Meet Lauren Colombo

Lauren Colombo is 4 years old and on April 2 she had a five hour surgery to remove a grapefruit sized tumor from her brain.
That was my story. But that is by no means the end of Lauren's.
Looking past the scar that circled the top of her head I didn't see a girl who was defined as having cancer. She had life to her and she ran around the basement with her two twin 6-year-old sisters like she had nothing to lose. They were like the three musketeers.
A Flint Journal photographer, Tyler Sutherland, and I had the chance to spend about an hour with the girls. And a smile never left my face. I never felt pity or sympathy for Lauren.
Here's what you should know about Lauren: She LOVES green and penguins. In total she has about 40 stuffed penguins (most of which she received while in the hospital) and she enjoys showing off her mad penguin dance skills. And in case you were wondering how it goes (you know you were) I will enlighten you.
Standing up, move your legs so they are about shoulder width apart and put your arms out about 45 degrees. Now lift the leg and arm on side of your body and then the other side, alternating... congratulations, you are now a penguin.
Lauren is really smart. She could talk to me about the stuff that happened to her and what she went through. She corrected me with I mispronounced the street her school bus goes down. She loves to play on the iPod touch and use an application that makes cupcakes. And guess what color her cupcakes were? Yup. Green.
And if you ask her if she likes her hair short, she will tell you yes... because it's like grandma's.


Photo by Tyler Sutherland: I also learned that sometimes you just have to sit on the floor and enjoy a good conversation... And also that Lauren had a crush on Tyler.

Yes. Lauren had cancer. But after spending a little time with her you will forget all about it.

There's a fundraiser coming up for Lauren's family. If you're in the Flushing area, consider attending and met Lauren Colombo for yourself.
Here's my story for The Flint Journal:

By Sarah Schuch
The Flint Journal

FLUSHING, Michigan — Besides the scar on her head and her very short hair, an outsider would never know that Lauren Colombo had a grapefruit-sized brain tumor about eight months ago.
Lauren, 4, was full of energy at her Flushing home Monday, wearing a green leopard print shirt and a grass skirt over her jeans.
But it’s been a long journey for Lauren and her family.
What started out as flu-like symptoms turned out to be a rare form of a brain tumor that took over Lauren’s brain when she was still 3 years old.
“It was very, very difficult to watch it,” said Gina Colombo, Lauren’s mother. “It was the hardest (thing) that I found out that she had it. I lost my voice. My body was just gone.”
After surgery to remove the tumor, blood transfusions and six cycles of chemotherapy, Lauren is back in school and trying to live a normal life, Colombo said.
However, treatments and taking time off of work was expensive for the family. A spaghetti dinner fundraiser sponsored by Power Video Relay Service will taking place from 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 11 at St. Robert’s Activity Center, 310 N. Cherry St.

For the full story check it out at mlive.com.

Journalism 101

For those of you who are journalists, you know there are a few — or few more than a few — things that non journalists don't understand about what we do.
And for those of you who are not journalists, writing is not just about selling papers and sticking it to the man... at least not for most.
Here are a few things that I've been thinking about for awhile that I need to put out there. You can agree or disagree, but remember this is my blog, so ultimately my opinion. :) Feel free to add to the list by leaving a comment.

12 things non journalists should know about what we do:
1. We do not know everything. So when a mistake is made, we do our best to correct it. Remember we are only human.
2. Our #1 goal is not to fill the newspaper or media outlet with only bad news. But if we didn't report it, readers would be complaining that we are not being transparent about what is going on out in the world. It's not like we created the violence.
3. Finding that extraordinary story out of an ordinary person is what makes our job fun.
4. A lot of the time reporters do not write the headlines you see in the newspaper.
5. Believe it or not, stories go through about three or more people before it's published. If there's still a mistake, it's possible wires of communication were crossed. Don't have a cow.
6. We can't possibly cover everything, especially if sources mention it the day it is happening.
7. Our entire day is not spent at the computer writing. We actually develop source work, go to meetings and interact with the public so you don't have to. You're welcome.
8. Just because something isn't newsworthy to you, doesn't mean it isn't to somebody else. The world does not cater to you.
9. "You can't trust the media," is a false statement. Journalists do not go out of their way to lie to you. (Oh and bloggers aren't necessarily journalists)
10. If a reporter calls you. Return the call promptly, please. We work on deadline, and in order to get all the facts, your cooperation is appreciated.
11. Journalists — at least the ones I know — do what they do for the public, for you. (Trust me, we don't make enough to be doing it for the money)
12. A 9 to 5 job... ha!

