You’re looking at picture of me up in the C-31 Golden Knights plane on Thursday night.

I had the opportunity to fly up and capture the Golden Knights as they jumped down onto Nativity churches parking lot.  YOu should know that I am scared of heights BUT this is no way was scary.  Yes, I was strapped in.  Yes, my camera was scrapped in, and YES I signed a waiver saying I wouldn’t sue if anything happened.

WE arrived at 5:15 pm and were greeted by Sgt. Howie Sanford.  He briefed us on the routine and showed us the plane.  Then by 6:00 pm we were up in the sky.  I was sitting on the left side of the plane right next to the door.  I got some amazing video and had someone else shoot video and take pictures:

Here are the Golden Knights in the plane as we go up.

Here we are circling to find the target; Nativity parking lot.

I couldn’t help it!  It’s my alma mater!  Loras College.  Apparently the Loras All-Sports Camp kids were on the field at the time.

A really sweet picture of one of the jumpers looking for the target.

Here they are peaking down the to the ground.  We were above the clouds and they decided to go lower because its illegal to jump through the clouds.

Here is the first jump:

Here are the rest of them:

All of these were shot on a FlipCam. Stay tuned tonight on KWWL news at 5, 6 and our special at 9 to see the story!

I think it’s fair to say that it was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done on the job!

Lauren~

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Here’s a little preview of what’s to come. Spend the evening in the plane with the Golden Knights. Took video and picture. A story will air tomorrow during the fireworks spectacular!

Enjoy!
Lauren~

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As I write this post tonight I find myself extremely inspired from the words of Aaron Thomas (Ed’ son):

My father was a great man of character, that’s something I’ve taken from him. But come tomorrow, it’s time we all get going. There’s a lot of work to be done in this town. My dad was here for a reason. He wasn’t taken before the tornado. He got us close. I think now it’s a challenge to all of us.

It’s been quite a week for the people in Parkersburg.  Heck it’s been quite a week for the entire nation.  It seems like every single day we heard of someone else dying.  And every single day the top story lead with details from a death, or remembering someone who died.  It was a tough week to be in the news business.

I found myself digging deep to find reason for all of this, still haven’t found it and I probably never will fully understand it all.  It’s not easy covering such tragedy; asking people to talk about someone they just lost.  Hoping that they understand your genuine desire to remember him and honor him, not disrupt and destroy their privacy or mourning process.

Wednesday I attended and reported from Parkersburg and the vigil at the Sacre Acre (see pictures below).  It was inspiring to see the thousands of people that turned out to pray for Thomas and remember his legacy.

That night on the drive home I found myself flipping through my ipod on my drive back to Dubuque.  The song “Place In this World” by Michael W. Smith came on the random list.  Most haven’t heard this song but it’s basically about how we’re all looking for a reason, roaming through life, trying to find a place in this world…a meaning and purpose.

I’m not going to lie to you, I often question the same thing.  I wonder if what I do really matters; if the stories I tell make a difference and if people are inspired by the things they see and hear in the stories I tell.

This week was no different.  Wondering if I could possible do any justice to remembering Ed Thomas in a town that had already been through so much.

Saturday night I attended mass here in Dubuque.  The homily was all about the death we’ve heard in the news the last week. Starting with the boyscout accident on Sunday last week (where a troop leader and boy scout were killed) and ending with Michael Jackson.  The priest mentioned Coach Thomas and the impact he had.  He talked about how hard it was to hear of all this death.  But the thing he said the most is that….if you believe in life after death…no matter who you are or what you’ve done, when we die….we all go to the same place.  Which regardless of what you believe, it puts one thing in perspective.  Life is precious, we’re put here for a purpose.  Life is meant to be lived to the fullest.  Ask anyone in Parkersburg and they’ll tell you Ed Thomas lived life to the fullest.

Then Sunday thousands of people lined up, 8 blocks at one point, outside of the church to pay final respects to Coach Thomas and his family.  The wake last more than 8 hours!  The family waited until everyone got through the line, they talked to everyone. Talk about tribute to the man who lived life to the fullest!!

Which takes me back to what Aaron Thomas said about his dad in this reflection at the funeral: My dad was here for a reason. He wasn’t taken before the tornado. He got us close. I think now it’s a challenge to all of us.

It’s a shame that it takes something like this to challenge all of us and remind us how precious life can be.  But it’s true.  Ed Thomas is dead, but he can live on in all of us.  Truth is, every one of us has an Ed Thomas in our lives.  Someone that pushes us to be the best we can be, that challenges us to get better each and everyday and that sets a strong example of how to live a faithful and fulfilling life.

As I sat, glued to the screen and the computer on Wednesday, I couldn’t believe what had happened.  6 days later I still can’t.  I’ve been a lot of time watching the many stories we’ve done on Ed Thomas and Parkersburg.  I’ve watched the national media and their coverage and I’ve seen raw interviews witht he man.  Everytime I see his pre-game locker room speech from September 15th I get goosebumps.  When I hear his words quoted, see video of him coaching or even hear him in past interviews, I can’t help but think I hope someday I can make as big of an impact on one persons life as Ed Thomas did for thousands.

