Category: Mizzou

Really listening to what people say

Columbia Missourian, Journalism, Missourian, Mizzou, News Reporting

People talk all the time. You probably have at least 50 conversations on a typical day, but do you remember what was said?

There’s a difference between hearing and listening, and it’s been a gradual process for me to discern that.

Even before I started writing for the Missourian, I have been trying to be more attentive in conversations about what other people have to say versus what I am going to say. Let’s be honest, people love to talk about themselves. It was a challenge for me to start to listen to what people are actually saying in an everyday conversation. These conversations can be more difficult to remember because I don’t have a pen, paper or a recorder to recall the conversation.

Listening is an important skill than is sometimes overlooked because it’s more passive than being the speaker of a conversation. But listening is the most important part of journalism. Throughout this semester I have learned to be more attentive to what sources are saying and I work off their responses instead of just questions in my notebook. Sources usually don’t have a straight forward answers to questions. They sometimes have an interesting story or an analogy to explain something and I might overlook it if I stay too focused on what answer I expect to hear.

I have now become really attentive about what my sources have to say and how it will help with my story. I think this skill is helpful for my writing and will be a gradual process to help me become a better journalist.

Sleek New Police Vehicles

Columbia Missourian, Journalism, Missourian, Mizzou, News Reporting

Police Interceptor

I wrote an article yesterday about Columbia law enforcement updating their vehicles to the next big thing.

MUPD is exchanging the good ol’ Crown Victorias that everyone associates with as the transportation of city protectors to the new sleek 2013 Ford Police Interceptors. The Interceptors hit the market in January of this year and have made some Columbia police forces to update.

MUPD has 2 SUVs and 2 sedans of the Interceptor. The SUV is similar to the Ford Explorer and the sedan similar to the Taurus, Kelly Sells, fleet manager at Joe Machens Ford Lincoln in Columbia, said.

The SUV comes with a 3.7 liter V-6 engine and the 3.5 liter V-6 sedan.

The Police Interceptor has two types of sedans, the V-6 and the V-6 ecoboost twin turbo. Sells said the twin turbo charger lets air get into an engine, spins the air and forces it into the engine.

The Police Interceptor has 20 percent better fuel economy than the Crown Victoria and a five-year, 100,000-mile power train warranty.

The SUV obtains about the same gas mileage as the sedan, Sells said.

The twin turbo sedan’s top speed is 148 mph, Sells said.

The SUV and the V-6 sedan without twin turbo have the same top speed as the Crown Victoria at 131 mph, Sells said.

Columbia Police decided to stick with rear wheel drive Chevy Tahoes when the Interceptor boosts efficient all wheel drive that can power through rain, sleet, snow and off road terrain.

The Boone County Sheriff Department found out that Ford was going to introduce the Interceptor a few years ago and planned accordingly with testing out Dodge Chargers, Chevy Tahoes and Chevy Caprices in loo of their debute.

KOMU also had a feature about the new vehicles.

Writing about Cars

Writing this story was very interesting because everyone likes to learn about new cars. People will also know that some Columbia law enforcement are updating to these vehicles and to observe that these law enforcements are going to be safer and more efficient because they will have all new vehicles.

I’m not very car-savy but I was able to figure out what all the terminology meant and how it would affect the law enforcement because they would have a faster and more efficient car because of it’s all wheel drive and V-6 engine.

It’s also interesting to note that during this story it was one of the first times I had to talk to an officer as a reporter. I thought it would be difficult because it seemed intimidating for me to do so, but once I gained my confidence and knew what questions to ask it was like any other story.

Not only am I learning about how to talk to different types of people in different positions, but I’m learning how to write on a topic I know nothing about and become an expert on the subject.

I think that is one of the most fundamental parts of journalism: to learn about unfamiliar topics and to tell others about it.

Diversity event featuring Martin Luther King III

Columbia Missourian, Journalism, Missourian, Mizzou, Multimedia J2150, News Reporting

The city of Columbia is hosting their 20th annual Columbia Values Diversity Celebration Jan. 17th 2013. The event is going to have keynote speaker Martin Luther King III, Martin Luther King Jr.’s son.  It will be held from 7 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Expo Center, 2200 I-70 Drive Southwest. Tickets are only available in advance and are $14. The deadline to register for the event is 5 p.m. on Jan. 11.