Another blog I found talks about what PR people should know about Journalists and visa versa. Check it out.

One Weekend at a Time

We all know that there are some people out there that go hungry.
I feel privileged getting to write about the people or groups of people that want to do something to make a difference. In this case they are doing it one weekend at a time.
Even though the city of Flushing is by no means as bad off as Flint, there is still a need there. And some people want to do something about it.
A few churches found that there were chronically hungry children that attend the elementary schools in the Flushing area. Those kids don't eat from school lunch on Friday to school lunch on Monday. The kids have to search for food or go hungry.
I can't even imagine.
The three churches are coming together to provide bags of food every weekend during the school year for the students that qualify.

"Wouldn’t it be wonderful if churches all over Michigan did the same thing?” one of the pastors asked.

By Sarah Schuch
The Flint Journal

FLUSHING, Michigan — Some churches in the Flushing area are teaming with local schools to make sure that students have something to eat between school lunch Fridays and when they return to classes Mondays.

“I know that we have students that would receive breakfast and lunch at school, and that truly would be the only meals they would have,” said Kasey Cronin, executive director for curriculum and instruction for Flushing Community Schools. “It’s inspiring to know we have a community that will pull together and meet the needs of our students and work with us.”

The program, called Bread for Life, started last year with two Flushing elementary schools — Springview and Elms — but has expanded to all Flushing elementary schools this year.

Read more about the Bread for Life program.

Everybody Needs A Hobby, Yes?

I like meeting interesting people. And Pat Lehr was definitely one of those people.
Another reporter was told about a man with a very large collection. Of what? you may ask. Golf clubs. Lots of them to be exact.
After Lehr retired he wanted to add another hobby to his list of growing hobbies — wood carving, robot collecting, working on old cars.
"I do a little bit of everything," he told me.
And then you stepped into his man cave... Also known as his barn.
His main focus is golf putters, which he owns at least 500 of. But his total collection comes to a grand total of more than 2,000 golf clubs. Golf clubs, bags, ball, tees and other accessories were scattered throughout the barn, either hanging up, in piles or set up carefully.
He kept his most loved ones in a room in his barn nicely hung up and separated by colorful tees.
His reason for this collection? "I just got it going," he said.
What a reason. Well when I'm retired maybe I will have a collection too.
But please stop me if that collection is of cats... Thank you in advance.

Meet Pat Lehr of Clayton Township.


By Sarah Schuch
The Flint Journal

CLAYTON TOWNSHIP, Michigan — Some may call it excessive, but Pat Lehr calls it a hobby.

Lehr, 72, of Clayton Township started golfing 10 years ago when he retired from General Motors. And about three years ago, without an explanation, he decided to start collecting golf clubs.

And the collection took off.

Lehr has more than 500 putters and a total excess of about 2,000 golf clubs.

“I don’t know why. I just got it going,” he said. “Most of your golf clubs look the same. Putters are different.”

Read Lehr's complete story here.

Adult in Training

At age 21 I don't really consider myself an adult quite yet. I prefer to call myself an adult in training.
And I definitely have a lot of learning to do.
Here's a few things I have learned:
* When checking the mailbox expect mostly ads and bills.
* I need to spend a little more time cutting coupons and looking for sales.
* Making a meal to leave enough for leftovers should be cut in half unless I want to be eating that same meal for a week or more (I unfortunately learned that the hard way)
* The dry erase board I bought serves the purpose of keeping me organized and not to draw unnecessary pictures and smiley faces.
* A couch is not a necessity but an apartment feels empty without it.
* Running a few times a week actually helps keep me sane.

One big realization I came to while in this middle phase is having a kitten is sort of like practicing for having a child one day.
Sonny is 12 weeks old, full of energy, adorable and chewing on my headphone cord currently as I type. Just as a mother has to baby proof a house, I, too, have had to kitten proof my apartment.

