Deja Vu H2O

Senator's Log: August 29th, 2012. Down here in the Boot there is always the possibility of having to deal with another with a natural disaster of monumental proportions from June through November. That's just how it is, that's a way of life in the Sportsman's Paradise. Think about it seven years ago the mother of all storms came knocking on the door then eventually kicked it in with leaving everyone's jaw dropped and a great amount of devastation from wind and eventually water.

Fast forward to present day. A new storm decided to make it's way to SE LA. Only listed as a Category 1 but still had the potential to do leave it's mark on the area. A giant wet mark to be exact. With that said, the asylum pushed the alarm and we were in wall to wall coverage. For those not in the TV News Biz, crews were dispatched to affected areas and their only mission was to bring back what they can to fill what seemed like an infinite amount of time on the air. What made this one different wasn't just the wind but the constant bombardment of rain, rain, and more rain. It's seems like we would never dry out. 72 hours and a ton of wet clothes later, Isaac finally move on and the rising flood waters took it's place. From Plaquemines Parish to Livingston, water was Isaac's unwanted gift to us. It may have been a Cat 1 but the same sentiment of everyone was "We've never seen this much water before." Isaac certainly won't be forgotten and surely won't be missed.

Guess that the new wrinkle that we have to get ready for when the next one comes knocking. For now time to find a tailor. Never know when the next soaking is going to come.

El Encierro of Nueva Orleans

Senator's Log: July 14th. 8AM. New Orleans. A place rich in diverse culture. A gumbo of international flavor that gives the city it's ambiance. Known for Mardi Gras during carnival but today it was time to pay homage to the tradition in Pamplona, Spain. It was time for El Encierro (bull run).

Thousands of people would converge on the Big Easy to test their strength and endurance while avoiding the ferocity of the bulls running rampant across the streets. It is run at your own risk. Throw in the added party atmosphere and you have a powder keg of humanity ready to explode at any moment. With the that much intense emotion no ordinary photographer could handle this sitution.

An assignment so dangerous, so deadly that only one man could pull this off. That man is Senator Roberto Del Rio. Known to many as El guapo fotógrafo Insane or The Insane Handsome Photographer. There is not much information on this mysterious individual. Those close to him tell me that he is a solid photojournalist, a fan of Licha Libre Wrestling in Mexico, and an admirer of Roller Derby. Guess he has a thing for beautiful women who deliver hip checks while wearing fishnets on roller skates. This will truly be a test of his skills. This is what he brought back and I'm sure he'll want to be a part of this tradition for years to come.

This Never Happens Here

Alright every photographer has had to run courthouse duty from time to time. Depending on the case things can be business as usual or something straight out of the UFC will break out. First you hope it's option B and second you hope that you are there to capture it. The only thing that was missing was Drowning Pool's classic single of mass chaos. This is probably why they don't allow camera anywhere near the courtrooms in the Boot. But I sure wish they would reconsider it.

Thank You George

There are those in our business that will be a fad. A fly by night image. A simple blip on the radar. Here one minute, gone the next second. None of those apply to the one known as George Sells. An iconic figure in the Television industry for over 50 years with roots firmly planted in the Red Stick for the past 25. You name the place, he's probably been there. Houston, Philly, Detroit, Nashville to name a few. He's had a run with the locals as well as with the "Big Boys" bringing an unique style of delivering the daily news to the masses all over the country.

The year was 1988. Baton Rouge was the next stop. Sells had arrive to a station that was sagging in the rating to the competition. Little did they the tide was about to change. The iconic figure and hard hitting journalist brought a that style & swagger and turned the little station on Government Street into well oiled machine. The rati ngs came, the quality of the product rose, the legacy continued. The ladies of South LA were forever grateful.

