My last two crime stories as an intern

A concerned citizen called police about burglary in progress at a neighboring home yesterday. Police arrived to find two male juveniles--a 10 year-old and 14-year-old- inside the home. Both were issued summons for criminal mischief.

Tracey Daniels of Holmes Street also reported a residential burglary yesterday. An unknown subject entered her home and took $3,000.00 cash.

Not really gong out with a bang, but I guess that's a good thing for the city; it's really a catch 22.

This is it and I'm not talking M.J.

Well, today is the last day at my internship and I must say this experience has been well worth it. I've gotten real-world training and experience that I can use in the future. Not only that, but the station has asked me to stay on after this week, so I will be working while I'm in school. The experience is going to help me when I start to look for a job in another market, plus I'm going to get paid for something I enjoy doing. This is it for this blog, but definitely not the end for me or my career in radio.

I DID IT!!!

Today Joe was out of the studio attending a meeting, so I was left to do the noon news--by myself. Yesterday we did a trial run, and I did pretty good, but today I was left to fly solo. Things went really well. I just came in and did the same thing I've been doing for 8 weeks, but this time I did it with no assistance. Joe returned to the studio before I was completely done, but he just sat back and watched except for including his story in the broadcast. I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to have this internship and even more excited to be able to continue through the year. Tomorrow is officially my last day as an intern; on Monday I become an employee!!!!

BIG DAY!!!!!!!!

The last days of my internship are turning out to be some of the most exciting. Today I got to write, record, edit and produce the noon news by myself--with the help of Joe of course. I had a few tutorials about working the board before, but today I actually got to sit at the main mic and record and work the sound board; It was amazing. Not only that, but I also was offered a part-time position with the station after my intership concludes this week!!!! I'm so excited to be able to continue working for the station, this is only going to help me when I finish school. As time goes on I may have more responsibility and who knows I might get my own show. lol

LAST WEEK!!!!

Oh my gosh, I think it's finally setting in that this week is my last week at the radio station; I'm going to miss working. I love turning on the radio and hearing my voice; I love being in the studio; I love gathering stories; I love the whole process that is radio. I am so very greatful for the opportunity that I had this summer to get my feet wet. Now that I have eight weeks of experience behind me, it might be a little easier getting a job. I'm glad we were requried to get an intership because going in blind to a job would have been terrible, at least now I've had the opportunity to make mistakes. I won't actully be looking for a job for at least another year because I start graduate school in August, but I still think I'm ready.

Lead Anchor--AGAIN!!!

Whoo Hoo!!! Yesterday I was the lead anchor for the noon and 5 p.m. news cast. It's exciting being the voice that people listen to for their news. I've been out on different assignments for work and have been talking to people who recognize my voice or my name from the station. What's even more exciting is that no one has been very critical of my reporting or my on-air presence. This summer has really been exciting for me and has really shown me that being on the radio is what I want to do. I feel so comfortable behind the mic and love interacting with people. I'm coming down to my final two wks of work and I'm really going to miss the station and the people who work there.

Slow Weekend

I havent had a story on the air since Thrusday because the crime reports have been kind of slow. I have been scrapping for stories, but nothing has really come up. On Friday, however, I was allowed to read the news report used by the station. An actuall, Friday was the first time I head myself on air. from somewhere other than the station. It was kind of nice hearing myself on the radio. I don't cringe as much when I hear my own voice anymore. . . I gues it just takes some getting used to.

I interviewed another police juror on Friday too. Out of all the jurors that I've interviewed, he seemed the most interested in the problem at hand instead of trying to save face. He was passionate and honest; I liked that. We added two more questions to the lists that we want each juror to answer, so I'm going to have to call the other back into the station-if they'll come. There are still some jurors I have not gotten in contact with. I make it my business to call at least twice a week, but still no responses. I don't understand why people who took a public position don't want to speak to the public or want the public to know what's going on--people have a right to know.

