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LATEST PROJECTS

Press Releases/Articles

 
 

Broadcast Writing

National Television News
1) Reader/Breaking Business News Alert
A BUSINESS ALERT FOR YOU NOW....    POPULAR CANADIAN COFFEE-AND-DOUGHNUT CHAIN TIM HORTONS HAS A NEW OWNER.    CANADA'S GOVERNMENT HAS APPROVED BURGER KING WORLDWIDE'S MORE THAN 11-BILLION DOLLAR BID TO TAKE OVER TIM HORTONS.    THE NEWS OF BURGER KING'S PLAN TO TAKE OVER TIM HORTON'S WAS FIRST ANNOUNCED BACK IN AUGUST.    BURGER KING'S ACQUISITION OF TIM HORTON'S IS CREATING THE THIRD LARGEST FAST-FOOD RESTAURANT GROUP.    BURGER KING AGREED TO MULTIPLE COMMITMENTS TO GET THE BID APPROVED BY CANADA ... INCLUDING SETTING UP HEADQUARTERS IN ONTARIO, LISTING THE COMPANY ON THE TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE AND OPENING MORE RESTAURANTS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
 
2) Reader/Breaking News Alert - Written in two minutes
 

WE'RE FOLLOWING THE RIOTING IN BALTIMORE...

LOOTING IS CONTINUING THERE AS PROTESTERS HAVE MOVED TO A CASH AND CHECKS STORE....

ALONG WITH THE LOOTING RIOTERS HAVE BEEN HURLING ROCKS AND BRICKS AT POLICE FOR THE PAST SEVERAL HOURS -- INJURING SEVERAL OFFICERS, SOME SERIOUSLY... A C-N-N REPORTER WAS ALSO ATTACKED AND INJURED.

POLICE HAVE ASKED ALL RESIDENTS TO KEEP CHILDREN INDOORS AND HAVE SUSPENDED SUBWAY SERVICE IN THE AREA.

THE RIOTING COMES AFTER THE FUNERAL OF FREDDIE GRAY  EARLIER TODAY. 

GRAY SUFFERED A FATAL SPINAL INJURY WHILE IN POLICE CUSTODY.

 
3) Intro To Segments

IT'S THE PLOT POINT OF MANY A MOVIE -- A CHARACTER FINDING A LONG LOST FAMILY MEMBER AND SETTING OUT TO FIND THEM.

THE IDEA USED TO BE A FANTASY FOR PEOPLE -- BUT SOME COMPANIES ARE NOW MAKING IT EASY AND AFFORDABLE FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THEIR FAMILY TREE.

FAMILY TREE D-N-A PRESIDENT BENNETT GREENSPAN JOINS ME TO EXPLAIN HOW YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR ANCESTRY...

 

MANY KIDS SAY THEY WANT TO BE A POLICE OFFICER OR A FIREFIGHTER WHEN THEY GROW UP -- METEOROLOGIST ISN'T USUALLY A COMMON CHOICE....

BUT ONE AUTHOR IS HOPING TO CHANGE THAT WITH HER NEW BOOK.

FOX NEWS SENIOR METEOROLOGIST JANICE DEAN IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT HER NEW CHILDREN'S BOOK -

  "FREDDY THE FROGCASTER" AND WHY SHE FEELS IT'S SO IMPORTANT KIDS LEARN ABOUT THE WEATHER FROM AN EARLY AGE.

 

IF YOU WORK IN AN OFFICE - CHANCES ARE YOU ALSO WORK IN A CUBICLE.

WHETHER YOU LOVE IT OR HATE IT - THE CUBICLE IS A STAPLE IN OFFICE LIFE -- IN FACT THIS YEAR IT CELEBRATES ITS **50-TH** BIRTHDAY.

SO HOW HAS THE OFFICE MAINSTAY CHANGED IN THE PAST FIFTY YEARS -- AND HOW CAN YOU MAKE THE MOST OF WORKING IN ONE?

ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST MICHAEL -- DR WOODY -- WOODWARD HAS SOME TIPS....

 

EVER PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN AND THEN FOR THE LIFE OF YOU CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE YOU PUT IT?

DON'T WORRY -- YOU'RE NOT ALONE.

THE AVERAGE PERSON MISPLACES AS MANY AS **NINE** ITEMS EVERY DAY!!

SO WHY DO WE ALWAYS SEEM TO BE SO FORGETFUL -- AND HOW CAN WE BETTER REMEMBER WHERE WE LEFT OUR PHONES AND KEYS?

PSYCHOLOGIST BONNY FORREST HAS SOME TIPS THAT CAN HELP YOU WASTE LESS TIME LOOKING FOR YOUR STUFF.

 
Local Television News
1) VOSOTVO
STUDENTS AT DR. KING ELEMENTARY SCHOOOL IN SYRACUSE ARE TAKING A NEW ANTI-BULLYING CAMPAIGN TO HEART. THE PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING GROUP W-W-E HAS STARTED A CAMPAIGN CALLED “BE A STAR” AFTER MANY OF THE WRESTLERS SAY THEY WERE BULLIED AS KIDS.THE PROGRAM ENCOURAGES ALL KIDS TO TREAT EACH OTHER WITH TOLERANCE AND RESPECT…
 
[TAKE SOT]”Bullying is a bad thing and you wouldn’t want someone to bully you so you shouldn’t bully other people.”
 
