Wartburg Television Web-Exclusive Coverage

3 Days of Work for 4 Days in Berlin!

2010-05-17T17:45:00.004-05:00

Hallo!

One thing that I realized through out this week was that I never actually told everyone what exactly I’m doing over here. So I figured that I would start this entry off with a little description of what’s going on.

Ike Lahue, Bethany Creed, and myself all got assigned to work at the Wartburg Castle to help with some of the basic public relations work in the castle including: an article for The Lutheran Magazine about the Luther Decade, a video guide of the castle to be brought back to Wartburg, some minor translating, and a few English tours through out the castle. But as our last week of work is beginning I can only imagine it is going to a long, but fun, week. This week we have a interviews for the article lined up with the lord Mayor of Eisenach, the head of the castle and a few other tasks that need to be finished up.

But enough about work, we got off early this week because of the German holiday of Ascension (Christ’s trip to heaven.) So we decided to celebrate by going to Berlin. Once again we all rolled out bed early and caught the train out of Eisenach. So one stop and four hours later we made it. But I thought Munich was a busy place… clearly I had never been to Berlin. People were EVERYWHERE! And being a guy of bigger proportion, this makes fitting into small spaces with lots of people a rather difficult task. :) But I managed to make it and soon we made the trek to our hostel. It was a very nice place and not at all what I was expecting it to be. It had a loft-style room with 6 beds, a balcony, ect. The only downside, it was 2 bus stops and 30 minutes from the downtown area, which was ok… once I figured out was going on. Once we all got settled in, it was time to go to supper; this is where I experienced the glory of a “Berliner Wiesser,” a delicious concoction of raspberries and wheat beer. (I understand that sounds pretty gross, but it is very good.) Once again we met up with the Marberg trip for the weekend and they made it just in time for the Cabaret Show. This was… um.. We’ll say interesting. It was very good, don’t get me wrong, it had everything from trapeze artists to ice dancing to some other acts that could be interpreted a few different ways. The show finished up around 10 or so and with all of the traveling we decided to call it a night and save up some energy for the nights to come.

The second day brought sight seeing and museum walking. The first stop of the day was at the Pergamonmuseum. This is the home of many historical temples and monuments from Turkey. Next stop on the tour was the Brandenburg Gate, one of the biggest national symbols in Germany. Up next were the new Jewish Memorial, Kaiser Wilheom Gedachtnis, and finally the Sony Center. But after hours and hours of sight seeing we took a few hours to wonder around the city, only to top off the night with a front row seat to the Blue Man Group show. (Which was awesome!)

On the third day, we hoped on the bus to East Germany and went through the Charlie’s Checkpoint Museum. This was important because it was the checkpoint into the American section of Germany once the war was over. It was one of the most powerful museums that we went through. It showed me what everyone had to go through just survive the post-war. Next on the Berlin checklist was a trip to the famous Rihgstag building. Before the war, this building was the main government building, but got destroyed. After being rebuilt, it became one of the biggest attractions because of the obeservitory that was built on top of the building. This allowed people to get a full view of everything that the city has to offer; it was unbelievable. (Unfortunately my camera died so no pictures.) After that finished up, we had the rest of the night to go explore the nightlife that Berlin had to offer. We came to find out that the Berlin had a soccer match that night against none other then Munich. (Which we saw in Munich.) So the downtown area was out of control. The pubs were packed and full of chanting soccer hooligans, it was so much fun. (I uploaded the video so you could get a little taste of the EuropaCenter after the game.) It was a great way to close out the night.

On our final day in the city we went to the American church and Jewish Museum before leaving heading back to Eisenach. This church was not at all what I was expecting because of how up beat and modern the services were. One fact about the church that shocked me was that it is located in a very rough neighborhood of East Berlin, and yet so many different people from over 20 different nationalities were in attendance. And after walking through the museum it was time to leave Berlin behind us, and head back to Eisenach.

Well, that’s all I have for now, next weekend is open, but a few of us decided not to waste it and are planning a trip to Amsterdam!! So check back next week to see how we do on our own!

Auf Wiedersehen,

Justin

Oktoberfest in May!

2010-05-11T15:12:00.008-05:00

Hello once again!

This week has been slightly better as I have begun to adapt to the way of the German, just in time to get thrown into a completely different part of the German culture, Munich. This past weekend we traveled to the south German state of Bavaria, where we stayed in Munich for 3 days. It was an awesome trip as we did everything that Munich had to offer, and then some!

We started the trip early Friday morning with a four-hour train ride from Eisenach to Munich. As soon as we arrived in Munich we got checked into our hotel and kind of got settled in for a bit, but we were all itching to go explore the city, so that is exactly what we did. The first thing that Pastor Trachte did was to take us down to the Old Market place and the Marian Plates, this was the downtown area of the city and it was packed with so many people. We wondered around the downtown area of Munich until around 7 or so when we met up with the Marburg trip were we went to one of the many beer halls that Munich is known for. It was awesome; nothing beats good people, good food, (and since I AM in Germany,) good beer. We were greeted at the Augusteinerkeller by a group of traditional Germans. It was so fun provided that it works, I am going to upload the video so you can see it, it was really fun. And that meal pretty much wrapped up the first day in Munich.
The second day brought more traveling as we took a bus to an hour outside of the city to a few more Historical portions of the countryside. The first stop on the tour was the Linderhof Palace, this was King Ludwig the Second’s mountainside palace. As we approached the second stop, we started to get higher, and higher, into what they call the “Low Alps.” The sight was just indescribable. (Again… with any luck I’m planning on posting a few pictures.) The final stop on our tour was at the castle of Neuschwanstein. This castle was HUGE!! it is said to be the castle that the Disney logo is based off of. And I understand why, it looks exactly like it. As we made our way back to the city, we hustled up to make sure that we made our reservations at the famous Hofbrauhaus, another one of Munich’s famous beer halls. This time we walked in and had entertainment shows, as well as a buffet. (YUMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!) After 3 plates of amazing food and an undisclosed amount of delicious beer, it was finally time to call it a night.
The final day brought a beautiful day in the city, and a lot of celebration as Bavaria won the German National Soccer League just the night before. This was defiantly a sight to see, never in my life have I seen that many people crammed into a downtown area. I guess this just goes to show how dedicated the European Soccer fans can be. But after a great day in the sun, it was time to board the train and head back to Eisenach for a three-day workweek, as we will be taking off to Berlin on Thursday!

