June 04, 2007
The War Comes Home
A reporter cannot become too emotionally involved in a story. But, when a soldier's body was returned to his wife, I struggled to hold back my tears.
The "homecoming" of Sgt. Joey Montgomery in Southern Indiana was both difficult and stirring. The Scottsburg, IN native was killed near Bagdhad on May 22 and his body returned to his family the day after Memorial Day.
On Memorial Day itself, I found myself at two services: an anti-war gathering at Christ Church Cathedral in which both civilian and military dead were remembered, and the traditional military honors at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery.
Both were moving in their own ways.
And, participants from both events can find one plot of common ground. Both believe that this is no time for apathy. With U.S. servicemembers fighting and dying in Iraq and Afghanistan, the underlying message from both events was that Americans should recognize what is happening everyday, and not just on Memorial Day.
I have always found Zachary Taylor National Cemetery to be a peaceful and patriotic place. It reminds me of my mother teaching her children the World War One poem "In Flanders Fields," admonishing us to remember that those grave markers are not props, but represent real lives and real sacrifice.
"We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields."
As I stood in the shade of a tree toward the front of the grounds for the program, I looked down at the grave marker below me, a group of five members of the Army Air Corps in 1945, presumably killed together on the same warplane. I thought of their families standing at that spot more than 60 years earlier. An eleven year old boy (as it turns out the son of Iraq veteran and politician Andrew Horne) noticed the same marker and knelt to brush off grass clippings. It was a sweet moment, however far removed from World War II.
Fast forward to Freeman Field in Seymour, Indiana, ironically the home for air training during World War II. Though much of the original airfield property has been parceled out for businesses, a working airport remains. And that is where a charter jet carrying Joey Montgomery's body landed after making similar stops in Detroit and Fargo.
Scottsburg Mayor Bill Graham had encouraged the media to recognize his nephew's ultimate sacrifice. The Indiana National Guard set aside an area for our cameras near the hearse.
I took some notes, but I knew that the images of this day would speak volumes more than I could. So, when Montgomery's wife, the mother of their three children met her worst fears in receiving his casket, I choked back tears. And as other family surrounded the flag draped coffin and laid hands on it, the lump in my throat was somehow deeply personal.
I imagined my own tight knit family. I thought of my children. I thought of my country.
A reporter needs to have enough distance from a story to offer the best perspective for the viewer. But, a reporter never stops being human. And, my sympathy and admiration that day were deeply felt.
When I returned to the newsroom, a voice mail was waiting for me. How dare we show the widow in her nightmare? Do we not have any respect?
I wish the caller had left her name. It is a conversation newsrooms should have, to determine what is gained by airing certain images. The caller suggested that "ratings" trumped taste in showing this homecoming.
I would have told her in my return phone call that Missie Montgomery's personal grief was a public testament to her husband's sacrifice. The media kept our distance from all the family, except for the appointed spokesman, Mayor Graham. And, he had requested that we be present and document this very personal but very American story.
This is, indeed, no time for apathy. In a war that has not changed life on the homefront much at all for non-military families, a TV camera is a useful tool to remind all of us of how it has profoundly changed the lives of many others.
Regardless of your views on this or any war, we can all agree on that.
Posted by joe.arnold at 10:09 PM | Comments (0)
April 30, 2007
Reporter's Notebook from Cruising Lawsuit
City attorneys argue that the cruising lawsuit should have never been filed in federal court, but it was quite an interesting experience inside Judge Jennifer Coffman's courtroom.
U.S. District Judge Jennifer B. Coffman is from Lexington, so she is admittely less familiar with Louisville's layout than local judges. Attorney Ramon McGee says that worked against his case. In particular, he stipulates that everyone here knows that Broadway west of 9th Street is black, while east of 9th Street is dominated by corporations and more affluent and influential property owners, mostly white.
Coffman, though, is certainly at home in her courtroom, with all the formality you would expect for federal court, yet an evenhandedness which gives the impression that she wants each attorney to succeed in presenting the best case possible.
Here is a sampling of the observations I made during the cruising lawsuit:
-- Reverend Louis Coleman and activist Dick Gregory both arrived a few minutes after the hearing had started. Both took seats at the plaintiffs' table despite Coleman having no personal standing in the case and his Justice Resource Center's standing up for debate. Attorney Ramon McGee didn't miss a beat, shaking Gregory's hand while deftly continuing his argument before the judge.
-- Judge Coffman was due to be on vacation this week.
-- Judge Coffman has no problem interrupting attorneys for questions and clarifications. She apologizes, but those interruptions are a clue into her focus. For instance, she asked McGee to focus on the harm to others and the public interest facets of this case. Both ended up being her primary motivations for declining the injunction.
-- LMPD Chief Robert White and Deputy Chief Phillip Turner sat behind the county attorneys. White was visibly perturbed by McGee's argument, sighing and rolling his eyes.
-- McGee cited citizens' complaints that the police crackdown reminded them of a "Nazi like" state, and "martial law."
