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| February 2007 »
Okay... here is a perfect example of how a story can evolve QUICKLY....
I started writing this blog at 3pm... and here's what I had:
A wig turns up on the side of the road near Sweethome and searchers finally have a clue in the case of a missing Beaverton woman. Reporter Jane Smith called in during our editorial meeting at 2:30 to give us an update on the efforts to find 69 year old Beverly Johnson. Family members think the wig is the one Mrs. Johnson was wearing when she went to the library this weekend and didn't come home.
Jane says IF Mrs. Johnson was traveling on Ames Creek Road and just kept going she could end up on any number of smaller logging roads. So searchers are out on the ground and in the air looking for her. She suffers from epileptic seizures that leave her confused.
It is now 3:40... and quess what ? It's NOT THE WIG ! So they are calling off the search in the Sweethome area and are back to square one in the search for
Mrs. Johnson.
And an update. When I wrote about the man who tasered his wife's grandmother... I said his son was 18 months old. As more information came out we learned the child was only 6 months old.
I got many emails from people not just upset about the taser incident, but very concerned about a father spanking a 6 month old baby. We also heard from quite a few people who took the time to call the newsroom.
Here's a small sample from the e-mails: This one from Joan....
"It's really awful that someone would taser another human being, but even more troubling is that this man was hitting a 6mo old baby and I heard no mention of charges or even an investigation into his fitness as a parent. Spanking a child is very different that "spanking" a baby. It is inexcusable, and I believe, criminal. If we are to protect children in our society we must no turn a blind eye to abuse in all it's forms. Spanking, hitting or striking a baby in any way is abuse; not dicipline."
Another from Laura:
"A baby is a baby. That man needs serious parenting help. I think that grandmother was defending something she appeared to be wrong. I don't blame her one bit for staying. "
Clearly the story brought out strong feelings. We did some checking and here is what we know. One of our assignment editors Cheryl Calm checked with the North Bonneville Police chief who said he too is getting many questions about the case. He says it is standard proceedure for him to report to Child Protective Services anytime a child is involved in a case. He confirms he did that. Child Protective Services says they will now evaluate the report to determine if a visit to the home is needed. They won't say if any visit is planned. No court dates set yet in this case. We'll keep you posted.
And as always... thanks for watching. We'll see what else has changed by the time we hit the air at 5.
Tracy Barry
This story will leave you shaking your head ...
A debate over how an 18 month old boy should be disciplined ends with the toddler's
great-grandmother being tasered ! Police say the child's father zapped the elderly woman after she stepped in to defend the child. Tonight at five...what happened next.
Some Portland neighborhoods are without water tonight...water mains are breaking around the city at an alarming rate. And yes... you can blame the weather. We'll show you how the city is trying to fix the problem.
A heartbreaking interview with the mother of a Keizer soldier killed in Iraq. Although you can't watch these stories of loss without tearing up, I think it's critical we do them.
So important that we know something about these young men and women giving their lives. So watch with us and say a prayer for the family of Ryan Hill.
And... an only on eight special report that I can't tell you about just yet... or it wouldn't be only on eight for long. :)
As always...thanks for watching.
Tracy Barry
After working in a newsroom for awhile, we tend to think we've heard alot of strange stories. Then along comes one like this. You may remember the woman who had a collection of rabbits at her home in Hillsboro. 150 of them. Some alive. Some dead, frozen in the freezer. Authorities took the rabbits away in October and they were being cared for at an undisclosed location in Hillsboro. Actually , it was suppose to be a secret location. Apparently not so secret. Police say the woman found out where the rabbits were and managed to "steal" back 130 of them! Tonight at five, the wild tale of how police tracked them down. We'll show you where the woman tried to hide them...and what one motel worker did when she got suspicious.
Also tonight... why police think the man wanted for attacking two women near Washington Park in Portland...may be involved in other crimes.
And the President gives his State of the Union address tonight at six. He is expected to talk about the war, energy and immigration among other issues. We actually get a preview text of the speech before he gives it. We are only allowed to release a few excerpts beforehand though. Thought you might like to see a couple of them too.
Here is one of the President's comments on comprehensive immigration reform ....pushing a guest workers program.
