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"Happy 100th E.R.M."
4/25/08: He would have been 100 years-old
today... and if he were still alive, he'd probably still be kickin' most of
today's reporter's asses...
"Only a butt-head throws a cigarette butt into
dry brush"
4/24/08: With all the high fire danger warnings
being given, why do people still throw hot cigarette butts out their car
windows? That's what may have started a small brush fire in Palmer Park on
Thursday afternoon. What a butt-head!
Photos by News Blab
"Oops... Denver Post reports wrong cause of
Springs' homicide death"
From denverpost.com
4/24/08: This morning the Denver Post had the
following story on their website:
Woman killed in Colorado Springs
By Kieran Nicholson
The Denver Post
Last Updated: 04/24/2008 08:48:35 AM MDT
A 26-year-old Colorado Springs woman was fatally shot inside her home in the
presence of four children.
Pola Yesenia Valenzuela was gunned down during a "domestic disturbance," around
9 p.m. Wednesday in her apartment at 4825 Astrozon Blvd., police said.
Anselmo Bonilla Barraza, 28, who lived with Valenzuela and four children at the
home, has been arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder, police said.
The children were not physically harmed during the shooting, police said.
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822 or
knicholson@denverpost.com.
Here is the CSPD news release of the autopsy
report:
Incident Date April 23, 2008
Time 9:05:00 PM
Division Sand Creek Shift III
Title Death
Location 4825 Astrozon Boulevard #A93
Summary On Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at approximately 9:05 p.m., officers from
the Sand Creek Division responded to 4825 Astrozon Boulevard #A93 in regards to
a domestic disturbance. When officers arrived on scene they located a deceased
Hispanic female in her 20’s. There were several family members on scene who are
now being interviewed by detectives from the Violent Crimes Unit. The identity
of the deceased female will not be released at this time pending notification of
next of kin.
An autopsy will be completed later in the day to determine cause and manner of
death.
********UPDATE******************
The El Paso County Coroner’s Office has completed the autopsy on Pola Yesenia
Valenzuela. They determined that the cause of death was the result of
asphyxiation due to strangulation, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide.
This is the ninth homicide in Colorado Springs this year.
The four children (ages 9, 7, 6, and 9 months) that were located at the scene
are now in the custody of Valenzuela’s mother (the children’s grandmother).
Anselmo Bonilla Barraza, age 29 (not age 28 as previously indicated), has been
arrested for First Degree Murder. A photo of Mr. Bonilla Barraza is attached to
this release.
Media inquiries should be directed to Sergeant Brandt in the Public Information
Office at 444-7410.
"Guaranteed to get you dancin'... or give you a
headache"
4/24/08: You'll know within the first few
minutes... which YOUR answer is. You'll either be dancing wildly to the
tribal sounds being emitted from the numerous percussion instruments, or you'll
be running to the medicine cabinet to grab the pain relief pills. Do you dare
listen...???
My djembe slapping premier:
10 minute djembe jam
(7 mb .wav) or
6 minute djembe wrap-up (3 mb .wav)
Note: Donations for lessons will be
gladly accepted.
"KOAA out and about... but doing what?"
4/24/08: Yesterday I was flying around the City
in News Blab Copter 1, when I noticed an older KOAA News First jeep
parked at an intersection near a nursing home. Wondering if they were
seeking out more information about a company retirement package through the
home, I swung the copter controls in the direction of where that KOAA action was
taking place, to take a look-see. What I saw still has me puzzled.
The operator of the KOAA vehicle exited, walked over to a green above ground
electric box, then over to a below ground electric box, and then got back in the vehicle
for a short time, before driving away. Humm... - Investigating a
viewer complaint? - Following up on an exciting and suspenseful sweeps
story? - Working part-time for Springs Utilities? I'm still puzzled...
Photos from News Blab Copter 1
Rider says, "It's an awesome ride, what a view."
Photos by News Blab
4/23/08: This afternoon, some lucky staff
members at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo were the first to take a trip into the sky
and above the zoo on the new "Sky Ride"... scheduled to open to the public
sometime next month. "It's an awesome ride, what a view.", said one
smiling staffer when I asked her how it was.
It appeared everyone who got to hang their feet
way above the zoo grounds today, was smiling. Some staffers even took
pictures of fellow staffers as they slowly sailed across the sky. Today's
test ride was to check their communications, I was told.
"Readers speak out about Florence prison
coverage"
4/22/08: Not everyone agrees with the person who
sent in the "Got a tip?" form about KKTV's coverage of the Florence prison
story. (See yesterday's 'Someone is upset with KKTV' write-up.)
Here are three additional "Got a tip?" forms I
received today about the original message.
message: "read on your "got a tip" someone
saying they were upset that only 5/30 and KRDO had updated information on the
prison riot. KRDO didn't have anything new. They used the same useless
information that was given to every station in a press release from the prison.