-- About fifty people, including roughly ten journalists and forty spectators sat in the gallery. But some opponents of the police plan made their sentiments too public for the judge with under their breath comments and asides. Finally, Judge Coffman quieted them, saying "This is not a party, and not church. If you can't keep quiet, just leave."
-- Coffman says the timing of the lawsuit, just one week before Derby was a problem. McGee says the police announced their plan late, giving little opportunity for protest.
-- This case may have some legs before Derby 2008. "I do believe that the plaintiffs are correct," Coffman warned, "that this notion of (vehicle) passes raises serious logistical questions.
-- Ramon McGee says he will have camera crews shooting other Derby celebrations to show that questionable behavior is not limited to West Broadway.
Posted by joe.arnold at 09:47 PM | Comments (0)
December 12, 2006
Big Bully
On most days, the greatest hazard a reporter faces is reaction after a story airs. But sometimes, the danger comes while you are shooting a story.
Reporters and photo journalists enter each day not knowing where their story assignment will take them. I have walked through tornado debris, done barrel rolls in a bi-plane, and stood in the sewer, all in pursuit of a story.
But, on a trip to Jackson County, Indiana to investigate a police-involved shooting, photographer Ron Johnson and I found ourselves in a race for our lives, outrunning a charging bull.
We were at the side of a county road preparing to show how the shooting happened, when we heard a very unusual sound, a sort of distressed whine followed by heavy, heavy footsteps.
From across the field came a very big, very mad, black bull, his eyes dead set on our Ford Explorer and me in the passenger seat. Ron scrambled to get to the drivers seat, somehow got his camera to me and hit the gas just as the bull reached the edge
of the road.
I know that an electric wire is supposed to keep that bull from exiting the field, but it's just one thin piece of metal and if that bull wanted to reach us, he could. I've seen King Kong.
Once safely in the car, we drove back by, admiring our new friend as he reveled in his victory, scaring the snot out of two city slickers. I grabbed Ron's still camera and shot this photo.
If you know bulls, you won't surprised like I was at the sound this one made, a sort of siren burst every half second, a shreek that even got the attention of a horse in the opposite field.
We escaped to report another day.
Posted by joe.arnold at 04:18 PM | Comments (3)
December 06, 2006
What you didn't see in D.C. - My trip to the Supreme Court
As I flew to our nation’s capitol to cover this case I couldn’t believe what I was about to see, the debate over race in schools before the ultimate authority in America’s legal system. Fifty-two years after the Brown vs. Board of Education decision outlawed segregation in public school we are still trying to figure out how best to achieve integration. And one of the cases that raised the issue stems from right here in Jefferson County.
A Louisville mom wanted her son to go to one school but he couldn’t because it would throw off the racial balance. One of the justices asked “will race never be a factor?” Now retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor said maybe one day we don’t have to think about it and we will be a fully integrated society but the country is not at that point just yet. Other Justices eluded to the fact that the use of race to keep diversity is unconstitutional. You can listen to the court watchers who say Justice Alito could be the tiebreaking vote for the conservatives or that Justice Kennedy might write the opinion. But we’ll all have to wait until next year to see where kids end up going to school and how it will impact our community.
__________________________________
Photographs from Renee's trip:
All photographs by WHAS11 News reporter Renee Murphy
__________________________________
When I arrived the afternoon before the oral arguments, I went by the Supreme Court to get my bearings and to figure out how to navigate Washington D.C.’s metro system. There were already law students camped out on the steps of the courthouse. They wanted to ensure they could get a seat inside the court for the case that could change the way race is used in all of our lives. I was happy to see such dedication from students who came from as far as Chicago and Boston.
The morning of the oral arguments I was supposed to do a live report from the White House. I got up extra early, and was so proud because I didn’t get lost on the metro line, only to be greeted with a big fat “no ma’am” from security. There is no budging at the White House. I had a confirmation email saying I was credentialed and on the list. Well, I wasn’t on the list and that was that. The guards were actually quite nice about it. I was supposed to be on air in 4 minutes at this point. So I called the producer and ran to our bureau office in D.C. which was just 2 blocks away. I was allowed in there and was able to do my live report for the second half of the morning show.
Then I had a little time before I needed to head over to the Court so I stopped in Starbucks right next to the White House to warm up and wake up a little. Yes there is now a Starbucks within eyesight of the White House. This is the part where I like to say I had coffee with columnist Helen Thomas. Not really but she was sitting next to me and was greeted by just about every major White House Correspondent who walked in. As she should have, being one of the first female White House Correspondents.
At the Court the demonstrations were already in full swing when I got there at 7:45am. Remember the first case out of Seattle wasn’t being heard until 10am then Jefferson County at 11am. It was surreal to stand there on the steps of the Supreme Court and then to be in the middle of all that – what a rush.
I had to get to the press office early, partly because I didn’t know exactly where to go and partly because the lady helping me said she could help me early and that was it.