Hopefully tomorrow I will have a report worth airing . . .we'll see.

Learning the Ropes

Today I was not able to record my stories for the air because my co-worker who usually produces the news was out. he was coming in later and was going to use my story for the 5 o'clock news. He has taught me the basics of recording and producing in the studio, but I haven't actually done it yet because we usually do the news together. Today I think we realized that it's time that I get more hands-on just in case this happens again. I will probably be producing the news by myself shortly.

More drugs off the streets (report 7/15/10)

Two early morning traffic stops turned into drug busts and arrests. Officers arrested Roy Lee Brumfield of Mansfield on charges of: possession of drug paraphernalia, obstruction of justice, possession of marijuana, possession of crystal meth, open container and resisting. The 28-year-old is detained at the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center. In a separate incident, police arrested 43-year-old James Landon Mathis of Natchitoches. he is charged with possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting. He is detained at NPDC.

School Board Meeting Recap (on-air report 7/14)

The Natchitoches Parish School Board held a committee meeting at the School Board office yesterday at 5:00p.m. Several committee member addressed the board giving updates and presenting new ideas for improving the school system and saving the district money. "Saturday H.O.P.E.," a project started last January at L.P. Vaughn Elementary and Middle School, allows students with frequent absences to make up school days, while receiving one-on-one help from staff and community volunteers. Supporters of the project hope to see the initiative used at other schools in the coming year. There was some discussion on eliminating some bus routes in the approaching year. A representative with Durham Transportation suggested combining at least six routes, which could save the district $150,000 yearly. Board members voiced concern over overcrowding and timeliness of the proposed changes, but will continue to work with the company to settle the matter. The board will meet Wednesday at the Parish School Board office.

***I continue to receive more responsibility at the station. I was the only staff member to attend the school board meeting. Using what I have learned for covering City Council meetings with my co-worker, I was able to cover this meeting solo and received accolades for doing so.***

Lafayette Street Closure (on-air reports 7/13/10)

The Natchitoches City Council held a public hearing yesterday at the Natchitoches Arts Center to discuss the closure of Lafayette Street from Ducournau to Washington Street for the Construction of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. The state had already called for the closure of the front part of the street running between the Front Street condos and the Pub; the additional closure was called for by the city; it will be used as a staging area and to house a job trailer. The area will also allow large cranes and other building equipment to be utilized for the project. the major concerns for retail and residential owners affected by the closure are safety and access during emergency situations. Community Development Director Randy Lacaze, who is working closely with the state on the project, assures the residents that the access points at each end of the street will allow emergency vehicles to get in and residents to get out in a timely manner and if necessary, the city can see about additional fencing to help keep out unwarranted traffic. A spokesperson from VCC, the contractor for the project out of Irvine, Texas, said the company is ready to begin the 18-month-project and the street will be closed as early as Wednesday.

Several reports of interior auto theft have come from customers at the Mariners Restaurant located on Highway 3110 in the last five days, the latest coming form Ginna Anyan of Winnfield whose vehicle was broken into last night and a suspect took several electronic items valued at $4,300.


***Today I had the honor of being the lead anchor for the noon and 5 o'clock news reports. As I progress through this internship, I think my boss and co-workers are beginning to trust me a little more and I'm beginning to believe in myself a little more. At the end of this internship I think I'm going to be set to be able to get a job with station.***

Man Victim of Random Crime; Wal-Mart Employess Get Caught (on-air reports 7/11/10)

James Davis was driving down Anita Street in Natchitoches Friday evening when his toolbox and lawnmower fell of the back of his truck. He stopped to retrieve the items when "several male subject in the area jumped on [him]," according to Davis. No items were reported stolen and Davis was transported to the Natchitoches Regional Medical Center for his injuries.