The story they had Sunday night was copied from the KKTV website. It's almost
verbatim. 5/30 is the only station that actually covered this story."
message: "KRDO and KKTV did nothing with the Prison story, nor did fox 21,
but who watches them? Again the book starts this week, and I think it will be a
good one. Colroado Springs has had a lot of Breaking news, or big news that goes
national. It will be a fun book."
message: "How could someone think KKTV "owned" the prison story? Because they
ran a crawl after they got the press release? 5/30 was the first to report it
was a race riot and connect it to Hitler's birthday. 5/30 was the first to
reveal details about it. And 5/30 is the only station to cover it on Monday.
Neither 11 or 13 did anything Monday."
UPDATE:
Here's another received tonight:
message: "Blabbing Mike, Don't bother posting
comments about a station's coverage, when the writer is OBVIOUSLY from a
competing station. One of the comments you posted is about my station's coverage
and it is INCORRECT. Bottom line: You've opened a can of worms. Stations will
bash each other, without knowing what is truly going on in their competitor's
news room."
"Earth Day"
4/22/08: Play for the spirits of the land...
play and enjoy what is here and there... slap your djembe this Earth Day...
"Denver news does it right... once again"
4/22/08: When it comes to real investigative
reporting, Colorado Springs TV news organizations talk-the-talk and use the
phrase 'investigative reporter'.... but do they really walk-the-walk? Even
when 'someone' hands them information that might give them an edge... some don't
always know how to react. What a shame...
Anyway... speaking of investigative reporting,
check out this nifty story and video Denver's CBS4 put out today. Once
again... it takes a Denver station, to do a Colorado Springs story... the way it
should be done.
Link to the CBS4 story:
HERE
UPDATE: KKTV used
(on their 4 p.m. & 5:30 p.m. newscast) the video CBS4 was able to acquire, but
KKTV didn't even acknowledge that they got it because of CBS4 or that CBS4 were
the ones who found it. I thought it would have been nice if the KKTV
anchor would have given credit, where credit was due.
UPDATE - 4/23/08:
KOAA and KRDO also used the video last night, but it sounds like they, as well
as KKTV, got it from the Castle Rock police. But we all know (wink, wink), if
the CBS4 investigative reporter didn't get it first, chances are the Springs TV
news organizations would have never known about it. Coat-tailing at its
best...
From the CBS4 website
"A City going green or spending green?"
- Words for thought -
4/21/08: Okay, in this time of a City's major
budget crunching, reduced spending, and worries about proper police coverage
because of that budget... wouldn't you think saving money anywhere they could,
would be a good thing?
So why... on a Sunday afternoon, are all the
floors of the Colorado Springs City Administration Building (CAB) lit?
I noticed the office ceiling lights on every
floor of the CAB, burning bright in the mid afternoon. I could be wrong...
but I wouldn't think City workers are there on a Sunday afternoon... are they?
Now I have to wonder how many other City buildings are spending the green to
light empty space. Anyone got additional 411 on this...???
Photos by News Blab
"Someone is upset with KKTV"
4/21/08: I received the following "Got a tip?"
form this evening. Seems someone is a bit upset with 11 News...
message: "UNBELIEVABLE: KKTV goes from owning
the Florence prison riot story last night to having nothing in their 5:30 pm
newscast. I had to get more info from 5/30 and KRDO which had all the updated
information:
2 prisoners who were dead were killed by prison guards. Denver Post website says
guards fired every bit of ammo they had. 150-200 prisoners rioting! This is not
that important to KKTV to follow up with crucial details???"
"Denver's KWGN News2, news at 9 switch-a-roo"
4/21/08: As I reported on the 13th, I received
word that Kellie MacMullan was going to be the new anchor for Denver's News2,
news at 9 newscast. When it happened she would be replacing Vida Urbonas,
who was already anchoring in that time slot. I wondered... where would
Urbonas go? Well, I got my answer.
Looks they they did a switch-a-roo. MacMullan
will now be doing what Urbonas was doing, and Urbonas will be doing what
MacMullan was doing. See below.
From the KWGN News2 website
"Happy 60th WGN"
4/20/08: I grew up in Chicago with WGN. Frazier
Thomas and Garfield Goose, Bunny Rabbit, Bozo's Circus, Ray Rayner, Sgt.
Pettibone, Cuddley Duddley, Jack Brickhouse, Cubs baseball, Suzy Snowflake, 'Hardrock,
Coco, & Joe', Family Classics, and Creature Features... just to name a few.
Happy 60th WGN.
From the WGN website
"Only KKTV is running this story...???"
4/20/08 - 7:15 p.m.: I saw the news crawl about
the dead inmates in Florence on KKTV, then checked the other stations... nada!
After that I received the first of two "Got a
tip?" forms letting me know that KKTV was running this story exclusively on
their website. A quick check at 7:10 p.m. confirmed this. Their crawl even
said they have a crew on the way there. Here is what KKTV 11 News has, that the
others don't (as of yet).
From the KKTV website
UPDATE: KRDO put
something on their website at 7:36 p.m. similar to the information KKTV's had.
As of 8:10 p.m. KOAA, KXRM, and the Gazette
still have nada.
As of 8:50 p.m. KOAA updated their website
saying their sources say it was a race riot connected with Hitler's birthday:
From the KOAA website
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