"Extending hope and opportunity in our country requires an immigration system worthy of America - with laws that are fair and borders that are secure. When laws and borders are routinely violated, this harms the interests of our country... Yet...we cannot fully secure the border unless we take pressure off the border - and that requires a temporary worker program."
and about the war in Iraq...
"[O]ur military commanders and I have carefully weighed the options. We discussed every possible approach. In the end, I chose this course of action because it provides the best chance of success. Many in this chamber understand that America must not fail in Iraq - because you understand that the consequences of failure would be grievous and far reaching."
You can see the Presidents speech live here on Newschannel 8 at six tonight. We're on at five with the local news. And as always...thanks for watching.
Tracy Barry
Have you found us yet for 10@10 on Portland's C-W?
We have a new look. We bring you the top stories and weather in a fast-paced 10-minutes.
That way you don't have to wait for 30 minutes or more to get the news you want, and your weather forecast.
If you're looking around the dial... You'll find 10@10 on Cable channel 3... and channel 32, if you don't have cable.
I thought you'd like to meet a few of the great people behind the scenes at 10@10.
You know Joe Donlon, Matt Zaffino,and me, but there are lots of wonderfully talented professionals behind the camera who make it all work.
Below, are just a couple of pictures of our producers and directors.
(Pictured is 10@10 director, Brian Matthews with producer, Scott Collins.)
There's the director, who is calling the shots, pushing all the buttons, so that you see the video and graphics,and camera shots at the right time.
(Pictured here Director Carey Higgins and Senior Producer, Aaron Weiss.)
Our producers write most of the newscast, and arrange the order of the stories.
They're constantly gathering fresh news that has happened since our last newscast at 6:30.
They're searching for news you need, and news that's just plain interesting.
Of course, you're familiar with our 10@10 reporters,Scott Burton, Jack Penning, and Keely Chalmers.
We often have other Newschannel 8 reporters also joining us.
For example, our Kyle Iboshi was live in Grants Pass on Thursday night.
He and photographer, Scott Williams, journeyed there to pour through the Kim Family Search report.
It was great to have Kyle on 10@10 last night with a fresh look at what he learned from the report, and what Kati Kim had to say about the ordeal.
We also have an incredible team of photojournalists who shoot the video you see at night.
They are well-known for being some of the best at what they do in the country.
Our dedicated editors put together much of the video you see on the air, and make sure it rolls at the appropriate time during the newscast.
Let's not forget our top-notch staff on the assignment desk.
They make sure we don't miss any big news stories out there.
In future blogs,I'll try to introduce you to more of the people behind the scenes here at Newschannel 8 and on 10@10.
We are truly a team here on Newschannel 8 and we couldn't bring you 10@10 without all our team members.
Please write me and tell me what you'd like to know about 10@10 and our staff.
I'll try to reply here in my blog.
Laural Porter
The snow and ice is retreating and temperatures are edging back up to where they belong. But the consequences of this storm will linger for many.
Many questions remain about the death of a 9 year old girl being pulled on a tube behind her father's truck. Was the dad drinking ? And why didn't he call 911 after the accident ? Witnesses are coming forward to fill in some of the blanks. Tonight at Five police fill us in on what they know so far.
Another young sledding victim talks to us from his hospital bed. He wants other kids to know just how easy it is for something to go wrong.
It's busy at area body shops. We wanted to know how insurance companies decide who is at fault in some of these chain reaction accidents. An agent actually sits down with us and looks at that incredible home video shot by an area teacher. He taped some 15 accidents on one Portland street..dubbing it "pinball alley." If you haven't seen this video yet... tune in and call your friends. It's worth a couple minutes of your time.
We'll also tell you which high school didn't just cancel classes... it's cancelling final exams !
And our top story today the report on the search for the Kim family is out . There is some finger pointing in it, but also some ideas for improving coordination efforts in the future. Reporter Kyle Iboshi is on his way to Grants Pass as we speak.
I just heard one of our assignment editors shout out that we are sending Sky 8 to Cascade Locks to check out reports of a big fire. We'll keep you posted.
And as always...thanks for watching.
Tracy Barry
There's something I really love about bad weather.
It does,for the most part, bring out the best in people. It brings both neighbors and strangers together against the elements.