Three Wal-Mart employees were arrested Saturday for theft in separate incidences. Store managers had been watching cashier Paula Calhoun for sometime taking money. She is charged with felony theft for an amount totalling over $2,800. Police also arrested 22-year-old Dewaski Fuller for theft of goods over $500. He was released on a $15 bond fee, scheduled to return August 20. Kia Fields was arrested for felony theft and issued a summons with a court date on Aug 20.

Interviews underway

Today I conducted interviews with 4 of the 11 Police Jury members. For the most part the interviews went as I expected and each juror seemed to be very concerned with the financial situation they are facing. Once all interviews are complete, the profiles are going to be posted to youtube in the weeks that follow, so they are available to citizen. One juror refused to speak on the matter, therefore there will be at most 10 profiles available.

Today was one of the most enjoyable days I've had at my internship this entire summer. For the first time I did something I had never had the opportunity to do and it felt great. My co-worker and I were really on the move today. He had people in a out of the studio, I had people in and out of the studio and together we go a lot accomplished in a small amount of time.

I was informed today that I will be getting the opportunity to do a community spotlight interview very soon. I'm very excited because I think I'm ready to take the next step. I'm becoming more comfortable behind the mic and am reacting a speaking better than I was when I first start, which is great because this experience is about growth. I am really looking forward to what is to come.

Setting a New Agenda; Royal Persuit (on-air reports 7/9/10)

Congressman John Flemming conducted a town hall meeting Thursday afternoon at the Natchitoches Events center as part of the America Speaking Out campaign. "America Speaking Out is an official effort of the House Republican Conference to engage Americans across the country and give them a voice in creating a new governing agenda for Congress." At the forum, Fleming with a group of community members comprised a list of issues most important to the people. Topping the list was government deficit spending, followed by health care, immigration, homeland security, and jobs in that order. Fleming said in other town hall meetings and in polls, these same issues top the list of what's important to Americans. Voters were able to voice concerns pertaining to specific topics and offer ways to resolve the issues. Congressman Fleming hopes these town hall meeting will set the agenda in Washington based on citizen concerns. Americans can speak out in person or online at
americaspeakingout.com.


The wait is finally over! It's official; LeBron James is leaving Cleveland to join Dewayne Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami to play for the Heat. James made the announcement last night from the Boys & Girls Club in Connecticut in a one-hour special aired on ESPN. Fans in Miami rejoiced, while Cleveland fans lashed out in disappointment by burning his #23 jersey in the street. The Cavs owner went so far as to release a letter to Cleveland fans calling James narcissistic and selfish even declaring that James was cursed and would take that curse with him where ever he went. James on the other hand said he made that decision that was best for him and had the support of friends and family--most notably his mother. The 2.5 million dollars raised from last night's special will be donated to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

Police Jury Q & A . . .coming soon.

The Natchitoches Police Jury is going through a financial crunch at the current time and has to find ways to deal with it's ever depleating budget. The 11-person jury has had to close its administrative offices on Fridays as a way to help cushion the budget. I have been assigned the task of finding out where each juror thinks the situation stands presently and what course of action will be taken. I have a list of five question that I will be asking each of the 11 to see if they are all on the same page. The questions and answers will be posted to my blog as well as the KNOC youtube account. Interviews should be done by the end of this week, so look for the completed project next week. What we discover should be interesting.

Police arrest potential drug dealer (on-air report 6/7/10)

Police recovered drugs out of the J.W. Thomas apartment complex yesterday afternoon and arrested a man in connection to them. 17-year-old Dequincy Rushing was charged with possession of crack cocaine with the intent to sale, as well as two counts of resisting an officer, interference and obstruction. He is detained at the Natchitoches parish Detention Center, scheduled to appear August 20.

AP Style

As I was writing my stories today, I realized that there is not as much emphasis on AP style as I once thought, especially for radio writing. My stories are written to be heard and listeners really won't know the difference, therefore my supervisor reads and edits for sound and not sight. I wrote a story not to long ago about a gun and in my story I wrote out 22 caliber instead of .22, since that's how I was going to read it for the news. There are some things like referring to a person by last name only after the first reference that still matter, but other style rules seem unimportant. If I were writing for print, the style rules would apply a lot more, but for broadcast purposes I can get away with a lot of style errors.