I conclude tonight’s blog with a the final words from Aaron Thomas’ message today at the funeral:

And as he’d say, it’s time we get up and get ourselves going ’cause the true test of character is how do we respond to adversity. This is adversity. This is adversity. Now, my challenge to you: how are you going to respond, what are you going to do tomorrow?

Better yet, what are you going to do today?

God Bless,
Lauren~

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For once in my life…I have nothing more to say.  The pictures taken in Parkersburg today simply tell the story better than any blog post I could write:

It only seemed appropriate that as thousands gathered on the Sacred Acre, a field torn apart by the tornado 13 months ago, that the crowd would sing Amazing Grace and On Eagles Wings. That’s because tonight, there is a coach watching over everyone.

Lauren~

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It’s certainly been an interesting couple of days for severe weather in Iowa. I seem to almost always nearly dodge the storms (except on Friday when it came right through Dubuque). It kind of feels like it’s never ending.

But in this business, severe weather is the times we are tested the most. The time when you are tuned to us for information that may only be available from us at that very moment. It’s a constant test of endurance and knowledge.

So this morning when I got a text message from Jamie Grey saying that I’d be headed to Elkader for a flood remembrance picnic (live at 6) I knew there was a chance for severe weather. Now there are two things about this assignment. It meant I’d get a photographer - which is always a plus when you’re a one-man-band journalist like myself. I shoot, edit and write everything you see from here (unless I’m lucky enough to get a photographer).

So I ventured up HWY 52 towards Elkader.  I’ve been here several times before - doing flood stories, visit friends and driving through.  My fondest memory of Elkader is a canoe trip I took with Cheri and Jon Moser after their wedding.  We canoed down the Turkey River and ended in Elkader (at the baseball fields you see below).  That was the summer of 2007.  I never imagined a year later that river would swallow the town.  And neither did anyone else.

Getting back to having a photographer.  Nate Hoffman is the man!  He shot all my video - set up the LIVE truck and helped take care of odds and ends with my camera while I was editing.  I laughed with him because it was hard for me not to shoot.  I actually didn’t know what to do while he was shooting.  I decided to take pictures on my BlackBerry for the shear purpose of writing this blog.

The story was about flood recovery a year later.  Dozens turned out but the pinic was supposed to be in the city park (weather flag #1).  They moved it inside because of heat.  Good choice, esspecailly given the severe weather coming across Eastern Iowa.

So here comes weather flag #2.  As we’re hearing reports in Waterloo/Cedar Falls area of tornadic activity and winds, we were watching this cloud roll into town.  It sure looked rough.  Nate set up the live truck to show the clouds rolling in.  At one point it got pretty windy but there wasn’t much else that happened.  It rained a bit and certainly looked like it was gonna do something.  And this is the part of our career that we call “hurry up and wait.”  We waited a bit and then decided to continue moving forward with the Elkader flood story.  The storm blew over.

Nate and I headed into the banquet hall and talked with Dave Wilke.  He owns the grocery store in town.  It was flooded last year and opened 10 days after the floods.  It was what he called “a miracle.”  After talking with him and a few others we headed into town to shoot more video of the grocery store and the Turkey River. At 8:00 pm we made it back to the LIVE truck where I edited my story (see picture above for a view of what things looked like from my vantage point inside the truck).

All of a sudden, while I was editing, the sun came out again and this beautiful sunset was upon us.  Just even more of a sign of how wonderful and crazy mother nature can be.  On a night where our story was about recovering from what mother nature did a year ago (flood waters), at the same time a storm blowing through out viewing area and damaging various places (the tornado and thunderstorm warnings in CR/CF/Waterloo).  Then to end it all with a story about recovery and a sunset that was oh so calm.

Gotta love how it all works out.  Glad there wasn’t anything too terribly bad after the storm and glad the people of Elkader are coming together and improving life there.

None the less, when I got a text this morning about going to Elkader.  I never imagined it turn into this…and end with the sunset.

All in a day’s work I guess!

Lauren~

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Hello!

Happy Tuesday…on the hottest day of the year so far. I’m not sure about you but…I’m pretty sure it’s HOT!

Anyway, I wanted to share our new look with you. YOu may have noticed that we have a new LIVE shot background, courtesy of the Telegraph Herald newsroom. Previously we used a background inside our studio. Now we’ve moved out into the TH newsroom right by the copy editors and photographers desks.

Here you can see what I see when I got live. The camera is set up right outside the studio door.

This is what it all looks like from behind the camera. You can see the lights behind me, the plasma TV’s etc.

And this is what you see at home. Here is the toss to me from the Waterloo studio to the Tri-state newsroom.

And then what you see at home from our Tri-State newsroom live shot location.

