911 Emergency

911 Emergency
Justin Hill
5-2-19

A Child's Heroism

An Orangeburg girl is being called a hero. Authorities were called to Wilson Avenue this afternoon after a 6-year-old Laura contacted them. You can hear the child plea for help saying that "Somebody's hurting my mommy." According to the police, the victim Laura Burke was raped by neighbor Andrew Caspinwall. 

Laura could be heard on the recording telling authorities on how Caspinwall came in from the back door and hit her mother. The dispatcher described Laura as "timid" and also "calm" while on the phone with him. 

We were given access to some of the 911 call placed this afternoon by Laura

Dispatcher: "Don't hang up. Just put the phone down and go lock the door. Then come back, talk to me some more."

Girl: "My mommy. What'll happen to my mommy?"

Dispatcher: "We've got 3 police cars coming. They'll be there in a minute. Now go lock the door, and don't let anyone in until I tell you. OK?"

Girl: "I guess so" 

Dispatcher: "Hello? Hello? Laura, are you there?"

Girl: "I locked the door"

Dispatcher: "How old are you Laura?"

Girl: "6"

Dispatcher: "You're doing a good job, Laura. You have to be brave now to help your mommy. Tell me, is the man armed?"

Girl: "What does that mean?"

Dispatcher: "Does he have a gun?"

Girl: No. a knife."

Laura's heroic actions were praised by her mother and father. "I can't tell you how grateful I am for my daughter to called 911 and help save me." said Mrs. Burke. "Our daughter is very smart and courageous." said Mr. Burke.

Caspinwall was obtained and charged with the rape of Mrs. Burke. Bail was set at $250,000 and is being held at the Orangeburg County Detention Center. 

        

About Me

In my sports broadcasting class, we had to create an about me video which talks about ourself as well as the athlete or sports we are covering in a beat. My beat focuses on Serena Williams. You can view the clip below

5 Things You Should Never Say in a Job Interview

5 Things/Job Interview
Justin Hill
4-18-19

5 Things You Should Never Say in a Job Interview

Justin Hill

My copy editing class viewed a video by Don Georgevich who is a high performance job interview coach. Georgevich is also an author of 4 best selling books. The video which is on YouTube focuses on 5 things to never say in a job interview

• Don't talk bad about your previous company 

You should keep a positive outlook on your previous place(s) of employment. Even if you did hate your old job, you may have to lie. "You will get labeled cancerous" said Georgevich. Places of employment are not looking for anyone who bad mouths their workplace.

• Never say "I'll do anything" 

You should not shower the interviewee that you are desperate for a job. You should hold tight unto your values and be specific as to what you exactly want to do for the company.

• Never say cliche phrases such as "goal-oriented"

 If you have done previous things such as "being a leader," you should say "I have led people."

Put your accomplishments into context and let your actions speak for you.

• Don't say that you don't know how to do something

You should be willing to learn and show some type of understanding of what will be asked to perform. Georgevich insisted that you should say "let me think about it for a second."

• Don't ask what the company does

If you have to ask what the company does, then that means that you haven't done your research. This also shows that you have no excitement about the job. 

In the words of Georgevich "take that extra step before your next job interview and spend some time researching the position." With these 5 tips, you should be sure that you will land that job you desire.

The Times and Democrat Visit

T&D Tour
Justin Hill
April 11, 2019

Pressing The Issue of Newspapers

By: Justin Hill

Our copy editing class had the opportunity to go visit The Times and Democrat which is a local Orangeburg S.C newspaper. We were given a tour of the facilities by Lee Harter who gave us an depth look on how the newspaper operates. "Where do you get your news?" asked Harter. Students quickly shouted out social media. "Does anybody else get their news anywhere else besides social media?" It's a rarity that people even watch television anymore.

 Inside a room, students were shown the printing press in which the Times and Democrat newspapers were made. "We generally crank the press up around midnight" said Harter. This is to ensure that the days paper will be ready for distribution in a timely manner.











"Newspapers are dying!" Wait what? yes Harter said "Newspapers are dying" and he gave a great explanation as to why. "Newspapers have always been measured on paid circulations. Paid circulation keeps going down for multiple reasons. Millennials don't read print. If you do read the newspaper you are going to read it online." Harter said their team is still trying to figure out the right business model.

After talking about the printing press, students were then told about their website, social  media and the traffic that it accumulates. "Our Twitter traffic is unbelievably small compared to Facebook." A lot of older people aren't on twitter. They are mainly on Facebook thus resulting in the heavy Facebook page viewers.

