Fort Wayne Observed

Death Penalty in Play?

Leo Morris wonders whether we ought to consider the death penalty for Simon Rios if he is charged and convicted of killing Alejandra Gutierrez (in addition to his own wife and three children).

Comments Back and Better Than Ever

A few weeks ago, I disabled anonymous comments. Though many comments were provacative and insightful, there were also plenty that weren't worth the time it took to read them. I didn't want to continue to let the people leaving those types of comments to be able to do so anymously anymore, and the only other option Blogger gave me was to require commenters to create a Blogger account for themselves.

I wasn't satisfied with that as a solution, so I began looking for a third-party commenting service that was less restrictive. I think I found one in Haloscan, which is used by many other bloggers.

Now, when you leave a comment, you will be asked for a name (you're welcome to give a pseudonym) and have to option to also provide your email address and a website address. Again, let me reiterate that providing your email address is OPTIONAL, not required, as it is on some other local blogs.

The purpose of comments remains to give Fort Wayne Observed readers a chance to respond and add to the discussion around a particular post. As in the past, any personal attacks or comments made in poor taste will be automatically deleted.

So play nice.

Former News Channel 15 Reporter in Trouble

Former News Channel 15 weekend anchor Angelica St. John, who now works in Lexington, KY, got into some trouble over the weekend.

WLEX-TV reporter Angelica St. John was arrested early yesterday on several charges, including driving under the influence and third-degree assault.

A Lexington police officer observed a vehicle driving erratically on Jefferson Street near West Third Street, Lt. Ken Stuart said.

At 1:24 a.m., an officer arrested St. John, whose real name is Angelica Christine Schultz. She was also charged with improper starting from a parked position, expired registration plates, no driver's license in possession, no proof of insurance, and disregarding a traffic control device, in this case a stop light.

"She wasn't happy to say the least," Stuart said.

NOTE: St. John's hair was blonde during her tenure in Fort Wayne.

Epilogue

Leo Morris on the end of the search for Alejandra Gutierrez:

This will have been many people's first real introduction to Fort Wayne's Hispanic community. Perhaps it will make all of us more appreciative of all our neighborhoods and the efforts of the people in them to maintain the sometimes fragile connections to the civilizing networks that sustain us.

MORE: Tracy Warner

Body Found

Breaking news:

Fort Wayne Police Chief Rusty York, in a prepared statement Monday afternoon, said police have recovered a body in a remote area south of Fort Wayne they believe to be that of 10-year-old Alejandra Gutierrez.

“The focus of authorities’ attention is on a suspect already in custody,” he said.

Police detectives, along with the FBI, were able to develop leads in the investigation that led them to the body, York said.

“There are almost no details specific to the case we can release,” York said. “On behalf of the police department, I wish to extend our condolences to the family of Alejandra Gutierrez.”

York said the family has been notified. The body was found approximately 1:30 p.m. Monday.

She was reported missing the evening of Dec. 8, after she failed to show up for school.

York did not take any questions from reporters at a press conference.

The incident remains under investigation, he said.

Nobody Likes Losing

Carolyn Farny and her Washington Husky teammates won the NCAA volleyball championship on Saturday night, defeating fellow Fort Wayne native Melissa Elmer and the top-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers.

And the Saint Francis Cougar football team lost to Carroll College 27 - 10 in the NAIA Championship earlier in the afternoon.

Swept Away?

The results of November sweeps are in, and they're not pretty for Indiana's News Center.

In the mornings, News Channel 15 doubled its numbers from a year ago, beating Indiana's News Center. WANE's 11 a.m. news bested Indiana's News Center's noon news as well.

Even with a strong lead-in from Oprah, Indiana's News Center lost to News Channel 15 at 5 p.m. WANE's lead over WPTA at 6 p.m. was substantial, and the station also was the clear cut winner at 11 p.m.

UPDATE: From an Indiana's News Center press release:

21Alive and NBC33 combined to earn a 53 share of local news, besting the numbers either station earned verses a year ago.

Update

Am I back?

No.  In fact, the USC website (insideusc.com) just keeps getting bigger, taking up even more of my time.

On its busiest day, Fort Wayne Observed might get 1,000 hits.  Yesterday, insideusc.com had 30,000.

Because of that success, other opportunities are beginning to surface, which is good. But that means I'm not sure when I'll return to regular blogging here.

Hopefully soon.

Comments

Some of you have noticed that I've disabled anonymous comments.

Frankly, I just got tired of "Anonymous" saying a lot of worthless things. Now, if you want to post a comment, you'll need a Blogger account, which you can quickly create when you go to post a comment. You don't have to use your real name but you do need to provide an email address, which I can't access or view (nor can others). I'm looking into using a different comment service, because right now Blogger takes you through some rigmarole about creating a blog, when all you want to do is comment.