Auf Wiedersehen!

Justin

Finally Made It!

2010-05-05T05:47:00.004-05:00

Hello from Eisenach!! After almost a week of recovering from the jet-lag I am finally able sit down and write about our trip.

The six of us, (Bethany, Ike, Stephan, Brianna, Pastor Trachte, and myself) started our May Term journey in Chicago where we caught an 8 and a half hour over night plan to Frankfurt. It was ROUGH, but over all worth it.

From there we traveled to Rottenburg. There we toured the intercity that has been completely restored to look authentic. Here we experienced our first official bratwurst. (very good!!)

Hello from Eisenach!! After almost a week of recovering from the jet-lag I am finally able sit down and write about our trip.

The six of us, (Bethany, Ike, Stephan, Brianna, Pastor Trachte, and myself) started our May Term journey in Chicago where we caught an 8 and a half hour over night plan to Frankfurt. It was ROUGH, but over all worth it.

From there we traveled to Rottenburg. There we toured the intercity that has been completely restored to look authentic. Here we experienced our first official bratwurst. (very good!!)

The next stop on our trip was in Nuendettelsau. Here we stayed at a missionary for 2 days. Throughout those days we toured the city with Wartburg Seminary alum Horst Becker. He took us to all of the historical sites that the village had to offer, as well as, inviting us into his home for some good conversation where we all learned more about the German culture.

From Nuendettelsau, we continued our journey to Eisenach, with one stop in Nuremberg. This stop was very powerful as this city of almost 100,000 people was over 85% ruble after the war. We went and walked around the main intercity, it was just amazing how they were able to restore everything. One portion of the german culture that struck us all as odd was the fact that all german stores close down between 6 and 7P.M. during the week, and most close around 1 on Saturdays and don’t open at all on Sundays.

From there, it was simple hop, skip, and jump to Eisenach. I was so excited to finally make it here, then realize how hard the language barrier would be, i am struggling but its starting to get easier. :) on the first day, we met the Lord Mayor of the city as well as went on a tour of the city. the next day we started our internships, I'm at the Wartburg Castle and it is just awesome view of the city, and i suppose the work is fun too. :)

That is all I have for now, I am hoping to post a few pictures and some video as soon as I can get the time to edit it!

Auf Wiedersein,

Justin

Recap of New Orleans

2010-03-18T15:02:00.002-05:00

This is a few days overdue but last week on Friday our group divided into two separate groups within the lower 9th ward. My group put some sheetrock (drywall) on the upper floor of a town house. I was glad that we were able to do some construction work but the foreman in charge was a little crazy. He ran around with his head cut off and wanted his volunteers to work as quickly as humanly possible. He didn't want to waste any materials. For example he made us put up a piece of sheetrock that was poorly cut. The gap between the two pieces of sheetrock was wide enough for me to use the Flip cam effectively with a shot that went through the gap. However, that was the lone incident that I wouldn't have done what he did.
Then during the night we went to eat at a restaurant called Oceania. It was a half block off Bourbon Street within the French Quarter. I had an alligator Po-Boy and it was awesome! It was such great food.
We left New Orleans early on Saturday morning and arrived in Waverly at 4a.m. on Sunday.
The trip was such a great experience. I would advise all students to go on a service trip before they graduate. You get do help people who while creating great friendships in a new city.

City Park New Orleans

2010-03-11T21:43:00.002-06:00

Today (Thursday) and yesterday (Wednesday) we went to city park to do some restoration of the city park. The first day our group mulched a trial that circled the north side of the park. Then we had a few others that did some gardening work for the botanical garden. We made great progress on the trail the city park director we worked with, Jim Morrision, was grateful for the progress that we made.

In the afternoon we went to a local elementary school to help the teachers in teaching their students. I was amazed at how different the educational system was. The building was built after Katrina and the building looked nice. However, when we went through the school the situation was much different. The students were out of control. Children in kindergarten told us some expletive words. The children were out of control and in the classroom I was in, were out of control. The teacher I was with just kept yelling and yelling at her students. The situation varied from class to class but in my personal view, the students need more positive reinforcement and more resources.

That night we went down to the French Quarter and Bourbon St. The atmosphere there was crazy. There were people everywhere and music filled the street. It was a great place to visit.

Today (Thursday) we went back to the park and we were in charge of students from the Lutheran school district. We divided the school children into different groups and they did various tasks around the park. The school children did everything from picking up trash to pulling ragweed. The school children had a good time and so did we.

Tomorrow we are going to the 9th ward doing construction work.

