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!!!