Once all of the reporters were in the press office (which was a trailer like the ones you had math in during your middle school years) we all had to walk over to the Court together with only a notebook and pen. When I saw where we were supposed to be sitting I have to admit I was shocked. It was like the overflow rooms that churches have when the sanctuary is full. We couldn’t even see the Justices and barely the courtroom. There were huge pillars in the way and curtains. It was so tight, we sat shoulder to shoulder. I could see the attorneys and if I leaned over really far I could see Justice Alito (who didn’t ask a lot of questions). Since I couldn’t see any of the Justices I had to try and pick out the voices. Some were distinguishable, like Justice Antonin Scalia whose presence is resounding in the courtroom. And of course it was easy to tell Ruth Bader Ginsberg. But Justices Kennedy, Souter and Breyer kind of ran together. Justice Thomas didn’t say anything at all.
I thought the arguments would be more like a trial. The attorneys would present their evidence and the Justices would ask questions. Boy was I wrong. The attorneys would talk for a little then the Justices would cut them off and interrupt. At some points the Justices started talking over each other. They asked about so many hypothetical scenarios and situations. As a lay person it was hard to gauge which way this thing could go.
After the arguments and all the interviews with the attorneys my photographer and I went to the Lincoln Memorial where the protestors had marched to. Scores of kids filled the same steps where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood. Their intentions were good but unfortunately many didn’t have a good understanding of the case or what was happening at Court. They kept talking about affirmative action and this wasn’t really about that. Affirmative action helps to give merit or points to minorities because of their skin color. I guess you could argue it both ways but the Justices even said this wasn’t really about affirmative action because every student got to go to a comparable school. I loved seeing young people mobilized for a cause, I just hope if there is a next time they have all the facts straight.
At this point it was time to write all my stories for the newscasts, get them to the editor and get to the Capitol building for my live report at 5pm. It was a day I will never forget. Maybe one day my news career will lead me back to cover another Supreme Court case.
Posted by renee.murphy at 07:12 AM | Comments (1)
November 16, 2006
YMCA Children of Prisoners Program
By Paul D. Rooprai
Reflecting upon my mentoring experience in the YNOW Children of Prisoners program has shown me how fortunate I am to have been given the chance to create new relationships while giving back to our community. Connecting with the youth in the program, hearing their stories of the loss they experience from not having one of their parents around, finding new ways to help them explore the challenges they face, and having lots of fun have all been rewarding experiences for me as a mentor in the program.
Others would agree that children need a variety of people and experiences to help shape a well-rounded life and the YNOW mentoring program provides that support for our at-risk youth by bringing the community together to share and grow.
Leading my youth, Tony, through some of the choices he faces has given me a renewed sense of who I am and what I have to offer. Whether it is helping him with school work and interacting with siblings and peers, or staying on track to develop and achieve long-term educational and life goals, being a mentor to Tony provides opportunities to share my thoughts, fill many needs, and challenge a young mind to learn and grow. For those in our community looking for ways to connect and make a difference to a young mind, I recommend the YNOW program as a perfect fit.
Our city is a great place to live, work and play, and we need to continue to find ways to grow in support of each other. We all experience loss in our lives but it is even more challenging when it hits us in our youth. I can see now just how much need there is in our community for the YNOW program and I feel I can continue to make a difference through the connections I am making. Hopefully we can continue to grow the program by encouraging those in our community to come out and make a difference by sharing who they are and what they know about life. Thank you for your support of the YNOW Children of Prisoners program – together we’ll make even more of a difference to the future leaders of our community.
Paul Rooprai is a mentor with the YMCA Children of Prisoners Program
• Melissa Swan's series: Children of Prisoners
Posted by Roger Taylor at 03:56 PM | Comments (1)
YMCA Children of Prisoners Program
By Karen Wolff
Why a mentor, why now…
It’s quite simple. I care about the youth in this community. I realize that I can not help everyone, but I may be able to impact one person in a positive way. It may be the next mayor or more simply, a responsible member of the community who makes informed choices.
As I think about being a mentor I can’t help but reflect on my own youth and the missed opportunities, just because I didn’t know.
As a mentor or mentee, you each share your life experiences.... trust me it's not one sided, you learn and grow from this type of relationship. Hopefully the person that you are mentoring will realize that they are not the only person dealing with particular issue in their life. There are many, many people young and old, who face similar challenges every day and feel alone and uncared for.
I remember as a child and young adult feeling like I had no choices in my future. Not until much later in life did I realize that I did have choices, both good and bad.
I’ve often wondered… What if? About my education, about my insecurities as a young woman, not belonging, no one told me if that was normal or not. No one really bothered to just listen.
What if? I had someone to coach me, care about my grades, guide me, have faith in me, listen to me… what choices would I have made differently, how would my life have changed.
No…I do not consider myself a “DO GOODER”. I’m just an ordinary woman who cares about our young people and their futures and decided to help. Once you get involved, you can’t help but fall for the kids in this program. They are bright, caring, and insightful. If you really listen, you will not only learn about the kids, but will come to understand more about yourself.
To help us achieve our true potential, we all need a friend – someone who cares about us, someone who will take the time to listen.
No matter what our age, the color of our skin, background or abilities. Mentors help these young people by helping them set and achieve their personal and educational goals, by showing them that they do have a choice, by helping them determine their own values and guide them to applying those values to their own lives.
