Sexual Assault Plagues College Campuses (Hard News Story)

According to the Association of American Universities, 23% of female college students have been sexually assaulted.  Sexual assault is defined as unwanted sexual touching. It ranges from kissing to rape says the Department of Justice.

In 2015, 214 incidents of sexual assault were reported at UW – Madison according to their Sexual Assault Summary Report. 15 of these incidents happened in the University Residence Halls. According to the UW Police Department, only approximately 1% of sexual assaults are ever reported.

Sexual assault is a plague that occurs on many college campuses. At UW – Green Bay, at least one sexual assault has been reported every year since 2012 according to their Annual Security Fire & Safety Report.

Three UW – Green Bay students, Taylor Campbell, Chelsea Rank and Lindsay Pieffer, have all worried about sexual assault during their college careers. Taylor says, “I feel very safe on campus, but I know that sexual assault is always a possibility. I always have my guard up.” She also said that she never goes out at night alone. Chelsea said no matter where she is, she never leaves a drink unattended, even to go to the bathroom. “People will do freaky things. I don’t want to get date raped if I have to go to the bathroom.” Finally, Lindsay said, “I always hold my phone in my hand so it’s visible to other people.” She thinks that if a potential attacker would see her phone, they might chose to leave her be because she could quickly call 911.

The UW – Green Bay Counseling and Health Center says there are some preventative measures you can take. If something feels off, trust your instincts. Be cautious when alcohol or other drugs are involved. Use the buddy system. These suggestions are backed by UW – Green Bay Public Safety.

UW – Green Bay Public Safety also says that you shouldn’t feel afraid to be on campus. You should keep your wits about you though. They say not to assume that other people will take care of you.

The most important thing to know about sexual assault is that it’s never the victim’s fault. 

The Secrets of Stress Snacking (Feature Story)

It’s 11 p.m. Sunday night, your paper is due at 11:59 p.m. and you’re only on page 1 of 7. Then, it hits you. You’re starving. You want something sweet, salty, and crunchy. You decide to mix potato chips with chocolate syrup. Welcome to stress snacking. It happens to the best of us.

Why do we stress eat? According to Harvard Health, persistent stress causes your body to release a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol causes you to feel hungry and store fat. Stress eating goes beyond a chemical reaction in your brain, though. According to HelpGuide.org, a mental, emotional, and social health site, stress eating occurs when you try to fill an emotional need. In other words, you're not trying to fill your stomach; you're trying to fill your heart.

Even the healthiest people stress snack from time to time. Dani Laporte, a fitness fanatic at UW – Green Bay, said that she doesn’t stress snack often, but it does happen. “If I stress snack, I’m probably at work. I work at a restaurant so there’s food everywhere!” For Dani, proximity to food is her trigger when she’s stressed. The closer she is, the easier it is for her to give in to the temptation to stress eat.

Melissa Mathews, a student at Penn Foster Career School, is another example of someone who struggles with stress snacking. She said that she struggles with stress snacking frequently. “Whenever I become even a little stressed I need to eat. The foods I crave aren’t healthy either. I always want salty and sweet foods.”  She fills the emotional need she feels by eating things like doughnuts, chips, and ice cream. Salted caramel ice cream is her weakness.

What can we do to get our stress eating under control? Maria Bobber, a service manager at BMO Harris Bank, said that’s what she’s trying to figure out. “I used to eat and eat and eat whenever I was a little bit stressed,” she said. Now, instead of eating, she exercises. This is one of the South Beach Diet’s number one tips for beating stress eating. They say that exercise releases endorphins in your brain. The endorphins make you feel better and can help prevent stress eating. 

WebMD said that exercise isn’t the number one way to beat stress eating though. According to them, keeping your house filled with healthy food is the best way to defeat stress snacking. You probably won’t go out of your way to find food to eat when you’re stressed. Instead, you grab whatever’s close.

