Just a Matter of Time

As my graduation date draws near with a degree in journalism and minors in history and communications, I feel like there are a myriad of things that I will be taking with me as I leave the University of Northern Colorado.

The journalism field continues to move into the online realm. I feel the journalism program has prepared me when it comes to working with computers and the various programs associated with this profession. During my four years in the journalism program at UNC, I am exceedingly pleased with the education I received.

If I were to provide guidance to future students in the program, I would suggest taking more multimedia classes and to pay close attention during lessons about interviewing. All aspects of the program are designed to have the student succeed and to prepare them for a life after college. There have been times when my writing was fantastic and other times when it has been sloppy. This is something I will continue to strive for and become more consistent with.

As sad as I am to leave UNC, I am also excited to begin the next step of my life, career and academia. Ideally, my perfect job would incorporate writing of some sort, it does not have to be for a newspaper, but if I am able to include my love into my future career then I know I will have succeeded with my goals.

Road Diet

Items at City Hall have been fairly quiet lately. The main exception to that would be the “road diet” which the city is considering.

Traffic planners for Greeley could put the city on a “road diet,” in the next 25 years to reduce costs and to get as much of the city’s roadways utilized as possible. This means that particular areas of roads that rise up on the maintenance lists will be examined for possible lane reductions to accommodate turning lanes and bike lines in an attempt to minimize congestion and compound the uses of the road. Some of the plans could include the installation of roundabouts and any new major roads will be constructed for various uses. One of the main issues this diet faces is the possibility for road congestion on U.S. 34 and then it could create the problem of diverting traffic either north or south of the major highway.

Update at the Midway Point

Covering a beat is not the easiest task for a journalist. It is time consuming, exciting and, at times, a little dull. However, I have enjoyed writing about my beat, the Greeley City Council, this semester. This topic is something I find interesting because not many people follow local politics and are usually unaware of the issues in their communities. I have written two stories this semester. The first was a day-in-the-life story, where I spent a day aboard the UNC Bear Bus. It was interesting seeing the types of people who use public transportation and those who are occasional users. The second story I wrote was a profile piece on Robb Casseday, the newest City Council member. This story was interesting to write because it allowed me to know Casseday as a person instead of solely as a councilmember. I enjoyed completing both of these stories; the only aspect of these stories that I have disliked thus far has been the video assignment for the profile piece. I think the things that I have done consistently well would be either my interviews or my observations. The one thing that I can improve upon is not leaving my assignments to the last minute to complete. I am looking forward to the rest of the semester so I can continue to report and learn about my beat and the people on it.

Same Council: New Perspective

For most individuals blogging is a new and exciting frontier. I am one of the few individuals who can say this is not my first venture into this arena. This is the second class I have had to write a blog for, and the second time I have covered the Greeley City Council. The first class I covered the council for was reporting on contemporary issues. Unlike my first trip into the blogging atmosphere I am more confident with my skills as a reporter, and I know that blogging is something I enjoy, because it allows me to share my thoughts and inform the public what is happening in the City of Greeley. I have completed two internships with the South Platte Sentinel in Sterling, Colo. That experience has prepared me for covering and reporting on a deadline. With this experience I hope to further my knowledge of running and operating a blog.