There are too many young people that do not have a caring adult to provide encouragement and support or to just simply listen. Programs like YNOW can provide the link to this support, but programs need volunteers to close the gap.
I encourage everyone to think about the mentors in their life – a team coach, a teacher, a neighbor, a co-worker, a parent or another caring adult – and take a few minutes to thank them and then consider becoming a mentor yourself.
-- Karen Wolff is a mentor for the YMCA's Children of Prisoners Program
• Melissa Swan's series: Children of Prisoners
Posted by Roger Taylor at 03:41 PM | Comments (1)
November 02, 2006
Caught On Tape!
Everyone has embarassing moments, even moments that make it on TV.
Ask any reporter or anchor in town and they can give you quite a few examples.
Like the time one of my interviews on the morning show years ago literally fell asleep on the air -- I had to rouse him to give me an answer! How about the time I ran to a live shot to deliver a verdict and was so out of breath, callers phoned in to make sure I wasn't having a heart attack.
Gary Roedemeier says a slip of the tongue can make for a very embarrassing moment, like the time he was supposed to read "shotgun blast" and it came out
"sh*tgun blast."
A segment with a pet can go terribly wrong, just ask Renee Murphy about the time she praised a dog for its good behavior on the air -- the dog's response? To "barf"
all over the set on LIVE TV!
A wardrobe malfunction can also lead to an embarassing and anxious moment for an anchor, not the kind of wardrobe malfunction you're thinking of -- this one is G rated.
At the end of the 5:30 newscast, I have to take off my microphone, unplug my earpiece and make way for Melissa who uses the chair next in the 6 pm newscast.
Not that it takes any athletic skill to do this -- but we only have 30 seconds or less to make the switch.
When a small part of the microphone gets caught on your sweater -- you begin to sweat, then pull, then scream for scissors! That was the drama unfolding between shows recently with Melissa and me grappling to get me unstuck -- may I add with no glasses on and trying not to laugh hysterically.
We managed to get the microphone off, but I didn't have time to unplug my earpiece as the 6 pm newscast began! I hit the deck, literally, draped under the anchor desk with a close up of Melissa's shoes as we began our Top Story. They were on camera, I was hiding below.
I have yet to pull the show to see her expression, but if she seemed a little startled that night, now you know why.
So thank you Jamie Martin for pulling out your cell phone to capture the moment - another embarassing moment, luckily this one didn't make it on TV.
By the way Melissa, nice shoes.
Posted by rachel.platt at 01:07 PM | Comments (0)
October 23, 2006
Hello Louisville
My first month in Louisville has been a tremendous experience. In just a short period of time I have learned just a little bit about what makes this such a great city. People here take pride in where they live, and they want to show it off to anyone who visits.
Whether I'm out on a story or out with my family the people I've run into have offered invaluable insight. They want me to know not only who what where when and how, they want me to know why. Why are we named after a French King? Why is horseracing in our hearts and basketball in our soul. Why do baseball bats and boxing gloves define us world wide. Why did our city and county government merge? And, why in the world can't we get that darn bridge painted.
It's answers to those questions that make me want to learn more about the people and places in my new city. So, while you're going about your daily life, and you stumble upon a "why" in your world, send it to me, and I'll see if I can get an answer. If you have a story idea, I'd love to hear that as well.
Posted by andy.treinen at 12:03 PM | Comments (0)
April 26, 2006
An Economy Out of Balance
I stopped filling my tank at 30 dollars. Half a tank would be all that I would contribute to big oil on this spring day. I keep thinking the next time I fill up, prices will be lower.
America is now more than a year into three dollar gasoline and three hundred dollar utility bills. We're all looking for places to cut corners, save money, because the cost of energy is claiming a huge percentage of our incomes.
We recently combined all of our cell phones into a family plan that is saving us some money every month. And at the food store, we stop and think, do we really need this?
Last spring, our patio was dotted with flower pots, impatiens were everywhere in the backyard. This year, we cut back to a few geraniums and a pot of Gerber Daisies.
And here's the part that is out of balance. Because we are paying so much for gasoline, natural gas, and electricity, there's not enough money left to buy other things that make for a better life.
If you're a small business that I patronize, I'm sorry you haven't seen me lately. My money went to the power company last winter and now the oil company wants 60 dollars for a fill-up. When the price of a commodity increases by one hundred percent, another part of the family budget is going to suffer.
The numbers will tell you that the economy is humming right along. Wall Street seems happy, especially if you own oil stocks, but eventually somebody is going to pay for this.
When most of the money goes to just one sector of the economy, those sensitive consumer businesses are going to take a hit. I can't buy your product, if I spend it all someplace else.
We had a chance to free the country from our dependence on an oil economy during the first energy crunch in 1973. But now, it's back with a vengeance. This time Americans may be forced find a new balance in the economy.
We certainly cannot depend on the oil companies to lower prices or for the government to somehow broker a cure for the economy. Demand for oil rises and falls on the highways of America.
Somewhere along the line we lost control of our own economy. Only consumers can take it back.
Posted by gary.roedemeier at 03:12 PM | Comments (2)
April 17, 2006
Lessons In Life
Her name is Brooke Clemons. Her smile instantly put one on everyone around her.