I remember the time I met George. A young photographer still in school. No idea what I was doing. Not very confident thoughts of do I belong here. Then there was one night scanner started blowing up. News time was closing in. Time to roll out. George knew in mind how he wanted to preset the story before I even shot it. I get to the scene, shoot some pictures, then head home. Once I'm back at the station, George just starts to debrief me on every little thing possible. I get most of everything but it was that one little detail that he had in mind that I didn't get. Naturally he upset at first but it's show time. Afterwards he tell me to just soak it all in. Get the essential but look beyond the obvious of the situation. Did a little deeper on what's going on and who it affects. After that I started to get the entire story and how to bring it back. That was the way Sells liked it. What was the one thing that no one but us was going to get. And if you heard that distinctive voice saying, "THAT'S GREAT!!!" coming from his desk you know you had his seal of approval.

Now the present where nothing is forever. Time had come to step aside and enjoy what path you left for those who follow. Thank you George, thank you for all that you have done. You were more than a hard hitting journalist. More than the anchor who manned the desk. You were our leader. Always ready to bring us aside to tell us how to get better. To live up to that standard that you set so high. The newsroom won't be the same with out the news hound getting every little detail in to a script with one ear on the scanner and a bag of M&M's with a Dr. Pepper within arm's reach. It's been said before and we'll keep saying it...

Thank you George. Thank you for everything you done for all of us. Best wishes in retirement my friend.

Remember The Sacrifice

It is the final Monday in May. It will bring an extra day off to many in this country. It is considered the “unofficial” start to summer. Kids will have finished the school year. Families will be taking that vacation planned for months.

It’s Memorial Day. The day where we show thanks, respect, and honor to the men and women of the Armed Forces who had the courage to put on the uniform and pay the ultimate price to allow rest of us to have the freedom & liberties of the greatest country on the planet. This day is not about going to the next sale, or sleeping in late, or wondering what is playing on the big screen. It is about showing gratitude to those who couldn’t make it home and to the ones that they left behind.

So before you hit the snooze button, or go to lie on the beach, or fire up the grill just for a moment stop, think, and remember.

Remember Lt. Christopher Barnett of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Remember Army Spec. David Hickman of McLeansville, North Carolina. Remember Cpl. Brian L. Chevalier of Athens, Georgia. Remember all of those men and women. Keep them and their families in your hearts and prayers.

Laura Youngblood visits her husbands grave, Petty Officer Travis L. Youngblood, at Arlington National Cemetery

After all Memorial Day is everyday for some.

Country From Above

It’s been said countless times that there is no place like Death Valley at night. Of course they mean that during the fall as the Purple & Gold wage fierce competition on the gridiron. Well it’s obvious this isn’t the fall, even though the temps can reach into the 90’s, and there’s no football being played. Which can only mean that it’s year three of the biggest outdoor country extravaganza know to man,  Bayou Country Superfest.

The BCS has once again brought some of the biggest names in country music to a legion of fans in the Red Stick. The glitz, the glamour, the sweat, the humidity, and the long hike up to the 400 section to get that beauty shot pictured above, trust me it was worth getting. And if you think it was all controlled crazy inside…

Outside provide the fans a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet their favorite artists. Guess you better have something ready to be autographed.

Yeah it’s year three and I’ll have to ask yet again…

Can the Senator please get some tickets to next year’s show?

The Times No More

It is the one of the Big Easy's Big Icons. It is synonymous with a bowl of hot Gumbo & cold oyster. It goes with the morning cup of coffee and a plate of beignets from Cafe Du Monde. It is the newspaper known as the Times Picayune. It has brought the news of the region and the world to the fingertips of everyone in South Louisiana. It's 154 year heritage has delivered and endless number of timeless headlines. It survived the storm "Katrina" and helped reinforced the levees by holding those responsible for not maintain them. It could live on forever.

Sadly, just not in the form that it has endured for well over a century. Fine journalism is giving way to overhead. The presses are being slowed because of the bottom line. Circulation of one the finest newspapers in the country is being curtailed because of budget cuts. I knew the media industry was facing tough times but never did I think an institution like the TP would be affected. Gone are the daily editions in the fall of 2012. And with it a line of quality people being shown the door.

I hope that this is just a bad dream and we all will awake from it. But in my heart, this has the feeling of a great entity coming to an end. To all of my friends and peer with the TP, we are competitors but we are journalists first. We stand by your side in this dark time and hope that the light will shine through.