philgoodstory

Seeing Red Over 'Big Red'

2010-01-12T18:19:00.004-05:00

It started Monday afternoon when the tweets started pouring in: Mark McGwire was officially "coming clean" about his steroid use, particularly during his run at the record books in 1998. Yeah, that's when my blood started boiling.

I chose to skip the Bob Costas interview Monday night, knowing full well it was just an exercise in public relations -- a carefully crafted appearance for McGwire, who'd no doubt been thoroughly coached on what to say and how to say it (after all, exclusive interviews on the MLB Network with Costas don't just happen -- it was planned well in advance, I'd say). That said, things cooled off overnight.

But between my live shots at work Tuesday morning, as I listened to the story we ran from CBS during our Good Morning Show, my blood began to simmer again. McGwire's explanations of why he lied to Congress and why he took steroids in the first place were weak and flimsy to me. They reeked of selfishness and defiance. They sounded like the excuses of a man who knew the injuries he was fighting through could make him irrelevant. But he wanted fame and money; he wanted to stay relevant and worthy. So he decided to cheat to get what he wanted. He decided to lie to the nation and the sports world. He chose to profit off deceit. He chose to abuse his power and position as a role model. He gave people who delight in athletic achievement false hope for a hero. He hugged Roger Maris' family after he broke Maris' record -- a shameful embrace for a man who knew he'd cheated and stolen one of baseball's greatest benchmarks.

[Interlude: this video from ESPN's Jeremy Shaap is a must-see. Normally I disagree with most everything Shaap says. This time, his analysis is right on the money. My rant continues after the video.]

Here's the thing. I'm not even that much of a baseball fan to begin with, though I have an appreciation for great performances and record-setting efforts. I love the fact that we get a daily opportunity to witness history, although history in sports isn't made everyday. (That's why, even as a stern Jimmie Johnson hater, I marvel at how he and his team have won four Sprint Cups in a row. I look at that achievement with admiration and respect.) So why does this anger me so much?

First of all, for reasons that could be considered perhaps "social" or "socioeconomic," I have little sympathy for professional athletes when they get caught in scandal. People who make millions of dollars playing a game have little right to think they can pull the wool over the eyes of the country and knowingly commit wrongdoing for personal or financial gain. When you're busted, don't grovel and sob for my sympathy and support on national television. You're not getting it.

But what really chaps me is that it appears he's only "coming clean" now for personal benefit. He's hoping an admission will bolster his chances at forgiveness, and in turn a spot in the Hall Of Fame. And by getting everything out in the open, he appears to think his new job as hitting coach with the St. Louis Cardinals will be easier for us all to swallow. His "apology," much like his use of steroids, is self-serving.

I guess my anger just boils down to this: with SO many social and economic injustices that happen everyday, it bothers me that someone can profit so easily from dishonesty while countless hard-working, honest people struggle. Is Mark McGwire to blame for that? Absolutely not. Our culture's misplaced priorities are (and that's not a statement against pro sports -- I love pro sports, TV shows, music and movies and the entertainment industry as a whole). I guess I'm just dismayed when someone who already has so much decides to steal even more. And that's an issue that goes well beyond Mark McGwire.

I think my being upset is more of a judgment against a set of social standards than a judgment about McGwire. He just happens to be the "athlete/entertainer caught up in scandal" d'jour. So is there any benefit to my righteous indignation? Any resolution from my rant? Any profit from my pouting and shouting on my blog? No, not really. As someone just as unrighteous of the next guy (yes, even as unrighteous as Mark McGwire), there's nothing to gain from my commentary. I'm still going to watch sports. I'm still going to get swept up in the next pursuit of a mystical record. And I'm still going to get mad the next time something like this happens.

But pounding the keys for what amounts to nothing more than a few meaningless musings has lowered my blood pressure and my anger level. Hopefully it hasn't raised yours.

Hello Again

2009-12-05T17:22:00.003-05:00

It's been a while, hasn't it? A lot has changed since my last blog. And the process of making that happen is part of why it's been so long since I updated this thing.

In case you didn't know, I'm now at WFMY News 2 in Greensboro. I had a great three years, two months and five days at WNCT. But the time had come for a change and the jump to the Triad certainly offered it. The new gig is a challenge, if for no other reason than the hours.

I'm the reporter for our "Good Morning Show," which means I work 4a to 1p and am often in bed by 7p (and getting out of bed at 2:30a -- yikes!). As someone who's something of a night owl, that's a huge change! But I'm getting used to it. And the "getting used to it" part is a lot easier because I work with some absolutely incredible people. Our morning crew does more with less every day -- and everyone works very hard. I think we put on a great product, and it's getting better each day. In fact, I don't think the competition held a candle to all the cool, creative stuff we did this past week.

The Greensboro/High Point/Winston-Salem market is also much, much bigger than the Greenville/Washington/New Bern market. So I'm also enjoying working at a station with more resources, more staff and more news to cover.

In my month on the job here so far, I've covered everything from shootings to Disney On Ice -- and I've had fun every day.

Part of getting used to the new hours will include working the blog back in to my routine. So I'll do my best to keep posting regularly. But at the very least, I wanted to catch everyone up and say hello again.

Just 'Biden' Time

2009-10-14T22:48:00.005-04:00

I like it when people show their appreciation for our military. I like it a lot, in fact. I've gained more appreciation for our service men and women since I moved to coastal North Carolina than I can even articulate.

So I think it's pretty cool when I get to do stories about neat people taking time to give back to our troops.

'Second Lady' Jill Biden was that neat person today. She came to Camp Lejeune to meet with members and families of the 2nd Marine Combat Battalion ahead of their deployment to Afghanistan.

I've met a whole bunch of politicians in my time at WNCT. I've spent time with NC's four most recent senators (Edwards, Dole, Burr and Hagan). I've lost count of how many times I've interviewed Gov. Bev Perdue ... and ahead of last November's election, I extensively interviewed eight or nine gubernatorial candidates. I've spent time with other state politicians and pundits -- and have had countless interactions with local politicians, too. I even covered President Obama's trip to Camp Lejeune in February, though my request to interview him was (ahem) inexplicably denied (or more to the point ... ignored).

I don't know if it's fair to call her a politician, since she doesn't hold elected office. But Jill Biden has been around politics for a long time. She no doubt knows how the game is played.

That said, there was just something about her interactions with the Marines and their families at Camp Lejeune today that makes her easily the most genuine and believable political figure I've met in my reporting career. I mean, I was very impressed -- and when it comes to politicians, that's saying something.

She's beautiful (especially for being 58 years old!), charismatic and even seemed rather humble. And her presence no doubt resonated strongly with the crowd at Camp Lejeune because she herself is a military mom (her stepson is in the Army National Guard and recently returned home from a deployment to Iraq).

And I think it's that connection with reality that makes her so believable. She truly seemed to understand and care about what the Marines and their families had to say. She exchanged hugs, handshakes and -- in my estimation -- heartfelt encouragement and concern with everyone there.

She told reporters in a press conference late this afternoon that her trips to military bases are something like listening tours. She said she was here to listen to what Marines and their families have to say -- and then take that information back to the White House to share it with policymakers.

I believe her when she says these trips are more than feel-good photo-ops. I believe it because she knows what every Marine and family member in that muggy gym was going through. Her handlers moved her quickly from person to person. But to me, it appears she did her best to have some sincere conversation with as many people as possible. And when it comes time for her husband or the President to weigh in on decisions about mobilizing troops or providing them and their families the resources they need at home and abroad, she has me convinced that she'll offer some sincere feedback.

I wouldn't consider myself naive -- but maybe in this case I am. Or maybe there are political figures who really DO mean what they say or truly DO act in the public interest. I certainly hope the latter is true of her. Because there are some monumental decisions that will be made over the next few months that have huge implications for our military members and their families.

Whatever those decisions are -- and however genuine she may or may not be -- I sure hope Jill Biden gets to weigh in with the stories she heard from everyone she met today at Camp Lejeune.

Accentuating The Positive

2009-10-07T21:31:00.007-04:00

Working in TV news can be a heavy, heavy job. Think about it -- if you're depressed by the doom and gloom you sometimes see on your nightly newscasts, think about how it must feel to report it!

I think a lot of stations are pushing hard these days to do a better job of telling people about positive things going on in their communities. Viewers need a break from the stories about crime and corruption. And so do reporters. I mean, everyone likes a reminder that there are indeed good things happening in the world around them.

But we still have to report on the shocking crimes and the stories that leave you shaking your head. Reporters learn pretty quickly that we have to detach ourselves from what we're reporting, especially when it's horrible, heartbreaking news.

To some extent, we have to desensitize ourselves in order to not become totally disillusioned by some of the stories we cover. However, I think truly great reporters also stay in touch with their humanity and never, ever lose sense of the gravity of the stories they cover -- and the impact these real-life events have on real-life people. Tapping into our own emotions helps us convey the raw, human condition in the stories we report.

That said, covering the Cody Richardson story a couple of weeks ago really got to me. I'm not sure why it bothered me so much. Perhaps it was the sheer fact that he was so upset (for whatever reason) that he thought the best resolution was to strangle his wife. Perhaps it was the fact that this couple was so young. Or perhaps it was his cool, calm demeanor when he called 911 two days after he killed his wife to confess. (Or perhaps even the fact that a source closely connected with the case tells me he slept in the same bed with her body for a couple of nights before calling the cops.)

Whatever the case may be, covering that story for three or four straight days really shook me and left me in a foul mood. Maybe I just lost a little faith in humanity.

But then come stories like today's that restore your faith in humanity, that remind you that there are great people doing great things in the world around us and that give you a true feeling of emotional blessing when you get to be a part of them.

I got to cover a homecoming at Cherry Point. I've probably covered a dozen of them by now, but they never get old. It's always refreshing to watch heroes come home -- and to see the reactions of their friends and families once they're reunited after months of worrying and waiting.

It's a cleansing experience -- a good time that washes away the negative energy from troubling stories. I'm glad that we cover these stories fairly often at WNCT, to give the men and women fighting for our country (and the families who also sacrifice so much) their due. They certainly deserve it.

And it gives all of us a chance to accentuate the positive going on in the world around us.

The Story Behind Story Selection

2009-09-30T22:19:00.002-04:00

I really am thankful to everyone who stops by and reads my blog -- especially those who take the time to comment. I'm just sitting here rambling, so I appreciate it when other people throw their two cents in. On my last post, one commenter took me to task for not covering a story that was obviously quite important to them. The anonymous poster said:

"Beautiful Beaufort-by-the-Sea celebrated turning 300 years old. I should think that with THAT you had a new story. Were you guys in Beaufort this weekend? I know it was raining, but we had the Embers, Shrimp boats arrived at 6 pm. If you were there I missed it and I appreciate it if you were. If you were not there and you wonder why we are skeptical of the "local" news..this is why. We are fortuate to be alive while Beaufort was turning 300... I love Beaufort and wish that there were media truck lined up along Front Street to record this once in a lifetime event. Perhaps we should have scheduled a hurricane? Then it would have been newsworthy?"

Commenter, I wish you would have identified yourself, because I would love to have contacted you personally. But thanks again for commenting -- and for bringing up a good topic: just how do news organizations choose the stories they cover?

It's a question that is growing increasingly complicated in these economic times. To directly answer the commenter's concerns, I do not think anyone from WNCT was in Beaufort the Saturday in question. But, I know for a fact our station covered several of the 300th anniversary events. In particular, I remember watching a very well put together piece one of our photographers did the weekend "pyrates" invaded Beaufort and reenacted an assault on the town.

Beaufort is in the heart of my coverage area -- I am WNCT's coastal bureau reporter and primarily cover Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Jones, Onslow, Pamlico and Pender counties. I am committed to out-reporting, out-hustling and downright outperforming every reporter who covers the same area (though none in the market covers quite as wide a swath of ENC as I do). Just by looking at the list of my turf, it's easy to see that it's downright impossible for me to cover everything that happens in my own area. Being just one reporter, I have to choose to cover the one, two or three stories each day that will have the greatest impact or significance for the greatest number of viewers.

Imagine, then, coordinating the coverage of the largest designated market area in North Carolina -- nearly three dozen counties, all of which are filled with folks who want every event in their community covered. It's impossible! But the staff at WNCT strives to cover as much of it as possible and we have multiple editorial meetings each day to set our strategy for providing the best coverage we can.

Covering the news of the day can sometimes provide a challenge even when a station has a full staff. But thanks to our jolly old friend "the economy," WNCT doesn't have a full complement of reporters, producers or photographers anymore. The same goes for countless news organizations across the globe. And like every other business, we're making do the best we can, because we want to provide the best news product to viewers and web users as we can.

As I mentioned earlier, though, that involves choosing the stories that impact the greatest amount of people. Our commenter made mention of a hurricane. Obviously, an imposing storm would call for a considerable amount of WNCT's resources if it poses a risk to people's lives or property. Oftentimes, stories about crime, the economy, education, health or scams also draw a good bit of our attention because they impact or draw the most interest from nearly all our viewers. But because we don't want our newscasts full of doom and gloom, we do our best to showcase the good things happening in communities all over the east (with our Community Builders segment, for example) because we know that matters greatly to our viewers, as well.

Unfortunately, though, we just can't be everywhere all the time. I don't work on the weekends, for example (I may be a news junkie, but I do need some time off!), so someone from Greenville has to cover our ENTIRE viewing area on the weekends. Sometimes they can get down here to the coast. Sometimes they can't.

Because I live and work along the coast, I want the best coverage possible for this area. I try to provide it when I'm working. When I'm not, I pitch the stories to our news staff as hard as I can, but recognize that other events or stories elsewhere will take priority over something happening here if it's of greater significance -- just as if a story here along the coast would take greater priority than something happening in Greenville when it's of greater significance or impacts more people.

That's not to say Beaufort's 300th anniversary isn't significant. It is -- and as our commenter said, we're all lucky to have witnessed this once-in-a-lifetime event. But instead of growing skeptical, please grow more understanding of our position. In fact, please grow more vocal in telling us the significance and impact of the events you want covered -- and then give us a few days' notice so we can try to organize our coverage to include it. Because we truly care about the communities we serve and we want to cover what's important to you.

And, from where I'm sitting, that's the story behind story selection.