Maria Bobber said that since she reduced stress snacking, she feels better. She gets more done at work and at home. She sleeps better and is generally happier. Dani Laporte also said that she feels better when she chooses to avoid stress snacking.  She said that when she exercises instead of stress eating, her focus is enhanced. She also does better in school.

According to Healthline, these are just a few of the benefits derived from a good diet free of stress snacking.

Next time you only have 59 minutes to write 6 pages of your paper, avoid the snacks. Take a short walk, do yoga, or do a short high intensity work out. You’ll feel better afterwards. You’ll also be able to focus more. Your paper will also be better than if you chose those chocolate covered potato chips. 

Train Crash Kills 3 in Belgium

SAINT-GOERGES-SUR-MEUSE, BELGIUM – 3 people are dead and 9 are in critical condition after a train collision in Belgium on June 5.

According to USA Today, the passenger train crashed into the back of a freight train. The accident derailed two cars.

CNN said the passenger train was carrying about 40 people. The train was traveling at a normal speed.

In an interview for The Guardian Francis Dejon said, “The passenger train is really in a bad way…We were very lucky not to have more victims.”

The cause of the crash is still under investigation. 

Explanation of Story Choice

I chose to brief this story because it has nearly all the elements of news worthiness. First, it has immediacy; the crash just occurred Sunday night. The story has prominence, because it involved a mode of transportation that is very popular in Europe. It has novelty, since there is no known explanation for the accident. It has conflict, because the cause of the crash is currently under investigation. Finally it has emotion, because 3 people died and 9 are in critical condition. 

Stanford Rapist Sentenced to 6 Months in Jail

STANFORD, CA – On June 2, Judge Aaron Persky sentenced Stanford University swimmer Brock Turner to 6 months in Santa Clara County Jail.

In March, Judge Persky found Turner guilty of assault with intent to commit rape of an intoxicated/unconscious person, penetration of an intoxicated person and penetration of an unconscious person. All three are felony charges.

CNN said prosecutors requested that Turner be sentenced to 6 years in prison. Judge Persky ignored their requests. In response to why Turner was given such a light sentence, 

Judge Persky said that a prison sentence would “have a severe impact on him.”

According to ABC, Turner’s victim wrote a letter to him which was read in court. In the letter she said, “I wanted to take off my body like a jacket and leave it at the hospital with everything else.”

The Judge’s light sentence and the victim’s letter have sparked outrage.

According to Change.org, “Judge Persky failed to see that the fact that Brock Turner is a white male star athlete at a prestigious university does not entitle him to leniency.”

The issue is also trending on Twitter.

One user, @LaurenDeStefano, said “If someone’s a rapist and an athlete, they’re not an athlete who made a mistake, they’re a criminal who can also swim.”

Explanation of Story Choice

I chose to brief this story because it has almost all the elements of news worthiness. First, it has immediacy; Turner was just sentenced on June 2, 2016, less than a week ago. The story has prominence, because it involves the judicial system in a well-known city. It has novelty, since the sentence was so light. Turner only received 6 months and the maximum sentence is 14 years. It has conflict, because Turner was found guilty of raping an unconscious woman. Also, people around the country are outraged by the sentence and taking to Twitter to express their disgust. Finally it has emotion, because a woman was raped and her letter describing how she felt afterward was read out loud in court. 

Hobart Woman Charged for Deadly Arson

Green Bay, WI – On June 6, the Brown County District Attorney’s office charged Roni Coonen-Anderson of Hobart with felony murder by arson to a building and arson. WBAY said this charge comes almost one year after that fire killed 89 year old Harold Ambrosious.

Prosecutor’s also charged Coonen-Anderson with arson for a separate fire in October of 2015 according to Fox 11.

The motive behind both fires is unknown.

NBC 26 said Coonen-Anderson was released on a $100,000 bond. She is due back in court on Friday. 

Explanation of Story Choice

I chose to brief this story because it has nearly all the elements of news worthiness. First, it has immediacy; Coonen-Anderson was just charged on Monday. It also has proximity, because the crime was committed in Hobart, WI, and she was charged in Green Bay, WI. It has novelty, since arson that leads to death is relatively uncommon in our area. It has conflict, because Coonen-Anderson is beginning a court battle. Finally it has emotion, because the fire that Coonen-Anderson was charged with setting killed an 89 year old man. His family, friends, and community will want justice for his untimely death. 

