Kicking things off in Chicago.
Not only did I get to watch much of the MDA Labor Day Telethon this year, I helped to host the local broadcast out of Chicago. A Big Tiny contribution brought a big personal return. Click here to link to Big Tiny World at Chicago Now. Thanks!
Lots o' live trucks to cover the Taste.
Covering the Taste of Chicago is always one of the yummiest assignments of the year. Click here to see why it was also convenient given one of the crew guys I was assigned.
What an incredible week! I got to cover two historic events in Illinois, including the ticker tape parade and rally for the Stanley Cup Champions. Click here to parade on over to my ChicagoNow blog. Thank you, Chicago Blackhawks!
A major media push!
I was honored to take part in today’s media telethon to raise money for the Red Cross of Greater Chicago. My latest blog “Chicago Helps Haiti” is over at the Fox Chicago website. Please click here to check it out. Happy surfing!
As I left for work this morning, one of our producers texted to make sure I had my ice skates. No problem! I love assignments that mix work and fun. Lucky for me, by the end of “Good Day Chicago” this morning, I became the first person to skate on the new ice rink outside Wrigley Field!
Report fast, return to truck!
Reporting on the streets of Chicago during the winter months can get downright painful. This morning, we had wind chill factors of 21 below so just preparing for work took a lot of pre-planning. I suppose that’s the case for every Chicagoan who needs to get anywhere on days like this. But as a reporter, I often have no idea what I’ll be covering until I call into the Fox Chicago assignment desk. I keep an assortment of hats, gloves and scarves in my work bag and at least two coats in my car. Just about every reporter and anchor in town agrees that appearance is far less of a concern during the winter. Dressing properly for the conditions is a matter of survival!
Depending on the story, it can get tough finding anyone to interview about anything. When it’s this cold, people just want to get where they’re going as quickly as possible. Those who do stop to talk with me tend to make their points quickly and then go on their merry way. There are watery eyes and runny noses along with numb extremities. We get what we need and jump back into the news van.
Cameraman Sean Gibbons under a lot of layers.
Thank goodness for my blogging pal Duong Sheahan. The long, down parka I’ve been wearing is hers! She didn’t care for it since it was so much coat to deal with while running her errands. Well, it’s perfect for me since I spend much more time out in the cold.
Frozen equipment is another concern. Sometimes, the mast on the live truck gets frozen into place after we’ve been at a particular scene for a long time. There’s always suspense when we wrap things up on a cold day. But it’s not a problem today and I get back to the studio in time to anchor the news at noon.
Actually, the next hurdle – my hat hair!
When DePaul University student Brian Ernst asked if I would take part in a project for his Digital Cinema class, I agreed to help out since I had met him previously when he visited Fox Chicago. Wow. Brian and his classmates put together a pretty impressive mini-documentary. Thanks so much, guys!
The media amass outside the home of a fallen soldier.
There are always feelings of dread and ambivalence whenever I approach the home of a fallen soldier. I had to do it Friday morning after Fox Chicago got word that a suburban soldier was among those killed in the shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas.
Soon after arriving at the family’s Bolingbrook home, I knocked on the door lightly with cameraman Ed Flynn ready to roll. A tired-looking man answered and said, “Please, we’ve been up all night. Maybe we’ll talk later but my parents are finally getting some rest.”
NBC5 reporter Phil Rogers agrees, “It’s the worst thing we do.” But he stresses it’s something journalists will always do. “Often, we have people who want their story told. We have to ring their bell.”
Jason Knowles of ABC7 Chicago.
“Yeah, worst part” adds Jason Knowles, a reporter for ABC7 Chicago. ”And we have to do it so often. But we always respect the family.”
Reporter Robert Sanchez of the Daily Herald says, “We don’t take pleasure in it. Unless we ask, we won’t know.” On occasion, he’ll hear from families days after his coverage of a fallen hero. ”I’ve had people say thank you because now other people know how great they were.”
Throughout the day, we gradually learned more about 21-year-old Michael Pearson. The 2006 Bolingbrook High School graduate joined the army to serve his country and see the world. He was an amazing guy – a talented guitar player and playful uncle to young nieces and nephews.
A lost gem.
Before his grief-stricken parents eventually addressed the media camped outside their home, a family friend wiped away tears as she told us, “Mikey was one of a kind. You couldn’t ask for a better son, brother, neighbor or friend. The family lost their gem.”
The "Good Day Chicago" gang with broadcasting students.
We’re used to television cameras around Fox Chicago but today we worked with just as many still cameras. Right after “Good Day Chicago”, we all posed for pictures with students from the Illinois Center for Broadcasting. Instructor Dan Allen brings students in to visit every semester.
Meteorologist Chris Sowers clearly missed Patrick's cue to strike a pose!
Then web producer Mark Bieganski wanted new pictures of us for the station website. The web team’s been working hard to keep the site fresh by updating content non-stop. Unlike our newscasts, myfoxchicago.com is always “on”. I enjoy contributing, especially with my regular “Cool Websites” feature.
It's my trying-not-to-pose pose!
Whenever we have photo shoots (actually, even if it’s an event or party), Patrick Elwood never fails to insist on a funny picture. Funny – they never seem to get used.
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