* All shoes with shoe laces must never be left by the door.
* My DVD player was stored in the shelf in my closet when not in use to prevent potentially hazardous electrocution by chewing on the cords.
* 3 a.m. means nothing to Sonny, especially when he wants to play.
* And sometimes I hope if I turn the TV on he will be mesmerized and finally be still for once.



I may have a full time job, my own apartment and a car payment but I still like to make cookies just for the fun of it, color pictures and hang them on my wall and keep a cow shaped cookie jar on my counter.
And I will admit it... I watch the Disney channel. Yup.

Adulthood isn't in full blossom. And maybe it never will be, but for now I don't mind pretending.

My Next Move

I am 21 years old. I just purchased my first dependable car, which was the biggest purchase so far of my life (not counting college). I have a new job, apartment and if I'm being honest, new bills. The good news: I am a college graduate. The bad news: I start paying back my student loan in just a few short months. But I'm looking forward at all I can do now without the weight of classes and more books that humanly necessary.

Well I guess I'm an adult now. My amazing internship at the Jackson Citizen Patriot ended with an offer to be a staff writer for The Flint Journal. That came with a few benefits — the opportunity to come back to my hometown and spend time with the people I love, return back to a newspaper that offered me my first internship and the security of a job shortly after graduating from Central Michigan University. I feel lucky for that last fact. I am probably among the few that have found permanent employment.
Things seem to be going in the right direction. I see journalism also going in new directions. My friend Lindsay Knake was just recently hired by the Saginaw News. The News looks at journalism as a mobile and transparent industry. The reporters can go anywhere and report.(She talks about it a little bit in her blog) Isn't that how it is supposed to be? They all have laptops and cell phones, so in retrospective their desks and work area are everywhere they are. It shows the readers and society that journalism is not a dying art form but one that can move forward with society.

I currently cover the Flushing area. One of the biggest things I want to accomplish while covering my beat is to find amazing people and be able to share their story. I can honestly say that is why I went into journalism. I know along the way I will run into some crazy, difficult and just plain rude people. And I will do my best to smile and nod and do my job with professionalism. Although I have only been with the Journal for two weeks I hope I can quickly push past the learning curve of remembering the multiple steps needed to be successful. I hope to prove myself as a useful part of the team.

My advice to readers of today's newspapers. Don't count them out yet. What's going on in the background is worth the time to see what they can do. As society evolves so does the media. So hey, go out and buy a newspaper. If there were no newspapers, would your world really be better?

Check out what I've been working on so far at The Flint Journal.

ESPN - Controlled chaos

Who knew being a sports reporter could be so fun? I spent Saturday afternoon in the ESPN production truck out at Michigan International Speedway for the Nationwide Series race. I had no idea what I was getting into. 11 mobile units at each race, 19 EVS servers for rand and studio production (high-speed digital recording), 20 miles of video, audio and power cable needed on site at the race tracks, 60-75 high-definition cameras used by ESPN to televise the race and so much more.


Photos by Jake May

When I first walked into the truck I was shocked. All I saw was TV screens and a lot of them. They had so many different angles and choices on what should go up on the screen and the producers were full of energy. Although there were some stressful points they were still laughing and having a great time. Guys were yelling from the back row and from the first row all at the same time. Five or more voices could be coming through the headset at once. Not only did the producers and directors need to choose which camera angle or racer to show but also find room for commercials. Last-minutes decisions were made constantly. Talk about cool under pressure.



Race days busy behind the scenes for the ESPN crew
By Sarah Schuch

BROOKLYN -- Neil Goldberg looks at the NASCAR Nationwide Series race from a different vantage point than most viewers.

Goldberg, a producer for ESPN, watches the race on not one TV screen, but 20 from various angles. Each screen could be separated into as many as nine smaller screens.
“It’s sensory overload for people who come in here,” he said about ESPN’s production truck. “It’s controlled chaos.”

Goldberg and the rest of the ESPN team set up at Michigan International Speedway this week to get ready for Saturday’s and today’s NASCAR races.

A crew of about 60 started setting up all the trucks and equipment Wednesday and, by Thursday afternoon, ESPN was ready to do a broadcast, said Senior Operation Producer Clyde Taylor.