In terms of Copy Editing, Harter stated that "It is incredibly hard to read a story for content while you are also over here reading it for sentence structure, and grammar, and all these other things that you are watching. Copy editors are people that refine a story. Harter made it clear that stories should be wrote so that people will be interested in reading the material.

Officer Life

Officer Life
Justin Hill
Mar 7, 2019

Local Police Thought his Life Was Over

Orangeburg police officer Carlos Vacanti thought he was going to die. Vacanti responded to a call about a a suspect stealing from parked cars.

"I remember his eyes. They were cold, the eyes of a killer." Vacanti recalled that suspenseful night and events. "There's no doubt in my mind that he wanted to to kill  me last night just because I stopped him."

According to Vacanti, the suspect had a handgun in his waistband, and began shooting when confronted on the corner of Buckley street near SC State and Claflin University. "When I heard the shot, I thought he had hit me"

Five minutes later after Vacanti's backup had arrived, the suspect was found trying to break in a house to hide from the police. The suspect was apprehended and turned into custody.

Vacanti still remembers the bone-chilling encounter saying "I still smell the gunpowder this morning. I thought I was dead." 

The suspect is due in court next month.

### 

Broke, Busted & Barely a Fortune

Maria Montez and her companion of 10 years Sidney Qeuvedo are butting heads regarding a will. Instead of leaving Montez money, Quevedo is leaving it to his cocker Spaniel Samantha.

Samantha will gain the house as well as most of his $5 million dollar estate. Astonished, Montez said "I gave him the best years of my life."

Montez is seeking $2.7 million of the $5 million estate.

###

Library Resolution

Library Resolution
Justin Hill
Feb. 21, 2019

Christians Against Smut on the Internet Says No To Pornographic Material in the Library

By: Justin Hill

Christians Against Smut On the Internet (CASOTI) had a meeting today about the passing of the resolution to demand computers to be restricted to adults only. 

In the Fellowship Hall of Bellbuckle Interfaith Church, the christian group passed a resolution that demands computers in the Sunbright City Library be restricted to only adults and monitored by librarians.

The reason being is because people are using the computers to view pornography. One of the founders of the group Mary Edith Ricks said "I don't want my tax money going for providing pornography. If they want to poison their minds, then let them buy their own computers." 

After Ricks statements, the audience applauded and agreed to what she was saying. Offering a different perspective, one member in the audience raised the question of the First Amendment, but was quickly shouted down. 

Ricks urged members to show up at the City Council and Library board meetings to show that they were not playing and they want changes to be made. 

Analysis of The Post and Courier Newspaper

In my copy editing class, we had to analyze a newspaper. I decided to analyze The Post and Courier and incorporate the different news values from various stories within the paper. Here are my findings with the various news values:

• Conflict/Controversy - "Rural haven Awendaw faces realities of growth" talks about Awendaw which is a sparsely populated rural town in South Carolina that resides on the edge of a face growing city, but residents think that there isn't enough room for development. The town is approaching a build-out and there soon won't be any land left to develop. 

• Consequence (Impact) - "Teachers lobby for pay raise, respect" teachers from across the state protest at the state house for higher pay, and more respect. SC school system is one of the worst in the nation and teachers more input on the legislators' plans to overhaul education. 

• Prominence/Timeliness - "SC State plans series of events to mark Orangeburg Massacre" one of the most prominent events of the civil rights movement and it happened right here in Orangeburg on the night of Feb. 8, 1968. SCSU will hold events Thursday which will include showing Bakari Sellers documentary "While I Breath, I Hope" at the Fine Arts building at 1p.m. and a student re-enactment protest will occur at 4p.m.

Proximity - "Talks underway for Hollywood sewer fix" talks about how some leaders are concerned with the town being at 'bottom of list' of who benefits from a with Dorchester and Charleston. 

Novelty - "A pancake lover's paradise" instead of your typical iHop or Denny's, there are independently owned pancake house between Pawleys Island and Little River. These pancake houses include: Omega pancake house, Southern pancake house, Theo's pancakes, and Donald's pancake house just to name a few. 

Human Interest - "Running back reunion" La Rams Todd Gurley and New England Patriots Sony Michel reunited Sunday Feb 3 at the super bowl game in Atlanta. Before the game, Gurley said he was avoiding talking to his old Georgia teammate at least not directly. 