The theme of this event is “the Dream Revisited,” recognizing people of Columbia with the same qualities as Martin Luther King Jr.

The city of Columbia will give 2 awards, one to an individual, another to an organization that demonstrate diversity and the dream of MLK.

At the 10th event the keynote speaker was Bernice King, the daughter or Martin Luther King Jr. Cari Utterback said. She said having Martin Luther King III at the 20th event will make it special. Having King III there will honor Martin Luther King’s legacy.

“Martin’s dedication to creating and implementing strategic nonviolent action to rid the world of social, political, and economic injustice has propelled him to the forefront as one of the nation’s most ardent advocates for the poor, the oppressed, and the disillusioned,” according to Martin Luther King III’s website.

I think it is a great thing that King III is going to be in Columbia to influence people’s lives and help the advocacy of diversity for our community.

Homecoming!

Columbia Missourian, Journalism, Missourian, Mizzou, Multimedia J2150, News Reporting

I wrote a brief about all the Homecoming events this weekend. This will be Mizzou’s 101st Homecoming and there will be a spirit rally featuring indie band Imagine Dragons, a pancake breakfast, the Homecoming parade, the game of course and more. I’m excited for it even though I have to march at 6:15 am on Saturday and it will be less than 50 degrees all weekend. I’ve had a ton of midterms and preparation for homecoming, I’m excited to be a part of it and excited for it to be over. There will also be house decorations in Greektown, my sorority’s theme is the Mayans because the theme is “Homecoming and the Eras.” It has been a lot of work but this will be a Homecoming to remember!

Writing about someone’s life

Columbia Missourian, Journalism, Missourian, Mizzou, News Reporting

I wrote my first Missourian life story last week and I thought it would be a rather daunting and difficult task, but it was easy for me. Missourian life stories are a little different that a regular obituary. The Missourian has a regular obituary for a person who has died, but the Missourian life story gives readers a better impression of the person’s life and memories of family members and friends.

I wrote it about Kenneth Ray Tompkins. Mr. Tompkins was from the small town of Fruita, Colorado and attended McPherson College in McPherson, Kansas and majored in physics. He then earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder. He married Janice mock his junior year at McPherson and she told me many fond memories about him.

She said when they lived in Phoenix Arizona for Mr. Tompkin’s job she would sit on the California beach and wait for him and their three year old son to come back from snorkeling or scuba diving. She said in their Phoenix home that they had tropical plants in their backyard and had 46 squirrel monkeys in a cage. She said there was ivy, grape vines, palmtrees, a bird of paradise, a pool and more. They then moved back to Mr. Tompkins hometown where he started a construction business. When there was a financial crisis in the town they moved to Columbia because they had family nearby and liked the area.

Their son Mike and his wife now run Tompkins construction. Mike said he is now teaching the skills he learned from his dad to his son in regards to wood work, construction, values and perseverence. Mike and Mr. Tompkins wife said he was a big influence on their lives and have many fond memories.

I learned a lot of interesting things about life stories while writing Mr. Tompkin’s obituary. I already know that death is a part of life, but even without meeting Mr. Tompkins I got some insight of his personality and family memories without ever talking to him. Normally things like this are morbid and a time for remembrance, but I thought it was enjoyable to learn this person’s influence on other people’s lives and the impact he has left for his loved ones and people of the community.

Petting puppies on the job!

Columbia Missourian, Journalism, Missourian, Mizzou, News Reporting

I had a story a few weeks ago when I was on a weekend shift about the Paws in the Park Expo at Stephens Lake Park. It was my first event I covered. I was nervous at first because I didn’t know what to expect, but it ended up being just fine. I talked to some of the owners of dogs who were going to do the Mutt Strutt Fun Run and I talked to the volunteers of the event and of Columbia Second Chance. I learned a lot of things about dogs and cats and I learned some interesting stories from some of the owners. Since I haven’t seen my own dog in two months it was nice to be able to pet some of the dogs up for adoption in the tents. I also saw some cats in another tent; the kittens were so cute! I had a fun time writing this story because I picked something I knew would be interesting and I learned a lot.