"The Report Of My Death Was An Exaggeration"

2009-09-26T22:20:00.003-04:00

I'll start with apologies for going nearly a week without a new blog post. I'd gotten into a little rhythm of posting every other day and I had planned to post something Wednesday evening about the Richardson murder case in Jacksonville.

But then I found out around 7p on Wednesday that I'd been called out of the bullpen to anchor our morning and noon newscasts on Thursday and Friday. That's an undertaking and privilege I thoroughly enjoy ... but also something that requires me to wake up around 2a on days I'm on the desk. That's a substantial change from my normal schedule, so needless to say my blogging rhythm (and every other part of my daily schedule) got thrown for a loop. Thankfully, everything is pretty much back to normal now.

I'm sure the title of this blog caught your attention and keen literature fans may recognize that as a Mark Twain quote. I believe he penned it back in 1897 when there were rumors he'd died. You might surmise from the fact he wrote that sentence that he wasn't actually dead.

I thought it'd be a fitting title because I want to address my thoughts on the future of local TV news. If you believe everything you read online or in trade magazines, local TV news will be the next dinosaur to go extinct (well, just after newspapers). True, times are extraordinarily tough. Companies that own TV stations (including Media General, which owns my station) have cut thousands of jobs and tightened operating budgets to where some stations barely have the resources to put newscasts on the air.

Like any number of industries, those of us in local TV news are having to do significantly more with significantly less.

It's easy to write off the craft, as the quality of TV journalism has been diluted by more news outlets and weakened because most reporters and producers are having to cover more stories in less detail just to be able to fill a show. Some TV stations have cut weekend, morning or noon newscasts. Worse still, some TV stations have folded entirely.

But I think those who have condemned local TV news to a slow (or maybe quick) and agonizing death will eventually come to realize that the demise of the industry has been greatly exaggerated.

Soon enough, the economy will bounce back, advertisers will return and newsroom budgets will make a modest recovery. Don't get me wrong, the industry (and the budgets) will never be the same. I won't go into detail about how it will change (more one-man-bands, for instance), but people will always have an appetite for knowing about what's going on in their community and the world around them.

The need for local news will always be there -- that's for sure. The objective now should be spending less time and money on consultants pondering how to jazz up nightly newscasts and making more of an intense effort at understanding how consumers want to consume the news.

There's no need to abandon the typical newscast format -- though it does need an overhaul. I believe local TV news execs need to place vigorous and unwavering focus on meeting consumers "where they are" ... i.e. making it possible for people to watch fresh, current local news coverage (both live streams and pre-produced) on their cell phones and iPods or on the bus, in the car or on the train.

We live in an on-demand world and what's happening NOW is what's most relevant. Local TV news stations must figure out how to communicate what's happening NOW to people using every available platform. And we must be sure the quality of our reporting improves so that the value of our product and service is unmistakable.

Do I know how to make that happen and -- most importantly -- make it profitable? Not at all. But someone will figure it out sooner rather than later.

And then, thankfully, all of us in local TV news will be able to look back on a time when the reports of the death of our craft were nothing but exaggerations.

You Can Run, But You Can't Hide

2009-09-21T22:21:00.003-04:00

It's been a long Monday. I suppose every Monday that follows a good weekend is long ... but this one felt extra-long. A lot of that probably was due to the fact that I left home about two hours earlier than normal to head to Duplin County on a wing and a prayer ... hoping to catch the first court appearance for a former DMV theft prevention supervisor who has now been accused of being part of a theft ring. Go figure.

Heading to the courthouse a few hours earlier than the DA's scheduled press conference was a risk because suspects don't always show at their first court appearances. Sometimes their lawyers show up and take care of business for them. And, depending on the judge, sometimes it can take hours upon hours for first appearances to happen.

When I got to the Duplin County courthouse, Chelsea Donovan from WITN was also there. Apparently, we'd both taken the same risk. Little did we know, it was about to pay off.

As she and I stood squarely in front of the yet-to-open district courtroom, Bill Toman Jr. and his lawyer walked up the stairs. Chelsea and I were caught off guard, so our cameras weren't rolling. We were getting prepared to get some shots ... and then Toman and his lawyer went into the bathroom.

And stayed.

For 30 minutes.

To hide.

From two TV cameras.

Every once in a while, you'd see a sliver of light appear when Toman's lawyer cracked the door to see if the courtroom had opened up yet.

It was so comical the cowardice went mostly unnoticed. When bailiffs finally unlocked the courtroom, Toman and his attorney had to emerge. Despite their best efforts to make a run for it, we managed to get some 20 seconds of video as he walked in to the courtroom ... the former veteran law enforcement officer, now accused of abusing his power and the public trust.

Avoiding us by fleeing into the loo is just plain silly. We weren't going to attack him. We already had his mug shot. And there was no way in to the courtroom without passing by us.

If anything, it made it look like Toman had something to hide.

But it sounds like he's learning (on several levels) that you can run, but you can't hide.

Check out the video player below for my story:

Memories Of Floyd

2009-09-17T22:21:00.003-04:00

So ... unless you've been hiding under a rock and haven't watched any TV station or read any newspaper in the great state of North Carolina within the last seven days, you know that this week marks the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Floyd and the devastating flooding that followed it.

To be honest (and it's certainly a shame), my memories of Floyd aren't all that strong ... and certainly not as vivid as the memories of 9/11 that I blogged about over the weekend.

When Floyd rolled through, I was just a 15-year-old high school punk living at home in Wilson. I can remember sleeping in a downstairs bedroom the night the storm made landfall, though. My bedroom was upstairs, but since my childhood home has a TON of trees all around it, my family figured it'd be safer to stay in the downstairs bedrooms that were also a bit farther away from the trees.

There was a lot of rain and wind that night, but otherwise I remember sleeping pretty well ... and waking up thinking that the storm seemed rather unremarkable. I think a section of the fence in our backyard was knocked down ... and in one of the hurricanes of the late 90s, a fallen tree demolished the house across the street from ours (can't remember if it was Floyd, though).

I also remember some of the flooding in Wilson, especially around Toisnot Park. There aren't any major rivers in Wilson County, so we were better off than some ... but I know that things sure were bad in some parts of the county and the town. There was a lot of flooding over near the Rec, too.

I think there was some flooding at my house, as well ... but incredibly, it was nothing compared to the flooding that comes these days at the hands of even an hours-long rainfall.

As you can tell, this is where my memory starts to get fuzzy. No doubt all of the aforementioned TV stations and newspapers have been running stories involving people's recollections of the storm all week ... and I wanted to share one with you guys that I just happened to read.

It interests me because it's from someone who was working at WNCT at the time ... and I always enjoy hearing how folks in TV recount their experiences covering the events that change people's lives.

As you'll read, covering the storm also changed Chad Tucker's life. Chad now works at WGHP in the Triad and I've had the good fortune of getting to know him lately. Like me, his TV career started at Channel 9 ... and it sounds like Floyd may have affected the trajectory of his career.

Read his thoughts (which he has allowed me to share with you) and then leave me your recollections of Hurricane Floyd!

"I Can Still Hear the Storm," by Chad Tucker ...

In September of 1999 I was finishing my senior year studying journalism at East Carolina University in Greenville. Outside the classroom my part-time job as a news producer for CBS affiliate WNCT-TV put me in the middle of one of North Carolina’s biggest news events of the 20th century. It was the perfect classroom. It was the point I learned the truth behind my calling.

Hurricane Floyd, born off the coast of Africa made its way to North Carolina on September 16, 1999. It’s a day I will never forget. It’s a day that changed me.

The night the storm came I went to work helping the TV station produce 24-7 hurricane coverage. Late in the evening I went home to my apartment with rain so thick the typical 10 minute drive became an hour. To this day, I can still hear the storm. The constant rain and roar of Hurricane Floyd created an unsettling feeling inside of me as it passed in the night. While the rain found its way through the modern windows of my apartment, the constant wind – in an odd way – helped put me at rest. I found some sleep that night. But with dawn light and the storm still howling -- to this day I can still see the trees outside my bedroom window – bent by the constant wind. Hurricane Floyd was about to end, but hell was just beginning.

By mid morning – the water began to rise. My phone rang with my boss saying people are clinging to their roofs. I went to work.

The monster made landfall near Cape Fear as a category 2 hurricane, passing north over Eastern North Carolina dumping nearly 17 inches of rain. That’s 17 inches of rain on top of 15 inches Hurricane Dennis dumped just weeks before. It was just too much rain for the rivers of Eastern North Carolina, including the Tar River that flowed through Greenville.

For more than a week classrooms at ECU sat empty while students around campus fought to save what they owned. The Tar River came out of its banks, cresting 24 feet above flood stage. The river flooded thousands of student apartments, homes and their cars. Greenville became an island with no way in or out. Water was everywhere. Highways now rivers...

I worked all day in the newsroom gathering information. Our station became a lifeline. For those without power and could not see us, radio stations broadcasted our signal. I worked many hours making calls on where roads were out, where shelters were open and answering the back door. The first time I opened the back door a family stood soak and wet. The family lost everything and just wanted to know where to go. The moment was raw and real.

I never took time to stop and take it all in. I heard the reports and passed them along; “a woman found dead floating in her home, dead cattle, hogs everywhere, – a couple trapped on their roof waiting for the coast guard helicopter.” But the moment that captured my soul – making me stop – was a call from a crying EMS worker in Pinetops. I answered the phone and I can still hear his broken voice. “Yaw need to report this… (As he paused, I could hear him wiping the tears) we just found an entire family dead, – yes – an entire family.” The family of six members died when their boat capsized while trying to leave their flooded home. I wrote down the information and walked to the studio giving it to the anchor on the air. He read it, looked at me and shook his head before turning to the camera to repeat what I had written.

For days I worked the newsroom phones, helped with food drives and fundraisers. I had no water or power at my apartment for a week, but I had my life. I had a lot to be thankful for. 52 people died including one ECU student caught in the creek-turned-river at the bottom of College Hill. I and my classmates returned to class a week after the storm passed. We all sat in class silent, except for a girl in the back weeping. She lost everything including her text book.

After graduation I turned to the other side of the camera, reporting for a few years the news of Eastern North Carolina for WNCT. Many of those reports dealt with the human spirit rising above it all as people rebuilt their lives and their communities.

On this day – I look back more appreciative of life, living and a part of our great state that lives perseverance – becoming better and stronger from a storm. A storm, I can still hear.

Off The Record?

2009-09-15T23:00:00.003-04:00

When I first read Terry Moran's tweet about President Obama calling Kanye West a "jackass," my first thought wasn't whether the president had actually said so (after all, I think 98 percent of Americans, regardless of political belief, can agree on that). No, my first thought was of wonder about how Moran had heard about the quote so quickly ... and why a quote that involved such strong language from the president regarding a situation that drew so much attention was nowhere to be found when I searched the news wires and the internet.

When it came to light that the president made the remark minutes before a CNBC interview, I was even more confused about how ABC News employees had accidentally spilled the beans on the president's remark. At first I thought ABC had stumbled upon a CNBC satellite feed ... but this article clearly lays out how ABC Newsers heard the comment through a fiber optic line shared by the competing networks.

The article also addresses the journalistic concept of "off the record" ... something I wanted to address briefly here.

When it comes right down to it, the things that bind a journalist not to report something they've learned "off the record" are professional courtesy and personal/journalistic ethics. On any given story, a journalist only reports a fraction of the information they really know. In TV, part of that involves only being able to say so much in a 1:15 long story ... and part of it involves keeping your mouth shut.

Sources tell us things off the record for a number of reasons. Sometimes they're fearful of going "on the record" with it. Sometimes reporters just need a little taste of the back story to do a better job of telling the story at hand. And sometimes sources just like to run their mouths.

But anything that's ever said to a reporter is committed to memory, written down in a notebook or considered for use.

I don't really like talking to people "off the record" too often. In a way, knowing more of the story actually handcuffs a reporter ... and at times it can get confusing as to what is on the record and what is off.

When someone tells me something off the record, if it's pertinent to the story at hand and in the public interest, I'll do everything within my power to get them to go on the record with it ... or I'll do what I can to confirm it through another source.

Unless there's some clearly defined and overwhelming public and journalistic interest in publishing something a source told me off the record, then I'm not going to do it (and I can say to this day that I've never run with something I shouldn't run with before I got confirmation on it). The reason for that is simple ... journalists have to build trustful relationships with sources and with viewers/readers. It goes back to the professional courtesy I mentioned earlier.

If a reporter publishes information they learned off the record, they've likely just burned a bridge in a big way. You can't effectively do this job whilst going around and burning bridges. You'll betray the trust of your sources and you'll betray the trust of the people you're working for ... the viewers and readers.

Most reporters care greatly for their reputations ... I know I've worked extremely hard to build a reputation as a relatable, trustworthy and reliable reporter. I want to keep it that way ... and for better or for worse, that's where "off the record" comes in to play.

The Surreal World

2009-09-12T22:00:00.010-04:00

(Fair warning ... this is a long post, but I think it's a worthwhile read. Enjoy!)

Friday felt surreal right from the get-go. First of all, it marked the eighth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. As I drove to Jacksonville to cover the Patriot Day ceremony there, I thought about what I was doing when the world changed eight years ago.

I remember it vividly. I was a senior in high school, sitting in the library doing work for my independent study Spanish class. Along with another student (her name was Tamika White), I hit the library every day for first period. We'd gone through all five levels of Spanish our county's school system offered in high school -- but our teacher managed to create an independent study course/project for us to undertake.

We got to know the librarians pretty well since we saw them every day. And right around 9a, one of them stepped out of her office and in a flustered tone said, "Turn on the TV. My husband just called and said a plane hit the World Trade Center." So we tuned the tube to CBS and watched as smoke poured out of one of the towers. We theorized about how it happened and only began to allow ourselves to think it may have been intentional when word came that a couple of jetliners had gone missing.

Then we watched aghast as the second plane plowed into the second tower. At this point, our minds were made up ... America was under attack.

Things were happening so fast and yet it felt like time was standing still. Somehow the bell managed to ring and first period ended. I left my belongings in the library and waded into the halls, where 1,100 other students had little clue as to what was happening. I met my second period teacher in the hall (Mrs. Hinnant) and told her what was going on. She taught AP English but didn't want us to miss watching history unfold and took our entire class into the library.