Burgler on the roof, Underage DWI (on-air report 6/6/10)

Police stopped a burglary attempt early Monday morning at Jeff's Guns on Texas Street after responding to an alarm activation. After arriving at the location, a foot pursuit ensued and police were able to locate two suspect; a third subject was later discovered on the roof of the building. Approximately $500 worth of damage was done to the roof.

Officers arrested 20-year-old Matthew Wilkerson for driving while intoxicated and simple criminal damage to property. Police observed Wilkerson trying to drive his truck up the large grassy hill on the riverbank at 1:00 this morning. Wilkerson was released after paying a $15 bond fee and is scheduled to return August 9.

Business Burglary 6/2/10

Acme Refrigeration of Natchitoches, located on Highway 3110 reported a theft yesterday. Ricky Norman told police that sometime on Monday, between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., a suspect took 12 bottles of refrigeration valued at $2100.

Children left in cars in summer heat, Police chase suspect through city

Two infants were locked in vehicles yesterday in two seperate incidences. After locking her keys and five-month-old in the car, Preanne Williams called police for assistance. The child was in the car for approximately 20 minutes before the car was unlocked, but was unharmed. Police also safely rescued Temetria Wallace's small child after she accidentally locked the child in the car. The internal temperature of a vehicle can raise more than 60 degrees higher than the external temperature in 20 minutes, such temperatures could cause serious injury or death. Louisiana is one of 14 states with laws against leaving children unattended in vehicles.

Police arrested and charged Johnny Ray Hamilton for armed robbery. The 35-year-old was described to police by an eye-witness after robbing a woman. Hamilton pulled a knife on a woman and took her purse then fled toward Howell Street where he lives. He is detained at the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center, no bond has been set.

Man jailed for inappropriate acts with family member

Thirty-three-year-old Rocky Dale Sims was booked by the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff's Office and charged with aggravated incest yesterday. If convicted, Sims could be fined up to $50,000 or imprisoned for no less than five years and up to 20 years. Sims is jailed at the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center and was given no bond.

Summer Blaze

Two fires were reported in the city Monday. Police and the Natchitoches Fire Dept. responded to a house fire on Williams Ave. The blaze was contained within 30 minutes and no injuries were reported. Another fire, involving a camper trailer behind the Sibley Lake mini mart, took just under an hour to contain. The sheriff's dept. reported the incident and again, no on was injured.

After being gone for almost two weeks, a Frog Pond resident returned home to discover he had been the victim of a robbery. Andrew Dada reported that an unknown suspect kicked down the door of his apartment and stole a laptop valued at $200 and two pairs of Jordan tennis shoes valued at $162 a pair.

Murder Suspect Found (On-Air report 6/24)

The suspect in Wednesday's early morning shooting has been found and arrested. Rodney Barnes is charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of his girlfriend, Chackawanda Moore Beard. The two were involved in a conflict at their home on Northern Street, during which the 35-year-old, mother of six was shot. Beard fled from the home with her children to a neighbor's house where she died on the porch from a single gunshot to the neck.

In an unrelated shooting, 26-year-old Lester Fisher Jr. was arrested for three counts of attempted murder after firing shots at the intersection of Rowena and 6th Street yesterday. One victim, Damrio Davis was "knicked" on his leg, but was not seriously injured. Fisher is also charged with four counts of criminal damage to property, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and illegal carrying of a weapon.

Mid-Week Thoughts

Being a reporter is tough, especially if you're not a known name in the city you report in. I thought it was hard getting interviews when I reported for our school's newspaper or yearbook, but it's much more difficult when you actually work for a viable news outlet. I go to the police station and a sheriff's office every morning, so a lot of the people in the offices know who I am, yet when I call the office to speak to someone about happenings in the city I get no answer or returned phone call. It's very difficult to be a credible source when you can't get an interview. It's a little frustrating, but I take every incident as a learning experience.

