Playing "Beat the Wrecker" is something I could do without. Most of them play like this. Call comes into the newsroom, "There is a bad looking accident over here. There a lot of cop cars blocking off the road". Or the the talk of possible entrapment involving multiple cars. Of course there're entrapments because they can't get the door open because they were just involved in wreck.
If it doesn't shut down a major roadway I do without chasing wrecks like some ambulance chasing lawyer. 
That is Helena Moreno. I first met her during Mardi Gras few years ago. She's been mainstay on New Orleans TV for about seven years. All of a sudden this past Monday she just decided it what time for a change and left the bright lights and daily deadlines for something different. Something she said in her final telecast, "I want to do more for the city and for the citizens". Wait a minute that sounds like Political Verbiage. It's been said that she may have interest in running for the 6th Congressional Seat currently being held by Rep. William Jefferson. Keep in mind that she hasn't declared her candidacy for anything yet but the timing and the wave of change in La politics have a lot of heads turning with this one.
No your eyes aren't playing trick on you. That is another stand off involving some "Jack Hole" who has decided to lock himself in his apartment and has threaten to kill himself. One guess who has to be there also. Maybe I should be a little nicer. Yesterday in Melrose East, know as "Mall City" be some, a mental case decides to lose reality and keep B.R. Finest at bay. Naturally we have to roll on it. We eventually find out that he's by himself and not holding anyone hostage. But since he has armed himself the boys in blue can't just rush in and get him. Gotta wait him out. But while we're waiting the local start getting restless.
Night falls. We set a cut off time. Got Avery D. with me and he has to anchor the 9. We start walking to the car and talk to a couple officers working the perimeter. Word comes over the radio that our guys wants to give up. "Son of a bitch" is uttered in unison. Walk back to our spot. Chief comes over and tell us we got him. Yes it's over. But I don't know what's worse. The fool inside causing all of the commotion or the one affected by it.
Not to mention another problem that came to light and that was video being erased either by accident or by the computer itself. The first question that was asked, "How much stuff did we lose"? A lot. The next question, "Did you lose any bloopers?" Nah, I didn't but I can't leave anything to chance from now on.
Had to appropriate some funds for this bad boy. This 500 GB hard drive will help keep the bloopers safe until it's time for their annual showcase. Plus it keep the quality level up as well. So for those concerned remember the camera and the hard drive is rolling.
Alex Box Stadium, or the Box as the faithful call it, has been around for 70 years and now it's to to upgrade. A more fan friendly facility is in the works but the memories from this place will stand through the hall of time. One memory for me didn't happen at the Box but it close to it. It was the year 2000, LSU was back in Omaha for the College World Series playing Stanford for the Championship. The game was on our station, a sports crew was sent there, and Post Game Special was in the works. Naturally, we needed a live shot from some watering hole of fans watching the game. Guess who got that assignment. So a reporter by the name of Bob Waters gets us in a bar near campus where a lot of students are watching the game. We head over there find the owner and he's thrilled we're there, free ad time no doubt. Start setting up the truck for the shots coming our way. In between stringing cable and flirting with the Budweiser Girls gotta get the students watching the game. Tigers are getting spanked down 5 to 2. This going to be a boring shot. Everyone's sad. Gonna be hard finding people to talk. So Bob and I head to the truck and start putting the story together. Bottom of the 8th, LSU batting. Ball meets Bat. Sound of a "Ping" over the TV leads to the bar erupting. The rally is on Tigers score 4 unanswered runs to win their fifth National Championship. The place is going wild. They come to us for the shot and Bob gets swallowed be elated faithful. Beer is flowing from the heavens thank goodness the camera was spared. What a day that was. 
I hope they send the old Box out in style. I also hope we get a fiber line to the new place so I can stop lugging the portable gear around.
I guess it's true. Streebeat does leave his desk from time to time. Now to get him out of the building. 