There we watched the attack on the Pentagon happen. Bryant Gumble was in the anchor chair for CBS that morning ... and when the director took the shot of the smoldering Pentagon (without telling Gumble), I can remember hearing him say "This is the Pentagon -- Oh, my God."

That's exactly what we were all thinking. And though we were only a bunch of teenagers, we prayed. We worried. Some cried. We all felt numb.

Flash forward to Friday. The memories of what came eight years earlier flashed in front of me again as I stood near Jacksonville's 9/11 Memorial, watching pictures of the victims flash in front of me while an emcee told their stories.

That was surreal enough. But it was only 9a and I still had to shoot another story.

So I ran to my office, sent in some video for the noon newscast and shuffled off to the Onslow County Sheriff's Office ... where the three other TV stations, the newspaper and I were set to interview Sheriff Brown about 54 marijuana plants and 51 pit bulls deputies found the day before.

We chatted with the sheriff for a while, saw pictures of the weed and the dogs. We learned a lot about dog fighting and the instruments used there-in. Deputies say the man they arrested was breeding dogs to fight. Judging by the graphic, gruesome pictures we saw, it's hard to argue.

We wanted the whole story, though. So me, Andrea Pacetti from News14, Chelsea Donovan from WITN and Lindell Kay from The Daily News headed out to the man's house.

The man, Lethen Pollock, was still in jail ... but his mom was at the scene. Chelsea and I shot video through the woods of the dogs chained to the ground while Lindell worked to convince Pollock's mom to talk to us. I'm usually pretty good at getting unwilling (and yet crucial) folks to talk ... but Lindell expertly convinced Mrs. Pollock to talk after Chelsea and I underscored the importance of getting her son's side of the story out there.

She talked to us and staunchly defended her son. She also let us see hundreds of pounds worth of dog food she said her son feeds the dogs, attempting to counter the sheriff's claims of malnutrition.

Then another family member took us in to the backyard to some kennels. They were filled with moms and puppies, empty water bowls and lots of dog waste. The smell was overwhelming. Think hog lagoon.

I also got a couple of shots of the dogs hidden in the woods, shackled with inch-thick chains around their necks. Pollock's mom insisted her son is a dog lover. She said he doesn't fight the dogs. She claimed he takes good care of them.

It's not my job to second-guess or judge. Pollock is in jail on drug charges but hasn't yet been charged in connection with the dogs. Animal Control hasn't returned my calls to tell me whether he will be charged in connection with the dogs.

Read Lindell's blog about it here or watch my story below.

After you check them both out, I think you'll agree ... sometimes it's a surreal world out there.

Update (9/13, 9:15p): Despite me dogging Onslow County Animal Control for info, I haven't heard back from them. However, the Onslow County Magistrate's Office has just confirmed to me that Lethen Pollock has been charged with cruelty to animals and mistreatment of animals. I'll work to get even more information on Monday.

Giving It Another Go

2009-09-12T17:56:00.003-04:00

OK, OK ... so it's been a while since I updated the blog. How long? Well, George W. Bush was still president. Michael Vick was in prison. Bernie Madoff wasn't. And the unsuspecting world had no idea it'd soon be inundated with 'round-the-clock coverage of the King of Pop's death or controversy over health care. My, how things change.

But I'm going to try and change how frequently I update my blog. A couple years ago, I did it regularly ... and it attracted a decent following. Eventually, it grew cumbersome for one reason or another. Now, I hope to do a better job (a pledge I realize I've made several times...).

There's no denying that social media is revolutionizing journalism. I'm a Twitterholic and enjoy connecting with friends, family and viewers through my tweets. Twitter's value on a professional level is abundantly clear to me. But outside of how it benefits me, I enjoy trying to give people a behind-the-scenes look at how other reporters and I go about getting the stories we do each day ... and demystifying some of the misconceptions about how our industry works.

I'm hoping to expand that here and share some thoughts and insights about the goings-on both off- and on-camera throughout the day. Often there is so much that I can't squeeze in to a story on the nightly news or crazy shenanigans that happen in pursuit of making said story happen. Hopefully this will be a place where I can tell the rest of the story.

And I want it to be interactive. I love the opportunity to interact with viewers and web users on Twitter ... so comment, criticize and suggest. Help me find more good stories to tell and share your own experiences.

With your help, I'm hoping giving it another go will prove successful!

Look for another update soon ... detailing what was an incredibly surreal day on the job this past Friday (9/11).

One Flu Over the Cuckoo's Nest

2008-12-07T21:29:00.002-05:00

I never understood any of the hubbub about the flu -- the hype about flu shots, the hysteria when there weren't enough flu shots and the hordes of people who lined up to get their flu shots (or drove up, in the case of the drive-by flu clinics here in Carteret County). It just all seemed like a bit much to me. I mean, how bad could this "flu" thing be? I just never got it.

Then I got the flu.

Man, did I get the flu. A one-two punch of the flu and a sinus infection. And it was like nothing that'd ever hit me before.

A week out of work, a fever higher than anything I'd ever had before and a headache like you wouldn't believe.

Now more than a week after I started feeling like crap, I'm finally starting to feel better. I'm ready to tackle heading back to work tomorrow and hopefully I'm done with the flu.

And I've learned an important lesson. The flu is no joke. So if you haven't already, get your flu shot. Trust me. I definitely will from now on.

Why? Because I finally got it.

Giving Back

2008-11-29T21:45:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone,

Sorry it's been a while since I've updated the blog. I wish I could say that I had a really good excuse or reason, but I don't. That said, I hope everyone is doing well.

Last time I blogged, I talked about the sacrifices our men and women in uniform make for all of us. One person left a comment wondering how they could give back or send care packages to troops overseas.

Well, I'm sure there are lots of groups out there that provide ways for you to give back, but I'll recommend one that I know WNCT has worked with a number of times and has done stories about before.

It's called "Give 2 The Troops" and you can find its website at www.give2thetroops.org. They have a vast array of different ways you can get involved with giving back to our military -- monetary donations, items for care packages, calling cards, etc.

I'm sure there are other ways to give back -- and if you know of any, please let me know! But off the top of my head, that's one I wanted to recommend. So, take that for what it's worth, but check 'em out!

Sacrifice

2008-11-12T22:51:00.002-05:00

In the 2+ years that I've been out in the Real World and working at WNCT, I've learned a lot. Ask any number of my friends and family, and they'll tell you I "occasionally" act as if I know it all. Well, (gasp) I don't know it all -- but I certainly am learning new stuff every day.

One thing I don't think I ever grasped until I moved out on my own was what 'sacrifice' meant. I mean, I know the Webster's definition and everything, but it's not something that was all that real to me. When I graduated and left Heaven-On-Earth (Chapel Hill, for the uninitiated readers out there), I thought leaving my best friends and the greatest place God ever created was as serious as sacrifice ever got. And for a 22-year-old kid, that was pretty big.

But it's nothing compared to what I've learned the last couple years. I've gotten a sense (although not a true taste) of how much my parents sacrificed for me to be happy and for me to be successful. I've gained a much greater and more real appreciation of the ultimate sacrifice Christ made for all of us (something I try to remind myself of every day).

But one sacrifice I can't help but face every day is the sacrifice that the men and women of our military have made. Because of where I live, there are at least two Coast Guard (the most overlooked and under-appreciated branch of the military) bases, one Marine Corps outlying landing field and four other Marine Corps installations (Cherry Point, Camp Lejeune, Camp Johnson and New River) within spitting distance of my house. There are countless Marine Corps bombing ranges nearby -- and probably other bases that belong to the Marines/other branches that I don't even know about, too.

I am literally surrounded by tens of thousands of military service men and women each and every day. And I am so thankful for them.

I've even become good friends with a few of them, and that's a real privilege.

In light of yesterday being Veterans Day, though, it got me thinking about all the sacrifices they make.

I've covered a number of deployments and homecomings for WNCT. The joy when a family is reunited after a long deployment is palpable when you're covering a homecoming. The fear, anxiety, sadness and the sacrifice are far more powerful when you're covering a deployment.

I mean, our troops are leaving their spouses, their kids, their friends and families to go fight (and too often) die for the rest of us. (And I thought leaving college was hard.) Meanwhile, countless "Americans" sit and second-guess the reasons our troops are overseas and do nothing to support them and their families while they're gone.

Look, I hate politics (although I love covering politics ... weird). But there is nothing political about supporting the people fighting for our country (and yes, they are very cognizant of the fact that they are fighting for you to have the right to protest against them fighting wars...). And I don't want to hear anyone say that 'the best way to support them is to bring them home.' It would be great to have them home, for sure. But the best way to support them is TO SUPPORT THEM no matter what they're doing and where they are.

When it comes to this issue, I don't care about your politics. I don't care about your beliefs. I don't care about your excuses. All I care about is that we all show our veterans -- past and present -- that we are grateful for everything they do and everything they've done.

Do it by simply saying 'thanks.' Do it by listening to older veterans tell stories about their service. Do it by holding a door or shaking their hands or giving them a pat on the back. They appreciate it, because they aren't compensated for their sacrifice nearly enough.

Support our troops by supporting their families while they're deployed. God knows their families make sacrifices and their spouses and kids need as much love and support as anyone.

And support our troops by encouraging our lawmakers to improve the equipment and technology that keep our troops safe -- and just as importantly, the healthcare and treatment (both physical and mental) they get when they return home and for the rest of their lives.

Until you see the sacrifices our military members make, you may never gain a true appreciation for them. I know I didn't have a clue until I saw it for myself. But give them your full support, nonetheless.

Sorry for getting on the soapbox, but when you see sacrifice like that daily, it's easy to get fired up. (And by the way, thanks to mom and dad for their sacrifices, too.)

Thoughts?

Time Flies

2008-11-02T22:33:00.003-05:00

Has it seriously been two or three weeks since I updated this thing? Man, time really does fly!

A lot has happened in the past couple of weeks, and a lot will be happening in the next couple, too.

In the coming days, we've got what is no doubt the most important political election of my lifetime and one that will potentially shape the American political scene for decades to come. And considering the two options for governor here in North Carolina, I think this election is vital in shaping the future of our state. While this might be just a measly blog, I've got to stick to my journalistic ethics and not tell you what I'm thinking (especially since I'll be covering one of the candidates from Raleigh on Tuesday night). But I definitely believe one of the candidates for governor can truly reform Raleigh. The other? Seen the "status quo" commercials?

And speaking of commercials -- sheesh! Enough already! I was anchoring one of our newscasts last weekend and made sure to pay attention during the breaks. Every single spot during the newscast was a political ad! Great revenue for our station, no doubt. But c'mon -- the overkill is ridiculous and enough to disgust a lot of folks, including me. I think the negative ads really show the character of our elected officials and candidates -- at times, they're nasty, nasty people. I'm eager for the election to be over so I won't be inundated with childish, pathetic and downright appalling ads anymore. Frankly, for a lot of these races, I wish we had other candidates to choose from than those running.

So anyway, that's what's ahead (Election Day), or at least part of it. As to what I've been up to the past couple of weeks? Well, a lot.

In a nutshell, I had a crazy, fun sailing adventure where I got stranded in the middle of a river with a friend on his sailboat, I spent a couple of fun days at home with my family, I had dinner with my best friend, I went to the State Fair and had an absolute blast (I can't get enough of the State Fair), I had several days to catch up with a lot of good friends in Chapel Hill, I went to Late Night with Roy and screamed my face off for the best team in college basketball, I saw a man who'd been imprisoned for six years acquitted of double murder and walk away a free man and I said goodbye to a good friend who moved to Florida. All that in the 14 days or so since I last updated this blog.

(The pictures, for those keeping score at home are, from left to right: Nick's sailboat, which we got stranded on and yet still had a good time; part of our posse that went to the State Fair and had a phenomenal time; the Tar Heels at Late Night!; Vaughn Jones (no relation -- ha), who was acquitted of murder after two mistrials, two retrials and six years in jail on no bond; and Marisela Burgos, who left WNCT this past week. Sad.)

So I'm really thankful for the fun times I've had the past couple of weeks, and I'm really looking forward to the next couple, too. Aside from the election, in the coming days and weeks I'll be heading to an engagement party for my best friend, catching up with more awesome people I haven't seen in a while and celebrating the most underrated holiday -- Thanksgiving. Hopefully CBS will have football running all day and I'll miraculously get the day off. We'll see.

And as I pseudo-mentioned earlier, I'll be covering the Bev Perdue campaign in Raleigh on Election Night -- so I'll no doubt have some update-worthy blog material after that. I'll be sure to keep you posted. Y'all have a good one!

Time For Some R&R

2008-10-19T20:52:00.002-04:00

Sorry it's taken me a while to update this thing, but the past week has been nuts. Work has been grueling lately. My station recently moved my office from Jacksonville to New Bern. The Bern is about an hour from my house, so the commute has added two hours to my day and made an already tiring job a little more tiresome.

I think that's a large part of the reason I just can't get over this cold or sinus infection or whatever it is that has been absolutely dogging me for more than a week now. I haven't been sick like this in a long while, and I haven't really been getting better.

The good news? I have the upcoming week off, and I'm looking forward to getting better and enjoying some (in my opinion) well-deserved rest and relaxation. The weekend has been very restful and enjoyable. Friday evening was a good time -- I had dinner and did some hanging out with a group of my co-workers and even some of our friendly rivals from Channel 7. As good a time as it was, it came with a price -- it was a going away party for one of our reporters and my good friend, Marisela. She's leaving Channel 9 in a couple of weeks, and I will definitely be sad to see her go.

The rest of the weekend has consisted of a massive amount of couch time. Feeling as crappy as I have been, I haven't felt up to doing much more than that. Hopefully, with copious sleep and Benadryl, I'll be feeling up to snuff again in a few days.

I'm looking forward to this week for a couple of additional reasons, because two of my favorite annual events take place in the coming days -- the State Fair and Late Night with Roy. I am OBSESSED with the State Fair and can't wait to get up to Raleigh to enjoy the rides and the great food! And, as it would happen, I'm also OBSESSED with my Tar Heel basketball team -- and they'll get the season kicked off with Late Night on Friday. Definitely some good stuff on tap. I'm also have some time with my family and some good friends along the way, so I'm looking forward to it.