One Dead After Shooting (On-Air Reports 6/23/10)

Police are investigating the homicide of a woman on the 1500 block of Northern Street in Natchitoches. Police arrived at the home around 12:30 a.m. to find the woman had been the victim of a shooting. Police have not released any further information, but report 32-year-old Rodney Barnes is a suspect.

Routine Traffic Stop Turns To Drug Bust (On-Air reports 6/22/10)

38-year-old Trenton Law was arrested after officer Matthew Robertson stopped his blue Ford Escort at the intersection of 5th Street and Texas. Law is charged with posses ion with the intent to distribute. He is detained at the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center.

Violent Crimes Bog Blotter (Crime reports 6/21/10)

Police arrested 18-year-old Jamario Deshun Kato of Natchitoches on charges of aggravated battery and principle to attempted second-degree murder. Kato is detained at the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center. No bond or court date has been set.

Francisco Dimas of Winnfield was arrested Saturday for forcible rape. The 21-year-old allegedly raped his ex-girlfriend in Frog Pond Apartments while he was intoxicated. She told police she let him in to sleep on the couch because he was drunk and she did not want him driving home. Dimas then followed her to the bedroom and rapped her. He is detained at the NPDC scheduled to appear on July 12.

Two gun crimes were reported over the weekend. An incident between several young men resulted in a shooting late Sunday night. Joshua LaCour told police he was on Powell Street with eight other suspects when an unknown suspect started shooting. LaCour was shot in the groin and taken to Natchitoches Regional Medical Center for treatment.

A man was robbed at gunpoint . . . for his gun. Logan Greenwood reported that while inside his truck in Riverview Inn Apartments, a black male entered his truck, put a weapon into his face and took a .22 riffle from in his truck.

Weekly Wrap Up

This was another great week on the job. I handled my usual duties and discussed other tasks I will soon be responsible for. Soon I will be responsible for the entire noon newscasts by myself. As this process continues I am becoming more comfortable with putting my stories on air. I am starting to find my voice and I am becoming a more diligent writer. I look forward to what's to come.

Battery, car accident and drugs Oh, My! (On-Air Reports 6/18)

A concerned citizcen called police to report a woman being choked in the Indian Summer Apartment complex just before midnight Thursday evening. Alejandro Ramirez was arrested and charged with domestic abuse battery and placed in the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center. Police contacted Immigration and Customs Enforcement after Ramirez advised he was illegal.

A maintenance man was struck by a car in Carter's Trailer Park while at work. Charles Dedon of Natchitoches was mowing grass when he was hit by a car, driven by Jasmine Moody. Dedon was rushed to Natchitoches Regional Medical Center for his injuries.

After a neighbor called to report suspicious activity in a nearby home, police arrested Hiram Phillips Jr. for possession of Xanax with intent to distribute and simple possession of marijuana and Emily Annette Smith for a bench warrant. Philips is detained at the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center and Smith was released to return July 26.

More Thefts in Natchitoches; On-Air Reports 6/17/10

A man was involved in an altercation yesterday that resulted in a robbery. Eric Willis of Natchitoches was assaulted and robbed for $25 by a known suspect. Before police arrived at the scene, the suspect fled in a silver Crown Victoria.

An unknown suspect stole $700 worth of stereo equipment from Shamard Patrick Wednesday night while his car was parked outside of his apartment.

Four NSU Demon football players returned to the locker room Wednesday morning to find they had been robbed. Detective Doug Prescott with campus police said sometime after 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday night someone entered the locker room and took jerseys and a CD player totaling approximately $500 worth of goods.

On-Air report 6/16

Total Kare Salon located at 1551 Texas Street reported a burglary yesterday. Ronald Pikes told police an unknown suspect gained entry through the backdoor of the salon and took three football jerseys that were in the shop.

