June 27, 2008
Day 5 - Last Day In Cedar Rapids

The post-5pm update didn't happen yesterday. I was faced with two options after the news - sit and write a blog entry - or head over to the Cedar Rapid's BBQ Roundup.

The BBQ won. I'm a an absolute foodie, so a chance to check out some of the corn-fed beef and chicken everyone was raving about here was a big thrill. (Sadly there are no corn-fed cheesesteaks)

It was also a chance to give back to the CR community. Organizers had to move the Roundup from it's original location in the heart of the flood damaged downtown to the parking lot of the minor league baseball team's stadium (go CR Kernels!) They said they couldn't cancel it for two reasons: 1) The BBQ Vendors at the Roundup are on a national touring schedule (but use local beef, pork, and chicken - don't worry) and 2) The people of CR needed an escape.

I ventured over with Meghan and Will from our DC Newsroom, and Meredith from WCHS (FOX45 and KGAN's sister station in Charlston, West Virginia). They are also here to help out post-flood for the week. We all tried different menus items - I got a chopped pork sandwich. It was fantastic.

We weren't so surprised when we saw how many people came out. You could almost feel that - even if for a few hours - there was a sense of relief and excitement - instead of frustration.

Frustration was the lead on the 5pm news on Thursday - the station has been getting calls and emails from people who feel they are getting the runaround from FEMA. In a post-Katrina world - it's not that tough to understand. Although it seems the response has been much better here - people are still worried about getting FEMA trailers. As one concerned man who's home is going to be demolished put it, "it get's cold here".

As many as 2,000 homes in Cedar Rapids may need to be destroyed. In fact, they are thinking of leveling entire neighborhoods and turning them into parks - so this situation never happens again. A lot of people are not happy about that - including a 74 year old Korean War vet who lost everything. He grew up in one of those neighborhoods and raised his family there.

It's been a constant rollercoaster of emotions in my week here.

Today I go home after setting up today's 5. While I know my time here is done - the story is not over. These people will be dealing with this next week, next month, next year...if not longer.


June 26, 2008
Day 4 - Pics are up!

Some of the pictures I've taken in the last few days are now posted to the right. For the record - those khaki cargo shirts and vests that you usually see reporters wearing on the national news after events like this are not standard issue. So I apologize to my friends back home who were dissapointed I'm not wearing one along with my mask.

Time for the morning meeting - I'll update after the 5pm news.

June 25, 2008
Day 3 (Part 2) - Iowa Storms

Well the live shots tonight were a bust. A line of severe thunderstorms moved through the area. While it produced some of the best lighting bolts I've ever seen (and no I couldn't capture them on my camera - my sausage fingers don't move fast enough) it also means that the microwave and satellite trucks were unsafe to operate.

Why?

The microwave trucks have large poles (or "masts") that raise a small dish that the photographers use to bounce their live shot signal off other dishes and beam it back to the station.

The satellite trucks has a large dish (think directv but 5 times bigger) that is used to beam the live shot off into space where it is beamed back to the station.

Either way - people could get struck by lightning.

Tonight's stories were both informative and bittersweet.

One reporter went out and talked to some health officials about the potential for mosquitoes spreading diseases - and why it's important to get rid of all the standing water (where mosquitoes love to hang out) so people don't get sick.

There was also a story about several people who were overcome by carbon monoxide. Apparently that is the number one health threat in the days following a catastrophic flood like this. People will get in their basements to clean and run a generator - and withou ventilation - they are overcome by fumes. Luckily this was a very minor case.

Another reporter told the story of an elderly man who was rescued after those deadly tornadoes moved through Iowa a few weeks before the floods. His wife didn't make it - and he is pretty lucky to be alive. Tonight he met the people that resuced him for the first time.

June 25, 2008
Day 3 - The Best and Worst of People

A quick updat before I head back to the station. (I promise I'll do another one today afterwards) I just wanted to point out two stories that show the two different paths we can take in life. I'll start with the bad to get it out of the way.

Remember the chicken story from yesterday? Well at the farm where those chicken are being held - someone broke in over night and killed 50 ducks. Mind you this "farm" is really a mini zoo where local kids can have birthday parties and pet the different animals. It's bad enough that someone attacked the ducks, they went as far as to make piles of them was worse. What kind of sick person goes after a harmless animal? If they could only turn that negative energy into positive - we could have another instance of the "good" story of the day.

The good story (and trust me they outnumber the bad ones 5 to 1) was in small town outside of Cedar Rapids. Only a few families were effected by the flood waters. When they turned to their neighbors for help.- the entire town responded - donating clothes - making meals and finding other ways to help. They called it a "Flood of Hope" to overtake the Flood of '08.

Sorry for the quick update - again - more coming later tonight.


June 24, 2008
Day 2 - Flood Coverage "Behind The Scenes"

I know have two days of producing a "flood recovery" newscasts under my belt here at KGAN. With any newscast it's our job to make sure the viewing audience gets information they need to know, and make sure they get the *right* information.

