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.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
How Slack Am I?
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!
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!
Monday, March 26, 2007
More than a mascot
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.
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.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Games gone wild...
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:
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!
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!
Thursday, March 15, 2007
It's the most wonderful time of the year...
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...
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...
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Just can't do it...
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...
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...
Saturday, February 24, 2007
What a wild week...
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!
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!
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
I just don't get it...
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!
Sunday, February 18, 2007
My Super Bowl...
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!
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Housing Headaches, Part Two
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.
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...
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!
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
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!
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!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Happy Valentine's Day
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!
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!
Saturday, February 10, 2007
No Boundaries
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
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
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...
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!
Check back later on, and I'll have more on a MAJOR drug-related announcement out of Carteret County this afternoon!
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
WOO HOO! YEAH HEELS!
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
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!
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!
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!
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!
Monday, February 5, 2007
What's your favorite Super Bowl ad?
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!
Thursday, February 1, 2007
All about PowerText
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!
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!
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Forget the glitz and glamor...
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!
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!
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Something to think about...
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!
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!
Friday, January 26, 2007
Pain, pain go away...
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...
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...
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
The human element mustn't be lost...
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! :-)
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! :-)
Monday, January 22, 2007
More about me...
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!
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!
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Back in the saddle
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!
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!
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Your turn!
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!
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!
Thursday, January 11, 2007
The controversy deepens...
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.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
[Carolina] Blue blood ... and thanking those who shed their's
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!]
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!]
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
May I have your attention, please?
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!
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!
Monday, January 8, 2007
Photogs, football and prescription drugs...
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.
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.
Sunday, January 7, 2007
"Allow myself to introduce ... myself"
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
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
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
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.
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