Andrew Bridgewater

Denver Service Trip Day 4

2010-03-10T20:14:00.005-06:00

My internet hasn't been working. So here is the post I meant to publish last night:

Yesterday (Tuesday), we volunteered at the Food Bank of the Rockies. We were put to work sorting outdated meat that was still okay for families to use and from meat that was not. In the afternoon, we sorted dry food into forty pound boxes. We actually got finished with all of this about three hours earlier than the food bank expected and had time to go back to the church where we are staying and chill for a little while. We, then, got a tour of Wartburg West which seems like an awesome opportunity. The apartments seem a little small, but are in a great location for getting to internships and other restaurants and activities. My favorite part of the night was going to the Alumni dinner and seeing all of these people who are so proud of the college. So have been out for 40 or so years and they still come to these functions and check the Wartburg Web site every day and just promote the college as much as possible. They wanted to know all of our stories and encouraged us to come out and visit them at any time!

Today was AWESOME as well! We started out at the food bank again dividing damaged goods from those that could be salvaged and packaging them into boxes. We, again, finished before they thought we would and throughout the time we were working, they had to keep telling us to slow down. We kept saying to each other that it was because of our Mid-Western values and the way we were raised that we have such a great work ethic that they were not used to. After that we went to Colfax Community Network which is the same after school program that we help out with on Monday. The kids were SUPER energetic and loved all of the attention we could give them! The room was a little crowded with 19 of us and 13 kids, but the kids enjoyed all of the one on one time we could give them. The craft I was helping with was making butterflies with the kids out of wax paper, crayon shavings and an iron. It got a little messing at times, but the kids loved it! They made one or more butterflies!

The after school program is my favorite part because I love working with kids. I love giving them one on one attention while reading or doing crafts with them. You never know what they are going to say especially with these kids!

Two more days of service and then homeward bound! I don't want to leave this BEAUTIFUL city!

Here are some pictures of the things we have been doing this week!

Grant Moser and Hollis Hanson-Pollock preparing food at the soup kitchen.

Andrew Cunard and Nadene hanging out at the Colfax Community Network.

Day Two Boys and Girls Club

2010-03-09T22:11:00.002-06:00

I’ll try to leave off and add a bit to Andrew Bridgewater’s previous posts. Today was our second day at the Boys and Girls Club/ NFL Youth Education Village. It’s a really neat place built by the NFL and maintained by both organizations. The Saints football team visits the facility so you can defiantly tell their pride all around. We met some great people there and being our second day they started to open up to us. We learned how hard it was first hand to get out of the city of New Orleans, and that one of the children that frequents the club was found clinging to a light post. It made us realize that even though we felt like we were not working hard enough, it means a lot to people to have places to go. I did not think about how weird it would be not having organizations and businesses available. Today at the club we cleaned and organized inside, (it was storming outside) and tried to make it nicer for the kids. Then after a full morning of work the camp director loaded us on to the club van to show us the Lower Ninth Ward.

The tour was more real then I could have ever imagined. For the first time in our trip we saw numbers of people who lost their lives in the very houses we were looking at. We also saw holes people had made in roofs to escape their attics. There is still so much left to be done. There is progress, I highly recommend visiting http://www.makeitrightnola.org/, but there is so much left to do especially in the ninth ward. I would like to remind people to keep the Katrina areas in their thoughts because they are still in need of help and donations.

Brianna Nielsen

Peace and Blessings

2010-03-08T23:34:00.003-06:00

This is a picture of two other members of my service trip gazing at the mountains after we reach the top on our hike.

The BEAUTIFUL mountains of Estes Park

Today, we help out at a soup kitchen and the after school program. Both were really great and eye-opening experiences. The soup kitchen made me thankful for all that I have and all that I can do for others. The people there were so gracious. One of the server/preparers we were working with said they never know who will show up to help and how much food they will have, but they always have enough food and help and she just thanks God for all of her blessings.

During the after school program, I had the opportunity to work with kids that come from broken homes. Some don't even have homes and they live in a different hotel every night. The hotels have drug dealers and prostitutes around them and it's just sad that the kids have to experience this. We read books and played games with them before they had to leave.

The Untouched Gym

2010-03-08T21:54:00.002-06:00

The untouched gym is at the Boys and Girls Club near downtown New Orleans. The Superdome was just a couple of blocks away. We were what the Americorps volunteer called "beautification" of the building. Basically we did some clean up work in and around the building and a vacant lot across from the building. In the afternoon, we discovered an empty gym that hadn't been cleaned up from Katrina. The roof was partly torn, the wooden floor was covered in several layers of dirt. We thought that the floor had been removed but it was so covered we couldn't see it. The second layer was covered in sand. It looked like people just had just got up and left right before Katrina struck. Words can not describe the destruction and the eeriness. Tomorrow we are returning to the Boys and Girls Club and were taking a tour of New Orleans.

Andrew Bridgewater

Smokey Mountain Range...

2010-03-07T23:39:00.004-06:00

I titled this one, "Smokey Mountain Range" because I had the chance to go to wonderful Estes Park, CO and walk along the mountains on a one mile trail to Alberta Falls. Unfortunately, the waterfall was frozen and we couldn't really tell that it was a water fall! The mountains were BEAUTIFUL! I could not stop taking pictures of them. It was a warm day walking on the trail, so it was a little weird having the sun beating on my face, but the cold from the snow soaking into my shoes. My face got a little sun burnt. I got to meet one of Renee Voves's friends in the area, Kevin, and he talked about his experiences at Wartburg. He was a broadcast/PR major, so we found a lot to talk about! He led us through the park and showed us around.

I also got to experience Casa Bonita, a restaurant you should visit if you're ever in Denver. There is a waterfall in the middle of the restaurant where performers and customers have the opportunity to take a plunge. Also a mariachi band band roams around the restaurant while playing. It was pretty sweet!

