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.