Media News

Lots of Fort Wayne media news in the last few days. First, News-Sentinel publisher Mary Jacobus is leaving the paper to go take over the Boston Globe. From the story written by executive editor Linda Austin:

News-Sentinel Publisher Mary Jacobus, who started her career as a secretary in a newspaper circulation department, will become president and general manager of The Boston Globe on Jan. 9.

In her new job, she will direct all business operations for an enterprise with $500 million in annual revenues, reporting directly to Publisher Richard H. Gilman.

[...]

Jacobus said her departure has nothing to do with the uncertainty surrounding the possible sale of Knight Ridder, the nation’s second-largest newspaper chain, based in San Jose, Calif.

“The job in Boston was simply an exceptional opportunity for me and my family,” she said. The Boston Globe is owned by The New York Times Co.

Knight Ridder, which owns The News-Sentinel and 31 other daily newspapers, put itself up for sale last month after its three largest stockholders said it needed to do more to increase shareholder value.

Jacobus' departure means some changes are in store at the paper. Odds are good that Austin will either be bumped up to Jacobus' post or leave the paper.

And Granite Broadcasting has hired a replacement for former news director Don Bradley. Here's the email from Jerry Giesler to the staff at the station:

I am very proud to announce today that Mr. Peter Neumann, currently the News Director at WEAR-TV and WGFX-TV in Pensacola, Florida has agreed to join the team at Indiana’s NewsCenter as our News Director. Many of you met Peter during his brief visit here two weeks ago.

Peter is a modest person, so I will tell you that he is one of the most tenured news directors in America, with 21 successful years at one station alone, not to mention a wealth of background in markets such as Indianapolis, Phoenix, and a stint in Germany working with a network in that country.

He has strong roots in Indiana. Not only did he work in Indianapolis, but he and his wife, Phyllis, both graduated from Ball State, where Peter was named “Alumnus of the Year” by the Telecommunications Department in 2004. He and Phyllis have family in Indiana, so they are doubly pleased to be coming.

He has a reputation for innovative coverage, having covered and experienced over a dozen hurricanes, including the devastation of Ivan a couple of years ago. He has built a station in Pensacola that has garnered many regional coverage awards. During Hurricane Ivan his station produced 40 hours of non-stop commercial free coverage.

He is at once one of the strongest traditional journalists and most innovative thinkers I have had the pleasure of meeting

He is a great teacher, and knows how to do every job in the building.

Peter will be joining the staff on January 16th, but I’m certain his impact on our February planning will be felt well before that date.

Please join me in making him feel welcome.

Mr. Neumann was kind enough to share a few thoughts about what we are trying to do here in Fort Wayne, and I will let his clarity of thinking, philosophy and writing speak for itself:

“My wife’s family lives in Indiana, both of us attended Ball State University, and I’ve worked previously in Indianapolis. So the Hoosier state has always been very close to our hearts. Phyllis has all of James Whitcomb Riley’s books of poems and writings. Indiana’s charm is special to us both. A photo I cherish is on my office credenza, of my wife standing before a 10 ft. tall corn row in Shelbyville, and another of her in a heavy snow fall at Falls Park in Pendleton.”

“Indiana’s NewsCenter is a concept of modern communication, not just a nifty name. For many people, local television news has become irrelevant, trivial and predictable. Viewers to Indiana’s NewsCenter will see differences, and they’ll see information that has real a benefit to them and their families – and compel them to watch often.”

“Many in our business have forgotten that we have a responsibility to our viewers, and to our communities. Through our coverage and special programming, we have the ability to make the Ft. Wayne area a better place to live. We have to do more that just cover fires and mayhem. Viewers want depth, and understanding. This has been a hallmark of our coverage at WEAR-TV in Pensacola. From specials, to sustaining coverage”

“Indiana’s NewsCenter will use non-traditional ways to serve viewers. No one has a monopoly on ideas. Especially people in news. Our viewers will be a big part of shaping Indiana’s NewsCenter.”

“Indiana’s NewsCenter is blessed to have a cadre of knowledgeable and talented anchors and reporters unmatched in the Ft. Wayne market. Maximizing their talents in this new environment will give the viewer a unique benefit and an actionable perspective.”

“News is different every day. That I like about the nature of the job, but what fuels my love for news is the idea that today, I can help someone.”

Jerry L. Giesler
Executive Vice President
Fort Wayne Operations

Here's hoping Neumann will bring the changes to the news operation that so many Indiana's News Center staffers are desperate for.