I think her Priest had it right at her funeral, there was something so precious about that toothless grin. There was something about this little girl that would teach me great lessons about life, death and family.
We met the Clemons Family through St. Matthews Baseball. Last summer we became even closer when our sons were on the same All-Star Team. All of the families on the team spend many a night together at the ballpark and hotels, it was my inner look at a family that had been to hell and back. Looking at Brooke swimming in the pool with all the players, you would never know that the 7-year old endured such a fierce battle with cancer. The only hint was a scar on her chest.
Brooke relished being another kid in the pool, not the child who was waging war against cancer. Her parents took all our questions in stride, talking openly about their game plan in their ongoing battle. Bryan and Stephanie are athletes, former basketball players at Bellarmine, endurance and fighting back are things they learned long ago. They would need endurance in this fight, they would also need their faith. They lived day to day, month to month, waiting to get word that Brooke's scans were clear. We all knew when the scans were going to happen, we all knew and cheered when they came back clear.
We all marveled at the family's strength, their ability to change their lives at a moment's notice to accomodate another hospital visit or even another ballgame.
They not only focused on Brooke, but juggled the active lives of their three other children.
If there were dark moments, and I'm sure there were, we never saw them. Even at Brooke's funeral I couldn't believe Bryan and Stephanie's strength as they spoke before the congregation. We heard the story of how Brooke, before her last surgery, was the first in the car ready to get it over over with so she could go back to school. The Priest wondered if Brooke knew it was time, her time to be an angel in heaven. The Clemons Family has requested donations be made in Brooke's honor to the Children's Hospital Foundation at Kosair. The family raised 60-thousand dollars last year for the Foundation with Brooke's 18 Holes for Hope.
And hope is perhaps the lasting legacy for me with Brooke. The hope she had and inspired with that precious toothless grin. A young girl who had to feel the love of a
family, the entire Clemons Clan who never gave up hope.
Posted by rachel.platt at 04:06 PM | Comments (17)
March 03, 2006
POLAR BEAR PLUNGE
I AM NOT A BRAVE PERSON, NOR DO I PLAY ONE ON TV. THAT'S WHY I FIND THE POLAR BEAR PLUNGE AND MY WILLINGNESS TO DO IT SO PUZZLING.
YES, IT IS FOR THE GREAT CAUSE OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS, THAT IS A GIVEN.
BUT TO PLUNGE INTO THE OHIO RIVER IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER IS NO EASY TASK FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME WHO CAN'T STAND THE COLD -- SO HERE WE GO!
THIS YEAR I DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO GET SOME MORAL SUPPORT FROM MY FAMILY --- HIS NAME IS COOPER! MY OLDEST SON SHOWED AN INTEREST IN JUMPING WITH ME -- SO I JUMPED ON THAT.
DOUG PROFFITT'S SON WANTED TO JUMP AS WELL - -SINCE COOPER AND BOONE ARE FRIENDS -- IT WAS THE PERFECT SET UP. WE'D ALL BRAVE THE COLD TOGETHER --- THE ONLY PROBLEM --THEY ALL LOVE THE COLD BUT ME!
APPARENTLY I'M NOT ALONE.
I TALKED WITH A WOMAN WHO WAS READY TO JUMP WHO SAID SHE HAD FILLED OUT HER WILL THAT MORNING. SHE WAS WORRIED THE COLD WATER WOULD MAKE HER HEART STOP -- SO WHY DO WE DO THIS?
MY SON SAID HE WANTED TO SEE IF HE COULD DO IT --- BRAGGING RIGHTS OF SORTS --WHAT OTHER 10 YEAR OLD COULD BOAST HE PLUNGED INTO 42 DEGREE WATER.
SO IS IT BRAGGING RIGHTS FOR ME?
NOT REALLY -- I THINK IT'S MORE A TEST OF TIME --- TO SHOW THAT EVERY NOW AND THEN I CAN DO SOMETHING YOUTHFUL --- AND JUMP WITH THE BEST OF THEM.
OF COURSE THERE WAS NO BATHING SUIT FOR ME --- JEANS AND A LONG SLEEVE SHIRT --- I AM OF COURSE PRACTICAL AND REALISTIC AT MY AGE.
BUT MY 10 YEAR OLD SAW A DIFFERENT SIDE OF ME -- A SIDE READY TO TAKE THE PLUNGE WITH HIM --- READY TO ACT LIKE A KID AGAIN AND JUMP!
WILL I JUMP AGAIN NEXT YEAR?
IF I WANT TO ACT MY AGE PROBABLY NOT - BUT IF I WANT TO FEEL LIKE A KID AGAIN -- I PROBABLY WILL!
Posted by rachel.platt at 11:10 AM | Comments (1)
February 15, 2006
The Quail Hunter
My father was a country boy.
He grew up in Bourbon, Missouri and hunting was part of the lifestyle.
And by the early 1950's he could still be lured into a bird hunt with his brother Kermit.
And so, one Sunday afternoon, Harold and Kermit went quail hunting while the rest of the family visited my grandmother.