Tomorrow we actually start our service. Our service trip is centered around working with those in poverty, so we have the chance to help out at The Boys and Girls Club, the food bank, and an after school program.

Pictures of the mountains will be posted tomorrow as I am having trouble uploading them.

-Ellen

WTV8 Staffers Blog About Service Trip Activities

2010-03-07T19:33:00.004-06:00

Follow the WTV8 staffers all week as they report during their various Wartburg College Service Trip opportunities!

Ellen Kurt is with a group in Denver, CO; Andrew Bridgewater and Brianna Nielsen are with their IS 201 class in New Orleans, LA; Justin Conner is in Tennessee; and Maribel Lopez and Nate Vaughn are in Costa Rica.

Other staff members are spending break outside of Iowa, as well.

Stay tuned for updated postings!

--Dr. Jeff Stein, Wartburg Television faculty adviser

New Orleans Update

2010-03-07T18:43:00.003-06:00

The food at Camp Restore is awesome! I have become a huge fan of jambalaya after trying it for the first time tonight!

Andrew Bridgewater
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Made it to New Orleans!

2010-03-07T13:28:00.002-06:00

We left Wartburg at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday and arrived in New Orleans after more than a 1,000 miles and 20 plus hours of driving around 1p.m. We got lost a few times but we made it here in one piece. Trying to sleep was interesting but I managed to get six hours of sleep! We are staying at Camp Restore in East New Orleans. More to come in the days ahead but right now, it's time to relax!

Andrew Bridgewater

Finally Here!

2010-03-06T23:50:00.002-06:00

After 14 hours of sleepless driving and riding, we are finally at Our Savior Lutheran Church in DENVER, CO. Along the way, we discovered that there was a Waverly, Nebraska, that you don't insert the gas card into the receipt slot, and we all came up with unique Indian nicknames for each other. I got to drive through beautiful Colorado as well. Early to bed tonight because we have a full day tomorrow: service at 8 and then off to Estes Park for a day of hiking and exploring! We will also be dining at Casa Bonita tomorrow night for supper!

Off to bed, but will write again tomorrow to catch you up on our adventures!

Denver here we come!

2010-03-05T13:36:00.003-06:00

Classes are done for the day and I'm getting started on packing my things up to go to Denver! I'll be traveling with the Student Alumni Council and I'll try to find time during the trip to blog often. We leave tomorrow at 7 a.m. and travel the 12 hours to the church we are staying in and then Sunday, we're up at the crack of dawn getting ready to go to our church service!

RNC in St. Paul Day 4

2008-09-05T00:05:00.000-05:00

The big night was tonight for Senator John McCain. After an outstanding speech given by vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin the night before, McCain had to deliver.
Steffani and I talked to some delegates who were very excited after Palin’s speech last night and they were anxious to see McCain speech.

The stage was changed this morning into a town hall meeting style stage and McCain did a walk through around 2:00 to make sure he was comfortable with the style. Their were numerous speakers tonight including McCain’s wife Cindy. Around 9:00 PM Senator McCain took stage and delivered his speech. It was a very nice speech for McCain. Everyone knows that he cannot give a speech like Senator Obama, but many people in the arena tonight were very impressed with McCain.

RNC in St. Paul Day Four (Thurs. Sept. 4)

2008-09-04T23:55:00.002-05:00

This morning Nikki and I went out on the floor as they were changing the stage for McCain. They added a runway so he could deliver his speech in a town hall style format.

Orson was a POW with McCain in Vietnam. Early this afternoon CBS interviewed him and we got to sit in on the interview. Orson said being a POW was an experience that changed him forever and he wouldn’t change it.

About 2:30 McCain did a walk through of the facilities. The stage was finished and cleaned up just in time for the walk through. I went down on the floor during that and got some video that you can see at a later date on WTV 8 News. Tonight McCain formally accepted the republican Presidential nomination. He had a lot of good things to say, though he is not the most exciting speaker. His wife, however set the stage well for him.

-Steffani

RNC in St. Paul Day 3

2008-09-03T23:19:00.006-05:00

Today was Sarah Palin day at the convention. Everyone wanted to hear from the woman who some knew nothing about. The Governor of Alaska spoke to the largest crowd she has ever spoke in front of and looked fearless. Her whole family was in attendance, even the father of Palin's 17 year old daughter's baby. Palin talked about her family as well saying she will be an advocate for families with special needs children. She was also on the attack tonight saying she was qualified for the vice president position. She highlighted some things she did in Alaska, but never really touched on what she was going to specifically do in the White House. She also had a few humerus moments in her speech saying, "You know they say the only difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull is lipstick." The crowd was loving Sarah Palin and as the speech got over a surprise guest showed up a little early, John McCain. "Don't you think I made the right choice for the next vice president of the United States." said McCain.
-Nikki

RNC in St. Paul Prep Day Two (Wed. Sept. 3)

2008-09-03T23:15:00.007-05:00

When we walked into the Xcel Energy Center bright and early this morning, just before 6:30, Sarah Palin was going through her run through on the stage. We went upstairs and helped with the morning news show. Fred Thompson was on the morning show. It was fun to watch and record the interview for stories that we will put together later. This afternoon was spent answering phones and escorting political analysts to their radio shows.

Nikki and I stayed for the duration of the convention today so we could watch the convention. Among the speakers of the evening were Mike Huckabee, Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani. All three addressed why Sarah Palin is qualified to be VP. The most popular compairason being Joe Biden and Sarah Palin. One of the most interesting facts I heard last night was that Delaware and Alaska both have the same number of electoral votes and you can fit 250 states the size of Delaware in Alaska. So Alaska being a small state shouldn't be any more of aworry since Joe Biden is from Delaware, a comparable size on a much smaller plot of land. Here is a clip of Sarah Palin speech tonight at the convention.