On a race day, the crew expands to about 200 people. NASCAR is such a big deal that most people have two or three roles.

“This show is really about the size of a Super Bowl show,” Taylor said. "So much adrenaline."

Finish the story that ran in the Jackson Citizen Patriot :)

Faces of NASCAR

NASCAR would be nothing without its fans. I think NASCAR fans are some of the most dedicated. And I've learned that from only two races. They are also probably the craziest... and maybe the drunkest. They definitely are unique and after the June race Jake May and I wanted to do a project on them, which took us into the campgrounds, the pit and the infield. We didn't want just any crazy fan. We wanted to find their story. And with the limited time I think we did a great job. Don't judge NASCAR until you've experienced it at least once. I've been hit on enough to last a lifetime and been on top of many campers, but I've had a great time covering NASCAR this summer.
It was a great weekend to end a great internship at the Jackson Citizen Patriot.

Unfortunately the online presentation is very poor compared to the print edition you see here. But read about the fans. Their stories range pretty far.



Photo by Jake May: Inside Kevin Kent's bus in the infield. With 3D glasses the inside looks crazy. Kent takes pride in his bus and what he stands for. It used to be used for some heavy partying, but now he uses it to share his testimony. Full of positive energy, Kent is the kind of fan some people don't realize is out there.

A Tale of Too Many Cats

People are afraid of things they don't fully understand. I didn't understand why someone would choose to live that way and I didn't fully understand what the neighbors went through, I had no idea how many cats actually lived in the house and I was very relieved with Ms. Smith did not answer her door when I approached. If you've owned a cat or more than one cat you understand the smell of a litter box. Imagine if that's what the entire house smelled like times 10. That's what the neighbors of Ms. Smith had to deal with when they continuously complained about the smell and cat problem next door. Sad thing was, it was a really nice neighborhood. And every time I saw a cat wandering outside after a miraculous escape from the house I was even afraid to approach it. It's not like it was a tiger or something, but it came from a house not known for its cleanliness. To me it came from the unknown.

It was an odd story. Another one that brought up chuckles from the newsroom and disappointment from certain officials. And yet nothing could be done because the township had no cat ordinance. Come on. This is not the first time it's happened in that home or the first time in the township. Sometimes holes are found in local government. Maybe this is one of them. Either way I will keep my distance from this home, especially on a hot, windy summer's day.


A wild beast was sighted in the jungle, aka Ms. Smith's back yard.

Neighbors are fed up with smell of cat urine emanating from Summit Township home
By Sarah Schuch

Craig Brown worries about the heat, the direction of the wind and how the stench from his neighbor's house will carry over to his yard.

Brown and other neighbors are lobbying various officials to do something about the smell of cat urine that comes from 1276 Levant St. in Summit Township.

"It smells like what I would describe as putting your nose in a litter box," Brown said.

Neighbors on Levant Street have been frustrated for years by the situation at Anita Smith's home. The house has been condemned twice — once in 2003 and 2009 — by the Jackson County Health Department because it was deemed unsanitary. With some cleanup, Smith, who could not be reached for comment, was able to get it off the condemned list.

Want to keep reading? Of course you do! And you can do so right here.



Even the house was overgrown.

No Crying Over Spilled Milk

Fourth of July is known for fireworks, honoring our veterans and being thankful for the freedoms we have in the United States of America. But this Fourth of July I will remember for its spilled milk.
Jake and I covered a protest out in Cement City of a dairy farmer wanting citizens to understand the financial strife of all dairy farmers. He ended up dumping 1,300 gallons of raw milk down his driveway. At first us reporters at the Citizen Patriot were throwing out all kinds of milk puns, enough to make a middle school student unamused. But the more research done, proved it was a legit protest... to an extent.
A couple in New York started the idea. The amount of money dairy farmers are making versus the cost to produce the milk that you drink is extremely unbalanced. So maybe I don't agree with the farmers wasting their day's worth of product, but it got people's attention. The best quote in the story is “We feed our nation, and right now our farmers can’t feed themselves."



Check out the full story that includes a lot more detail. Go on. Do it!