Good Samaritans stop to pull distressed motorists out of ditches, they help push cars out of harm's way, lend a hand to someone trying to chain up, or scrape a windshield.
It certainly brings the Newschannel 8 team together.
Mallorie of Tualatin wrote me in response to the "Now, This is a Snow Day" blog:
"Nice boots. I always wondered how hard it is for TV news people to get to work or around town during snowy weather.
Has anyone ever had to stay the night at the station?"
I am glad you asked Mallorie. Your question is a good way to illustrate how the Newschannel 8 team works together,especially on a snow day.
Last week, when we thought Portland was going to get hit by a major snowstorm, Dave Salesky slept downstairs in our weight room.
He provided vital weather information during our late news, then had to be here starting at 4am for the Sunrise show, so he said it didn't make sense to go home. Sweet dreams, Dave.
Now, I think that's dedication to our viewers.
This week, when we got hit by our unexpected snow, Night Team Reporter,"Scott Burton" gave Tracy Barry, and our Executive Producer, Sally Ramirez rides into work, since he had a snow worthy vehicle.
That night, our 11pm Senior Producer, Aaron Weiss, spent the night here at the station, so he could help out the morning crew, when the newscast started an hour early at 4am.
Again, dedication and team work.
Reporter,Vince Patton, sent out an email offering his driving services and his 4-wheel drive Subaru with spider spikes, for anyone needing help getting into work.
Those are just a few examples of how the Newschannel 8 team pulls together just as the entire Metro Area watches out for each other, when we need it the most.
Now, that's team work!
Laural Porter
Happy Snow Day!
The screams this morning were of delight.
"Snow Day".
Portland Public Schools called it as my kids watched Newschannel 8 at Sunrise.
It was almost as good as Christmas.
The kids of our Northeast Portland neighborhood delighted with kids all over the metro area in sledding, throwing snowballs, making snow angels,and drinking hot chocolate.
My kids also warmed up syrup to pour on snow for a sweet treat. I warned them, it's not a good idea to eat snow... acid rain and all that.
But, they told me I was ruining their fun. Okay, this once.
For me, it was fun to put on the old standby Sorrel fur-trimmed snowboots.
My husband was a hero, as he chained up the SUV for me to make my way into work.
It's always a fun drive into downtown on a snow day. It seems as though pedestrians,some on cross country skis, take over the roadways.
Once I got here to Newschannel 8, the newsroom was buzzing. We were in full-bore snow coverage.
Kudos to Russ, Brenda and Dave who were on the air from 5am to 1pm. That's eight-hours straight at the newsdesk.
I hope they got bathroom breaks.
I wore my boots around the newsroom, as I prepared stories on the wintry weather across the country.
Misery loves company!
(Nice fashion statement,isn't it? Shown with me is Leilani Welch,our 6:30 p.m producer)
Randy Neves took this picture of me in what some of my colleagues dubbed my "Idaho Anchor Shoes".
I used to work in Idaho Falls and Boise, where it snows a lot!!
Thanks, Randy for the picture. I told him I'd tell you all how great he is to work with.
(He really is!)
My son said, "Mom, now this is more like a Snow Day."
Enjoy the snow days!
Laural
You might not recognize Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski on this weekend's special Viewpoint. Just kidding of course. But he is definately embracing a different style. Expressing more passion about the issues. More of his personality in general. After a first term when many described him as "invisible" the Governor is promising to take a more public leadership role this time around.
He has alot of things working in his favor. A better economy bringing in more taxes. Democrats control the House and Senate in Salem and he doesn't have to worry about a re-election campaign.
He has plenty of plans for spending that political capital. Education, health care, a rainy day fund for the state. Sound like a good idea? Or would you rather have some of that tax money back to set up your own rainy day fund ?
He also takes a stand on gay rights and civil unions in Oregon, and minces no words about the President's "surge" plan for Iraq. The Viewpoint show airs at 4:30 this Saturday on Newschannel 8 and Sunday at 8:30 on Northwest Cable News.
30 minutes goes by fast. I'm sure there are questions you will wish we had asked and issues that were not addressed ( like Measure 37 ) but we may get another chance before the session is over.
You may not agree with what the Governor has to say and what he wants to do... but you should come away from this program knowing where he stands.