On Friday, at Burgie's going away dinner, I got the chance to catch up with one of my former co-workers for a while. I worked with Laila Muhammad at Channel 9 for a little more than a year before her contract expired and she headed to WTKR in Virginia. She's extremely talented and I always enjoy talking to her because she tells it like it is. She's great at giving feedback and speaking with her got me excited about figuring out where I want to go next, considering my contract here is up in 10 months.

I've definitely got a plan in mind and I've spent the weekend scoping out stations online. I know where I want to go (and it's probably not where you would guess, if you've heard me talk about where I want to go in the past) -- but we'll see if that eventually aligns with where I end up. It's hard to believe that with 10 months to go that I need to go ahead and get the ball rolling on my next job, but I do -- especially considering the state of the economy and the keen competition out there. As the process unfolds, I'm sure I'll update y'all with more.

Anyways, hope y'all have a good one -- I've got to restock on Kleenex!

Whirlwind of a Weekend

2008-10-13T22:42:00.004-04:00

Shew. So it's Monday night, and I'm just now catching my breath from Friday. The past few days have been a blur -- including a weekend that proved to be somewhat restful.

But if you've been in eastern NC and seen a white Channel 9 truck flash by you on the road, there's a good chance it may have been me. On Friday and Monday, I logged a combined total of 400+ work-related miles. On Friday, that meant racing to Greenville from Jacksonville (after two doctor's appointments) to anchor the noon newscast. Then, racing from Greenville to the far reaches of Craven County to track down a school bus wreck. And then back to Carteret County at the end of the day.

On Monday, I had to anchor our morning and noon shows -- in Greenville. So that meant an uber-early morning and a long afternoon nap once I made it home. It's been tiring -- but I really enjoy anchoring, so I suppose that makes it somewhat worth it.

Despite all the work shenanigans, I managed to sandwich in a pretty good weekend in between two insane days. On Saturday, I got a solid haircut and spent a lot of quality time on the couch watching college football -- including my now #18 Heels beating Notre Dame! What a game! The sports spectacular continue after football, as the NASCAR fellas took the track in Charlotte. My boy Kevin Harvick was in the news a lot this week, but I'd say he got the best of Carl Edwards in the end.

Sunday proved to be interesting, too. After sleeping in, I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned. I don't know what got in to me, but it likely won't happen again. I followed that up with an awesome hike around the North Carolin Coastal Federation's Patsy Pond Nature Trail. I saw a LOT of bear tracks while I was out there, but no bears. Now that would have been interesting! Still, it was a beautiful hike and it was great to get back into the woods and off the beaten path for a while.

Truth be told, though -- the biggest highlight of the weekend came on Saturday. That's when my best friend, Dave, got engaged! He's been dating a fantastic little lady for somewhere in the neighborhood of two years now, and after a fair amount of planning and plotting, he took a break from his busy med school life and popped the question. I love that kid to death, and it's exciting to see him take such an awesome step! I'm really proud of him. He's an amazing friend, an amazing leader and will no doubt make his fiance a very happy woman.

And on that bombshell, it's time to turn the page on this Monday. My brain is fried, and I'm sure I'll need what few brain cells that remain intact to attack the rest of the week. Take it easy, y'all!

Bleh

2008-10-09T21:35:00.002-04:00

Ever have one of those days?

I just had one today. In fact, today's bleh day started yesterday afternoon when I started getting a bad headache. By the time I got home, the headache was pounding -- so I hoped heading to bed would make it go away.

It didn't.

I woke up this morning and felt like I'd been hit by a bus. I was going to try to make it to work, though. But just as I was heading out the door, things got ugly. I wasn't able to keep the half bottle of water and three sips of Diet Coke down. So I called my boss and told him work wasn't happening -- and went back to sleep.

After waking up mid-afternoon, I felt a little better. Once my stomach decided it was OK with keeping a little liquid down, I developed the biggest craving for a Digiorno stuffed crust pizza. Don't ask why, because I don't know. And I didn't get up the courage to eat anything until about 8:30p. I was thrilled to be making my pizza -- but when I went to get it out of the oven, it had disintegrated and was all over the oven. Ugh.

Oh well. I DVRed The Office and I'm going to have a slice of what's left of my pizza, then I'm going back to bed.

Let's hope tomorrow (which is sure to be a marathon) goes much better. Heck, I'm only feeling about 70% now, so let's hope I can even participate in tomorrow's activities.

Hope y'all had a good one -- at least better than mine!

How It's Made

2008-10-06T22:33:00.002-04:00

I know some people who think that TV rots your brain. Seeing as I make my living on TV, I've always taken exception to people who hate on the tube. Granted, their criticisms of television may not be completely unfounded -- there are people of people in this country (and others) who spend too much time on their butts in front of the TV and don't experience the world around them.

But I've always been fascinated with television -- particularly the "behind the scenes" stuff. One of the things I enjoy about my job is the fact that so much goes in to even something like a local newscast that viewers know nothing about. Whenever I'm putting a microphone on an interview subject and I'm concealing a wire behind their lapel or their collar, I always tell them that "50% of TV is just hiding all the wires." I tell it as a little corny joke to set them at ease, seeing as most people are nervous about being on TV. (Aside: That's something else I've NEVER understood. I don't get what freaks people out about being on camera. It's an inanimate object that just sits there and watches what's going on. There's nothing to it! I love being on camera -- but then again, I love public speaking, and that scares people more than death.)

Anyway, my little lame line about "hiding the wires" is more truthful than you'd ever know. If you got a look behind the scenes of any TV program -- from your local news to any high-budget network show -- you'd be shocked at how completely unpolished everything and everyone is. But it's amazing how put-together people and things can look when the little red light comes on and it's showtime.

So what does that have to do with anything? Well, like I said, I've always been fascinated with how TV shows are made. I'd even like to know how exactly the other TV news stations in my market get their product on the air. But what I really enjoy is seeing how TV is made in other countries, compared to how we do it here in the ol' US and A.

Enter BBC America. Folks, this is one fantastic network. I mean, don't get me wrong -- I love to pick on Britons (and their teeth and our kicking their butts and winning independence and ... well everything else about them) as much as the next guy, but I'm not gonna lie -- they've got something going with this whole TV thing. A number of the shows you'll watch on TV this fall are knock-offs of British series -- The Office, Worst Week, Life on Mars, American Idol, Hell's Kitchen, Survivor, Big Brother and the list goes on and on and on.

But there's one show in particular that I just can't get enough of. Top Gear. I mean, this show is absolutely amazing. In fact, I'd be willing to say that it's my favorite show on TV now. It's beautifully shot, the hosts (or "presenters") are FANTASTIC and the editing is top notch. Not to mention, it's all about cars -- which earns it bonus points off the top. The show is just presented and produced in a way that's just so much more beautiful and sophisticated than any American TV show I've ever seen. No wonder there is a 21 year waiting list to get tickets to be in the studio audience (I'm not kidding -- 21 years!). And its hosts are powerful, too. On a couple of different occasions, they've bashed a couple of cars they reviewed -- and those respective car companies either went out of business, ceased making the particular model in question or closed down some manufacturing plants. Talk about influence!

People often ask me about the trajectory I'd like my career to take. I think I've found the show I'd love to host the rest of my life! I'll just have to work on my British accent...

Word on the web is that NBC is planning on bringing an American version of Top Gear to our TV sets next year -- with American hosts. I can guarantee you that without the original British hosts and their wit, the US version will be nowhere near as good as the original.

Moral of the story -- don't hate on TV. Especially something as epic as Top Gear. But don't spend your life sitting on your butt, either.

And speaking of unpolished, here's my You Tube Clip of the Day, courtesy of our friends at CNN: "Nice Melons!"

Have a good one, y'all.

The Blog is Back!

2008-10-05T22:01:00.002-04:00

Wow. Has it really been about a year and a half since I posted on this thing? Time flies!

I've been thinking about bringing the blog back for a long time -- and for some reason I just feel motivated to do it now. But before I explain why I brought it back, I guess I should explain why I quit blogging in the first place.

This blog started as a project for work. My company had been pushing for its employees to start blogging, and I thought I'd set the trend and be the first one to do it. I also wanted to expose myself to people in the Carteret County area as much as I could. That's the primary area I cover at work -- and for so long, WNCT was an afterthought for people who live in this area. When I started at WNCT, it became my mission to win viewers in this area and have them turn to me first for their local news needs. (And I think I can honestly say that, over the last two years, I've done that for a number of viewers!) So for however long I blogged the first go 'round, the posts were more or less work-related. Someone must have been reading, because over the few months I had this blog going, it got more than 2,300 hits.

Well, eventually I became burnt out with work. More than burnt out. In the interest of good taste and not airing dirty laundry in public, I'll leave it at that. Writing is one of my greatest passions. But back then (and even now), I'd come home from work completely frustrated and spent. Writing was one of the last things I wanted to do. (It sucks when one of your passions is stolen from you.) The blog went away, and naturally so did the readers.

I want to give the blog another chance, though. This time, it's not going to be work-related. In fact, I hope I really don't talk about work on here that much. My job consumes so much of my time that I don't really want to think about it when I'm not at work. My family likes to talk about/ask me questions about work when I'm around them (naturally). Often they get get snappy answers when they ask me about work -- not because I'm trying to be ill, but because I don't want work to even cross my mind when I'm not there. If there's one thing I've learned in a little more than two years at WNCT, it's the value of time. And I want my time to be just that -- my time.

And while the initial goal of the blog was to generate a large readership in hopes of promoting myself to viewers in the area, that's not the goal anymore. Don't get me wrong, I'd still love for every television viewer in eastern North Carolina to read this. But I want to focus on the title of the blog -- Staying Connected. I have a ton of AMAZING friends and family all over the place, so this is a fantastic avenue to combine my passions for writing and for people.

So there you have it. The blog is back. And writing this is a good way to cap off a great weekend. I went to Chapel Hill with my parents to the Carolina football game -- and not only did I get to see a phenomenal game (the now-No. 22 Heels spanked UConn), I also got to catch up and have a ton of fun with some good friends. Also throughout the course of the weekend, my best friend told me one of the most hilarious true-to-life stories I've heard in a long, long time (sadly, I can't share...) and the NASCAR boys raced at Talladega (one of my favorite races of the year). And while my man Kevin Harvick had a car that could have easily won, he got swept up in someone else's mess. He's 171 or so points back in the championship hunt now, but listening to him and his team on their radio as they repaired his car after the big wreck, I'm convinced they're a galvanized group that could make a run for the championship over the next few weeks. We'll need luck and a few wins to make it happen. We'll see!

Have a great evening, y'all!

Hokie Love

2007-04-16T21:32:00.000-04:00

Today started as a busier-than-normal day for me. I tried to leave my house early, because I needed to stop by the State Highway Patrol office in Morehead City to pick up a report about a potentially newsworthy car accident. When I got to my office and started making beat calls to all the law enforcement agencies in the area, it quickly became clear that the past few days had seen a small surge in criminal activity-- and it was going to take me a while to gather all the information about some of the newsworthy criminal activities.

I also had to check the area for storm-related damage after this weekend's nor'easter, as well as get an update on the latest about the Carteret Co. wildfire that started Friday afternoon.

Things really got crazy when I had to drop everything I was working on right around noon and turn a story on the state auditor's report in to the Gallants Channel land transfer and the whole Tall Ships hullabaloo.

At some point in the middle of all that, I made a mental note that I needed to come home and
update my blog tonight. At that point in time, though, I had planned on ranting about how Don Imus got shortchanged ... or how I had originally believed every word Mike Nifong said, but that I've now joined the chorus calling for his head.

That was all before someone turned on a valve, and emails started pouring in to my inbox. See, WNCT is owned by Media General, a company which owns about 25 TV stations throughout the US. There's a "Breaking News Alert" that is sent out to every employee of every station when something particularly newsworthy happens.

The function isn't utilized all that often. Today, it was used more than I've ever seen.

The first Breaking News Alert hit my inbox at 12:15 p.m., and it had a simple Subject -- "20 Dead." I opened the email and saw, for the first time, that someone had gone on a rampage on the Virginia Tech campus.

Throughout the day, 64 more Breaking News Alert emails trickled in as more facts became available. Sadly, the death toll kept climbing. No doubt more emails will continue to come -- I can only pray that the death toll doesn't rise any higher.

The rest of the afternoon was a mix of sadness, stress and disbelief. I'm less than a year removed from college, and I just am having a hard time grasping that someone could destroy the lives of so many at a place that is supposed to be so safe.

When you're in college, you're so insulated. You're so care-free. And you're supposed to be living it up. I can remember days in Chapel Hill when I felt on top of the world. I was living in a bubble, and it felt like the world ended at the Orange County line -- like all that existed was held within the stone walls of our campus. To have that tranquility shattered is gut-wrenching and sobering.

It happened twice my senior year -- first when two students fell from a third-story window. One died, another was seriously injured. Days later, Muhammad Taheri-Azar drove a Jeep through the heart of our campus and injured nine people. He was intent on killing many more, but thankfully everyone survived and made a full recovery.

That tranquility was again shattered in Chapel Hill recently, with the death of Jason Ray. His death shook that campus to the core. I can only imagine what students, staff and family in Blacksburg must be feeling right now -- 32 people, not including the gunman, are now dead. It's just hard for me to wrap my mind around that number -- 32 people who started their day dodging snow flakes on their walk across a beautiful campus to class. That's 32 futures that were cut short for no reason. That's 32 kids, killed in their prime. That's 32 sons, daughters, sisters, brothers murdered -- and for what?

It just doesn't make sense to me -- and to be honest, I'm still kind of numb right now. These shootings could have just as easily happened on Carolina's campus -- and I could have lost dozens of vibrant, fun-loving friends in their primes. That's a scary, scary thought.

It's going to take a long time for us to figure out exactly what happened at Va. Tech -- and we may never know why. But it only takes a couple of minutes to stop and pray for the students, faculty and staff there. That's something we should all do.

How Slack Am I?

2007-04-10T14:48:00.000-04:00

It really has been too long since I last updated the ol' blog. I feel like I find myself saying that a lot.

