After a great weekend in Casper, Wyoming judging the Miss Wyoming USA pageant I am now headed to New York for the next hearing of suspected terrorist Najibullah Zazi.
Though his name is hard to pronounce, everyone on the plane knows who he is. After seeing our TV camera and asking what we are covering, one man loudly yelled "guilty" as he walked down the aisle of the plane.
That seems to be the consensus among people who stop to chat with me. It is not the consus from viewers who email. Many people point out that defendants are inocent until proven guilty.
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Monday, September 21, 2009
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Woman arrested after claiming cop raped her
And on this one... police claim they have video to show her story is completely made up.
Follow me on Twitter: jacelarson
Follow me on Twitter: jacelarson
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Beyond the Basics
Watch our story Sunday night on 9NEWS after the Bronco game or check it out Sunday on 9NEWS.com.
Journalists, especially those of us on TV, like to talk. There’s no denying it.
This week we’ve been talking a lot about my story, “Beyond the Basics.”
Our newsroom is divided.
Many people applaud us for looking closely at what some families buy with their food stamp money. Others are outraged or upset, saying recipients can buy what they want with their own money.
We’ve had countless debates in 9Wants to Know and the entire newsroom discussing whether to run our story. And if we did run it, what examples should we include in it. In the end we’ve decided to let you make the decision on what is acceptable spending. Our jobs aren’t to censor. If I give you as much information as possible, you can draw your own conclusion. You don’t need me filtering your news.
We are not choosing a side.
Should families on food stamps be able to buy crab legs or $45 dollar birthday cakes? (A local grocery store checker told me she watched both happen recently.)
But what if that $45 cake or crab legs are for an extra special occasion? What if that family saved for weeks to be able to afford it?
Would you be mad if people used cash assistance (another program to help families buy non-food items) to buy cigarettes? It’s happening and we have the receipts to prove it.
Taxpayer money funds both programs. That means you are essentially paying for everything that’s purchased.
What do you think?
Follow me on Twitter: jacelarson
Journalists, especially those of us on TV, like to talk. There’s no denying it.
This week we’ve been talking a lot about my story, “Beyond the Basics.”
Our newsroom is divided.
Many people applaud us for looking closely at what some families buy with their food stamp money. Others are outraged or upset, saying recipients can buy what they want with their own money.
We’ve had countless debates in 9Wants to Know and the entire newsroom discussing whether to run our story. And if we did run it, what examples should we include in it. In the end we’ve decided to let you make the decision on what is acceptable spending. Our jobs aren’t to censor. If I give you as much information as possible, you can draw your own conclusion. You don’t need me filtering your news.
We are not choosing a side.
Should families on food stamps be able to buy crab legs or $45 dollar birthday cakes? (A local grocery store checker told me she watched both happen recently.)
But what if that $45 cake or crab legs are for an extra special occasion? What if that family saved for weeks to be able to afford it?
Would you be mad if people used cash assistance (another program to help families buy non-food items) to buy cigarettes? It’s happening and we have the receipts to prove it.
Taxpayer money funds both programs. That means you are essentially paying for everything that’s purchased.
What do you think?
Follow me on Twitter: jacelarson
Friday, August 28, 2009
An hour with the Shaggy Bandit
I’ll admit, I was a little surprised when the man who claims he’s the Shaggy Bandit agreed to talk to me about his suspected 17 bank robberies or attempted robberies.
We talked for an hour in a very small visitor’s cubical at the Denver City Jail. He sat behind thick glass and we spoke over a telephone.
Michael Kincade was kind. He smiled. He looked me right in the eye. He didn’t come across cocky.
He seemed very average. He has long hair and wore a shirt with a camouflage print.
He came across as a man who realized the magnitude of what he claims he’s done.
Kincade said he’s sorry and told me he didn’t want to hurt anybody.
"I have standards. It might not seem like it much," he said. "I didn't see myself hurting anyone."
Follow me on Twitter: jacelarson
We talked for an hour in a very small visitor’s cubical at the Denver City Jail. He sat behind thick glass and we spoke over a telephone.
Michael Kincade was kind. He smiled. He looked me right in the eye. He didn’t come across cocky.
He seemed very average. He has long hair and wore a shirt with a camouflage print.
He came across as a man who realized the magnitude of what he claims he’s done.
Kincade said he’s sorry and told me he didn’t want to hurt anybody.
"I have standards. It might not seem like it much," he said. "I didn't see myself hurting anyone."
Follow me on Twitter: jacelarson
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