Dad arrived back at grandma's by late afternoon, and when we saw him come up the sidewalk, we knew something was terribly wrong.
My Dad's face was covered with bandages.
When we asked what had happened, he simply said, "I got shot."
The hunters had been spread in a line across the field, and when a covey flew up on the flank, Kermit whirled and fired. The buckshot shredded my father's hunting jacket, and soon he was picking pellets out of his face.
It was a hunting accident, very similar to the one involving Vice President Dick Cheney.
The job of buckshot removal for my Dad was completed at a local doctor's office. My father would later tell us, that one shot went through his upper lip and lodged between his front teeth. He spit that pellet out with his tongue.
Once the bandages were removed, my Dad looked like he was recovering from a case of the measles. And when he talked about the accident after that, he never blamed his brother. He just accepted it as something that can happen when you hunt quail in a group.
But that Sunday had one other lasting effect. My father never went hunting again.
Posted by gary.roedemeier at 10:58 AM | Comments (2)
February 06, 2006
Delivery Seen 'Round The World
I am an Air Force brat, always have been, always will be. It has served me well in life.
A few years ago it gave me great insight when I traveled to VietNam with a group of veterans from Bardstown. I saw where many of their comrades fought and died, I saw where my father fought -- where so many fought and died. But recently being an Air Force Brat landed me a story about life ---- a baby delivery seen round the world.
Diana Blanton is a mother looking out for her son --- a Marine from Scottsburg, Indiana who is in Iraq for a second tour of duty. Except this time around he was deployed just days after he found out his wife, Beth was expecting their first child.
Her son -- Christopher Garten was heartbroken that he was going to miss his wife's pregnancy -- but more importantly, the birth of his first child. That's when his mother and his mother-in-law began a mission of their own --- finding someone who could help!
Enter the Air Force Brat -- me!
It's in my bio that I am an Air Force brat -- it is part of who I am --- a lifestyle that helped shape me. I cry everytime I see a reunion between a soldier and his or her spouse. I remember running on the tarmac to my father when he returned from VietNam. It's a feeling you never forget -- it's a sight that reminds you how precious life and homecomings really are.
I couldn't deliver a homecoming for Sgt. Garten to be back in Indiana for the birth of his child -- but WHAS could deliver a connection ---- a technological connection that would allow him to see that delivery round the world!
Our station worked with the Shneck Medical Center in Seymour, Indiana to set up a webcam that would focus on his wife --- Sgt. Garten bought a webcam in Baghdad so we could see him.
It wasn't always easy seeing him -- but through flashlights and even Christmas tree lights we managed to see his beautiful smile when his son was born January 12th!
He was able to see a beautiful baby boy who had his dimples --- he saw those first pictures.
He also heard a slight whimper --- the first sounds of his son -- Hayden Christopher.
On that day in that delivery room -- it gave me great pride to be an Air Force brat -- because I know all about families separated during War Time --- and it was with great pride that I saw a family reunited for the miracle of birth.
The birth of a Marine brat so to speak -- I hope it serves him well.
Posted by rachel.platt at 04:26 PM | Comments (2)
January 30, 2006
What Are Your Magic Words?
I am a veteran parent of the teenage years but my years of service are not up yet. Our older daughter is now 21, zipping through college and doing quite well. But here we go again. Our younger daughter is 16. SIXTEEN. Those of us who have teenagers know what that means. Driving, dating, being more responsible for making their own choices and that's just the beginning. Parents of pre-teenagers often say "You're should know. You've been through it before." It doesn't matter. Every child is different and I can tell you in just 5 years the landscape of teenage choices and temptations has changed dramatically. That brings us to the Magic Words.
My 16 year old daughter and I were in the car (where many a meaningful conversation takes place) talking about her plans for the evening. She was going to a party at a friend's home. I ask all the proper questions. "Who's going to be there?" "Will the parents be home?" According to my duaghter, my list of questions is endless. What came of the conversation was that she wasn't sure she'd be comfortable at the party. It wasn't anything horrible like drugs or alcohol it was just potential personality conflicts. My solution was simple; just tell them you want to leave. Evidentally, that doesn't work. She might be embarrassed. They might get their feelings hurt. It had to be something important that called her away from the party.
So, we came up with the code, the magic words. If she calls and says them we are on our way to pick her up. I hope I never hear the magic words. But if I do the other part of the plan is in play. That's don't ask/don't tell. We have agreed not to ask why she left the party or why she wasn't comfortable. That's the deal. Tough to stick to but I'd rather trust her judgment and have her call than have her feel like she couldn't. I don't know how or if it will really work and I'm not anxious to find out. But it does give me peace of mind that we have a plan.
And it makes me wonder. What are your magic words? Do other parents have this type of plan, this type of deal with their child? Let me know what's worked for you. We parents in the teenage years need to stick together. Then, we need to sit back and enjoy these interesting times.
Posted by melissa.swan at 05:46 PM | Comments (0)
Runaway Barge.....Live!
There it was, a mixture of heavy metal and toxic cargo, floating free down the Ohio River, live on WHAS11 News at Six.
We always try to bring you the news first. But this time Sky 11 brought you video as it happened.
