The Anti-Bullying Movement

Having just sat down with a couple students about the issue of bullying in schools, I wondered how many of us really remember what being in High School was like. It can be tough, everyone trying to fit in and fly under the "bully radar" and most importantly achieve the ultimate "cool status."

When I first met these two students, they honestly took me by surprise. When kids raise issues of being bullied in school, you imagine a skinny little boy getting called names-maybe slammed up against a locker (Napoleon Dynamite style). Over the past few years the term bully has become less male-oriented and has taken more of a Mean Girls image.

Both girls I met with were attractive young women, well spoken, and seemed to have a very un-High School like sense of themselves. They contacted KTAB wanting to take a more proactive approach vs. getting angry or even. There's clearly a reason bullying has gotten national attention recently. Bullies in school are not a new phenomenon, however the increase in teen depression and suicide is alarming. It's incredibly sad that insecurities, jealousy, or hate could lead a teen to consider suicide.




There used to be a notion that "boys will be boys" and now it's "you know how girls can get"...there IS a level of this all being growing pains, however the extreme level bullying has reached is now being called to attention. Kudos to all the teens who are deciding to make a social change when it comes to bullying, your actions and causes are helping bring that change about.

I will add this, if I only knew how different life was going to be after High School, after College...if I only realized that most of what seems huge at the moment really doesn't matter in the long run, I would have had a lot more time to relax and have fun. Teen years are really too special to spend worrying about what people say about you, or think about you, or maybe even do to you.

Teens-know this: There will always be people who say hurtful things. Some days that person could even be you. The best thing anyone can do is set the example-open the door for the handicapped kid, for any kid. Smile at a stranger in the hall, even if you just failed a math test and don't know their name. Change does start small, why not start today?

The Surprising Crud Journalists Sometimes Deal With...

It's a stinky job (sometimes)...but somebody's gotta do it.

Recently a viewer called our station telling us about some horrible living conditions she'd been struggling with. Ranging from plumbing problems that ended up in her entire bathroom covered in human feces. Yes, human feces were clogging this couple's shower and toilet.

She'd also used 20 something towels to try and contain the mess and when we walked into the hallway from her bathroom, she opened the door to show me the piles of mouse droppings covering the floor. A mixture of dirt and mouse residue...then the tour continued to her kitchen where within seconds, cockroaches were seen scampering up and down her walls and all throughout her dishwasher and sink.
YUCK!

After visiting this particular tenant, we made numerous attempts to reach her landlord. All of those calls went unanswered, but there was a particularly "upset" message left by an anonymous caller saying we didn't have the other story.

So, after a few calls--we went back out to visit with this landlord who owns several other properties in town. He and his assistant introduced themselves and at first seemed to be pretty professional about the issue.
This professionalism quickly disappeared and we were told we had to interview numerous residents who they said "really wanted talk on camera." I have a hard time believing anyone would want to be videotaped while answering questions about their boss or landlord-who's standing just a few feet away.


Nevertheless, we interviewed one of the girls, who didn't seem like she wanted to on camera at all. When I returned to the station, a fellow reporter informed me the "tenant" management wanted me to interview didn't live there at all.

So, who do you believe? Who takes responsibility for the entire "cruddy" situation?Video doesn't lie...When you claim to take ownership in something, it's your job to make sure you take FULL responsibility for any issues that come up. I'll say this though, management aren't house keepers and they aren't responsible for any dirt problems that arise from not cleaning. A backed up toilet and shower full of poo--ya, maintenance you need to take care of that, especially when it's a 1-bedroom apartment.

Yuck.

Please, Don't Shoot the Messenger

As a reporter you work with the best and worst of the public. Understandably there are certain times where a member of the media is the very last person you want to see or hear from. If you have just lost a loved one, recently been notified you're getting laid off, or some other personal piece of information that's just been made extremely public.

I've seen and heard the portrayals of reporters in the field on movies and TV shows, and while sometimes it could be accurate of some, we're not all like that. We're people too. Just like telemarketers, and census workers, and surveyors who may catch you when you're tired or stressed. We all have bad days, but please try and keep something in mind, your local news folks are not "out to get ya," odds are, we're feeling just as bad about approaching you about this "sticky" or personal situation.

Merry Christmas and here's to a New Year of Peace. I hope all of you are able to enjoy a wonderful holiday with your friends and family. I wish you safe travels if you are venturing out of the Big Country, see you all in 2011!

What's Bugging YOU, Abilene?

Okay people.

Let take a moment and really be honest. On a daily basis are there are a ton of things that can frustrate you. It may be while you're running errands, an issue you find while driving, or perhaps the fact that you and many of your friends have gotten the same cold.