-Steffani

RNC in St. Paul Day Two (Tues. Sept. 2)

2008-09-02T23:59:00.003-05:00

Today was another fun day of meeting some well known faces. We started out the day a little slow, but that was good because it gave me and another runner the chance to bring Bob Schieffer up to Radio row for an interview. While we were walking upstairs Bob asked where I was from and I said that I went to college in Waverly and he recognized that town and said he had done some things with Wartburg before. Nikki and I got to sit in the room while they were doing the interview. Here is a portion of that interview.

If it wasn’t for still being hungry after a lunch that was not one of my favorites then CBS would not have gotten the chance to interview Mike Huckabee. We saw a crowd of people gathering around a table and found out that it was Mike Huckabee.

Later on in the night during some down time I got to use a press floor pass to walk around a little bit. They will not let you enter the floor during a speech so I had to wait a few minutes before I could enter. But as I got on the floor Cindy McCain was taking her seat. She was very polite and smiled/waved in the direction that she heard her name being called. I also stopped to listen to a speech about being a foster parent and serving. U.S. Representative Michelle Bachmann (MN) is a foster parent as are the McCain's. As I was exiting the floor I met Sean Hannity of Fox.
-Steffani

RNC in St. Paul Day 2 (Tues. Sept. 2)

2008-09-02T23:44:00.010-05:00

Meeting new and famous people is the most exciting part of the Republican National Convention. Today Steffani and I had the chance to meet former CBS Evening News anchor Bob Schieffer. He was a very lovely man who loves the Iowa caucus. "I love being in Iowa during caucus time, but I only wish they had it in June or July instead of January"said Schieffer. This picture is right before Schieffer did an radio interview in CBS's sky box.

We also had the chance to meet Governor Mike Huckabee. As Steffani and I were walking down "Talk Show Row" we noticed a crowd around one of the tables. We looked over and it was in fact the Governor. After we spotted his publicist we had to try to get him through the crowd of media, upstairs to the CBS sky box for a quick interview. His people were really skeptical about the interview because they needed to get him out of the convention and get him to another speaking engagement. Steffani, Vanessa (CBS), and myself were able to charm him into following us upstairs for the interview. I just brought up his win at the Iowa caucuses and he was a happy camper.

RNC in St. Paul Day One (Mon. Sept 1)

2008-09-01T21:46:00.006-05:00

The start of the convention was pretty low key. Although President Bush was not in attendance, his wife First Lady Bush did give a ten minute speech. Cindy McCain, looking fabulous as always, spoke for ten minutes after the First Lady. Listening to these women I was actually impressed with how much the first ladies are involved with this whole election process. Other than Senator Hilary Clinton I thought all the first ladies had to do was stand there, agree with their husbands, and look pretty. These ladies must remember and know as much as their husbands if they want to be in the White House.

My main job today for CBS was working with all the CBS affiliates. What that meant was all of the CBS radio stations had to come to me to get a press credential to be on the floor with the delegates. I really enjoyed this job because it was nice to meet all the CBS broadcasters across the United States. Another big job Steffani and I had was to get interviews for the CBS affiliates on “Talk Show Row.” “Talk Show Row” is where all the radio talk shows are located. The video below is an interview with a CBS station and Dotty Lynch. She is a political consultant for CBS.

-Nikki

RNC in St. Paul Day One (Mon. Sept. 1)

2008-09-01T21:13:00.004-05:00

Right off the bat today we had some excitement. As Nikki and I were walking into the Xcel Energy Center we saw protestors from the organization Iraq Veterans Against the War. They are an organization of Iraq service members and veterans who support an immediate withdrawal of all U.S. occupying forces form Iraq. The protestors were peaceful yet full of emotions.

Today I also got to meet a few famous people. Dan Raviv, one of the CBS news anchors, interviewed the former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. He talked about the pregnancy of Palin’s 17 year old daughter. He said, “The pregnancy is a personal matter and has nothing to do with the election. She will be supportive to her daughter and grandchild and that will be the end of it. He also talked specifically about McCain. Gingrich thinks McCain redeemed himself when he was holding town hall meetings in New Hampshire. “If what people want is eloquence then they will vote for Obama, if what they are looking for is facts then McCain,” said Gingrich.

One of my other jobs today was to help organize the affiliate station’s convention floor passes. While I was waiting for one of the stations to come back with the pass another runner pointed out to me that they were shooting a segment of the Daily Show. The photographer came over to us and said Jason Jones is going to come over hear and do something if you guys don’t laugh ok? So walked over to us while we were talking and gave me a hug and said everything is going to be ok…but then he changed his mind and thought it would be funnier if he hugged Michael. So he did it again and gave Michael a hug. The Daily Show is one day behind, so tomorrow if you watch it I might be on TV.
-Steffani

RNC in St. Paul Prep Day Two (Sun. Aug. 31)

2008-08-31T21:13:00.003-05:00

SECURITY, SECURITY, SECURITY! Today was the start of the major security check points. It felt as if we got through one checkpoint we only had another one to get through. The Excel Energy Center was all fenced off to people without credentials and it is so hard to find parking near the center.
Many changes to the convention started today as well. Due to hurricane Gustav President Bush and Vice President Cheney will not be speaking at the convention. I am looking forward to seeing how everything plays out this week with two major events happening to the United States (the convention and hurricane Gustav).
I do have to say the best part of this job is seeing famous/important people. Steffani and I started our day at the hotel where CBS is staying and as I was standing in the lobby Katie Couric walked in. I was just so disappointed I did not have my camera with me at the time.