As you can see things look very different depending on your perspective! haha. Either way I though you might be interested in seeing what the new set up looks like. It’s different then what we’re used to. Jamie and I now have a LIVE audience in the newsroom every time we go live. It will probably take some getting used to for all of us! But it’s a new look, which is always fun!

Anyway, I’m headed up to Elkader today for a flood remembrance story. Be sure to tune in LIVE at 6 and 10 for more details. Hopefully I don’t melt!

Stay cool.
Lauren~

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MORE PICTURES FROM DIKE: Courtesy Sherree Sharp.

HERE FROM GRUNDY COUNTY: Ashley Hemmen

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BELOW ARE SOME PICTURES SUBMITTED BY Lavonne Dwinal and Chris Swartout- Dike Iowa. WANTED TO SHARE THEM WITH YOU. SEND US YOUR PICTURES AT KWWLNEWS@KWWL.COM I’LL TRY TO POST MORE LATER. NOTHING IN DUBUQUE JUST YET.

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You’ve probably been hearing about the various bear sightings through out eastern Iowa the last week or so.  Well one of those hit close to home this weekend (of course while I was on vacation).  People near Bellevue reported seeing the black bear about 3 miles west of the town.

Today I met with the DNR and some people who captured some pictures of the bear.  Below are photos submitted by Stacy and Corey Kettmann of Bellevue:

Here is where he was spotted.  Under this “no hunting or trespassing” tree.  It’s funny because it almost looks staged!  It may even become the “post child” for hunting.  haha who knows but its funny.  I do think he looks rather cute here.

Witnesses say he walked around, took a nap, and sat under the tree for about an hour or so.

Then he ventured into the field…

And walked away until he was out of sight.

The Iowa DNR says he’s not harmful.  He is just looking for a place to call his own, a territory.  They also say he is looking for a mate.  I mean who can be mad a guy for looking for love? haha.

They also said not to confuse black bears with grizzle bears.  Grizzles are much bigger and more harmful.  They attach animals but black bears don’t.  The biggest thing they might attack is a bird feeder because they want to have some of the sunflower seeds inside.

They rarely attack humans unless they are cornered or feel threatened.  So if you do spot one just keep your distance.  This guy has moved south.  He was last spotted near Clinton.  But there is no indication whether or not it’s the same bear that was spotted in Allamakee County last week.  But chances are it is.

Either way, many of the people I talked with in Bellevue today were pretty thrilled to have seen a real black bear in their presence.  It’s funny one person said they had just returned from the zoo and were not able to see the bears there.  So it was quite a treat.  I never thought of seeing a bear as a treat but I suppose if I had seen it myself I’d be writing on this blog and bragging about it!

Oh well….either way…if I could name him I would.  For now he’s just Black Bear.  And we’ve tracked him or someone like him all the way through out viewing area.  There’s no telling where he’ll head next.

If you see him or have seen him let me know.  I’d love to hear your story!

Have a great night!

Lauren~

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They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I suppose that is true, especially if you go to a modern art museum.  But I’m kind of into that kinda of thing.  I enjoy abstract art andI find it interesting to take everyday things and make them art.  You can tell that by the way I take photographs.  I emphasize reflections and shadows.

Anyway - what does this have to do with?  Well last Thursday (and I apologize to blog this so late I was on vacation) I attended the reopening of Zins in Cedar Rapids.  You see on June 11th, 2008 the restaurant closed it’s doors at 4:15 pm.  They left the tables set for dinner and expected to come back Monday morning to a flooded basement a little clean up.  But they never imagined the Cedar River would swallow downtown and leave their restaurant a muddy mess.

After a year of work and support from the downtown community and their loyal customers Zins (which had only been open 7 months before the floods) reopened at 4:15 pm on Thursday June 11th, 2009.

The best part about it:

this frame on the far wall.  Look closely and you’ll see it.  Remember how I told you they left the tables set when they close.  When they returned this was the markings left on one of the table clothes.  It’s the table settings washed with floodwater and mud.  See the art andsymbolism behind this one?  It says so much without saying anything.  It’s a reminder of what everyone has been through. It’s a sign that even amidst tragedy andtriumph beauty can be found in the simplest things.

When you first look at it, it seems like a random work of art on the wall.  But when you realize what it means…it’s absolutely stunning. 

Owners says when they unveiled the frame there was silence in the restaurant.  People were stunned and they didn’t even know how to react.  How powerful?!

Anyway, I wanted to share this with you because it’s one of those stories that serves as a reminder to everyone - to all of us.  No matter what, there is beauty in everything.  It seemed fitting to share with you, even if you don’t live in Cedar Rapids or you weren’t directly affected by the floods. 

I hope you enjoyed it.  From what I hear Zins has a pretty good menu.  If you’re ever in CR check it out on 3rd street and 2nd avenue.  They even have valet parking!

That’s all for now.  Have a great day!

Lauren~

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