Features - "Apple opens new chapter amid weakening demand for iPhone" talks abut how Apple raised its prices for iPhones due to its low demands only for it to backfire. The revenue dropped 15 percent from the previous year. Apple's total earnings dropped slightly to $20 billion. 

All about Serena Williams

In my Sports Broadcasting class, we had to conduct an interview about our Beat which focuses on a sports team, or athlete. My beat is focusing on Serena Williams and I had the opportunity to interview Broadcasting student Stephen Mason. You can view the interview below.

LA Times,The Daytona News-Journal, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

In Copy editing we had to compare 3 newspapers that had similarities and differences within the front page headlines. With the help of Newseum, I decided to compare and contrast The LA Times, The Daytona News-Journal, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The LA Times headline was "A new movement in L.A?" It talks about teachers on strike against the city's education inequality. Another headline which read "Trump retreats as Pelosi delays State of Union" involves Trump seeking an alternative as the speaker refuses the address until the government reopens. Other headlines include "A scene stealer yes, but an Oscar thief?," Cohen delays hearing, citing threats," and "Trumps Venezuela gambit."



The Daytona News-Journal headline "Panhandling limits pass"talks about beggars and how they will be dealt with by the city of Daytona. Other headlines include "The Race for business," Pelosi disinvites Trump," and "Local donors help unpaid Coast Guardsman, TSA workers."






A few of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution headlines consist of "Poultry lab fixes could cost taxpayers $4M," and "Shutdown hits those on housing aid."Other headlines include "Five die in shooting in FLA. bank," Experts: game brings sex traffickers," and "Voice of dissent joins development board."

All of these major newspapers include the stories of the government shutdown as well as Nancy Pelosi wanting Trump to delay the State of the Union address. 

NFC Championship Game

The NFC championship game was played Sunday with kickoff starting at 3:05 p.m. ET involving the Los Angeles Rams and The New Orleans Saints. This highly anticipated game was going to determine who went to this year's Superbowl game. Preceding the game, Fox sports commentators gave their predictions on who they think will go on to the Superbowl as well as their views on a few of the key players from each team. Micheal Strahan's prediction was "the Saints and the Patriots." Sideline reporter Erin Andrews said "Micheal Thomas says he doesn't care who he faces.

The Saints started off good in the first quarter scoring 13 points from two field goals from Will Lutz and a Garrett Griffin 5 yard pass from Drew Brees. The Los Angeles Rams began to catch up and throw some points of their own on the board during the second quarter with a 36 yard field goal from Greg Zuerlein and a II 6 yard run from Todd Gurley. Fast forwarding to the 4th quarter, the game was tied 23-23 with only 15 seconds thus making the game go into OT.

The real highlight of this nerve wrecking game was the controversial no-call. Drew Brees had thrown a pass at WR TommyLee Lewis and although Lewis seemed to be positioned to catch the ball, Rams DB Nickell Robey-Coleman hauled into him and appeared to hit him with his helmet. Many spectators though this play should have penalized for pass interference, but the officials did not say a word. WLWT sports reporter Brandon Saho tweeted "This might be the worst no call in NFL history" while showing a replay of the no call on his twitter account.

I feel as thought the refs known what had happened between Lewis and Coleman, but decided to act like they were apart of the birdbox film and keep their blindfolds on. I think this would have also changed the outcome of the game as the LA Rams Advanced to the Superbowl with a 57 yard field goal from Greg Zuerlein. It is going to be a while before the controversy of this game dies down. Alvin Kamera routes were also highly praised throughout this game on social media.

The Rams will go on to face the NE Patriots at the Superbowl on February the 3rd and I predict that the NE Patriots will come out on top, but who knows? We just have to wait and see.

A few Dorm Room Essentials

Its what many high school students dream of. That day of going off to college to experience something new and exciting. While you may be ready for that new adventure, you might want a few items for your dorm room. This dorm room will be your home away for home so it's only right that you make it your own with these items below.

1. A Mini Fridge - While a few dorms won't allow a portable refrigerator, some will. It's a good idea to get a mini fridge to keep your personal foods cool. 

     2. Portable Speaker - A speaker is a good idea to have if you want to keep yourself entertained Just make sure you are in compliance with the noise and music rules in your dorm.

      3. Portable Fan - These are good investments to help you keep cool in case it gets a little to warm in your room. they are also compact so it helps to save space.  

       4. LabTop - A lab top is essential to any college student that doesn't feel like going to the library  and work on their assignments. It's portable and very convenient. Prices may vary depending on the brand, but they are good investments.