-Nikki

RNC in St. Paul Prep Day Two (Sun. Aug. 31)

2008-08-31T20:54:00.006-05:00

As it gets closer to the convention everything is getting more stressful. Today I ran around a lot more and had much more trouble getting places. The security at the convention center is very high. There are fences around the entire area with only a few check points to get in. After you finally get in security makes you show your credentials at almost every doorway.

The tech guys have been working very hard to get radio row and talk show row up and running. All of the affiliate stations came today and tried to set their own equipment up, but not without simple problems.

The big news today is how Hurricane Gustav is affecting the convention. Tomorrow, Monday, all of the speakers have been cancelled and the convention will only happen for a few hours in the afternoon. Basically, they are just holding the things that are absolutely necessary to keep the convention going. Most of the stations were broadcasting this news live. The picture shows CNN during their live shot from the Xcel Energy Center.

I am excited for the convention to finally begin. I am curious as to what will all still go on due to the hurricane. I’m sure it depends on the storms severity.

-Steffani

RNC in St. Paul Prep Day One (Sat. Aug. 30)

2008-08-30T18:07:00.009-05:00

Today was a great day, once we finally got started. One thing I’ve learned is that I truly am a runner…running to do or get whatever the boss, Craig, wants. But we got to see some very cool behind the scenes things.

The big picture: when you walk into the main floor where the convention will be held you see red, red, and more red with some white and blue thrown in. The seats on the floor where the delegates will sit are lower than the floor. Then the stage is plexiglass that reflects the backdrop screen. There are clear stairs that lead up to the stage. The stairs have lights in them that change colors. Everyone is running around putting things together so it will be ready when the main event begins on Monday. There are thousands of balloons on the ceiling waiting to be dropped.

I bet it is going to be a cool sight when they finally drop Thursday night for McCain!

So far my favorite part has been meeting people. We met many people that work for CBS, convention volunteers, and the secret service.

-Steffani

RNC in St. Paul Prep Day One (Sat. Aug. 30)

2008-08-30T17:52:00.004-05:00

Today was our first day with CBS Radio. Our main runner duties today included moving boxes and putting up CBS posters. We talked to the engineers a lot today and they said they will have to put in a late night tonight because they have to make sure everything is up and running by Monday. Talking to these engineers made me feel for the media people at the Republican National Convention because they had such a fast turnaround to make from the Democratic Convention in Denver.
The atmosphere at the “pre-convention” is crazy. The Secret Service started to get tight this afternoon. Steffani and I had to make sure all of our things were out of CBS’s newsroom by 3:30 this afternoon so the Secret Service could make a sweep through it with drug dogs at 4:00.
The ground floor where all the speakers and delegates will be is so professional yet pretty. There is a huge backdrop made of hundreds of TV’s, and the stage reflects the backdrop as video is being played. I can tell there have been many hours in preparing for this week. I am very anxious to see all of this hard work put to use on Monday.

-Nikki

RNC in St. Paul Travel Day (Fri. Aug. 29)

2008-08-29T20:09:00.004-05:00

Today Steffani Tollefson and I started our trip to the Republican National Convention. After getting lost for an hour trying to find our hotel we are finally able to relax and focus on the week ahead.
We have been looking forward to this opportunity all summer to work as runners for CBS Network Radio and for it to finally be here is very unreal. During this presidential election I have felt very lucky to be an Iowan, more so an Iowa reporter. This Republican Convention is just a stepping stone to what I did in Iowa. I was on the ground floor at the republican caucuses reporting election results to my home town radio station in Marshalltown, Iowa (KFJB 1230). Steffani and I have also done extensive research on the election process and on the candidates last fall in Dr. Jeff Stein’s Political Reporting class.
I would also like to say it feels great to be a woman today. Before we left for the Twin Cities John McCain selected his running mate and it was a woman, Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin. I am not saying I will vote for her just because she is a woman, but I do think this is going to be a historic, yet very interesting election.

Make sure you keep checking our blog all week for pictures, video, more blogging.
-Nikki Newbrough

RNC in St. Paul Travel Day (Fri. Aug. 29)

2008-08-29T19:52:00.008-05:00

Hey this is Steffani. Nikki and I will be serving as runners at the Republican National Convention for CBS Network Radio. I am really excited to finally get things going after much anticipation this summer and our travel adventures today.

Being from MN I sort of know this area, so I figured driving to MN and finding our hotel would be no problem. We drove around for at least an hour and a half trying to find this hotel. We stopped for directions twice, before calling my Mom for the hotel phone number so we could figure out where it was…literally hiding behind a few bushes.

I think we’re going to have to call it an early night because we have to be at the Xcel Energy Center early tomorrow and need to allow time for the Twin Cities lovely rush hour traffic.

Be sure to keep reading our blog for updates on the RNC and some behind the scenes footage.

-Steffani Tollefson

DNC in Denver Day Four (Thu. Aug. 28)

2008-08-29T00:36:00.003-05:00

Patriotism, Hope and Power can only begin to describe the feelings that could be felt throughout the 80,000+ spectators that filled the seats of Invesco Field to hear Barack Obama accept the nomination as the 2008 Democratic Presidential Candidate. As crowds upon crowds lined the streets leading to Invesco Field one could feel the energy and historic happenings that were about to occur before our very eyes.

