Author: Mollie Barnes

It’s us against the man

Posted on by Mollie Barnes

Yesterday I covered a meeting about a new CVS that wants to open up downtown, which would demolish three old buildings. One of these building currently houses McAdams’ Ltd. Fine Jewelry. It felt to me like a classic part of history, where big corporations shut down smaller local businesses. To further play into the stereotype the man representing CVS was a lawyer wearing a business suit who introduced himself with a firm handshake and a business card. He even answered a question with, “I know, but I’m not allowed to say.”

Like hello big bad stereotype coming to demolish the building that houses the local store owned by an older woman, which has been in business for 40 years. I felt like I was helping to play a role in the pre-Wall-E era, or if not playing a role, just sitting by and watching it happen.

After the meeting, the lawyer was fine with talking to me, but the owner of the shop said she didn’t want to be quoted in the paper and just wanted to go about this quietly.

I went back to the newsroom and used what I had to write up a story. Since she was at a public meeting, I could use her quotes from there.

As I walked out of the newsroom afterwards though, I wondered if I had just lost her chance at winning this fight she was silently preparing. I felt bad about it. I guess there’s nothing I can really do about it though, except hope that more awareness about the situation actually helps her cause rather than hurt it.

I personally am only concerned because I’m a horrible driver and I hate hate hate traffic restrictions that don’t let you turn left because they really only should be in use during peak traffic times, but half the time I run to a store like that it’s at weird times in the day, when making a left would be completely fine.

Overall, I’m satisfied with the story, and I think it was one of my best at the Missourian yet. Next up: Boone County Fair stories!

Feeling good in the Googlehood

Posted on by Mollie Barnes

I did a story with hardly any editing (read like almost none) and John made approving grunts as he kept reading and then said it was really good and he liked it! I am not a failure whoop whoop.

The story was about the city council using Google Hangouts and I interviewed a man from the city and someone who I used to do improv with, but is now just a Google + hotshot. He’s even on Google’s list of suggested users with almost 400,000 followers. Stories sure are made easy with a wide network, staying friends with people is some of the best advice I ever got. 

The Twinkie story I’m working on though, surprisingly took more work, but is way worse. I definitely struggle with reporting things a lot of other people are reporting, too. I feel like I was almost Twinkied out before I even wrote the story. But it will be alright I think, just have a short “shelf-life” as John punned. 

Now just to start working on Welcome Back projects and editing our Multimedia project… but in other news only 24 more days left (correct me if I’m wrong) of this class. Whoda thunk?

Competitive edge, had me a bash(ful experience)

Posted on by Mollie Barnes

Wednesday I covered an speech by Tony Coelho, a disabilities advocate. It was a little strange because it was my first time covering something where there was a lot of other media there from other outlets. After the speech was over I wanted to talk to the mother, but when I got up to talk to her, she was busy talking to someone from the Columbia Tribune, the other newspaper in town. Various TV stations where there, too. I felt pressure to talk to the right people, but also talk to different people but in the end I ended up not talking to many people, which later was one of my biggest regrets of the story. 

Next time I know to talk to the people I want to talk to early and not wait around for the courage to do it, and don’t be afraid to talk to a lot of people, even if I necessarily am not going to use every persons quote in the story.