All Is Well

My first major Sunday story at the Citizen Patriot was a pain in the butt. But I guess it makes sense given the subject — oil. And it's not the like the drilling of oil in the Gulf, so don't go flipping your lid until you read the story or do your own research. While being a journalist, I realized the major factor in people becoming upset is ignorance. I have learned way more than I ever thought I would have the oil process, especially on the smaller scale in Jackson County. The main wells or facilities are mostly on farmers' lands. And one of them told me something that made a lot of sense. "We're farmers. Why would we harm the land?" Sure, there are always going to be some companies that hurt the reputation. But some are just trying to run a business.
But one assumption that might be correct is in the right circumstances, some people can make some big bucks off the oil industry.

Read my story. Get educated.

Just Plane Fun

Sometimes there are perks to being an intern. You get the random assignments that don't really fit under anyone's beat. I worked on a preview story for the Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show and Ballon Festival. Doesn't sound too interesting does it? How about if I added in the part that I was given the opportunity to go up in one of the air show planes? No it sounds awesome! Sure, it got the pilot a little more attention then the rest of those who were performing, but he offered...


Photos by Nick Dentamaro


Let me paint a picture for you. Imagine being on a 15-minute roller coaster. That's kind of how I felt. I tried to keep my cool, because there was a video camera on me at all times. At first the pilot took it easy, by doing a little roll, but then before you know it he's flying upside down for a solid couple of minutes. He thought it was funny. I, on the other hand, was gripping the bars with a death grip. We barrel-rolled around the plane that Nick rode in. At one point we did a hammer head maneuver. It's kind of like the Power Tower at Cedar Point only in a plane. The plane went straight up, leaving only a blue sky and the sun for me to see. Then it went straight down leaving only the ground. We did a couple of spins in a row and I had a hard time figuring out if I was upside down or right side up. It was nuts. Overall it was awesome! But I don't ever want to do it again. Thank goodness for motion sickness pills.

Check out the story, which includes a video. A portion of it you can see me spin. Enjoy!

A Hairy Situation

Odd stories make my days much more interesting. It gives me and the reporters around me lots to laugh at, and this story was definitely one of those. Sausage takes on whole new meaning for me, and soon you will find out why. I even have a grossed out expression on my face as I write this.
Usually when someone gets their hair cut, the hair usually gets thrown away or if it's enough hair it can be donated. Did you ever think about hair being used to clean up the BP spill in the Gulf? Hair is being put in nylons and used as hair booms to have the oil stick to it. It forms a hair sausage... yuck. Now picture hundreds of them stacked up. Double gross. They couldn't call it a hair boom or something less disgusting? Nope. I guess they are improvising. I will give them credit for that. If they help, great. But don't make touch one, please.
Oddly enough I found five salons and one pet grooming place in Jackson participating. There is a list on the website that shows you every place involved. Check it out. But really your first reaction will most likely be laughter followed by disgust once you see the pictures.

Here's my story...

Hair from local salons being sent to help clean up BP oil spill
By Sarah Schuch

Customers usually watch their hair fall to the ground after it’s cut and then it’s swept into the trash. Now, it could be heading for the Gulf of Mexico.

Salons all over the country are donating extra scraps of hair to an organization called Matter of Trust, which is making booms to help clean up the BP oil spill. The hair is stuffed into nylons and then covered by an orange mesh, creating a boom that floats in the water.

Five local hair salons and one pet grooming business are involved in the effort.
Annette Bartlett, owner of Jackson Hair and Nail Co., 1310 W. Michigan Ave., signed up to help six or seven weeks ago and has already sent four boxes of hair to help the cause.

“It’s a horrible thing that happened, so if it works why not (send it)?” she said.

Read the rest of the story here. You know you are intrigued!

World Changers

More than 23,000 students this summer will be fixing up houses all around the United States. I'm impressed. And the organization that puts it on came to Jackson. It was called World Changers, which seemed fitting. Students from age 12 to in their 20s were out and about Jackson for a week fixing 14 houses. They either painted or put on new roofs... for free.