As we arrived at Invesco Field, one could not help but be filled with pride and patriotism as Shawn Johnson gave the Pledge of Allegiance. Various speeches and performances shortly followed including Bill Richardson, Stevie Wonder, Al Gore, Sheryl Crow and many other talented professionals. The excitement increasingly grew as the audience anticipated Obama's speech. Immediately before Obama took stage the crowd was brought to silence as a video played depicting Obama's childhood, his hardships and his rise to become the Democratic Presidential Nominee.

Many laughs were had and tears fought as Obama captured the emotions of all those in the audience. No matter ones view on his voting record or the promises that he makes as President, one has to admire him for his courage and his optimism that he inspires in all those around him. He has the power to influence everyone in hope for a better tomorrow. A belief that someone truly cares about them and that their leader will work hard for them everyday they are in office. Obama exclaimed that he is not where he is today because of anything he did but he is where he is because of the American people.

Barack Obama is a model for inspiration and for an individual's ability to change themselves, their situation and the communities in which they reside. No matter what the outcome of this election, Barack Obama will forever be an idol for the average American wanting and hoping for a change. He has motivated people across the United States to be better, to do better, and to continue to hope for more. America is truly better and more inspired now because of the efforts, the travels, and the speeches of Barack Obama.

DNC in Denver Day Three (Wed. Aug. 27)

2008-08-28T18:31:00.004-05:00

The Convention continues on and many locals and spectators hope the chaos and commotion will begin to seize. As I talked with a Denver resident I began to find out the inconviences that are placed upon them as they try to survive the week. Businesses are closing their shops allowing employees the opportunity to avoid the crowds, Families have planned their vacations around the DNC so they can avoid the crowds all together, Schools have arranged their class schedules to avoid as many conflicts as possible and the list goes on. As annoyed as some Coloradans might be, many still feel the need to observe the ongoings of this historic event so that they too have a story to tell.

With all of the hard working and money that was spent to attact the DNC to the Mile High City, much of the publicity that the city and the organization of this event is getting is ctiricism and negativity. Images of corruption can be seen throughout the streets and throughout the media. In almost every area of the city, police are on guard waiting for the next fight to break out, drug to be dealt or any other illegal act that is occuring throughout this week. Police arrive in squat cars, ride throughout the city on horseback, foot or bike. Many police post themselves on street corners with video cameras and camers so they will have proof of any illegal activity that is occuring on the streets of Denver. No one is able to escape the view of another arrest or suspicious activity.

Through the convention I witnessed several arrests including the selling of cocaine, protesting and assults. The DNC has attracted many outsiders to the city who are looking to stir some commotion. Police are doing what they can to keep the city at ease but with such an increase in crowds it can be very hard to control. As I walked the streets near the Convention Hall, the images and feelings that surround you are unlike any city I have been in. As they convention goes on, it appears as if now only two types of people remain. The impatient one who increasingly becomes filled with anger and hatred because their goals of this week have not yet been met and their voice has not yet been heard. While the irritiable one is eager to leave the city as they have already had the experiences and opportunities that they expected to have.

Tomorrow will be the last day of the Convention with the finale being Barack Obama's acceptance speech. The time crunch is being felt with relief, eagerness and for some panic. The city of Denver has increased its population seemling over night and will clear out just the same. Everyone is geared up the final day with whatever that day might bring.

Here are some photos taken during the protests, and the city police reaction (see earlier DNC in Denver posts for details).

DNC in Denver Day Two (Tue. Aug. 26)

2008-08-27T06:32:00.002-05:00

One might ask why someone might be willing to give of their time and money to be a delegate at the National Convention. This was a question that I began to focus on the more I learned of the delegate requirements including time, money, and the efforts that have to go in to campaigning to receive the honorable spot. In order to be a qualified National Convention Delegate, one must move up the ranks from precinct to district to state and then on to become a National Delegate. An election occurs at each of these steps which can require much time networking, campaigning and communicating why you are not only qualified but also deserving to serve as the voice within the area you are representing.

Once elected on the state level, delegates begin confirming hotel arrangements within their states assigned hotel, planning transportation, rsvping to dinners and rallies and scheduling days events while at the National Conventions. The preparation takes time but that is only the very beginning. As I talked with an Iowa delegate this morning, I began to get a better understanding of the various objectives the delegates have while attending the conventions. Some delegates use this as a way to serve their country, political party or their communities while others may use this opportunity for more selfish reasons by networking for possible future campaigning and fundraising.

Delegates are able to use this opportunity in a variety of ways. One could observe many deals being made, campaign money being raised and hands being shaken. For some this week is just another day at work while others view this week as an amazing vacation that was spent taking pictures and talking with celebrities that they would not have otherwise had the opportunity to meet. An Iowa delegate who is also a Political Science Professor at the University of Iowa said he is surprised at how little is accomplished at these conventions as he has so far been experiencing many motivational speeches and a lot of "fluff".

Overall, I believe that delegates walk away from this week with many different experiences and opinions as to the accomplishments and the future of their party. The experiences a delegate take away with depend on the state inwhich they represent, the amount of particpation they are involved with and the objectives and goals they had for the week. The diversity within the delegation is a key as to why the National Conventions can be interesting.

DNC in Denver Day One (Mon. Aug. 25)

2008-08-27T06:32:00.001-05:00

Protestors, Delegates, Reporters, Politicians, and other political activists and observers began arriving on Sunday, August 24th. Each trying to find their own niche within the Convention and how they might be a part of history. With an online schedule of the weeks events, we (FINS) too tried to find where we might fit into this political realm. We decided to get a feel for the weeks events by heading downtown to observe rallies and protests while checking out the various booths being displayed on the Capitol Lawn.

