My kids don't watch the news. Too scary. (Too scary for me sometimes too but I have no choice). For a few years my oldest thought I hosted parades for a living since that's the only time she saw me on television. So overall, my kids are definitely not impressed by what I do and find it quite odd when other people are.

Which is why, when the theatre department at Lincoln High School asked me to make a cameo appearance at one of their performances of "High School Musical" I jumped at the chance! That was something that might actually impress my girls!

For those of you without "tweens" "High School Musical" is huge! A made for TV Disney movie with great songs and a good message. The two lead characters are known for doing certain things at their schools. One is a star basketball player, the other a science whiz. When they both want to audition for the school play it turns the school upside down. Should they stay with the status quo or go for their dream?

Lincoln has the distinction of being the first non-Disney group to put on the show on the West Coast. And they do a great job. More than a hundred talented kids are involved in the production. And just like the plot in "High School Musical" it involves many students who normally wouldn't be on stage. There are cast members from the basketball team, the football team, the cheerleading squad, the dance team, the choir, faculty and more. All trying out new talents.

EMI CHIBA (ms. darbus) , ME,JIM PEERENBOOM (director)

Although my role was small and just for that one performance... it was fun! A wacky Chemistry teacher. The wacky was no problem but I must admit it was as close to Chemistry class as I've ever been! And my girls were definitely impressed! Not with me of course...but with the real stars of the play...the students on stage at Lincoln.

ANNA RUDINSKY (GABRIELLA) SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS

There are performances coming up on May 3,4 and 5. Check it out!

Posted by at 3:47 PM | Permalink

This week brought another unfortunate event, that will stay with all of us - for a long time. The mood in our afternoon editorial meeting - probably relects the mood of many of you -- we're all emotionally drained. The shootings at Virginia Tech have had a tremendous impact across the nation, including Oregon. We will continue to follow some of the ongoing memorials tonight on Newschannel 8.

The Night Team will be stopping by another memorial, as well. This one, is for Anna Sviderski. She's the 16 year old girl - who was stabbed to death one year ago tonight, as she worked her shift at a Vancouver McDonalds. We'll also update the court case against her attacker, who has plead 'not guilty' by reason of insanity.

There are other stories in the mix, as well.. including a medical scare involving two deaths in the Northwest -- both apparently connected to naturopathic injections for back pain.

The events of this week, have brought out many of your voices. The Virginia Tech shooting touched a lot of nerves, especially with the release of the video -- sent by the killer to NBC. Frankly, I was quite impressed with all the thoughtful posts on our webpage about that decision. Know that we have similar - sometimes heated discussions about our content - almost daily.

People were understandably upset about the focus being on the 'killer' - and not the victims. I get that -- but the video was UNDENIABLY part of the story. For those who disagree, there is probably no way I can change your mind -- but that's the way it is. It would have been journalistically negligent for the media to sit on that tape.

Our job is to inform -- and in this case, hopefully educate people about what happened, and why -- so this doesn't happen again. We owe it to all the bright young minds, who met such a horrible and untimely death this week in Virginia.

We hope to see you for our broadcasts at 10 and 11.

Posted by at 3:45 PM | Permalink

MISSION "POSSIBLE"!

Hi everyone. It's Laural Porter here again, hoping you are enjoying our lovely spring weather. I have a serious case of Spring Fever. How about you?

I thought I'd give you another look behind the scenes at Newschannel 8.... or at the big "EIGHTSKI" as former KGW Sports director, Colin Cowherd used to say.

Their job seems like Mission Impossible, but our superb assignment editors make a very challenging mission POSSIBLE.

The assignment editors are the "brain", many say, of the newsroom.
They certainly are the Mother Ship.

Meet Adriane Horner and Tamara Kent from the Night Team here at Newschannel 8.

I sat down to talk to them about their jobs the other night.
In between listening to the scanners, answering phone calls from viewers and affiliates, taking in video feeds, and talking to our Night Team news crews out in the field,Tamara and Adriane told me they love being a part of the Night Team.
Adrian said, "It's an adrenaline rush".

Tamara told me, "I like to have my finger on the pulse of the newsroom. I also love the camaraderie of the Night Team."

(Above Tamara and Adriane are the "Mother Ship")

Tamara and Adriane,along with our other assignment editors, are often the ones you will talk to when you call the newsroom.
They field many different types of calls from news tips, to viewers with questions about stories, to once in awhile a disgruntled viewer.
They always handle those calls with grace and professionalism.

They are also the creative juice behind many of our stories.
They come into our afternoon news meeting armed with many great ideas for news stories for that night.

Once the managers and news team decide on what stories we'll pursue for that night, Tamara and Adriane have the challenge of orchestrating the story... often setting up the interview and making sure we have enough reporters, photographers and live vans to cover it.

At home, you see the anchors and reporters, but there are many people like Adriane and Tamara "behind the scenes" who make it all happen.

At Newschannel 8, we truly are a team with a mission and our expert assignment crew makes that sometimes seemingly impossible mission... possible.

Laural

Posted by at 6:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)