Rebecca Broomfield of Natchitoches told police that sometime between July 10 and the time it was reported, an unknown subject gained entry to her residence through the backdoor and took a television with an approximate value of $250.

On-Air reports 6/15

A Domino's Pizza worker was robbed yesterday in Carter's Trailer Park while making a delivery. Ethan Eddington told officers a black male armed with a hammer, dressed in all white came to him and told him to give him all his money. The robber got away with $15.

The manager of Brookshire's on the bypass called police in reference to a shoplifter in custody. George Emmitt, 49, was arrested for theft of goods and failure to appear. His bond is set at $840. He is being detained at the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center. His court date is set for July 26.

CitiTrends also called police in reference to a shoplifter, but the subject left before police arrived. A worker told police she was unsure if the subject took anything, but damaged approximately $250 worth of goods.

On-Air report 6/14

Natchitoches residents reported several home burglaries over the weekend. Lester Walker lives in Frog Pond and reported that someone gained entry into his apartment through an unlocked backdoor and took several items with an approximate value of $8800. Erica Johnson who also lives in Frog Pong reported that the door to her room had been broken, but nothing was taken. It is not known if the two incidents are related. On the other side of town, Ashley Forest, who lives in Summer Tree, came home to find the front windows of her apartment were busted out. No items were missing, but the damage is valued at $500.

Return to Work

I returned to work this week after taking off to compete at the NCAA national meet in Eugene, Oregon last week. Luckily for me, my boss and my co-workers are very supportive of me and my track career, so it was not difficult for me to request the time off. When I returned to work this week, it was business as usual. I continue to collect information from the police and sheriff's department and form the information into news for the noon and 5 o'clock news casts. On Monday, I attended a city council meeting, which our station broadcasts live on the radio and web. As I continue in my internship, it will become my responsibility to attend regular city meetings for the station to ensure the broadcast goes smoothly and also to to give a report the next day.

First Week

The first week of my job has been great. I have had the opportunity to see the skills I learned in the classroom applied in a real world setting. I am working under a classmate who has a talk show for the station and he has been showing me a lot about how radio works. So far the experience has been great and I look forward to the rest of my time at the station. The beat I have been assigned has allowed me to form a relationship with some of the local law enforcement, which could help down the road.

On-Air report Friday June 4, 2010

"Police were called to J.W. Thomas apartments last night after a concerned citizen reported a disturbance in a neighboring apartment. Bertha James and Gregory Sheppard had been involved in an argument during which James cut Sheppard. Both James and Sheppard were transported to Natchitoches Regional Medical Center for stitches the arrested. James was arrested for assault by cutting--her bond is set at $5,000. Sheppard has been issued summons for aggravated assault and simple battery. His court date is set for July 12.

On-Air Report 6/3/10

These two reports were broadcast on the noon and 5 p.m. newscasts on KNOC

"Jerry Pikes of Natchitoches was arrested last night for theft in excess of $500. Pikes was booked by Natchitoches police detective Jeffery Townson on charges of felony theft. His bond has been set at $75000 and is being held at the Natchitoches Detention Center."

"Natchitoches residents have reported a string of youth crimes since school let out last month. In recent weeks, reports of property damage and theft have been flooding into the police station. The alleged perpetrators range from ages 10 to 15. Michelle Wallace reports that two juveniles came to play with her son then took off with his bike. Charles Youngblood told police he saw several juveniles hitting mailboxes with bats or sticks in the east Natchitoches area."

First Day

Today was my first day on the job. It was a pretty interesting day. I have been assigned to report crime in Natchitoches, which I originally thought was going to be pretty tedious, but on my first day I had the honor of reporting a crime at a local store of a major company. I'm currently trying to get more information to update the story, but haven't been able to reach anyone I need to get in contact with. Tomorrow is a new day though and I'll see what I can get done!!!