As we walked the streets of Denver, one could feel the difference in objectives, backgrounds and knowledge that were displayed throughout a variety of means. Words cannot describe the passion and energy that was present from Union Station down the 16th Street Mall right up to the Colorado State Capitol. Everyone had something to say and a deep passion that had attracted them to this city.

The various interests groups and protestors brought a sense of hope and democracy that their efforts were making a difference in the upcoming presidential elections. Politicians worked endlessly networking with their parties influential leaders. Delegates can be seen wearing their badges with pride as they seem to glow with satisfaction of doing their part to represent their state at the National Convention. Spectators and Reporters scramble to catch the breaking news story whether that is the famous actress being seen eating on an outdoor patio on the 16th Street Mall or the Anti-War protestors causing a scene on a street corner as they debate those passing by.

The commotion is clear that Americans are passionate and eager to move past the current presidency and make the next chapter of the American story a historic one. This week, Denver is filled with political excitement much like that of New Hampshire and Iowa during the first in the nation primary and caucus. The atmosphere in many ways is quite different as Democrats fight to become united and to rally together as a party to win in November.

2008-02-15T16:03:00.000-06:00

NIU Shooting: Journalists are human too

2008-02-15T16:00:00.004-06:00

After the press conference, we headed to the Northern Star Headquarters. We received many different interviews. Our best one was with the editor-in-chief John. He was so calm about the whole situation. We stayed here for a majority of the time. Other news entities where coming in and out, trying to cover the same angle.
We left around 12:40 heading to a tip that there was a memorial set up around the shooting location. As we walked up the reality of it all began to sink in. Five white crosses with red writing symbolized the five students who were killed in Yesterday’s shootings. It was a very somber sight as we saw one student, Raquel who kept crying as she answered questions from the media sitting in the snow with her head in her hands.
Raquel had two friends who were shot, and one of those friends was dating one of the deceased. I felt bad for her, because no one around her could even begin to understand how she was feeling at that moment, but some tried. We listened to her story intently as she told us step by step what she hear. “Gunshots” she said, “that’s all I can remember”. She has that sound replaying in her head. One of the most memorable shots I have when talking with her is when she began to sob and a camera guy with a camera over his shoulder gave her a hug. It was a time that being with the press and ethics came into play. It was hard for many journalists there not to feel involved.
The next group of people that came to the cross memorial was a group of about 10 people, who brought flowers up to the crosses and then gathered in a circle and started praying. Getting through this tragedy together was a big prayer request. We then saw the governor of Illinois move by and headed to the crime scene…Cole Hall. Seeing where it actually took place created a very unusual feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Natalie

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A Fearless Leader

2008-02-15T14:52:00.003-06:00

The Northern Star is the voice of Northern Illinois University. Just walking into their newsroom today and its clear, this group of college students mean business. Today is especially hard for them, covering the greatest tragedy their campus has ever seen.

Today the newspaper staff searches for answers. Unlike the other media that floods their campus, the staff of the Northern Star are reporting on their home front. Each and every news article they write has a personal connection. They are doing more than reporting on people, they are reporting on their friends, colleagues, and more importantly the place they call home.

Leading this group is Northern Star Editor in Chief, John Puterbaugh. John is a senior at NIU this year and like many of his cohorts, will never forget this day. For John these past few hours have been an adrenaline rush. I asked him what it has been like covering a story so close to home and he says you don't even have time to think. Beyond the lens of John's camera and beneath the bleed of his pen John is reporting a story that will make its mark in history.

Just talking with John and its apparent that he is strong in character. Even with every major media outlet biting at his heals he still found time to sit and talk with us. Holding back emotion and fear John shared both excitement and gratitude for his staff. He frequently comments on the near thirty staff members that came to work on today's paper.

Our deepest respect goes out to John and his staff. Together they work to share a voice, and a message that they hope will bring truth and closure to the NIU community.

Student Run Media; Just Like Us

2008-02-15T11:52:00.004-06:00

After the press conference in Altgeld Hall we came to the Northern Star for see how NIU's student run newspaper was controlling things during this tragic event. To our surprise it was actually pretty calm. As we were talking with staff here we made connections with the editor and chief, John Puterbaugh. As we watched John talk to numerous reporters he kept telling them how proud he was with his staff. He explained that after everyone found out about the shootings he had about 30 staff memebers come to the newspaper office and help. He explained that everyone pitched in to put their next issue out today.

This only makes me wonder what our media staff would do with this situation. Would we be as calm as the Northern Star?

After all of this Travis, Natalie, and I know the improtance of our Wartburg media family and connection.

Nikki

2008-02-15T08:59:00.004-06:00

As we run on only hours of sleep, I can't help but wonder how much sleep the students here at Northern Illinois University must have got. As we approached the town, butterflies fluttered in my stomach as I got a wave of goose bumps. It is a surreal experience.

We are still waiting to hear from the authorities, as the conference has been delayed. We made contact with our student media members from the Northern Star (NIU newspaper), that we contacted last night. We are planning on following them throughout the day, getting a unique angle on how the tragedy impacted them.

We will update after the press conference.

Natalie

Awaiting Press Conference

2008-02-15T08:46:00.000-06:00

As a college student studying communication arts I can say this is one of the biggest events I have ever covered. Last night around midnight, myself, Natalie Tendall, and Nikki Newbrough took off to DeKalb, Il to cover the shootings at Northern Illinois University.

At about 9am us, along with national media will have the chance to question officials about this horrific event. This is the first time we have been in the mix with national media. All around us cameras, national news anchors, newspaper reporters and photographers crowd Altgeld Hall.

Stay tuned throughout the day for more postings. We will be uploading pictures and video as time permits.

Stay tuned!

Travis Bockenstedt