Interview with Hannah Anderson of WSAW

For the Professional Journalist Interview and Paper, I interviewed Hannah Anderson of WSAW in Wausau, WI. I decided to write the interview in a split format. I began with Hannah’s profile, because I felt that it gave a wonderful overview of her journalistic experience. After that, I moved into a Q&A format. I was originally going to use the profile format for the entire write up, but Hannah gave such good answers in the interview that I wanted to make sure the readers could see everything as it was said.

Profile

Hannah Anderson attended the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul with a double major in multimedia communication and journalism. She also minored in business. She interned at WCCO-TV, KSTP-TV, and The World Press Institute. She also worked as a professional videographer for St. Thomas and TommieMedia.com. Hannah started working as a multimedia reporter for WSAW in June 2013. There, she anchored Sunrise 7 from 2013 to 2015. After that, she became a weekday anchor for the 5 p.m. broadcast for WSAW and the 9 p.m. broadcast for WZAW Fox News at 9. One of the highlights of Hannah’s career is live continuous coverage of the Never Forgotten Honor Flight on two trips to Washington D.C. with WW2 veterans.

Interview

Q: How long have you been in the journalism field?

A: In my sophomore year of college I started working for our media outlet at St. Thomas. That was paid. It was kind of like a real hire and fire job which got me a lot of good experience. Counting that it’s been 5 years. Since I’ve come to Wausau it’s been exactly 3.

Q: What is journalism to you?

A: I think it’s seeking truth and reporting it accurately and clearly in the tightest amount of time you can.  I also think it’s an ability to connect with everyone. We have to get people to trust us to get the interview and get information or we don’t have stories.

Q: What is your typical day like?

A: I anchor at night so, I get in at 1:30 and I catch up on emails start looking for story ideas. I get caught up on what’s the big news that day. We have an editorial meeting every day at 2 for night side. Everyone gets together to talk about what’s being covered today and what is our lead for each broadcast. Then we do topicals; those are the little ads before the newscast to get people to stick around and watch. So then I read the stories and tweak how I want to say them and make sure it’s all set up right. I get a short break and then do the broadcast. I also stick around to help with the 10 p.m. broadcast and breaking news that happens there and web stuff.  

Q: How many of your stories do you find on your own?

A: When I first started, I would find stories every day. Now, we have people pitch ideas but our assignment editor sets them up. That’s to make sure we have strong leads from each broadcast. I wish I could give you a number, but I really can’t. It changes every single day.

Q: How has journalism changed since you started working?

A: I think it started evolving social media and web wise. That’s the future. Even just the last 3 years, the immediacy factor has gone up considerably. People want immediate info even if it’s lower quality. Live gear has also changed. We don’t use satellite trucks anymore in small markets. We use backpacks. You can go live from everywhere just by pushing a button.

Q: How has social media changed the field of journalism?

A: It makes the immediacy factor that much more important. People are willing to sacrifice quality for info now.

Q: What are some opportunities that journalism gives you and the community you work in?

A: It gives me a platform. I coach hockey in the community and I think I would’ve done that anyway, but it gives me a platform to be a role model for young women and young people in general. I get to go to unique fests and judge things and be a part of community events. I’ve been able to host free trips to places so we can go with viewers. I never thought that I’d be able to do that and I’ve never been able to do that before. I get to go on trips with viewers and get to know them. I don’t know why they’d want to go with me but they do. I also got to go on the Never Forgotten Honor flight to Washington D.C. twice. They sent me there to talk to the veterans and gather stories. I got to go to Omaha Nebraska when the Badgers were in the Sweet 16 I think two years ago. That was really amazing.

Q: What are some challenges that journalism presents?