Everyone always complains about all news is bad these days. I feel honored to prove those people wrong. There are people all the time doing great things to help make a difference, but they choose not to be recognized. It's called being humble. That's why as a journalist I get to make the decision for them and show the world that there are good people out there. Participating in mission trips before, I can appreciate what these students did. And they did with a smile and with no complaints. They paid $250 each to go to a different state for a week and fix up a house of someone they have never met. To me, this is what makes a cool story... and most of them had a strong accent so that made it even better.

I also took this opportunity to get a video under my belt. It's with the story on Mlive. Check it out!

World Changers volunteers from across the country fix up houses in Jackson
By Sarah Schuch

Felicity Adkins, 20, was up early Wednesday morning working on the roof of a house whose owner she had never met before this week.

And she did it for free. In fact, she paid money to do it.

"It shows teenagers are willing to spend a portion of their summer to come help other people," said Adkins, an Alabama resident. "Your sleep is a little deprived throughout the week. … It's very worth it."

More than 170 students are in Jackson this week with hammers and paint brushes in hand. They are part of World Changers, a ministry of the North American Mission Board, which sends thousands of students around the United States to work on home projects for a week at a time in different locations.

Check out the rest of the story AND VIDEO on Mlive!

Gentlemen Start Your Engines

NASCAR. Yup. NASCAR



I had the great opportunity to be the NASCAR summer reporter for the Jackson Citizen Patriot. I didn't cover the race itself, but the people and some news angles. I witnessed a lot of different characters during the weekend from the workers, to the president of MIS, to hicks barely wearing any clothes, to sports reporters.



I had the opportunity to sit in the press box during the race and feel like a sports reporter. You know what I learned? They have it easy. Someone teach me about sports so I can get this kind of treatment more : ) But I will say one thing... I have a new respect for NASCAR, although I still didn't really watch the race too much. But I did learn more about the racers and the sport itself.

Oh and did I mention I met Adam Sandler and Kevin James?!



I worked a lot on my stories during the week and Friday and Sunday when I was at Michigan International Speedway. I met a lot of fans and learned their stories. Fans are what makes NASCAR what it is. They all have a story to tell.

Enjoy the stories!

Some fans upset about the new smoking ban at MIS

MIS President expects track to keep two races a year

Some campers at Michigan International Speedway are just there for the party

Grand Rapids couple continues to come to Michigan International Speedway, the site of their first date

Race noise adds to the experience at Michigan International Speedway

So after walking up way too many stairs, being stared at and hit on by creepy drunk men and leaving with ringing ears I am still really excited for Round 2 in August!!

Her wheelchair is like her shoes

It makes me really enjoy being a journalist when I get the opportunity to work on a story that makes readers aware of unfair situations. Shayna is 16 years old. She has Cerebral Palsy and in August went through an eight and half hour surgery to straighten her spine. Soon after, the family started a process to get her a wheelchair through Medicaid that would better support her new back. After nine months the family still had not received the chair.
I had the opportunity to spend some time with the family, and I would have never guessed Shayna was not a normal 16-year-old girl. The family was full of spirit and full of laughs. It was great to see that.
The story made a cool front page package.


Check out the full story here.

Memorial Day: A day to learn more about those who fought for us

While at the Cit Pat these past two weeks I had the opportunity to write stories about two families who had loved ones in the Korean War. They talked about the loss of their brothers, their character and what it meant to be a soldier. One family finally found closure, while another is just glad to be able to honor those who died in the war.

Story #1 was unbelievable to me. After 59 years the remains of Roy Head had been identified. The Korean government handed over 34 boxes (coffins) of remains to the United States in 1993. His remains were in box #25. His two brothers were then given details of what Roy went through up until his death in 1951. They were relieved, and on June 5 Roy will finally be given a full military funeral.

Brothers can finally lay Roy Head to rest after he went missing in action in 1951
By Sarah Schuch

Captured after an enemy ambush in 1951, Roy Head was taken to a North Korean prisoner-of-war camp — though exactly how long he lived there or under what conditions no one really knows.

But now, at least, his brothers know they can finally lay him to rest.

On March 11, John Head of Cement City received a call he had been anticipating for 59 years. Roy's remains had been identified via a DNA match.

"I was floored. I couldn't believe it," John said. "After all these years, I kind of gave up."

Keep reading about Roy Head here.