The runaway barge was propelled by the swirling muddy Ohio, as we watched it take dead aim on the K and I Railroad Bridge.
Then, the barge swung sidways and we held our collective breaths.
Would the concrete supports on the bridge, withstand the impact of a barge filled with liquid asphalt? The barge came in broadside and smacked into two of the bridge supports with a crunching impact.
We did our best to describe what you saw and we watched from the studio as the barge lurched upward and water sprayed around the bridge supports.
The bridge stayed solid. The river current pinned the barge against the concrete supports. That night, the current would finally turn the barge on it's side, and some of the cargo would leak into the river. But a major disaster was avoided.
And the runaway barge was another great example of the importance of local news. The cable news networks can give you relentless covereage of what is happening around the world. But they won't give you live coverage of an incident on the Louisville waterfront.
Everyday is a fascinating challenge to present the news quickly and accurately. And sometimes, we get lucky, and it happens right before our eyes. On those occasions, like last week at six o'clock, we all watch together.
Posted by gary.roedemeier at 01:16 PM | Comments (0)
The Katrina Kids
When Hurricane Katrina battered the gulf coast, there was an outpouring of sympathy and dollars to aide the recovery effort. The Louisville Gardens was turned into a hurricane relief center as the city welcomed evacuees from Louisiana.
But five months later, the urgency of the Katrina recovery has been largely forgotten, until you meet the Bocage family.
Connie Bocage sat in a Louisville restaurant last week and said with a smile, "We love it here. Not that we wanted to be here, but since we're here, we try to make the best of it."
Like a lot of people, I thought the people displaced by Katrina, would eventually go home. But not yet, and maybe not ever.
Connie Bocage told me that she tried to go home. Her mother still lives in Laplace, Louisiana. But she says, "there is nothing to go home to."
The clean-up and recovery effort along the Gulf Coast remains mired in government bureaucracy. For Connie and her three daughters, there is no place to rent, no place to go.
In fact, the girls, ages 12, 9, and 7, are beginning to settle into their new home.
After some initial misgivings they feel welcomed at their new schools in Jefferson County. And they have found another anchor in Louisville.
The three girls have been matched by the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program. Three little sisters, now look forward to weekend meetings with three Big Sisters. who have volunteered as mentors.
Connie Bocage says her girls spend the entire week planning the outings with their Big Sisters. The Big Sisters are mentors, friends and tour guides to introduce the girls to a new city.
While most of us have forgotten about the plight of the Katrina evacuees, there is still much that can be done. In this case, three young Louisville women are looking disaster in the face, and creating smiles for children who lost their homes.
It's still not certain if the Bocage family will stay here or eventually go home. But if they do return to Louisiana, they will return with a positive experience from our community.
Three Big Sisters helped them through a crisis and were special friends in a time of uncertainty and need.
Posted by gary.roedemeier at 12:28 PM | Comments (0)
January 10, 2006
The Miracle Baby
At this time last year, Piper Nicole Joseph was a frozen embryo, stored in a straw at a Cincinnati Fertility
Clinic.
Now she is a healthy little girl, living in a loving home in Oldham County. Piper was adopted along with four other frozen embryos and transferred to her mother's womb on April 13, 2005.
The embryos were so small they would fit on the head of a straight pin. And for Rhonda and David Joseph, one of those embryos made their dream of parenthood come true. Rhonda is 47 and David is 52, and they had almost given up hope of having child until a fateful phone call.
The Josephs had been considering foreign adoption, but they were told they were too old. Then came a call from a friend, Lynn Waxman in Baltimore. Lynn had just seen a television program on an organization called the Snowflake Program. The program helps infertile couples with leftover frozen embroys, find adoptive parents for embryos they couldn't use. But the program was based on the west coast and the waiting time made it impossible. However, the Josephs were inspired by a program that would allow Rhonda to carry a child, who might never have a chance to live.
A local doctor referred the Joseph's to a clinic in Cincinnati and the first call to the Institute for Reproductive Health brought a remarkable coincidence. A couple that had just delivered a healthy baby girl, had called to put the rest of their embryos up for adoption. The Joseph's doctor called that same morning and it was an instant match.
Rhonda says that morning was an answer to her prayers.
In just a few weeks Rhonda felt that she was pregnant. And a call from the doctor's office set off a celebration in the Joseph's car, the moment they heard the news. By December, Piper Nicole had become the newest resident of Oldham County.
And now, Mom and Dad have become strong advocates for finding adoptive parents for frozen embroyos. It's estimated that there at 350,000 frozen embryos waiting for adoption at clinics around the country. Their future is uncertain because their parents are uncertain what to do.
Yes, the process is just like adoption, because the embryos have different parents, but the mother carries the child and delivers like a normal full term pregnancy. As the doctor told Rhonda and David, " when we put that precious little baby in your arms, you don't even think about where she came from...she will be yours.."
And the Josephs will be happy to share their story and information with you. Just write to Rhonda at PipersMiracle@aol.com.
Posted by gary.roedemeier at 01:48 PM | Comments (3)
December 06, 2005
Meth Education Campaign
Remember that shocking television ad from the 1980's? "This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs."