If you miss it... you'll also be able to check it out right here on kgw.com
Have a great weekend ...we have a Brownie knitting party at our house :)
and as always...thanks for watching.
Tracy Barry
Some of you have already written me about something new you've spotted on Newschannel 8 at 10pm on Portland's C-W.
Michael wrote me last night after the 10pm news.
Michael: I sometimes stay up until 11, but I frequently watch at 10. I see tonight you call it 10 at 10? What does it mean?
10@10 is a new way to give you the day's top stories, and seven day forecast in the first 10 minutes.
That way you don't have to wait for 30 minutes or more to get the news you want, and your weather forecast.
Of course, if you want to stay up a little later, you can stick around and still get great content, including sports and a more complete weather forecast... in the next 15-minutes.
But now with 10@10, you have a choice.
We think you'll like the difference. Check us out tonight at 10:00pm on Portland's C-W for 10@10.
That's cable channel 3 and Channel 32, if you don't have cable.
Thanks, Michael, for your comment.
I'd love to hear what you think.
Laural Porter
Looking out the newsroom window at this hour it's hard to believe things were such a mess this morning !
Many parents in Portland are still stratching their heads trying to figure out why classes were cancelled district wide and why it took so long to make the call. The district says an explanation is on the way and we will pass that on at five.
Parts of Clark County looked more like Colorado this morning. One of our photographers was at the scene of a car into a house when another crash happened right in front of him! Lots of snow in Eugene as well, Pat Dooris is live there tonight.
But the best pictures have to be from the coast. My brother and sister-in-law retired to Lincoln City and sent me this picture today.
And be sure to check out the slide show on kgw.com . It's not everyday you see a snowman in the sand. The video from Sky 8 is breathtaking.
Plenty of reaction and protest about the President's "surge" plan.We'll show you what's going on tonight.
And two happy endings today. Buster the bus riding pitbull was adopted and the very
fluffy (fat is just so rude) cat was reunited with it's owner.
Hey, when things are definately not right with the world, we take those happy endings wherever we can get them!
Enjoy the sun and as always, thanks for watching.
Tracy Barry
You may have noticed a new name during our 11pm newscast.
We now refer to our late news staff of reporters and photographers as the "Night Team"?
Mike B. wrote me to ask why the "Night Team"?
Mike says he liked our 11p.m. news the way it was.
We like our late news,too, but we think the "Night Team" name underscores that our late newscast is fresh, not just a rehash of the early newscasts.
We have a whole staff of people working for you, our viewers between 6:30p.m and 11p.m.
We're constantly gathering new information and new stories, shooting new video, and following developing stories.
We all have plenty of reasons we need to catch a little extra shut eye. I know I do.
We hope our "Night Team" gives you a reason to stay up a little later, and catch what's happened since the early newscasts.
In addition, our "Night Team" has a different personality and identity than our early newscasts.
We think the "Night Team" name helps shows that we're different (in a good way of course!)
What do you think of the "Night Team" name? I'd love to know. You can write your comments below.
Most especially, I hope you'll tune in at 11pm. We want you to be a part of our "Night Team" too!
Let's stay up a little later together!
Laural
Becky,the barista at Starbucks handed me my usual mocha and said,
"You know that story you all did on the guy who saved the student on the subway in New York-- that story made me cry."
She told me she lived in New York, and you don't hear about those types of heroic acts very often there.
You've probably heard about the story by now.
The hero, "Wesley Autrey" saved a 20 year old college student who had a seizure and fell off the subway platform.
Autrey dove off after him.
As the subway sped towards them, he covered the man's body with his.
The train passed just inches above Autrey's head actually leaving grease marks on his jacket.
Since word of Autrey's heroism got out, Donald Trump has given him 10-thousand dollars, Disney World is flying him and his two daughters to Orlando for a vacation, and he's been on the David Letterman show.
Then today... another story of heroism out of none other than...New York City.
Two men saved a three year old boy who was dangling from a fire escape four stories high.
He lost his grip and the men caught him.
There are heroes among us... ordinary people who do extraordinary things.
Sometimes,it's not a SuperHero feat like the one Autrey so bravely performed.
Sometimes, it's simply a volunteer giving blood at the Red Cross.
That small act,however, could also help save a stranger's life.