A: In the small community, it’s hard because you can’t always go out with your friends because someone is always going to know you. I love it, because they feel comfortable with me and trust me. But, sometimes you’re at dinner with a boyfriend or a girlfriend or your parents and people will just come up and start talking to you. You always have to be on, because people expect you to be exactly like you are on T.V. and for me, I’m basically the same. Some days, though, you’re not always happy happy happy and you have to be when people recognize you in public.

Q: What kinds of jobs are available for people studying journalism?

A: I’d say now the digital, web, and social media jobs are really big. There’s always openings in that and it’s growing. You know, everyone wants to be on T.V. they want to be a reporter or be on the desk as an anchor. One way you can make a lot more money out of school and move up a lot faster is on the production side. There are a lot of jobs in that and you basically control the whole broadcast. You’re just not behind the desk.

Q: What are the pros and cons of the journalism profession?

A: You really get to be involved in the community which is great. The hours are challenging, though. If they need extra coverage, you have to drop everything and go. When the Antigo school shooting happened, that was late on a Saturday night, they called all of us in on Sunday morning. They even called us late that Saturday night to see if we could come in to help get coverage of that story.

Q: What do you think that the future of journalism is?

A: I think it’s going a lot more toward the social media side. Eventually, we’re not going to be sitting around a T.V. watching the news. We’re going to our phones for information.

Q: Do you think journalism will continue to be as important or will social media take over?

A: Eventually, I think social media is going to take over. That’s the future.

Q: Do you have any words of wisdom for students wanting to enter the journalism field?

A: Intern in a small market. They will actually let you do something. You’re probably going to get a lot more hands on experience than if you’re in a large market. That makes you more valuable. Big markets aren’t going to let you touch a camera or interview people or report on something.

Q: What is the number one skill you think people need to succeed in journalism?

A: I think everyone says that it’s curiosity. That is key, but a skill that you really need is being able to read people and to get them to be able to trust you when you first meet them. That’s invaluable as a journalist. 

Iraqi Forces Lead Operation to Take Falluja from ISIS

FALLUJA, IRAQ – On May 30, Iraqi forces began an operation designed to take ISIS controlled Falluja. U.S. military aircraft supported the forces..

NBC News says this operation is the most recent in a set of attempts to force ISIS fighters out of Falluja.

According to the BBC, about 50,000 civilians are trapped within the city. 760 civilians have been evacuated from Falluja, CNN says.

Iraqi forces including counter-terrorism forces are closing in on Falluja from multiple sides, according to an official statement received by the BBC.

ISIS fighters are attempting to slow the operation with suicide and car bombings in the city.

ISIS forces have also attempted to shift focus away from Falluja to Baghdad. 

They’ve been executing bombings in Baghdad. The bombings have killed 24 people, according to the New York Times.

ISIS issued an online statement claiming responsibility for the bombings.

Falluja has been under ISIS control since 2014 and is 40 miles west of Baghdad.

Explanation of Story Choice

I chose to brief this story because it has almost all the elements of news worthiness. First, it has impact. Falluja was the first city that ISIS took in 2014, and it would greatly disrupt them if they were to lose it. In addition, taking Falluja would mean a win over ISIS and a step toward defeating them. It has immediacy, because the operation was just launched today. It has prominence, because it involved a well-known terrorist operation. It has conflict, because it is a military operation between ISIS and Iraqi forces. Finally, it has emotion because 50,000 civilians are trapped inside the city and are at great risk of death or serious injury. 

NBA Guard Dejean-Jones Shot and Killed Saturday Morning

DALLAS – On May 28, New Orleans Pelicans guard Bryce Dejean-Jones died after being shot Saturday in Dallas.

According to NBC News, Dejean-Jones was visiting his girlfriend in Dallas for his daughter’s first birthday. Dejean-Jones’ agent, Scott W. Nichols, says Dejean-Jones had never been to his girlfriend’s apartment complex.

After an argument, Dejean-Jones went for a walk early Saturday morning, CBS News says. When returning to his girlfriend’s apartment, he mistakenly went to the third floor instead of the fourth.