Most of us have friends, family, loved ones, a dog, that we vent these frustrations to...but guess what? You've got one more outlet to unload all your problems. I run a weekly segment that runs on Wednesdays called "What's Bugging You?!?!" which airs on KTAB News at 6 p.m.

An annoying problem you keep seeing or something you feel should be addressed could actually get some attention paid to it, if you let the right person know. Step in your local TV news. We're here to help you find possible solutions to many of your problems. Once we air your story, you never know, several more people could share those same frustrations and you could get more support towards your cause.

Now, this doesn't mean we can do anything about your boyfriend bugging you, or your little sister, or your mom. I sympathize with your woes and hope those things work out.



"What's Bugging You?!?!" is a place where a trashed part of town or a dangerous intersection can be your story! Be bold! Be proactive! Do yourself a favor and stop shaking your help or sighing about something and shoot me a quick e-mail at BuggingYou@ktab.tv or call me at the station (325) 691-2272.

So come on Abilene, let's try and make life a little easier for everyone :)

ON the Record: Power to Pink

Like many of you, I enjoyed this past Sunday watching football with close friends, in an intimate little place called Buffalo Wild Wings in Abilene.

The moment all those screens came up, I noticed that most if not all the teams were sporting pink receiving gloves, pink shoes, sweat bands, etc.
Even the coaches had pink stripes on their team's hat. I thought it was great that all the NFL teams were sporting pink to raise awareness for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I also think it's great when guys wear pink, let alone a whole team of them.

The other remarkable thing was when I pointed this out to the group, a couple guys said," Yeah, that's awesome," and things of that nature.
Whether it be a trendy thing to now sport Breast Awareness pink, or just the actual cause is gaining momentum, I think it's a great change for our culture.

It's pretty much impossible for anyone to NOT know someone who's either survived or known someone who's had cancer. So, cheers to all you Breast Cancer Awareness supporters, you know who you are, salute!

Thank You for Being You?

Recognition is a funny thing.

When you work in TV, you're bound to be recognized here and there. Sometimes people are nice and say friendly things, other times, they are mistaking you for someone else, or have possibly mixed your name with another person's.
Either way when you put yourself in the public spot light, it's bound to happen.
(It still feels weird though, especially when I'm walking through the grocery store in my gym clothes.)

When you're enlisted military, getting recognition is a completely different thing.
I've had friends who are members of the Navy or Marines, and they've told me how strangers treat them when they're in uniform. However dating a Dyess Airman has opened my eyes to what it's like to be approached in public.

My boyfriend is a handsome fella, at least I think so, so when he's in his civilian clothes, life is pretty normal.
When he's dressed in his fatigues however, everyone from servers to little old ladies in Walmart smile and thank him for his service to our country. He always smiles back and acts polite, but a few of his friends that are also stationed at Dyess have differing opinions.

Some of them have said they don't like it, others say it's very patriotic, while most of them say it just makes them feel a little weird.
This type of interaction doesn't happen all the time of course, just every now and then. This being a very military town, I wondered how other people, TV, military, or others feel about getting recognized for the work they do?

Hold Up! TMI Big Country

As the saying goes, "No news is good news."

However the exact opposite is true for those working in the News Business. We want to hear to all, too much info beats a slow news day-hands down.
Reporters and photographers, we get to know our interviews very well and some days the people we meet often like to share their political views, opinion on so-and-so's new haircut, to things we have absolutely no control over, like breaking weather.
Here are just some of my favorite TMI (too much information) statements lately, of course these are all anonymous, but pretty entertaining all the same:

"You should get your boss to fly a crew out to the White House, do a story on that Obama dude...here I could write down some questions for him to answer-think ya could do that for me?" (Sure, no prob!)

"Do we really have to wear these? White is really not my color-it makes me look so albino..." (One of the new Texas Tech Pharmacy Grads at White Coat Ceremony)

"I run red lights all the time...no, I don't really care if it's dangerous since it saves me so much time and makes me feel like a bada**..." (Random Pedestrian asking me why I was shooting Traffic Lights for "Stop on Red" week)

"Oh yes, I was very pleased with the estimated value of my grandmother's _____, especially since I think she stole it from her ex-husband..." (Hahaha.)

"No, I don't think the local economy's gone down much...but my credit card bills are sky high. That's bad, right? Or is that helping the economy since I'm buying stuff?" (Yikes, someone get this woman some financing advice-fast.)

So, as you can see, in any given week people say the most random things both on and off camera. They range from the harmless and entertaining to far TOO MUCH INFO...but keep those comments rolling because we love to hear 'em!