Indeed the well-publicized story of the New York Subway Superhero is a story that reaffirms, for many of us, the goodness of human kind.
Three cheers for Wesley Autrey, and all those who selflessly give to others.
It was wonderful to be a able to report a story like that, and to the Starbucks barista...
it gave me goosebumps,too!
Laural
There was a death on Mt. Hood today - in a skiing 'hit and run'. We're told a man skiing by himself - apparently collided with someone on the mountain, and died from his injuries. The other person involved didn't stick around to see what had happened. Based on the conversation in our afternoon meeting - this story will be a 'talker'. Everyone had questions, and there were not many answers. Drew Mikkelsen is on the mountain, and he will have the latest information for us tonight.
This comes - as road crews are preparing for a major winter storm. There will be FEET of new snow on the mountain this weekend, which could seriously hamper efforts to get snow plows on the road. You'll see what you're in for - if you're thinking about heading up the mountain.
We also revisit a story from a recent storm - that knocked out power to so many people. You may remember the family that almost died from carbon monoxide poisoning - after they ran a generator in their garage. Tonight, they're speaking out about what happened to them. You'll hear that - and much more, tonight on Newschannel 8. We hope you can join us.
Joe Donlon
jdonlon@kgw.com
We got a new digital camera for Christmas, so I thought I'd try adding a picture to my blog.
Of course, this is going to take some assistance from our very tech-savvy 11pm Senior Producer, Aaron Weiss.
If you watch the late news very often, you'll hear Joe and I mention Aaron.
He's the guy in "our ears".
We wear little earpieces called IFB's that allow us to hear the producer in the control room.
Aaron is the magic behind the Late News. He writes most of it, decides what order to arrange stories, and comes up with wonderful little nuggets we often run in the segment after sports.
I like to think of him as our "Gelman" (the producer from "Regis and Kelly").
In addition to being an outstanding producer, Aaron is also a tech-genius, having worked at Microsoft.
Anyway, for me...instead of "Ask Jeeves"... it's "Ask Aaron".
Whenever I need help with the web, I ask Aaron.
This is my first attempt at adding a picture to my blog.
So, it seems fitting it's a picture from the "First Run"... my family and I ran on New Year's Eve in downtown Portland.
This is one of my New Year's Resolutions...besides remembering more people's birthdays more often... I'll try to chime in here in this forum more often...and
maybe even with pictures.
Laural
Just got out of our afternoon editorial meeting and we are working on some interesting stories for tonight's newscasts.
Wouldn't you know it ? Just as many people are making resolutions to lose weight... the FDA raises serious questions about some popular diet pills on the market. It's fining companies for not having enough scientific proof to back up their claims. But guess what ? You can still buy them ! A local diet expert "weighs" in on this mixed message at five.
The City of Portland is also concerned about your health. At least one Commissioner wants to make sure you don't get any trans fats at your favorite restaurant ... or breath in any second hand smoke at your favorite park. It's an interesting debate and you'll hear all about it tonight on our six o'clock news.
No health tips from me...but I did finally throw out the last of the Christmas fudge! Hey it's a start. If you're planning on hitting the slopes for some exercise this weekend looks like you'll need to pack the chains. Our crews ran into some major snow in Sandy today on the way up the mountain. Plenty of pictures and Matt's forecast all coming up starting at five.
As always.. thanks for watching. Tracy Barry
Happy 2007!
After a week off, it's great to be back at Newschannel 8.
I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and rang in the New Year in style.
My family and I did something we have wanted to do for a few years, and finally did it.
We ran Portland's "First Run" at midnight on New Year's Eve.
We wore our party hats, and carried our noisemakers and horns, as we dashed across the starting line at the World Trade Center downtown.
Run organizers told me they thought there would be just under two thousand others running in the event.
What a great Portland atmosphere,too.
We saw an Elvis impersonator. (He was high-fiving runners along the route).
Several canine joggers wearing New Year's gear; sprinters who dressed like the first New Year's babies; women in bathing suits (brrrrr), and lots of smiles.
It was family-friendly, and an exhilarating way to celebrate what I hope is a happy, healthy and peaceful New Year for everyone.
Thank you for being part of our Newschannel 8 family, as we begin a brand new year together.
Laural
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