This time, part of that was by design, though -- I wanted to go about a week or so without posting to make sure that anyone and everyone had a chance to read about the Jason Ray that I knew. He was a great guy, and I can tell you, folks are still reeling from his death. I've been up to Chapel Hill a couple of times since JRay died -- and folks there are still hurting and trying to make sense of what happened. I get the sense that his close friends have accepted what happened and are really working hard to move forward. But there is simply no questioning the tremendous impact he had on everyone around him. Even folks that didn't know him personally are coping -- he was truly an amazing person.

So while part of my lack of posting has been by design, that still leaves a few days when I simply didn't do it. I apologize -- I hope that the folks who've made this blog a part of their web-surfing routine will tune back in.

As a matter of fact, I'm at WNCT's corporate headquarters (our station is owned by Media General, by the way) in Richmond, Va. right now -- learning more about blogging and connecting with folks like you over the internet! So I hope to learn some cool lessons that can benefit all of us soon.

I hope this finds you doing well!

More than a mascot

2007-03-26T22:44:00.000-04:00

In moments of weakness, I like to rely on what strengths I do have. I think most of us work that way. For many in the UNC family, myself included, now is a time of great sadness.

The Tar Heels lost a basketball game on Sunday -- and with it went a chance at a National Championship.

Jason Ray lost his life this morning -- and with him go dreams, hopes and a legacy that will last longer than the memory of this basketball season.

You tell me which is more important.

It's a time of weakness for the UNC campus, for Jason's friends and family, and even for folks who never knew him.

Fortunately for me, I knew him. That's made the last couple of days difficult. But the pain that I -- and so many others -- have felt (and are still feeling) is only a testament to the great man that Jason Ray was.

It's a time of weakness -- and all I know to do right now is write. So I'm going to tell you about what I know of JRay.

Many of you may now know him as Rameses -- the UNC mascot. Jason played the part of Rameses for the last three years, and was in East Rutherford, NJ last week to cheer on the Tar Heels in the Sweet 16. All that went sour, though, on Friday afternoon, when he was hit by an SUV outside of his hotel. He suffered massive head injuries and a broken hip. Despite the prayers and pleas of many, he died this morning at 8:38.

I was lucky to learn so much more about Jason Ray over the last three years than what has been splashed across television screens and websites the last several days. To say I knew him well would be a stretch. But I knew him well enough to benefit from his vibrance.

He lived in the apartment across from mine when I was a student at UNC. I was good friends with his roommates, and I saw him from time to time in the parking lot or at random gatherings. Whenever we were in the same place, we'd be sure to say hello to each other. Whenever I'd go back to visit Chapel Hill during the last seven months since I've moved here, to Eastern North Carolina, we'd seek each other out at church, and make a point in saying hello. I'm going to miss that -- a lot.

Although he couldn't say anything back, I'd always be sure to give him a pat on the back or a quick "hello" when I was at a sporting event and he'd pass by dressed as Rameses. He'd return the pat on the back, or offer a strong handshake -- which is fitting, because JRay was a strong, strong man.

Strong in his faith. Strong in his relationships. And strong in his passion for Carolina.

I spent some time with some of my closest friends this weekend -- and we tried hard to make sense of this tragedy. I don't think we ever managed to come up with a reason for why something like this could happen to someone like JRay.

We were certain of a few things, though. Few people we've ever met were as radiant and vibrant as Jason. He was truly so full of life. His personality was addictive -- and there was no way you could have a conversation with him and not walk away feeling encouraged.

He was a leader in InterVarsity, a Christian fellowship on campus. His faith that he lived out and displayed every day makes me certain that I know exactly where he is right now.

But it's that same faith that I hope will have an impact on people for some time to come. In life, for most folks, JRay was a symbol of our university when he dressed up like Rameses. He represented one of the most powerful, most elite and most storied colleges in the United States.

In death, I hope he remains a symbol -- of love, of courage, of youthful exuberance and of a life fully dedicated to Christ. To borrow a line from Tim Nelson, of ABC 11 TV in Raleigh, JRay was much, "much more than the man behind the mascot." He was the man who stood behind his friends, and stood up for what he believed in.

I hope people will be able to take a long, hard look at what exactly Jason believed in, and what (or Who) he lived his life for. He's responsible for countless smiles, high fives and good times at Carolina basketball and football games -- but I think he can be responsible for revival at UNC. If more people lived like JRay, the world would certainly be a much better place.

"Jason was a wonderful son, brother and friend," his brother, Allen, said through a news release. "He leaves behind a legacy of friendship, laughter, excitement for life and a genuine love for all the people he touched during his all-too-short life."

That's not an exaggeration. That's the honest-to-goodness truth. Anyone who knew Jason would tell you the same thing.

"He may have performed in the anonymity that comes with playing the mascot, but his life has had an overt and lasting impact on the people whose lives he touched," said UNC Athletics Director Dick Baddour.

Normally I don't agree with what Baddour has to say. But in this case, I couldn't agree more.

"His legacy will be one of caring and joy, of hard work and enthusiasm for life," said UNC Chancellor James Moeser. But I'd take it a step farther. His legacy will be one of passion for his friends, his family and his Father -- passions that we could all learn something from.

I, like many folks, am doing a little bit of hurting right now. But not as much as his family and close friends -- both at Carolina and from Concord, his hometown. So please, keep them in your prayers. And keep JRay's legacy alive.

If you'd like to contribute financially to doing that, in lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Jason Kendall Ray Memorial Fund, Concord Christian Church, 3101 Davidson Highway, Concord, NC 28027.

But the easiest way you can keep his spirit alive is to pass it along. Live each day with a smile, a sense of humor and a sense of purpose.

This picture really struck me today -- and though its meaning has changed a bit since Jason has passed, it's still moving -- and shows how JRay impacted so many -- even folks he may have never known:

We'll miss you, JRay.

Games gone wild...

2007-03-20T22:11:00.000-04:00

I'm kind of at a loss for what to blog about tonight, but since I have a few minutes of free time on my hands, I definitely wanted to hit you with an update.

While I'm pondering what to write about, let me first say thanks to those of you who take the time to comment on my posts. I read each and every one of them, and your voice is definitely heard. And to Marie: I very much appreciate your compliments and words of encouragement. You'll probably be pleased to know that I have done a lot of organizing over the last couple of days. My work load has been forgiving enough to allow me to reorganize my office and get a few things in order. If I could only order up more sleep!

Well, I've been combing the internet trying to find some weird news that could spark some discussion. I think I've found it. Take a look at this:

"Thirteen-year-old Katharine Tuck's sneakers are equal opportunity offenders. They smell as bad as they look. Now, the Utah seventh grader is $2,500 richer because of it: On Tuesday, she out-ranked six other children to win the 32nd annual National Odor-Eaters Rotten Sneaker Contest, stinking up the joint with a pair of well-worn 1 1/2-year-old Nikes so noxious they had the judges wincing."

For the full story, click this link. Sounds like a pretty rotten competition, though. (Sorry, awful pun.) Reading about that reminded me of something I heard on the radio this morning. Apparently some lucky folks have been able to parlay a childhood game into some cold, hard cash.

Someway, somehow, someone found a way to turn Rock, Paper, Scissors into an organized sports league. That National RPS Championships are held each year in Las Vegas. And get this -- the winner walks away with $50,000. The whole thing is televised on A&E (click this link and watch a preview) and apparently it's a big deal.

So in the absence of any ideas for me to write about, I want to hear from you! Click the "Comments" button below, and tell me about some of the games you used to play as a kid -- or any lesser-known sports or competitions you take part in!

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

2007-03-15T23:00:00.000-04:00

I'll admit it -- I've done an absolutely, positively awful job of staying connected with y'all over the last few weeks.

The last month has definitely been a roller coaster for me -- physically, emotionally and creatively. I've experienced burn-out in each of those areas, sometimes all three at once. And unfortunately, it's come at the expense of the blog.

Let's see, since I last chatted with y'all there's been some food poisoning, about three migraines and not nearly enough sleep. And now my sinuses and allergies are attacking me! I feel like I've aged a few years in just a couple of weeks.

But this past weekend I got to spend some quality time with my closest friend, who I hadn't seen in more than a month. That, coupled with time outside in this recent phenomenal weather, has helped put me on the road to rejuvenation.

And then there's some of the best medicine of all -- March Madness! In my mind, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year. Especially since my Heels are rolling, picking up a share of the ACC regular season crown and looking strong en route to an ACC tourney crown. Now they're a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament -- and as I'm writing this, they're leading Eastern Kentucky at halftime.

I'll admit it -- as much as I hate Dook, I never could have predicted a first-round exit from the Big Dance. That's not to say I'm not happy about it...

It's crazy the difference a year makes. A year ago this week I was in New Orleans on Spring Break doing work in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. I went with some of my closest friends and made some more great friends while I was there. It's amazing to think that was a whole year ago. Tomorrow marks one year from the night we watched UNC squeak into the second round. About 80 of us Carolina students crammed into a sports bar in downtown New Orleans (one of the few such places open, even months after Katrina). Not long after we got settled, Presidential candidate and UNC alum John Edwards walked in the door, and ended up watching the game with us. Definitely a fun and interesting memory.

March Madness is definitely going to be a little harder this year, though. As a college student, the world pretty much stopped whenever basketball was on TV. And if you absolutely couldn't skip class, you could watch the games live (in class) on your laptop. It was great!

Well, it doesn't work that way in the Real World -- I didn't get to catch a minute of the action until the Dook game tonight. I wish I still had the luxury of watching every second of the games, and I envy my friends who are still able to do so.

It's just one more thing about the Real World that I've got to get used to. Anyways, the second half is about to start for my Heels, so I'm gonna run.

But let me hear from you -- click the "Comments" button below and tell me who YOU'RE rooting for this March Madness! I look forward to hearing what you have to say...

Just can't do it...

2007-02-28T20:57:00.000-05:00

Hey y'all,

I know I'm long overdue for an update, and I was planning on writing something up tonight. But my folks just called an told me my best friend of almost 15 years -- my cocker spaniel -- had to be put to sleep yesterday. So, I'm sorry -- but I just don't have an update in me tonight.

Soon, though, very soon, I'll have some fresh content.

Have a great night...

What a wild week...

2007-02-24T19:47:00.000-05:00

Let's be honest -- it's a struggle that all reporters face: there are some days (and even weeks) when finding stories is a tough task. Trying to find news items in the Carteret County area that appeal to WNCT's very broad viewing audience is sometimes an added challenge.

This week, however, was not one of those weeks. Monday morning all the way through Friday night, I was busy -- and I offer apologies for not keeping the blog updated a little more often.

For me, the week started out on a somewhat disturbing note -- a Jacksonville pediatrician was arrested and accused of sexually abusing two children. The ordeal began when the police got a call from Social Services on Friday, saying that they'd heard from the parents of one of the alleged victims. The police conducted a quick investigation, and by Friday night, Dr. Gustavo Rios was under arrest. By Monday, he'd lost his job at the Jacksonville Children's Clinic and his privileges had been revoked at Onslow Memorial Hospital.

Thankfully, Tuesday brought brighter news. I was able to tell y'all about the multi-million dollar improvements that the Carteret County School system is making at 15 of its 17 schools. I get the impression that Carteret County administrators are very serious about giving kids here a great environment in which to learn. That's good news, as Eastern North Carolina often gets a bad rap for the quality of its education system.

Wednesday brought more sad news -- Camp Lejeune told us late in the day that a Marine died from injuries sustained in a training exercise. They wouldn't tell us much more than that, until Friday when we learned the identity of the Marine. The base still won't tell us what type of training exercise was going on when PFC Joshua A. Bailey died. His family says he was killed when a vehicle rolled over him as he was sleeping. Makes me wonder exactly what was going on -- and leads me to encourage Camp Lejeune to go ahead and come forward with the details.

Thursday came early, as I awoken by a call from our Newsroom that the public information officer from Carteret County Schools had told us classes at Broad Creek Middle School had been called off for the day due to vandalism. As I bolted out the door, I called the PIO, and tried to get more information. At that point, she wasn't sure of the extent of the damage. Thankfully, there wasn't a great deal. Someone broke a few windows on a couple of buses, bashed in a big window on the front of the school and made a mess in the halls. The school's principal, Cathy Tomon, was shocked that someone would vandalize a place of learning -- but maintained a great attitude throughout the day and made it very easy for me to bring you as much information as possible about the situation. At last check, the Carteret County Sheriff's office hasn't made an arrest in the case -- but I hope to bring you an update on Monday.

Just down the road in Morehead City, police say that in an unrelated event, a 15-year-old student at the Bridges Alternative School called in a bomb threat to the building that houses that school and the Cape Lookout Charter High School. That 15-year-old was charged with a felony and taken to a juvenile detention center in Wilmington.

Friday began early as well, with another call from the Newsroom. Earlier that morning, Storm Team 9 meteorologist Gannon Medwick (who does a phenomenal job, if you ask me) spotted an odd sight on our Vipir radar over Carteret County. With no rain in sight, Gannon speculated that the reflection off the radar could be smoke. I called the North Carolina Forest Service, and they told me that there indeed was a fire on Piney Island -- a Cherry Point MCAS bombing range. Between 300-500 acres were on fire, but Cherry Point and the Forest Service said the blaze was under control. Even from Onslow County, I could see smoke this morning. A couple of other wildfires popped up late in the day in Carteret County, but they were very quickly put out.

I've spent the day today trying to catch my breath from such a crazy week -- but I'm very thankful for it -- and I hope next week will be just as busy.

And I hope you have a great rest-of-the-weekend, too!

I just don't get it...

2007-02-20T11:27:00.000-05:00

Some things are hard to understand (insert joke here about how there are a lot of things I don't understand). But the unfortunate news that I had to cover yesterday just doesn't make much sense to me.

In case you haven't heard, a Jacksonville pediatrician (Dr. Gustavo Rios) was arrested and charged Friday for six felony charges of first degree sexual offense with a child. It's troubling when anyone is accused of committing such crimes -- but especially when it's a pediatrician. I don't have kids, but I do realize that pediatricians are among the most respected and revered doctors. They play such a huge role in keeping kids healthy and really can have a big impact on children.

While Jacksonville police say none of the alleged acts occured while Dr. Rios was at work, it still makes you scratch your head. And sure, people are allowed their private lives away from work, but I feel like someone in such a position is held to a higher standard -- although it's detestable for anyone to commit an act like this.