The second story was about two twin brothers who fought together in the Korean War. One was killed in action, forcing the other to write home to the family about the tragic news. I can't even imagine having to do that. Their sister, 90 years old, went to put flags on their grave in honor of what they did.

Read about Richard and Robert Curran's Story.

Thank you to all those who served this country!

Michigan International Speedway's new suites are sweet

As the official feature reporter of NASCAR this summer (If you're thinking that's interesting, you're on the right track), I had the opportunity to tour the new suites, along with about 30 other male reporters and photographers. Let's just say I stood out. But it was a cool experience to see what they were all excited about. We were shown the new suites and media center that together cost $17 million. And they were pretty fancy with lots of gadgets. If you think I look a little out of place in the picture below, you're probably right, but it was a fun experience either way. Boys and their cars... I may never understand it.



Photo by Katie Rausch

Anyways, my story explained the new look at MIS. And it must be a big deal to the people of Jackson, because it was front page news.

Michigan International Speedway unveils $17 million project
By Sarah Schuch

Michigan International Speedway has a new, upscale rustic look to its pit road suites and media center.

The $17 million project that began in August will be complete next week, in plenty of time for the track’s first event weekend June 11-13.

The NASCAR brand can be seen throughout the project. There is a feeling of being outdoors, with earth tones and added touches of a national park, MIS President Roger Curtis said.

Check the rest of the details here.

An elephant in Jackson?? Yup!

Jake and I had the opportunity to take an assignment together, and it was a random one. All that was said was people think there is an elephant in someone's front yard... My first question: How does someone get an elephant in their front yard.
These kinds of assignments make my job a lot of fun. She put on a show for us and tried to steal my pen I think, but she was sweet. Enjoy the story of the Laura the elephant.



Photos by Jake May



Laura the elephant makes a visit to Leoni Township
By Sarah Schuch
Jackson Citizen Patriot

There was an 8,000-pound elephant in the room.

Or in this case, a Leoni Township front yard.

Laura, a 27-year-old elephant, was hanging out with owners Chuck and Sonya Walters at a friend's house Friday on the way to a Hindu wedding today in Dearborn.

She stood 9 feet tall with a trunk about 10 feet long.


Read the full story and bring some traffic to my story : )

A very rainy day to walk to work

I covered the Smart Commute event that was put on by the Fitness Council of Jackson at 7 a.m.... and my luck it was raining. I had made plans to walk with the assistant city engineer from his home to work at City Hall. So picture this: I'm walking down the road at 7 a.m. holding my pink umbrella in my left hand and trying to write with my right hand while resting the notebook against the left hand, all while trying to walk and write. It was 1.8 miles. Needless to say I eventually gave up and turned on my recorder. But the traffic and rain was so loud that luckily I got enough writing before I started recording. Anyways it was an eventful morning. Luckily the photographer, Katie Rausch, gave me a ride back to my car.

Want to read the story? Of you course you do!
Here you go.

Righting a wrong

My first story published in the Jackson Citizen Patriot was a community based one, which are my favorite. It's great to see people doing something nice just because they think it is a good thing to do. When I went out to the house that some men were re-siding they were so happy and joking around. I even held the tape measurer so I could say that I helped. : ) They were a sweet group of guys who volunteered for the Great Jackson Habitat-Humanity.

Here's the story:

Habitat for Humanity volunteers put new siding on house that was spray-painted with graffiti

Five men helped right a wrong Thursday morning for a Leoni Township homeowner.

A crew of volunteers with Greater Jackson Habitat for Humanity put new siding on a portion of David Smith’s house after it was spray-painted with graffiti in April.

“No crime. No blacks” had been painted in large, green capital letters across the vinyl siding on the front of the light gray house. Smith purchased the house in early April and had been making some repairs before moving in.

Read the rest of the story here.

Welcome to my first blog : )

Hey everyone!

I finally decided to get my own blog. My goal is to keep it updated with stories I'm working on and photos I take. I hope during my time this summer I can improve on my photography skills, as well as my video skills while in Jackson. Hopefully life will take me on some fun adventures to make my life a little bit more exciting so I can share it with you.
Being that this is my first blog, please be patient as I learn the ins and outs of blog creating.

Enjoy!!