A Dallas resident heard Dejean-Jones break into his apartment. According to CNN, the resident yelled to Dejean-Jones. 

There was no answer. When Dejean-Jones kicked the resident's bedroom door in, the resident fired his gun and shot Dejean-Jones.

CBS News says nothing indicated that Dejean-Jones was armed or intentionally entered the wrong apartment.

Dejean-Jones was a rookie guard for the New Orleans Pelicans last season. Prior to playing for the Pelicans, he played for Iowa State, the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, and the University of Southern California.

Dejean-Jones was 23 when he died.

Explanation of Story Choice

I chose to brief this story because it has almost every element of newsworthiness. First, it has impact; the New Orleans Pelicans have lost a player. Also, fans of Dejean-Jones will not be able to watch him play anymore and will likely grieve over his death. It has immediacy, because it just happened early Saturday morning. The story has prominence, because it involves an NBA player who is known by fans across the country. It has conflict, because the story involved a home invasion. Finally it has emotion, because a 23 year old man was shot and killed. Untimely death is always sad. This is a particularly emotional time for family, friends, fans, and people that work within the New Orleans Pelicans organization.

90 Year Old Man Dead after ATV Crash

ATHELSTANE, WI – On May 29, 90 year old James Bosanny is dead after an ATV accident in Marinette County. The accident also injured Bosanny’s 64 year old son also named James Bosanny.

According to WBAY, 90 year old Bosanny was driving the ATV with 64 year old Bosanny on the back.

Fox 11 says the men were travelling down a hill when 90 year old Bosanny hit a plow and then a tree. Both men were thrust from the ATV. The accident occurred at 4 p.m.

90 year old Bosanny died at the scene. 64 year old Bosanny went to a Green Bay hospital with severe injuries.

Neither man was wearing a helmet, according to NBC 26.

Authorities say speed and alcohol are not factors in the accident.

Explanation for Story Choice

I chose to brief this story because it has almost all elements of newsworthiness. First, it has immediacy. The story just happened on Sunday. It also has proximity; the accident occurred in Athelstane, 72 miles north of Green Bay. In addition, the younger Bosanny was taken to hospital in Green Bay. It also has novelty, because a 90 year old man caused a fatal crash. It has emotion, because an accidental death of a 90 year old man is extremely sad. 

Scientists and Ethicists Want 2016 Summer Olympics Moved

RIO DE JANEIRO – 150 leading scientists and ethicists warn that the 2016 Summer Olympics should be moved from Rio or postponed because of the Zika virus.

The 150 person group states that they believe maintaining the location of the 2016 Summer Olympics would be unethical. They argue that keeping the location would risk bringing the disease back to uninfected areas.

According to the BBC, the group wrote an open letter to the International Olympic Committee. They said, "An unnecessary risk is posed when 500,000 foreign tourists from all countries attend the Games, potentially acquire that strain, and return home to places where it can become endemic.”

The impending decisions have caused stress for athletes and Olympic officials alike. Hope Solo, U.S. women’s soccer team goalkeeper told CNBC’s Squawk Box, "I strongly believe that no athlete should be put into this position—to decide between your Olympic dreams and your own health."

According to Bleacher Report, the International Olympic Committee says they will not move or postpone the games. The Committee told the BBC in early May that they have no reason to postpone the games since the World Health Organization doesn’t suggest restricting travel or international trade.

The World Health Organization also said that they would not call for a cancellation of the games, ABC says. They are, however, warning those at high risk not to attend the Games. People at high risk are those with weakened immune systems and pregnant women.

Explanation of Story Choice

I chose to brief this story, because it has nearly every element of newsworthiness. It has impact, because if the WHO or the IOC heed the warning of the scientists and ethicists millions of people across the globe won’t be able to watch the 2016 Summer Olympics. At the very least, they won’t watch them “on time.” It also impacts all the athletes and trainers who have been preparing for the Games for a very long time. It has immediacy because the letter was just written on Wednesday. The story has prominence, because it involves a well-known event. It has novelty, because the modern Olympics have only been cancelled three times. It involves conflict among leading scientists and ethicists, the WHO and the IOC. It has emotion, because many people look forward to watching the Summer Olympics and would be disappointed if they were cancelled or postponed. In addition, many people are afraid of the Zika virus being transmitted all over the world. 