I talked to several parents in the Jacksonville area yesterday, none of whom whose children were patients of Dr. Rios. But they were still mortified and upset. Rightfully so, I believe. Now, I'm not convicting Dr. Rios here, because he is innocent until proven guilty. But he has been let go from his job at Jacksonville Children's Clinic and he's lost his privileges at Onslow Memorial Hospital.

It was one of those stories that I didn't really enjoy covering -- and one that will probably make you think twice the next time you leave your child alone with someone else.

I took a few psychology classes while at UNC, and if I ever go back to grad school, it will be to further my studies in psychology. I understand that some people do indeed have disorders that lead them to do unbelieveable and sometimes deplorable things. If that is indeed the case here (again, nothing has been proven yet), then I hope Dr. Rios gets the psychological help he needs. If convicted, that doesn't mean he should escape justice for the crimes he's accused of -- but psychological treatment could keep something like this from happening again.

Whether the allegations are true or not, I just hope I don't have to cover many more sad stories like that one.

What do you think? Feel free to hit the "Comments" button below and have your say!

My Super Bowl...

2007-02-18T20:21:00.000-05:00

So one thing that most folks don't know about me is that I am a HUGE NASCAR fan -- and on top of that, I'm a HUGE Kevin Harvick fan. [With some of you, I just lost a lot of respect -- I'm sure I gained some respect from others :-) ]

In case you didn't know, the Daytona 500 was run today -- and for me, that's bigger than the Super Bowl. Well, it was one of the wildest ones ever -- and Harvick pulled out the win! So I've been jumping up and down and screaming for the better part of an hour now. I may not have much of a voice tomorrow, but that's the price I'll have to pay for being super-excited.

I hope each of you has had a great weekend, too!

Housing Headaches, Part Two

2007-02-15T23:20:00.000-05:00

From "useless" to eye-opening -- the feedback on our Housing Headaches special report has been varied. But I'm glad to hear every bit of feedback, be it positive or negative.

Speaking of eye-opening, one thing I found very interesting while we were putting this report together was the discussion about home warranties. Greenville Realtor Ida Lynn Stox and Greenville home inspector Jimmy Hughes -- who both served as incredible resources -- suggested that home buyers purchase a home warranty. On the surface, these warranties sound like a great deal. They can provide protection to home buyers should they experience problems with their appliances -- and some even provide protection against structural defects. Even state Attorney General Roy Cooper says there are some great home warranties out there -- but he says consumers have to be very careful when it comes to choosing the right warranty (if they buy a warranty at all).

So here are some things he recommends:
*Make sure you understand exactly what would and would not be covered under the warranty. Many warranties define "major structural defects" more narrowly that you might expect.
*Find out exactly what conditions must be met before the home warranty company will pay for a repair. Many contracts state that they will replace your equipment, but only with a specific brand -- or will cover the work only if you use the company's contractor.
*If you are working with a small contractor who offers his or her own warranty, you may be able to negotiate more favorable terms.
*Before you sign of accept a home warranty contract, have your attorney review it carefully.
*Never let the offer of a home warranty stop you from having the house and its appliances thoroughly checked out by a licensed home inspector well before the closing.
*Home warranty contracts often include a provision that requires you to use the company's private arbitration process to settle disputes and to give up your right to take the company to court. If your home turns out to have serious defects, your legal rights to recover compensation might be greater if you don't have a home warranty.

I hope these tips help! If you have any further questions, click the "Comments" button, or visit the Attorney General's website.

Housing Headaches...

2007-02-15T18:21:00.000-05:00

Hey y'all -- I hope you got a chance to check out my special report on our 6:00 news -- it is called "Housing Headaches." In case you missed it, you can click this link and check it out.

Many thanks go out to the folks who helped put it together -- from WNCT photographer Kenneth Roundtree to the Realtors and home inspectors who provided us with valuable information.

Check back later on tonight and I'll have more on this story -- including what Attorney General Roy Cooper says you should know about home warranties.

See you back here in a bit!

Lesson learned

2007-02-15T02:08:00.000-05:00

So it's 2:08 a.m. and I'm just getting home from work. I learned a valuable lesson today -- don't make promises you can't keep. In my most recent post, I told you I'd have fresh content posted for you by Wednesday evening. As you can see, that didn't happen.

While it may be no big deal, it serves as a good lesson -- one that all of us, especially journalists, need to heed: don't promise something unless you're going to follow through. After a 17.5-hour work day, that's about as philosophical as I can get.

But whatever the case may be, when you make a promise, make sure you'll step up to the plate and deliver. My apologies for not delivering.

If you'd like to see why in the world I worked so late tonight, tune in to Eyewitness News Nine at 6:00 on Thursday -- you'll see a special report full of things you need to know before you make your next "big" purchase. Sorry, that's all I can tease you with! :-)

Have a great night, y'all!

Happy Valentine's Day

2007-02-14T10:13:00.000-05:00

Hey everybody -- apologies for my lack of posts so far this week. Monday and Tuesday have been very long days -- but I will have some new content up for your reading pleasure later this evening.

In the meantime, click the "Comments" button below and tell me your favorite Valentine's Day memory. [I'm not big on Valentine's Day, but I thought this would be a neat opportunity for you to sound off and share your thoughts!]

Have a good Wednesday!

No Boundaries

2007-02-10T23:50:00.000-05:00

Carteret County Sheriff Asa Buck based his entire campaign on cleaning up the county's major drug problem. Although it began before he took office, today his and a handful of other law enforcement agencies showed they are serious about cracking down on drugs.

They're calling it "Operation No Boundaries" -- it was a massive drug sweep that spanned Carteret, Jones and Onslow Counties.

Detectives from six agencies (Jacksonville PD, Morehead City PD, Beaufort PD, Carteret Co. Sheriff's Office, Jones Co. Sheriff's Office and NCIS) announced this afternoon a round-up that's put more than 50 people behind bars on drug charges in the last three days.

Officers from those agencies have been working together since November. They say through their undercover operations, they purchased drugs from more than 100 street-level drug dealers.

As of 11 a.m. Saturday, they'd arrested 51 of them.

Sheriff Buck says drug dealers Down East need to start looking over their shoulder.

"The people in this county realize that the drugs are a serious problem," Buck says. "We're going to be putting the resources toward working hard against drugs. And like I said, if we didn't catch them in this one, we're liable to catch them in the next one."

During the sweep, officers seized nearly 500 grams of marijuana, about 125 grams of cocaine, $16,000 in cash and at least three cars.

They say more multi-agency sweeps like this one are in the works.

Hopefully that gives you some confidence that officials here in the East know there is a problem -- and they seem to be working to do something about it.

What do you think about all this? Click the "Comments" button below and let me hear from you!

Just for fun...

2007-02-10T15:21:00.000-05:00

So in my posts about the Carolina/Dook game, you heard me rant a little bit about how much I cannot stand Billy Packer. I was afraid he'd be on the sidelines for today's UNC/Wake Forest game, seeing that he's a Demon Deacon grad. Fortunately, as I tuned in to watch my Heels absolutely trounce the Deacs, Packer was nowhere to be seen -- and even better, he was nowhere to be heard. But I did some digging online, and have found a couple of examples of other folks who don't like Packer. This is all in good fun, but I hope you enjoy!

Check back later on, and I'll have more on a MAJOR drug-related announcement out of Carteret County this afternoon!

WOO HOO! YEAH HEELS!

2007-02-07T23:26:00.000-05:00

Wow -- that was an exhausting game to watch. Great job overcoming double-digit leads by my Heels. What they say is true -- rankings simply don't matter when these two teams play.

I am so STOKED right now -- I'm really at a loss for what to say. I am watching WRAL's live coverage of Franklin Street right now (online) and it is KILLING me not to be there. But I sent my friends plenty of text messages to make sure they live it up for me. The mob scene on Franklin Street is so beautiful to behold -- and hey, I think I just saw my best friend on WRAL's coverage! Crazy. Man, there's just something mystical about Chapel Hill that makes you miss it so much!

Again -- I'm kind of at a loss for what to say. I still am not a fan of Billy Packer, still not a fan of Tim Brando -- and definitely still hate dook. But I'm in a lot better mood than I was at halftime.

OK -- I'll try to have more perspective tomorrow. For now, I'm going to do a little celebrating!

Feel free to hit the "Comments" button below and add your thoughts about the game!

Thanks to the AP/CBS Sports for that picture -- Tyler Hansbrough is a BEAST!

I ... HATE ... dook

2007-02-07T21:57:00.000-05:00

OK -- so I'm seething after the first half. I can't stand losing -- especially to dook. And Billy Packer and Tim Brando are only making it worse.

Billy Packer is officially the WORST commentator of all time. I'd rather hear Dick Vitale -- and that's huge coming from a Tar Heel. But Packer is just awful. And I used to like Tim Brando -- but tonight he's killing me. And he needs to learn how to say Alex Stepheson's name. Tim, it's Stepheson, with no "n" -- not StepheNson. You messed it up last week -- and you're butchering it again. Just quit talking.

All these things probably wouldn't be annoying me as much if we were winning -- but right now every little thing is getting on my nerves. If I say how I'm really feeling, I might lose a few readers! So I'll leave it at this for now.

OK -- time for the second half. LET'S PICK IT UP HEELS!

Just a couple of minutes until the first big game of the year!

2007-02-07T20:57:00.000-05:00

OK -- so I'm the world's BIGGEST Tar Heel fan. A lot people say that, but for me, it's not much of a stretch! My blood is Carolina Blue through and through.

It's just a couple of minutes until the first big match-up of the season -- UNC vs. Dook. I'm feeling pretty confident about my Heels' chances tonight. I nearly drove up to Chapel Hill to watch the game with my friends and join them in storming Franklin Street after we win. But being a responsible adult eventually won out. It was definitely a tough decision, though.

So here's my plan -- I'm gonna post before the game (now), during the game (at halftime) and after the game (after we win, that is). I'll try and give you a sneak peek into the emotional roller coaster that is being a UNC basketball fan. Hope you enjoy!

LET'S GO HEELS!

What's your favorite Super Bowl ad?

2007-02-05T17:05:00.001-05:00

I think this Budweiser "spot" is my favorite ad from this year's Super Bowl. I'm a sucker for dogs.

I missed the first half of the game, and subsequently, the first half of commercials. But I found a website where you can go and watch all the national commercials. Check out http://sports.aol.com/nfl/superbowlads?video=16

You'll have to cut and paste that link, by the way.

The commercials are arranged by quarter, so they're pretty easy to find. Take a look, and then click the "Comments" button below and let me know which one was your favorite!

PS -- I'm happy Peyton finally got a Super Bowl win. Feel free to chime in with what you think about last night's game!

Hope you're all doing well!

All about PowerText

2007-02-01T18:00:00.000-05:00

Hey everybody! If you were fortunate enough to see some snow today, I hope you enjoyed it! If you're like me, you saw only rain. Either way, I hope you stayed safe and warm!

I'm toeing the company line with today's blog post -- it's all about PowerText. It's a new service we're rolling out to help keep you in touch and informed. If you want to stay on top of breaking news, the latest weather and all your sports scores, give it a shot -- it's free.

Nearly all of us have cell phones, and a lot of us are now riding the text messaging wave. It's a great way to stay in touch with friends and family -- and by signing up for WNCT's new "PowerText," you'll be able to stay in touch with us here at Nine On Your Side.

With PowerText, you'll also be able to save money, express your opinion and let us know what you want us to cover. So how do you sign up? Well, you're just a few clicks away.

All you need to do to sign up is just head to our website. Once you get there, click on the "PowerText" tab. When you see the PowerText logo, click on "Join the Revolution."

Doing that will open up a new window where you can register. Once you get to that website, click on the yellow link to fill out the registration form. Fill in your name, and choose a username and password that are easy for you to remember.

Then complete the online registration form. Click save -- and you'll instantly get your first text ... an activation code.

Now you're almost done with registration! Just take the number that comes in that text message and plug it into the web page. Once you click "confirm" -- you're done! But feel free to explore that website so you can personalize powertext -- and get the content you want.

If you've got questions, there's a tutorial video under the "PowerText" tab. If that still doesn't do it for you, click the link about PowerText in my "BlogLinks." That'll take you to another blog where you can ask all your questions -- and we'll be sure to get an answer to you ASAP!

It's a pretty neat service -- so, give it a shot!

Otherwise -- does anyone else have any good ideas for some of your area's "best kept secrets?" Keep passing them along -- just click the "Comments" button below!

Forget the glitz and glamor...

2007-01-30T23:06:00.000-05:00

It seems like a lot of the folks I come in contact with feel like my job is pretty glamorous. Well, I'll be honest with you -- it has its moments, but for the most part, what goes in to television news is nowhere near as polished as the product that comes out.

Today was a pretty good example. Because our Jacksonville bureau reporter, Laura Vesco, was on assignment, I got to go play on her turf -- and cover the Marines. They were taking part in training exercises in Jones County that will prepare them for their civil affairs duties once they get to Iraq. (For the story and video, click this link!)

Anyway, reporters Eric Mittenthal from Ch. 12 and Chelsea Donovan from Ch. 7 were there as well. They're both a lot of fun to work with and do very solid reporting -- although I am VERY glad you choose Ch. 9! We had to meet the Marine public information officer at 8 a.m. outside of Pollocksville. (I am NOT a morning person...) Once we were all there, we headed off to a staging area -- off the beaten path and deep into the woods of Jones County. When we got there, we had to wait around for the Marine convoy to form up before we headed out. And let me tell you, it was just downright cold! It must have been a sight to see a handful of television reporters from three competing stations huddling together for warmth deep in the woods of Jones County. Nowhere near as glamorous as you might expect.

And then came the hiccups -- for some reason, my camera simply didn't capture the first interview with did. (I swear I hit the "record" button.) Thankfully I noticed it before we all headed out, but I had to ask him to do it again. Rather humbling. There were a couple of other funny hiccups along the way, but thankfully the story came together.

All that's to say this -- there's a lot of hard work by a lot of dedicated people that goes in to bringing together the newscasts you see each day. It's generally a lot of fun for us, and we're glad you enjoy it. Sorry, this isn't a very deep post tonight -- I'm running on empty, and it's only Tuesday.