Today was a big example of that along with info about where you can find emergency daycare (since most parents are spending their days cleaning up their homes), what to look for when inspectors come to your home (to avoid identity theft), the big news rolled about an hour before show time.

This morning the local paper had an article - quoting the local health department - that there was no air quality problems the public should be worried about. While it wasn't perfect, it wasn't dangerous to walk around in the flood areas without a mask over your mouth and nose.

Then those same health officials found out that yes, the air WAS dangerous, and anyone working in the flood area should definitely wear a mask to avoid getting sick. This new information became our lead story at 5, 6, and at 10.

This is actually two stations in one - there is KGAN - which is a CBS affliate, and KFXA - which is a FOX affliate. As I said before the late CBS news is on at 10, the FOX broadcast is on at 9. (side note - the CBS Evening News is on between the 5pm and 6pm news - another time difference from the East coast)(other side note - it's been funny watching Letterman at 10:30).

I am truly impressed with the staff here at KGAN. It is a small market station - but the story telling doesn't seem that way. It's a huge credit to the reporters, photographers and management.

What does "small market" mean? In the TV news business cities are broken up into "markets" depending on their population. New York City is #1, Baltimore is #24 (but #1 in our hearts), and Cedar Rapids is #87.

What does "small market" also usally mean? Young reporters and photographers cutting their teeth outside of a classroom. That doesn't mean they aren't good at what they do - as I said before I'm really impressed with the stories and how they approach them. (and trust me - I've seen some NOT so intereting work while I spent a year in market #98)

Everyone is eager to get the information out there - and they have no problem pulling 2 or 3 packages per day, on top of picking up a few vo/sots too.

What is a package and a vo/sot?
A package is a story that a reporter puts together. Usually they will have a few lines mixed with sound from officials or people involved with the story. Normally, a reporter will do one package (or pkg for short) per day.

A vo/sot is a "voice over sound on tape". It's usually a piece of video that an anchor will read over - followed by a sound bite from person involved with the story. (In bigger markets there are photographers who's job it is to go out and pick up vo/sots for producers and assistant producers to write)

The station has broken away from the normal "flood cleanup" stories. For example today we had a story about how health officials are testing chickens for diseases in the flood zone - to see what might be harmful to humans.

Another reporter is working on a community prayer service as people turn to their faith for guidance and strength in these trying times.

On the lighter side of things, another reporter found a story about how the flood waters uncovered fossils from thousands of years ago.

So what am I up to now? (aside from trying out my first Hardee's Thickburger? I know, I know, I'll have to eat salads for a week to make up for that)

After producing the 5pm news today, I stuck around to help write stories for the later shows and field produce a live shot from our satellite truck.

So what does sticking around to field produce mean? Your humble narrator will be donning one of those spiffy masks tonight - Pictures of that - plus the KGAN Newsroom - coming soon.


June 23, 2008
Bob’s Flood Blog - Day 1 (pictures coming soon)

First, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Bob and I am the producer for the 5:30 news at FOX45. This week I am assisting our sister station, KGAN, in Cedar Rapids.

I left from BWI early Sunday morning and after a brief layover in Chicago I was in town by about 11am. I got in my rental car (an ‘08 two door Chevy Cobalt that still has that new car smell) and headed to the downtown area. It’s pretty sad. It looks like a war zone almost.

Last week, flood waters rose to about 10 feet through the main street in town. Now, all you can hear is generators and diesel trucks, all you smell is mold and gasoline. You can see a high watermark that runs throughout town. In front of most homes in the downtown area there are huge piles of trash. Soaking wet mounds of furniture, clothing, televisions, along with drywall and insulation. Most people lost everything in their basements and first floors. Street lights are still not working, makeshift stop signs dot the intersections. What I’m told is normally a bustling downtown area full of farmers markets, packed restaurants, and other activies is like a ghost town. All the business are shut down. To make matters worse, there are reports of looting, and a rash of anti-Semitic and racist graffiti on some downtown businesses.

The good news, the people of Iowa are very resilient. There has been lots of tears and frustration, but the “community” feeling has overcome that. Neighbors are helping neighbors, people from nearby towns are coming in to help the cleanup effort. The theater in town has the message “We are in this together” on it’s marquee. I found another sign near a pile of trash that reads “We will rise above”.

Of course there is also lots of help from afar. A couple from near the Detroit, Michigan area purchased more than 4,000 pounds of food on their own dime and drove it into town to hand out. On the plane ride here I sat next to a Red Cross volunteer. From New York. He is a psychologist, and explained to me that his job is to tell people that they’ll “be okay”. He kept referring to the people effected by the flood as “survivors”. I guess that’s pretty accurate. They aren’t moping around, they are doing what they have to do to move on and get through this tough time.

June 23, 2008
FOX 45 News Producer Bob McCall is in Cedar Rapids, Iowa assisting our sister station KGAN with their coverage of the Floods of '08. Bob will be blogging from Iowa to give the people back home a firsthand account of the disaster. Check back soon for Bob's first entry.