Columbia's First Bike Move

Early this morning around 9 am, a local cafe moved locations. The new building is about half a mile from the old building but there is something unique about the way they completed the move. The owner of Cafe Berlin, Eli Gay, is part of the PedNet Coalition's No-Car Challenge. This requires participants to be car-free for one month. Eli was worried at first about moving his restaurant successfully without using a car. He and organizers of the challenge had heard about bike moves in other states and decided to plan one right here in Mid-Missouri. The move began at 9 am and about 20-30 volunteers, employees and customers brought out their bikes, cargo bikes and bike trailers to load everything from kitchen appliances to the cafe's tables and chairs.

I arrived outside of Cafe Berlin around 4 am to preview the story and encourage those interested in helping with the move to meet at the cafe at 9 am ready for some riding and moving. I spoke with Gina Overshiner, the organizer of the No-Car Challenge on Sunday night to find out more about the move. To make my story more interesting and informational, Gina graciously agreed to meet me for a live interview for my 6:30 live hit. She brought her bike and bike trailer and answered a few live questions for me about how the bike move came about, how it was going to work and why it is so unique to Columbia. To hear her answers and find out more-here's the story!

Link to the story

Fatal Accident on Highway 63

A foggy morning in Mid-Missouri brought tragedy today. When I arrived at the station around 1 am, the producer and I were listening to the police scanner about a car accident on Highway 63 south, just south of Stadium Boulevard. We heard it was a rollover and confirmed the seriousness of the situation when multiple morning station staff came in describing emergency vehicles and lights lined up along the highway at the scene. I grabbed a camera and a tripod immediately and headed down the highway.

When I arrived, I made sure to put on my neon safety vest( it is the law now when we are on the scene of an accident) and tried to get as close as I could to shoot the scene. One of the fire personnel was extremely helpful however very adamant that I do not get any tape of the car since they were still concerned about a victim caught inside. No one was able to speak with me at the time about the accident because investigators were still searching and documenting the scene. I stayed for about an hour to shoot the investigation as well as the surrounding trucks and lights along the highway. There were about 12 police and fire personnel waiting at the accident for further instruction from the investigator. I was slightly nervous approaching the scene, but I found a safe place to park and a good place shoot my video for my live shot later in the morning. Shortly after I arrived, officials covered the car with a sheet due to the victim inside. After I was done getting video and no one was available to give me an update, I headed back to the station.

Back at the station, I quickly wrote a few scripts for my 4:30 am and 5:30 am live hits and live teases, as well as worked with another reporter to cut my video from the scene and get it ready for the show. My live truck operator headed to the scene to set up my live shot and I followed.

Upon arrival at the scene around 4 am, my operator saw two tow trucks removing the car and by about 4:15 all fire and police personnel had cleared the scene. However in my later live shots when the sun began to rise, tire tracks, debris and the trees where the car was vertically resting after the rollover were visible behind me.

We then learned that the accident was fatal however, did not have anything more about the victim before 7 am when the morning show ended. KOMU 8 News stayed with the story to find out more about the cause of the accident and the victim. We now know it was a 24-year old Columbia woman who was not wearing a seat belt and lost control of her vehicle, a yellow Chevy Cobalt. Stories like this are good experience for a reporter to cover, however it is very hard to remove myself completely from the situation. My heart goes out to the victim's family. When something like this happens it is always a reminder of how dangerous driving can be and how important it is to remain alert and safe while on the road.

Link to the story

First World Report 9/18/09

On Friday, after arriving at the station around 2:00 pm, I received the three international stories from my producer and headed to Studio B (home of the touch screen and mapping program) to make the maps for each story. The first story was about Prime Minister Putin praising Obama's decision to scrap plans for a missile defense shield in Europe. Putin made the announcement in Sochi, Russia. The second story took place in Lisbon, Portugal where the defense leaders from the 28 NATO member countries met to talk about progress in the war in Afghanistan. They began their talks with a wreath-laying ceremony to honor the troops killed in recent operations. The final story took us to Perugia, Italy where the Amanda Knox trial continued. Amanda Knox is the American accused of sexually assaulting and murdering her British roommate. New developments include the defense calling a crime scene investigator to refute claims that bloody footprints found at the crime scene belong to the defendant.

After learning the map-making system last week, setting up the touch screen with the different graphics was much easier. There was some indecision at first as to what international stories were newsworthy enough and then what order to put the stories in. The final decision was made by about 4 pm so I had time to make the maps for the third time and practice with the touch screen to make sure everything ran smoothly.

Unfortunately, during the actual live spot in the show, the touch screen had a program glitch and after the first map, it skipped all the way to the final map. Thankfully the skip did not throw me off completely and I was able to cover the technological mishap by continuing the stories as usual. It was extremely frustrating since the screen was working when I practiced, however it was a good learning experience to be able to think on my feet and not let the technical problems ruin my report.

Here's the story!

Inmates Serve in Boonville

Early this morning, for KOMU 8 News Today, I finally had a working live truck to broadcast all the way from Boonville--which is about 30 miles west of Columbia. I found my story on Sunday and was ready to go, at the station by midnight, to pitch my idea and get started. Monday September 14th was the first day of a week long service project for the Boonslick area. Each year the Boonslick Area Community Service Project partners with local churches and the National Organization of Prison Fellowship, to allow inmates to leave the prison and give back to the community. Fourteen inmates from the Boonville Correctional Center along with parishioners from a local United Methodist church, began refurbishing the historic Katy line train caboose. The parishioners provided the inmates with breakfast and lunch as well as all of the supplies used to sandblast and repaint the caboose. The project focuses on spiritual growth as well for the men as they prepare to end their time in prison.