       5. Storage Mirror - This over the door mirror would be ideal for a college student. It's also a storage unit that can hold many miscellaneous items.

The Power of the Pen (and Writing Lab) with Mrs. Pinson

South Carolina State University has a Push Writing Lab located inside Turner Hall which is coordinated by Mrs. Arah Pinson. Pinson, who is also a long serving professor, started at SCSU in 1989 to present day. Mrs .Valerie Goodwin was the previous coordinator. Upon Pinson's takeover, she plans to get the word spread out about the writing lab.

A lot of students don't know about the writing lab or what it's purpose is. This center is used to help students hone their writing and grammar skills. "When our students leave SCSU, they represent the University" said Pinson. Students can go there to get a better understanding of the various writing styles and rules that are applied to it.

The writing lab is also trying to gain exposure. Since it's not as much used as needed, Pinson and her trusty team are trying to make it "lit." funding is most definitely needed to help expand the writing lab. "We're looking for donations, and we want to paint and mural the wall." said Pinson.

To also help with the exposure of the lab, they are planning a spring open house as well as a soft skills for students workshop. This workshop will help students with study skills, time-management, note taking and self discipline. Pinson is a serious advocate for the success of her students and you can tell when she began to tear up and say "My passion is my students."

The writing lab can be used as a work study and all students and majors are welcome. Students must meet a certain criteria in order to become a tutor. You must also have a letter of recommendation. Take Zaire for instance. She is a grad school tutor and according to Pinson "Our right arm." She helps with grammar and organization, and thesis statements.  Pinson is looking for students like her to come help out and be a great tutor.

While big things are in the works for Turner Hall writing lab, Pinson and Zaire had five things that everyone should know about it. They are

1. They are there to help
2. Will offer workshops
3. They are not a fix it shop
4. Tutors will not guess what grade you will get
5. You leave with a lesson

(What the writing lab is for)

Bulldog News Now: A brief look inside the newscast

We had to chance to an exclusive look at how the South Carolina State University Communications department produces it's newscast  BNN which is short for Bulldog News Now. The set has that local television station look and a team of thriving students were working diligently to make sure it went well.


We watched as the news anchors sat and rehearsed their scripts while getting familiar with the teleprompter. The anchors were making sure they were pronouncing and enunciating words correctly for accuracy.

Behind the scenes, BNN students were busy at work as well. They were making sure everything ran smoothly in regards to the production, teleprompter and audio. Ms. Pryor who is over the newscast made sure each person  was doing their job effectively.
   

Dayah Barnes: Marching To The Beat of Her Own Drum

A female drummer? Quiet unless she knows you? A North Carolina native? This could only be none other than Miss Dayah Barnes herself. Let's start with a few basics shall we? She loves the colors pink and Blue, she loves the occasional crab legs, and she likes Prince.Although she gives off the quiet reserved type vibes,  this 23 year old senior Mass Communications major from Fayetteville has many interesting things that sets her apart from many. 

Dayah has a knack for playing the drums. She was a member of the South Carolina State University Marching 101 drum line. She is also apart of The Bongo Brothers which is associated with the band. After a long journey with the band, she decided to leave due to conflicts. Aside from band activities, Barnes loves to travel, create memos, and create vlogs. She is also a "cute shoe" fanatic. If a shoe is cute, then best believe she will more than likely get it. 

"I love the environment here and the family feel" said Barnes when talking about SCSU. "I wanted to come here because I've been in North Carolina all my life." Being a writer is something near and dear to Barnes's heart thus her majoring in Journalism. Her blog globetrotti showcases some of her work. After graduation, she plans to go work for the FBI. 

Avery Daniels: A man focusing on HIStory

From his hometown of Orangeburg S.C., A tuba player for the South Carolina State University Marching 101 band, to the Miller F. Whitaker library as the archivist what isn't there interesting about Avery Daniels? Daniels has a lot he has accomplished under his belt and wasn't afraid to share it.

Let's flashback a few years back shall we? Daniels graduated from Orangeburg-Wilkinson High-school back in 1996. He continued his studies at SCSU. While at college he always wanted to be a member of the Marching 101. "I never played an instrument" He had his eyes on the tuba and seeked help from his friends in  band that played the flute. He played the tuba from 2003-2006. He also joined the band Fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi

After graduating from State, he worked an the band's equipment manager. He also served in the United State Marine Corps.