But feel free to let me know what you think of our coverage of any story -- or anything you'd like to see us do. Just click the "Comments" button below! Have a great one, and stay warm!

Something to think about...

2007-01-28T22:32:00.000-05:00

So I've been brainstorming about what to post about tonight, and to be honest, I haven't really been able to come up with anything. There's no local current event that really has me up-in-arms, and there's not been any one issue that those of you who have commented have really zeroed in on. (Although, let me take this opportunity to thank those of you who've taken the time to comment on the blog -- especially those of you who've displayed kind words toward me and my work. Your encouragement means a lot. I also want to thank those of you who've recommended some great restaurants in your neck of the woods. I'll have to see what I can do with those recommendations! Thanks for sharing your voice!)

Anywho ... I've been thinking a lot this weekend -- a scary prospect, to be sure. But my mind keeps going back to a conversation I had with a friend a couple of weeks ago, so I figured I'd share some of that with you. This friend has had a rough go of it lately, and life has simply not been too kind to him. During our chat, he talked about how he felt "broken" -- and that in a way, we're all "broken" people.

I don't really think he realized how correct and profound his statement was. We are all a very broken people. And to be blunt, I don't care how well you think you've got it together, we've all got our issues. I think that manifests itself in the stories that me and my colleagues cover everyday. Unfortunately, more often than not, we're covering crimes. And messed up people do messed up things.

There's a void in all of us, and all of us choose to plug it and fill it in our own ways. Unfortunately, in Carteret County (which I cover everyday), a lot of people have turned to drugs. Sheriff Asa Buck is very open about the county's drug problem, and has said that most of the crimes committed in Carteret County are drug related -- whether it's someone under the influence of drugs committing a crime, or someone stealing from someone else so they can buy more drugs. But more often than not, our brokenness rears its ugly head each day. For me, a lot of times it's manifested in my temper -- especially in traffic (I'll admit it, I'm a road-rager).

With all that in mind, I'd like to challenge each of you to a couple of things. Take a few minutes and think about some areas for improvement in your own life -- I've certainly got mine. Then actually attempt to do something about it! Work toward fixing those flaws -- you'll notice a difference, and so will the folks around you. Additionally, just do something randomly nice for someone else today. For me, that might entail letting that car over in traffic, even if I'm in a hurry. Who knows what that means for you, but I dare you to go out of your way for someone else.

Anyway, sorry to have gotten all "Dr. Phil" on y'all! Without a concrete post idea in mind, I just decided to share my thoughts with y'all. Hopefully there's something you can take away from my ramblings.

And as always, I'd love to hear your voice -- let me know what you think of the blog, Eyewitness News 9, or just about anything! And keep those restaurant recommendations coming. All you've got to do is click the "Comments" button below. Have a great one, y'all!

Pain, pain go away...

2007-01-26T19:05:00.000-05:00

Hey y'all,

I'd been hoping to post something extensive up here tonight -- but I have a killer sinus headache right now. To be honest, looking at a computer screen isn't up there on my priorities list. So I'll try and have something up this weekend.

For now, y'all have a great weekend! Enjoy the warmer temps...

The human element mustn't be lost...

2007-01-24T23:12:00.000-05:00

I should be in bed by now. But I didn't want to go another day without posting.

Today's story was a tough one. A woman was found dead inside her car in her driveway in a nice, quiet Carteret County neighborhood. One way or another, the car was set on fire from the inside. When I got the call about it this morning, that's all I was told. When I got to the scene, little more became immediately clear. Eventually, investigators from the Carteret County Sheriff's Department told me that the incident was "suspicious" -- and that they would be investigating it as a homicide until they had evidence that proved otherwise.

No matter the cause of the fire, or the cause of death, one thing cannot be overlooked. This woman was someone's mother, grandmother, sister -- you name it. And that human element can never be lost. Journalists have a bad reputation of objectifying victims. For some, anything goes when it comes to getting a story. I just can't operate that way. While on the scene, I learned the name of the victim from a bystander. Later, as I was talking to neighbors, they confirmed the name. But the Sheriff's Department asked me not to release it because not all family had been notified. While I technically had a leg to stand on when it came to releasing the name, out of respect for the family -- and the Sheriff's Department -- I chose to not to run it. Being the first reporter to get the name of the victim out on the airwaves was less important to me than respecting a grieving family that just experienced a major loss. Unfortunately, the event that took place is newsworthy. All three television stations in our area wouldn't have mentioned the incident if it wasn't. But adding insult to a family's injury isn't newsworthy. But when they -- and the Sheriff's Department -- give the OK to releasing the name, Nine On Your Side will have it.

I guess I'm just a softy at heart -- but I hope this woman is remembered for the life she led, not the way she died.

Anyways, on to some of your feedback. I love the idea that an anonymous poster submitted -- about promoting Eastern NC's "best kept secrets." I will definitely pitch that idea -- but I need your help. What do you think is the best restaurant in your area? What would you say is the "best kept secret" where you're from? Who does something outstanding or interesting? Let me hear from you! Just click on the "Comments" button below! :-)

More about me...

2007-01-22T10:48:00.000-05:00

Good morning! Apologies once again for being so hit-or-miss with the blog recently. It was a part of my routine the first week, and so I was able to do a fairly good job of keeping it updated. But my routine was obliterated last week, and with it went the regularity of my posts. I will certainly try to do a better job this week!

Since I've got a few moments before heading out to tackle today's assignment, I thought I'd post. Without a solid idea in mind to write about, I thought I'd take a few moments to tell you a little bit more about myself. If you'd rather not hear me drone on about myself for a few paragraphs, now would be a good time to tune out.

I was born and raised here in Eastern North Carolina -- Wilson, to be exact. At a young age, I figured out I wanted to be a television reporter. I can even remember some nights of sitting up in my room and pretending to anchor a newscast (make your own inferences about my social life as a 7-year-old here...). But I've always had a passion for writing and -- for better or for worse -- a craving for other people's attention. Television seemed to be the perfect fit for both.

In high school I began working in the Sports department at the Wilson Daily Times. With no television stations near Wilson at which to intern, the newspaper seemed like a logical choice to get some professional writing experience. It just so happened that a program through the State Department of Labor and the Wilson County Schools provided an internship (or "apprenticeship" as the program called it) at the Daily Times.

It was a great experience, and really fed my passion for writing. While I started out writing "Local Briefs" and inputting youth soccer scores, I was eventually given a crack at covering local sporting events. By the time I left the Daily Times, I was covering the best sport in the land -- ACC basketball -- on some very hallowed ground. I've had the opportunity to cover basketball games at the Dean Dome and Cameron Indoor Stadium, and let me tell you -- there's nothing like it. Part of me very much envies the folks who get paid to sit in the best seats in the house -- and then get paid to tell other people about the experience. (Thanks to tarheelblue.com for that picture of the greatest place on earth...)

When it came time to head off to college, I went to the only place I'd ever wanted to go -- CAROLINA! While there I did some freelance newspaper reporting, I wrote for The Carolina Alumni Review magazine and I reported and anchored for Carolina Week, UNC's student news program. All three provided great experiences, but Carolina Week most certainly provided the best training I could ever ask for. It prepared me for my current job with WNCT better than anything I could imagine -- and it was fun, too! Anchoring those live newscasts for a year with Shaheen Syal (my co-anchor, who I absolutely adore) was one of the most fun, rewarding and challenging experiences of my college days. I find myself missing those times and that fun more and more these days. Shaheen now works as a producer for an up-and-coming show on FOX 50 in Raleigh -- and you can expect big things from her. She's one of those people that just has "it" -- that magical ability to succeed at anything.

I made a lot of great friends at CW, and it's been fun to watch us all go our separate ways and work our way into professional television. I can't wait to see where we all are in another five years. And while they deserve much more than a single sentence, the professors and teachers who worked with us at CW are world-class -- and any success that any of us come across will be owed in large part to them.

I was fortunate to make a lot of tremendous friends while in Chapel Hill. I was even more fortunate to foster very, very deep relationships with a handful of fantastic people. I'd say I have a very tight-knit group of friends -- and moving away from them has been the most challenging and difficult experience I've faced yet. When I was a freshman, I was very fortunate, because a group of older guys took me under their wing. It became my mission to do the same thing -- and hopefully, I've had the same kind of impact on the younger guys as the older guys had on me. My two closest friends -- Dave and Matt -- are both seniors at UNC now. It's hard to believe they'll be graduating in a matter of months. But they are a pair of exceptional fellas, and I'm very proud of both of them. They both have big dreams, and I have no doubt they'll acheive them. (By the way, that picture is of the three of us on a hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains.)

Moving away and working for WNCT, like I said, has been very challenging -- but it's been quite rewarding as well. I've learned and grown a lot in the five months that I've been here, and I'm sure I will continue to in the weeks and months ahead.

So that was probably more about me than you ever cared to know. But that's who you're dealing with each time you read this blog, or when you watch WNCT's newscasts. All of us who work in this business are normal folks -- we just have an abnormal job. We have hopes, dreams, fears and opinions just like anyone else. I've been able to share a few of mine with you through this blog, and I truly hope I'll get the chance to hear more about yours as well!

Thanks for stopping by ... and I'll do my best to have a topic to cover next time, so you won't be subjected to hearing more about me. Do you have something you'd like to hear about? Click the "Comments" button below and let me hear your voice!

Back in the saddle

2007-01-18T13:13:00.000-05:00

Wow, it's been far too long since I posted here on the ole blog. I'm sorry it's been so long -- but I've been a part of Nine On Your Side's Team Coverage of the Greenville church fires. Two 16-hour days in a row don't leave much time for bloggin', but I'm back now and hope to have more fresh content for you tonight.

In case you haven't heard -- the task force established by the Greenville Police Department to investigate the church fires is now officially calling the blazes "arson." I'm sure for most of you, you'd made up your own mind about that by now. Apparently the materials the GPD sent off to the SBI crime lab in Raleigh have confirmed that the fires at Memorial and Unity were intentionally set.

Regardless of your religious beliefs (or non-religious beliefs, for that matter), it's a shame to think that someone would intentionally destroy something that so many people treasure so much. It will be interesting to watch the Task Force track down who did it -- and just as importantly, determine why.

OK, back to work -- I'll try to have more on here later this evening.

For now, y'all stay warm!

Your turn!

2007-01-13T14:40:00.000-05:00

My apologies for not posting yesterday -- after work, I spent the evening on the road and was away from a computer all night. But here's the deal -- I want to hear from you! A few of you have left feedback on some of the other posts -- but I want to give all of you the chance to ask ME questions.

So, let's hear 'em. Have a question about WNCT-TV 9? Or about how we do our jobs each day? Or just anything in general? ... Just click the "Comments" button below and ask away! I'll try and post some responses in the very near future.

Have a great weekend!

The controversy deepens...

2007-01-11T22:10:00.000-05:00

My report for today once again centered on the controversy that surrounds the Gallants Channel property (click this link for video). I can't tell you how many times I've reported on this controversial 36-acre tract of land in sleepy Beaufort-by-the-sea -- but I can tell you why I and Nine On Your Side continue to focus on it.

Back in 1997, the State of North Carolina gave the Friends of the Maritime Museum group more than $3 million (of YOUR money) to purchase the property. The understanding was that the Friends group would develop an annex to the North Carolina Maritime Museum on the property and turn the property into a real showplace. When the time was "appropriate," the Friends would simply turn the land back over to the state -- all the hundreds of documents we've got in relation to this issue say "appropriate," but they don't specify what exactly that means -- there was no sort of definite timetable when this all began.

In order to turn the property into the type of showplace it envisioned, the Friends group felt it necessary to borrow money against the land. The group took out two loans -- one for $3.9 million and the other for $995,000 -- using the land as collateral. The Friends claim they used that money to build parking lots, bulkheads, docks and any number of improvements. They also admit they used part of that money to fund the Tall Ships event. The Friends group released a letter last month saying it lost about $2 million on the event -- and in my opinion, it's hard to view the Tall Ships fiasco as anything other than a disaster. Nearly a dozen businesses claim the Friends (and the company they created -- Pepsi Americas' Sail, LLC) STILL owe them money -- we're talking nearly a million dollars here. Several lawsuits have been filed, and it seems like the Friends group could be in serious financial trouble.

That's where the Gallants Channel property comes in. Many folks I've talked to (including several state officials in Raleigh) believe someone at the state level is trying to protect the Friends group. With millions of dollars in debt piling up and businesses filing liens on the property for unpaid bills, October was the perfect time for the Friends to dump the property. When the state accepted it in October, all the debt came with it -- transferred to the state and away from the Friends. A letter by the Friends group says the head of the Department of Cultural Resources promised them she'd "make the debt go away." It looks like it worked.

Here's where you get shafted -- the state accepted a piece of property with nearly $5 million in debt attached to it. It had already paid $3 million to buy the land in the first place -- that's $8 million ponied up by the state for this piece of land. The kicker? Carteret County released its 2007 tax evaluations -- and says the land (including all the "improvements" made my the Friends) is only worth $3.6 million! Taxpayers are looking at a potential loss on this land of more than $4 million.

State Property Director Joe Henderson and Governor Easley both pushed really hard for this deal to go through at the October Council of State meeting. When Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry expressed some reservations about the transaction, he flippantly dismissed them. Both the governor and Henderson claimed the land was worth $36 million! They used that as justification to accept the property, claiming the state was making a great deal and getting "out of this for pretty close to nothing."

Today the state told me Henderson's figure was just a "preliminary estimated value" -- and that a November appraisal showed the land was worth $27 million. But Carteret County Tax Administrator Carl Tilghman is sticking by his numbers, saying they're accurate.

Labor Commissioner Berry called me back late this evening, and when she heard what the tax value of the land is, she was "flabbergasted." She says she plans on talking to Tilghman and Henderson tomorrow, hoping to figure out how there's such a huge difference in their respective appraisals.

A lot of people say the state inflated its numbers to make the deal look more appealing to the folks who had to approve it. That subsequently protected the Friends group from mounting debt. It seems like someone is not being honest about your taxpayer money -- and that's why we continue to dig on this story.

A big THANK YOU goes out to the folks who've chimed in and expressed their opinions about the last couple of posts. I very much appreciate your involvement! You can get involved, too. Just click the "Comments" button below.

