was one exception though. “I am a nerd. I love all the Star Trek movies.” He paused, then added, completely dead-pan, “Pretty much anything with William Shatner, I will pay money to go see.”
In his future, Evans wants to see Fulvio’s Foods continue to grow. “I’m very focused on making it a viable entity in the future,” he said. “I’d really like to see it prosper—it’s a great way to keep my father’s memory alive… My father was the most ethical human being I know. He taught me a lot about the proper way to conduct myself.” Though he is invested in Fulvio’s Foods, he was quick to add that he loves working in television and plans to continue that as long as possible. “I have no plans on giving that up any time soon.