At 40 years old, Daniels is currently the Head of Archives at the library on the campus of SCSU. He is the forth person that has held this position. He has always been interested in History. He did his internship at the State Archives in Columbia S.C. He gained his Masters in Library Science from The University of South Carolina. He was offered a job at Alabama A & M University, but turned it down so he can be close to home her in South Carolina.

(Daniels in his office in Archives)

Thomas E. Miller

A hall on the campus of South Carolina State University named after him? An educator, lawyer and politician? It has to be none other the Thomas Ezekiel Miller. Born June 17th, 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C. Miller was born too an unmarried white couple, but rumor has it that he was raised by a black couple in Charleston. His light skin complexion caused speculation about whether or not he was black or white. He could have passed for a white person, but he identified himself as black. He attended South Carolina College (now know was University of South Carolina) and graduated in 1875.

(Thomas E. Miller)

Fast forward years later, Miller was an active politician as served as a member of the republican party as he represented Beaufort in the South Carolina house and then the senate from 1847 to 1882. He praised rural black southerners for their progress they had made since the emancipation. He condemned southern white Democrats for their undemocratic efforts to deny black men the suffrage. "It is not the fear of Negro supremacy in the south that causes southern election officers to suppresses the Negro vote, but it is the fear of the rule of majority regardless of race." 

Fast forward to September 30th, 1896, Miller who was the first President of Colored Normal Industrial, Agricultural, and Mechanical College of South Carolina, and his his 11 faculty members welcomed students to the school. The 8-acres campus and 11-acre farm was home to the first students.Today known as South Carolina State University  it was a primary and secondary vocational training school modeled on Hampton and Tuskegee. Miller was the longest serving President of SCSU from 1911-1937.

(Old hall located on Normal Industrial, Agricultural, and Mechanical College of South Carolina)

A building located on SCSU campus is called Miller Hall. This building is named after Thomas E. Miller. It was built in 1938 in his honor. Miller Hall is one of the 1st buildings that wasn't named after board members making it distinct. It has also been stated that Miller Hall was built by students. 

(Old picture of Miller Hall)

Miller Hall: Then and Now

Across from the student center stands a building that is old and abandoned. Many SC State students walk past it everyday and even relax in front of it. Want to know what building i'm referring to? It's Miller Hall. This distinguished hall has rich history lurking beyond its aged walls.

Originally built in 1938, this building was named after the first president Thomas E. Miller (pictured Below) of South Carolina State University which was formerly named Colored Normal Mechanical and Industrial College. This dorm was intended for male junior and seniors, but later changed to all female. "Miller hall was one of the 1st buildings that wasn't named after board members" says Avery Daniels the archivist of Miller F. Whitaker library at SCSU. The most recent use of Miller hall was back in 2006-2007 when students resided in it for band camp. 

(Thomas E. Miller)

Present day, Miller Hall from the outside still looks good, but the inside tells a different story. We had a chance to go look inside Miller with my class, and we got an eye full. The walls were peeling, old chairs were scattered throughout the floors, and old keys to the rooms were all laid out.  

This building looks like it has major code violations and has been left abandoned to hold old furniture that can be seen in current dorms on campus now. It would be nice to see Miller Hall restored and used as a dorm again, but for now, it's just an old building on campus that students walk by everyday to observe.

Have a look at a few pictures I captured while inside Miller Hall.

   

Hurricane Florence

It seems like every fall semester, South Carolina gets threatened with a Hurricane. Hurricane Florence was on track to impact South Carolina, and we had to take precaution. We were notified by school officials that classes were canceled and that we had to leave. This hurricane was nothing to play with and was intensifying.

During my time back at home I didn't do much. I did watch the news a much as possible and see if Florence was still going to impact South Carolina as previously forecast. Those days we got off from school were basically chill days for me lol. I'm Glad Florence was downgraded into a tropical storm once it hit here, and glad we were spared from the worst compared to our neighboring state of North Carolina.

Feature Story

Feature Story

My summer in 3 words was Hot, Chill, and fast. Now I know that when summer hits, you're supposed to expect them temperatures being in the 90s and above. I am South Carolinian and you would think that I would be used top the heat right? Wrong!! Some days were extremely hot, and I was over it.

My summer was pretty chill. If i wasn't at work, then I was at home in the air conditioning chilling as usual. I would generally take a walk late in the afternoon after the sun sets.

It seems like every summer goes by faster and faster. Summer lasted for like a few days lol, but I glad it went by quick. I enjoyed having time off from school.