[Carolina] Blue blood ... and thanking those who shed their's

2007-01-10T22:08:00.000-05:00

I was hoping to catch President Bush's primetime speech tonight -- it would have served as the perfect tie-in to my blog post. Truth be told, I didn't see the president's address.

In fact, my attention wasn't on WNCT and CBS's coverage of President Bush's decision to send more troops to Iraq. Instead, my eyes were glued to ESPN -- and the Georgia Tech/Duke match-up. [From this moment forward, that institution in Durham will be referred to as "Dook"...]

See, I'm a Carolina grad -- Tar Heel born, Tar Heel bred and every drop of my blood is Carolina Blue. I think Chapel Hill is Heaven on earth ... and in my mind, Franklin Street is hallowed ground. I think the Bell Tower is beautiful, and nothing beats the sight of the Old Well. When I die, I think I want my ashes spread in the Pit, Kenan Stadium and the Dean Dome.

There is something majestic and mystical about Chapel Hill -- and if we're going to be completely honest with each other, that's where my heart lies.

[I am well aware that some of you have quit reading and now hate my guts. Others may have earned a new respect for me -- if you're a Dook, State or ECU fan ... or a fan of any other university ... I hope you'll still respect me despite my Tar Heel pride!]

Only one thing rivals my love for Carolina -- and that's my disgust for Dook. I was raised anti-Dook -- and as a student at UNC, you take a freshman seminar on Blue Devil bashing.

So THAT'S why I missed the president's speech -- I was watching Dook lose its second game in a row. Deep down inside, there's something so very gratifying about that. I'm watching my #1 Heels right now -- I hope they can hang on against those Wahoos from UVA.

I was hoping to catch the president's speech, because while I was out working on my story for today, I met a man who's a Marine reservist. He recently returned from Iraq, where he served as a military adviser to the Iraqi Security Forces.

He said the president's then-pending decision to send more troops to Iraq was the right one to make. I don't intend to get in to the politics of the situation, but he said if the United States had any chance of coming out of Iraq victoriously, it's going to take more troops.

I thanked him for what he did for our country, and our conversation quickly turned to morale. And you know what he said?

He said the biggest contributor to low morale amongst troops isn't insurgent attacks. It's not what he called "inaccurate media reports." It's not attacks on the president's approval rating, or criticisms of his policies. According to this man, the leading cause of low morale is what the troops perceive as a lack of support from the American people.

He said the troops simply aren't "feeling the love." And it makes a huge difference in their lives each day. So here's my point -- whatever your political beliefs, however you feel about this war -- please, support the troops fighting for your freedom and safety. Most of the troops I've encountered truly believe what we're doing in Iraq needs to be done, and they think it indeed goes a long way to keeping us here at home safe each day.

Contact your local USO or VA. Ask them how you can show some support for the troops. They're fighting for our safety and even our right to dissent -- if you're going to dissent against the war or the president, at least thank those that are giving you the right to do it.

OK, that's my two cents. Let me hear yours! Just click on the "Comments" button below and join the discussion!

[And like I said, I hope all you fans of other schools out there don't hate me too much!]

May I have your attention, please?

2007-01-09T21:47:00.000-05:00

Score one for Mom. That's right, my Mom was the only viewer to comment on yesterday's post -- but since she technically does live within our designated viewing area, I'll fudge a little and count it as viewer feedback... So that's two posts in two days with two "viewer comments." A slow start, but a good one nonetheless. An on-air plug for the blog on Ch. 9's 6 p.m. newscast tonight will hopefully get more eyes here -- and consequently, more voices heard.

On to today's post...

My story for Tuesday, which aired during our 6 p.m. newscast (you can watch it online by clicking on that link!), deals with the war on gang activity. The Governor's Crime Commission is handing out $1.5 million in grant money to law enforcement agencies in the east, including those in Kinston, New Bern, Lenoir County, Rocky Mount, Duplin County, Wilson, Wayne County, Tarboro, Goldsboro, Harnett County and several others. The press release says the money "will be used for initiatives such as: campaigns to help schools, law enforcement and the public identify and prevent gang activity; providing safe locations for teens to gather; removing gang graffiti; and developing a database to track, analyze and report gang activity at local and state levels."

My story deals with Kinston, a city that saw five murders in 2006 (that's two more than an average year). I spoke with Public Safety Chief Greg Smith about how his department plans to spend about $133,000 in money it's receiving. To add some flavor to the story, I wanted to interview him in an area of the city that's seen a lot of problems. He took me to the Simon Bright neighborhood, where the department has installed surveillance cameras to record what goes on there -- and hopefully reduce the amount of crime.

He says the department plans on spending some of the money on more cameras for other parts of the city. Other monies will go toward setting up email systems for each police officer, so that people who live in their assigned "zones" will be able to contact them easily and keep them updated on what's going on in the neighborhood.

But the lion's share of the money will go toward the development of a community center -- they're calling it The GATE. It sounds like a great idea.

"This center will be for young people to come to," Chief Smith says. "There will be GED labs set up in the facility. There will be ability for kids to do some recreation, some fellowship together."

It's part of stopping the gang violence before it starts -- if police can prevent folks from joining gangs, in theory at least, they'll eventually fizzle.

What happened while Chief Smith and I were talking in Simon Bright is the perfect illustration as to why Kinston -- and every other community -- needs a center like The GATE. As we set up the interview on the sidewalk, kids kept coming out of the woodwork, clamoring for our attention. Part of that has to do with the presence of a television camera -- without fail, when you whip out a TV camera, it either drives people away or draws them to it like a magnet. In this case, the kids were magnetized.

But more than anything, they just wanted our attention. They wanted someone to look at them, someone to watch them play, someone to interact with. Kids today are starved for attention. Unfortunately, our youth can find the attention they so desperately crave in a gang. We (the media) pay close attention to gangs. They're the focus of police. And within the communities themselves, gangs draw all sorts of recognition.

Hopefully a community center like the one Kinston has in the works will serve its intended purpose. Those kids need a safe play to go do their homework. They need a safe place to play, and they need someone to pay them some attention. For one reason or another, they're not getting that at home. Here's to hoping Kinston's plan pays off -- and keeps kids off the streets, out of gangs and in the classroom.

"It will be a slow process," Chief Smith says. "We won't solve everything that's going on in our community overnight. However, in time, I think we are going to see some great gains here."

For the sake of the public's safety -- and especially for the future of those kids -- I hope he's right.

Questions? Comments? Add your own voice to the discussion! Just click the "Comments" button below and fill out the form!

Photogs, football and prescription drugs...

2007-01-08T22:20:00.000-05:00

First things first -- the promised two cool points are hereby awarded to Mike D, also known as WNCT photojournalist Mike Durenberger. He correctly identified that the title to yesterday's post was an Austin Powers-ism. And since I'm in a generous mood, I'll dole out an extra two cool points to Mike, seeing as he was the only person to comment on yesterday's post! That's a whopping four cool points for Mike D -- and he definitely earned them by keeping me from netting a goose egg on feedback. Cheers to you, Mike.

Cool points also go out to WNCT.com webmaster George Crocker. He hooked me up with a button on the front page of Ch. 9's website that links directly to the blog! I hope that will provide an opportunity to drive more people to this blog -- after all, I created it to give you a voice!

To be honest, I'm not surprised that a photographer bailed me out. They are truly the backbone of our station. The majority of our reporting staff is young, and we all have a lot to learn. Most of our photographers, however, have a great deal of experience -- and are exceptionally familiar with Eastern North Carolina. If all of us reporters are as eager to learn as we seem, the first folks we should turn to ought to be our photographers. They're the ones that get down and dirty each day to bring our stories, and our writing, to life. Without them, we'd essentially be the radio or the newspaper.

With the exception of myself (Morehead City bureau) and Laura Vesco, WNCT's Jacksonville bureau reporter, all the reporters in Ch. 9's stable generally work with a photographer each day. Laura and I do our own shooting and editing. It's a tough job, and has given me a great respect for the creativity, vision and hard work of our "photogs." I hope that's something our other reporters cherish. The days when Laura or I get to work with a photographer are amazing. You can tell a difference in our stories -- more creative juices are flowing and the photography beats whatever either of us could pull off.

I've been at WNCT now for almost five months, and I've learned a whole lot. One thing I've learned is that as a reporter, if you respect the photographers, they'll respect you -- and it will be reflected in your work. If you don't respect the photographers, chances are they won't respect you -- and I have a hunch that will be reflected in your work, too.

I'm half-watching the BCS National Championship game as I write this. I'm only half-watching because I don't particularly care for either team involved. But I did predict that OSU would run the initial kickoff back for a touchdown! Unfortunately, no one was around to hear it... I don't think anyone could have predicted the offensive punch Florida is packing so far (it's 34-14 early in the third quarter). I'm rooting for my Tar Heels to somehow win the game... And speaking of Carolina, props to our basketball team, which just took over the #1 spot in the nation!

My story for today, which aired on our 6 p.m. newscast, was a tough one (video is included in that link). It involved the death of an Emerald Isle man who overdosed on prescription drugs in 2004. Two friends (Lonnie Hiney and Larry Alexander) were hanging out, and from what I can understand, had quite a bit of alcohol. Alexander offered Hiney one of his prescription pills. Hiney took it, and the 1-2 punch of the alcohol and the pill proved enough to kill him. Alexander is sitting in the Carteret County jail now -- he pleaded "no contest" to involuntary manslaughter charges last week. This tragedy provides several reminders. One, we're all responsible for our actions. Hiney's family admits he should have known better than to mix pills and booze. But they maintain that Alexander should have known better than to offer the pill to him. Hiney paid the price for his actions with his life. Alexander will pay for his actions by spending the next 60 days in jail -- and the next 18 months on probation.

This incident also reinforces that the alcohol interaction labels on prescription drugs are there for a reason -- don't chance it. And finally, this demonstrates a problem that's plaguing Carteret County and lots of other counties across the east. Abuse of prescription drugs is as rampant as the abuse of illegal controlled substances. Carteret County Sheriff Asa Buck even told me more people have died from prescription drug overdoses in recent years than from illegal substance overdoses. So please, be wise with how you take those prescriptions. And if you happen to abuse them, I suggest you look over your shoulder. Sheriff Buck made it pretty clear to me that he's intent on wiping out Carteret County's drug problems, whatever that takes.

OK -- back to the ball game. Thanks for checking in again today, and please -- become a part of the discussion. Let me know what you think of this post. Ask me any questions you might have about WNCT-TV 9, or the folks here who work very hard to advocate for you.

This blog is intended to provide you a voice! I hope to hear from you soon.

"Allow myself to introduce ... myself"

2007-01-07T23:48:00.000-05:00

Add it to the list.

For better or worse, the list of things I said I’d never do – yet, have ultimately done – is getting longer. Things like “listening to a Shakira song and actually liking it” (I’m sorry, but “Hips Don’t Lie” is money). Or “buying a white car.” Or “buying a car from RPM Nissan in Durham” … actually managed to add those two items to the list with one fell swoop.

Well, “having a blog” was definitely one of the things I said I’d never do. And yet, you’re reading the very self-incriminating evidence that I indeed do have a blog.

I’ve long hated blogs. Well, not necessarily blogs themselves, but the way that folks like CNN picked up blogs and ran with them, heralding them as the best thing since sliced bread. Call me ignorant, call me old-school, call me close-minded. But I just don’t think that authoring a blog automatically makes you a journalist. And I most definitely don’t think they’re worth cable news networks dedicating whole hours of programming.

But the powers-that-be DO think they’re worth it. And the popularity of blogs continues to grow. Consequently, so does their usefulness. They’re great ways to share your opinion (something for which I’m rarely ever at a loss). They’re great ways to stay in touch (something for which I hope this proves useful, because I deeply miss my friends in Chapel Hill – and I know my family is always looking for new ways to keep tabs on me). They’re great ways to create open dialogue – I love a good-spirited, intelligent conversation (even a good argument, as some of my close friends could testify). So, I’m hoping this delivers on all that.

And, very importantly, they’re great ways for professional journalists to really connect with the people who consume their product. For me, this means connecting with the people who watch WNCT-TV 9 or view WNCT.com – and primarily, this means connecting with the people who live in Carteret County (and the surrounding counties, as well), because that’s where I live and work each day. I’m hoping this will eventually grow in to a forum for people who live in Carteret County and greater Eastern North Carolina to discuss their opinions and ideas with me, and be a way for me to better invest myself in what’s going on in the area. Not to mention, engaging in intelligent discussion with my friends from Chapel Hill and beyond.

In other words, I’d love for this to serve as a compliment to WNCT’s Viewers’ Voice – you know, the “your comments will be a part of our Viewers’ Voice segment, which airs every Friday.”

In order for that to happen, I feel like this blog must be integrated as a part of WNCT.com. I know our webmaster, George Crocker – who does a phenomenal job, by the way – is a fan of blogs … at least, I think he is. So hopefully I’ll be able to talk with him and my News Director about integrating this in to the site.

In order to make it easy to interact, I’ve designed the site so you don’t have to create a username and password to post – you should simply just be able to fill out the comment form and click send. But please feel free to create some sort of username or alias; I’d love to be able to identify who I’m talking with.

To kick off the interactivity, I’ll award two cool points to anyone who can correctly identify the movie from which I borrowed the title of this post. I know darn well there are plenty of folks out there who’ve heard me quote it time and time again.

I’m hoping to update this daily, or semi-daily, in order to truly create the type of forum I’m envisioning. My posts won’t always been this long. Sometimes they’ll be longer. Hopefully, they’ll include bits of humor and wit – I can trust friends David Holst and Mark Woodell, two of the most humorous and witty people I’ve ever met, to alert me as to whether I’ve succeeded there. Sometimes they’ll address serious topics, or just the news of the day. There will no doubt be discussion about the “business” of television journalism, and I’m hoping I can give you a sneak peek at what goes on behind the scenes. And I hope my posts will often be guided and directed by what I’m hearing from you, the folks who read this.

Let’s be honest – we all spend a considerable amount of time each day online, reading really random crap. I’d be flattered if you added my really random crap to your online to-do list.

More than anything, this will serve as an outlet. I love to write, and believe it or not, as a TV reporter, I don’t get to write as much as I would like. So check back often, I hope to keep this updated.

Thanks for taking the time to read my inaugural post, and I hope to see you here again soon.