Neenah Police Search for Armed Robber

NEENAH, WI – On Thursday, May 26 a man robbed a BP gas station on the corner of Commercial and Center Streets at gunpoint.

WBAY says the man robbed the gas station at 10 p.m. He displayed his handgun, took cash from the register and left. No one was injured in the incident.

Witnesses informed the police that the man went west from the scene according to Fox 11. Neenah police K9 unit attempted to track the robber. They were unsuccessful.

NBC 26 says the robber is 6 feet tall and 220 pounds. During the robbery, he wore a black mask without eye holes and black clothing

Anyone with information is asked to call the Neenah Police Department at 920-866-6000. You can also call Crimestoppers at 920-231-8477.

Explanation of Story Choice

I chose to brief this story because it has almost all elements of newsworthiness. It has impact, because it matters to people in the Fox Valley Area. Citizens want to know when violent crimes such as armed robbery happens. It has immediacy, because the robbery just happened on Wednesday. It has proximity, because it happened in Neenah which is in the Fox Valley. It has novelty, because an armed robbery generally comes as a shock. The armed robbery was a conflict, so that element is also included. Finally it has emotion, because something like armed robbery frightens people.

TSA Head of Security Operations Removed from Post

WASHINGTON – On Monday May 23, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) removed Kelly Hoggan from his post. Hoggan worked as Head of Security Operations. The removal occurred after a congressional hearing on May 12. Congress questioned why Hoggan was receiving bonuses up to $90,000 despite his poor performance record.

According to CNN, a Homeland Security Inspector General report in 2015 revealed that “the TSA failed to detect fake explosives and weapons 95% of the time during covert testing.” In addition, wait times increased dramatically during Hoggan’s time as Head of Security Operations. This was due to the TSA’s inefficiency and low staffing. The New York Times says Congress questioned TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger on May 12 about the oversights in security and staffing on Hoggan’s part. Neffenger said he was not planning to fire or punish Hoggan. Evidently, this was untrue.

Darby LaJoye will replace Hoggan as Head of Security Operations immediately. According to NBC News LayJoye was head of security operations at LAX and JFK airports.  Neffenger sent an e-mail saying, LaJoye’s knowledge and training has “driven a renewed agency-wide focus on security effectiveness.” Fox News obtained the e-mail. The TSA hopes this renewed focus will decrease wait times and missed flights as well as keep travelers safe.   

Explanation of Story Choice

I chose to brief this story because it has all the elements of news worthiness. First, it has impact. Anyone who flies through a U.S. airport will be affected by this change in one way or another. It has immediacy; the change just happened Monday. It also has proximity, because there are airports in nearly every major U.S. city and many small cities throughout the country. They will all be affected by this change. The story has prominence, because it involves a well-known organization. It has novelty, sine the Head of Security Operations is new. It has conflict, because Hoggan lost his job and was replaced by LaJoye. Finally it has emotion, because many people get worried about security risks when flying. 

Introduction to Me

Hello everyone!

My name is Samantha but I prefer Sam. I'm currently a senior at UWGB and will be graduating in December! I'm a pre-law student with a communication major with an emphasis in public relations and a business administration minor. Following graduation from UWGB, I'll be attending University of Minnesota Law. I hope to eventually become an intellectual property attorney somewhere in the Midwest.

Outside of school, I like to go for walks, watch movies, and play piano. I also sing a lot. (FUN FACT: I used to be a music therapy and vocal performance major). I also have two adorable little bunnies that I love more than everything. Also, I'm a giant nerd. I love shows like Doctor Who and Harry Potter.

As for my personality, I'm a very strong J. I thrive on organization and planning. I'm very creative and interested in learning new things! I love to learn about current things going on all over the world, especially law.