Your brain on drugs was a fried egg. And now, the people who brought us that dramatic illustration of drug abuse, have a new message.
The target this time is methamphetamine. This horrible drug has invaded America through clandestine drug labs that cook up addictions in garages and basements.
As one meth user told a Louisville news conference on December 5th, "I turned to meth because I wanted more bang for my drug bucks."
Meth hooks the user and takes them down a spiral that can lead to death.
The drug made Todd Z. into a drug user, drug dealer, and a resident of Louisville's Healing Place, as a recovering meth addict.
Todd was part of the message in an event to roll out a new education campaign to tell Americans about the threat of meth.
The Partnership for a Drug-Free America says people know very little about this new drug and how it destroys lives.
But meth damages more than the user.
It is the new and more deadly second hand smoke.
The centerpiece of this advertising campaign is the second hand damage caused by meth. Children living in the same house with a makeshift meth lab can suffer physical damage that cannot be repaired.
It is being called the worst illegal drug that law enforcement has yet encountered.
Louisville is one of the first cities to see the new meth education ads, but they will eventually be seen in 23 U.S. cities.
It's an effort to keep young people out of the drug pipeline, a pipeline where they are dumped in a drug treatment center or a cemetery.
Posted by gary.roedemeier at 12:22 PM | Comments (2)
December 02, 2005
The Smoking Wars
Another municipal smoking ban was signed this week. This time it was Jeffersonville, and the outcome seemed to surprise even those who fought for the ban.
My last day of November started with a call from a contact at the American Cancer Society. We were invited to a news conference at 4 p.m. at the City-County Building in Jeffersonville.
They were calling the session because they feared the mayor of Jeffersonville was about to veto the smoking ban that had been passed by the city council.
The ban had been approved on a 4-3 vote on November 21, and my contact with the Southern Indiana Smoke Free Coaltion said that rumors had been flying that mayor Rob Waiz had the veto ready.
But they were just rumors. About 20 minutes into the news conference, word came that the mayor had just signed the smoking ban into law. It will go into effect in 6 months.
In the meantime, Louisville's smoking ban has been greeted by restaurants looking for loopholes in the law, that would allow them to continue to serve smokers.
But some restaurants, that I have visited, have already gone smoke free, and apparently with little complaint.
And we're getting some emails from non-smokers, who say they will not patronize those places that continue to allow smoking. So, the smoking ban has, defacto, given people a choice.
Some restaurant owners have complained that they will lose business if they ban smoking, but now it appears that they will lose business, if they allow it.
The lines between smoking and non-smoking have become more pronounced, and it will be interesting to see how the business owners will navigate the smokey haze in plotting their futures.
Posted by gary.roedemeier at 01:14 PM | Comments (5)
November 29, 2005
A Jockey's Life
My request for an interview had interrupted Randy Romero's dialysis treatment. He emerged from a treatment room with a plastic tube, dangling from shirt.
He walked slowly. Everything I saw showed the lasting effects of his life as a jockey.
Randy Romero came from a Southern horse racing family. As one trainer told me, "Coming out of Louisiana, nobody could ride a horse like Randy."
The 47-year-old former jockey I saw in that room connected to Suburban hospital, had given his life and his body to horse racing. And he still couldn't walk away from the sport he loves.
His kidneys had been ravaged by the pressure to maintain the low weight required of a thoroughbred rider. Now, three days a week he was tethered to a machine that replaced his failed organs.
A kidney transplant was once a hope, but Randy lost his spleen when a horse fell on him years ago. Doctors now say, infections would just destroy the new organs.
And kidneys are just part of the problem. Romero has a bad liver, that was damaged by a tainted blood transfusion.
He needed blood when he was badly burned in a sauna explosion. He was in the sauna at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas, to lose weight.
And jockeys riding today at race tracks across the country, look at Randy Romero and see themselves.
There is danger, everytime they get a leg up on a fast thoroughbred. And like Romero, most lack adequate health insurance to get them through treatment of a serious injury.
And the injuries continue to happen.
Last January, jockey Gary Boulanger took a terrible fall at Gulfstream Park, and was in critical condition for weeks. He has recovered to some extent, but hasn't resumed riding, and fellow jockeys are raising money to help him.
There was just such an effort to help Randy Romero in Kentucky, and while they help their fellow jockeys, the riders also wonder, who's next.
As you look at the scars that run down Romero's arms, you wonder what can be done to protect these young people, who risk so much in their race to fame on horseback.
In the world of thoroughbred racing, where unproven horses command millions of dollars, jockeys still risk their futures and lives for sometimes less than a hundred dollars a race.
But Randy Romero will not walk away. He is mentoring a young rider by the name of Randall Toups, who recently won on several long shots at Churchill's fall meet.
Romero is living for the future through his young apprentice. Yet his lifestyle has been changed to include three afternoons every week, to cleanse his blood.
And Randall Toups, 30 year younger, rides into an exciting but uncertain future, that is clouded by health care for jockeys that doesn't match the danger of the sport.
Posted by gary.roedemeier at 01:33 PM | Comments (0)