I wanted to go live from the historic caboose to show what work needed to be done on this piece of history. However, the area was too close to the river for the live truck to get a signal so we had to go live from a park a few blocks away. Overall, my reports went very well. The equipment was set up properly and working, which does not always happen, and I was able to accurately articulate the story with good energy and more confidence than I thought. I enjoyed the story since its focus was about allowing these men to find good positive activities, as well as a support system of people who will continually help them as they transition back into life outside of prison.

Link to the story

My First..First World Report

Another day at the station and always something new to learn! Today was the first day for my First World Report anchor shift for KOMU 8 News at Five. I owe my success to another fellow reporter at KOMU, Katie Steiner, who came in to teach me all about our new touch screen. Just like on the network news show like CNN, we have our very own state-of-the-art touch screen in Studio B right here in Columbia, MO. As the First World Report anchor, the producers find the national stories and network video but it is my responsibility to make the maps for the screen to show where the news is happening all over the world! I learned how to use the new system and program the maps to pop up with the simple click of my finger. It was complicated and challenging, especially since the screen sometimes has a mind of its own---during my live report I had to click it twice to get to one of the maps and it made me nervous but I think I recovered! It was a fun learning experience and as the weeks go on I will definitely improve in my clicking skills. Here's the video-enjoy!

A Word From the Experts

Today I set out on my first few interviews for my story about domestic violence. As always with journalism and working around everyone's changing schedules, two of the interviews were cancelled and two of them continued as planned. My first stop was at Parentlink, which is a warmline center for parents who need answers on how to better serve their family. The great part about it for my story is that they also operate the line in spanish and carry all of the parenting materials and resources in spanish as well. I spoke with a family support specialist who is bilingual and works with all of the Hispanic clients. She has had particular experience with victims of domestic violence and talked to me about how these Hispanic victims can receive help with just a simple phone call. The interview was interesting and inspiring. She answered many of my questions about what triggers domestic violence and how it can be resolved with the ultimate goal of keeping the partners as well as the children in a safe place. Being a Latina herself, she had some wonderful insight into the Hispanic community and was a great asset to my story.

After stopping by the station to upload and convert my video, I headed east to Fulton to speak with another woman who specializes in domestic violence victim advocacy in the Hispanic community. She works with the Coalition Against Rape and Domestic Violence (CARDV) and is also bilingual. She was able to give me more insight into the problem of domestic violence and what local as well as national resources are available for immigrant families to get much-needed help. I was able to ask her about the legal issues with immigrant status and how women who can prove abuse in a relationship will not lose their status if they leave their husband. These details about protection and rights are seldom known in the Hispanic community and my story will get the message out so more Hispanic victims can find help without the fear of deportation. CARDV provided me with domestic violence help materials in spanish as well as other fact sheets and references about why and how domestic violence happens. Both of my interview subjects were extremely compassionate and knowledgeable about this issue and I learned a great deal today.

I am looking forward to some interviews later this week with people in the Hispanic community who use their church to communicate about domestic violence as well as a woman who has survived through the turmoil of a violent relationship. Speaking with them will give me a new inside perspective. The impact that their voices will have on the Hispanic community as they speak out against domestic violence is what I need to really make my piece hit home. More to come soon!

My Investigative Adventure Begins...

Starting in mid-September to mid-October, KOMU 8 News is doing a special series highlighting the Hispanic and Latino community of Mid-Missouri for Hispanic Heritage Month. Along with 4 other reporters and a student producer, I will be doing a story in regards to domestic violence in the Hispanic community, why and when it happens and how Hispanic women can receive help. I have spent today researching and making endless phone calls trying to find out more about who I can speak with on this subject. After speaking with the Cambio Center on the MU campus, I was referred to different volunteers and social workers that typically deal with domestic violence awareness and help in the Latino community. The Boone County Shelter as well as a local domestic violence warmline ParentLink, both have volunteers who speak spanish and work with Hispanic victims in Mid-Missouri. Another great resource I found, is the Coalition Against Rape and Domestic Violence (CARDV). I spoke with a social worker there who specializes in domestic violence in the Latino Community. She is able to connect me with some men and women who are working in their church communities to raise violence awareness and provide help for their Hispanic peers.

I also found statistics about domestic violence in Latin America, how many women are suffering country by country and also which countries have legislation in place to protect their citizens from violence. Another huge aspect of this story is the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a federal law enacted in 1994 that seeks to improve criminal justice and community based responses to domestic violence. Much of this law focuses on protecting women who want to get out of an abusive relationship without losing their legal status in the United States. These provisions are set to protect immigrants and their children from staying in a violent relationship by giving them the option to live legally and independently away from a dangerous spouse.

Next week I will begin conducting interviews with some of the social workers and experts in violence in the Hispanic community. I am also going to speak to a family from El Salvador who is part of the Latino community in Mexico, MO about the work they do to educate their others about the dangers of domestic violence and how Latinos can find help. I also hope to attend a big traditional Hispanic dinner next Sunday night to see how they celebrate their culture in Mid-Missouri.

Wow, I have learned so much and I am excited to see how the story turns out. This HFR series on Hispanic Heritage and KOMU en Espanol, have given me an amazing opportunity to give voice to part of the Mid-Missouri community that is not always heard. This subject of domestic violence is very important and needs to be brought out of silence so help can be found by those who are suffering. This is why I am a journalist.