TEACHERS SAY THE PROGRAM WORKS SO WELL BECAUSE THE MESSAGE IS COMING FROM THE W-W-E STARS WHO THE STUDENTS ALREADY LOOK UP TO.THE STUDENTS WILL BE WORKING ON VIDEOS AND POSTERS ABOUT THIS MESSAGE ALL THIS MONTH.
 
2) Tease
THE SYRACUSE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT IS PLEADING FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BAND TOGETHER AND PRESSURE LAW MAKERS TO PROVIDE THE SCHOOL WITH MORE MONEY. WHAT SHE’S ASKING PEOPLE TO DO AND HOW YOU CAN HELP IS UP NEXT.
 
3) Reader – OTS
A NEW PROJECT COMING TO THE THRUWAY IS AIMING TO TEACH NEW YORKERS SOME STATE HISTORY.GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO ANNOUNCED THE PATH THROUGH HISTORY INTIATIVE WHICH AIMS TO GET MOTORISTS TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY AND VISIT HISTORIC SITES AND ATTRACTIONS.NEW SIGNS WILL BE PUT UP ALONG THE HIGHWAY DIRECTING TRAVLERS TO LOCAL ATTRACTIONS AND WILL PLACE HISTORY INFORMATION BOOTHS AT REST STOPS.
 
4) Top Story
A CHRONIC BANK ROBBER IS FACING CHARGES ONCE AGAIN.SYRACUSE POLICE SAY 54-YEAR-OLD JOE DAVIS ROBBED TWO SYRACUSE BANKS IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS.TURNS OUT IN 2004 DAVIS WAS ALSO CHARGED WITH TWO BANK ROBBERIES.POLICE SAY THAT HE EVEN ROBBED THE *SAME* BANK TELLER TWICE.DAVIS HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH ROBBERY, GRAND LARCENY, AND A DRUG CHARGE.
 
5) VO
Most of the major cities in this country, even some around the globe are stepping up their own security measures following the Boston Marathon bombings today.  New York City police stepping up security at hotels and other prominent locations that tourists might go such as the Statue of Liberty and Times Square, places like that.  An NYPD spokesman says critical response teams are also being deployed across NYC until more can be known about what happened in Boston.  Security was also tightened in DC, especially near the White House, they closed down Pennsylvania Avenue.  An LA county spokesman says their police department is increasing patrols on transit and popular areas such as the Los Angeles Dodgers game tonight. Even London increasing their own security tonight, officials there say they are reviewing their own security plans for this Sunday’s scheduled London Marathon.
 
5) Intro To Live Reporter/Packages
 
“It shouldn’t happen it was the first thing that popped into mine – pretty severe injuries…all ages..it was a horrible horrible experience.” 
At least 3 people are dead more than 100 injured after multiple explosions at the finish line of the Boston marathon this afternoon. Just a horrific scene in Boston this afternoon at the running of the marathon. Goon evening I’m John Gray, and I’m Lydia kulbida.  2 explosions going off in downtown Boston right at the finish line of the marathon.  At least 3 people are dead, one of them a little boy.  More than 130 injured, some critically.  Reporter Molly Line has the latest...........
 
 
Boston hospitals quickly mobilized to treat the injured from the explosions at the marathon finish line. Now the chief of emergency services at Mass General Hospital said that after 25 years at the hospital he had never seen such carnage as he did today. The News Centers Meagan Farley is in Boston outside of Mass General with the treating of the wounded and what happened. Meagan?
 
 

Online Articles

Positively Pink Packages provides free care packages for people diagnosed and undergoing treatment for breast cancer

By Alison Kurtzman (FAYETTEVILLE) – Jennifer Tom was shocked when her doctor told her she had breast cancer.

 

“I never suspected it,” said Tom. “No one in my family had ever had breast cancer, so I wasn’t looking for it, wasn’t doing self exams and I was diagnosed.”

 

Tom said that during her grueling treatment she realized that there were great resources for what she was going through, but nothing was easy to find.

 

So Tom decided to start a new business geared toward helping others diagnosed with breast cancer, and the non-profit Positively Pink Packages began.

 

“We put books, DVDS, guided imagery CD’s, post surgical pillows, anything that could help them going through the diagnosis and treatment and we put it all in a package and we give it free to the doctor’s offices in the area and they give them to their patients,” said Tom.

 

In the past six years since the company began operating, they have given away 5,000 care packages.

 

However, it’s not cheap to provide all of these resources at no cost.  Tom says Positively Pink Packages relies on fundraisers, donations from corporate sponsors and money from grants.

 

Tom and her company will be awarded a $1,000 grant at a banquet Tuesday night courtesy of the Women’s Fund of Central New York.

Positively Pink Packages is one of twelve different non-profit organizations being honored at the banquet.

 

“Besides giving the resources, we’re also giving hope,” said Tom of Positively Pink Packages.  “You can’t put a price tag on hope.”

 

Using Horses To Assist People With Disabilities

The practice of hippotherapy, or equine assisted therapy, is helping children and adults with physical and behavioral therapy

By Alison Kurtzman (VERONA) – The Watermans have been coming to the Root Farm for two years now.

 

“The doctor said it could help him walk, and we tried it out, and have seen nothing but great things,” said Shelly Waterman.

 

Shelly Waterman’s son, Andrew, has cerebral palsy and is unable to walk.  Andrew has come to ride at the farm once a week for ten-week sessions in hopes that it will help him learn to walk.

 

“The movement of the horse being three dimensional – up and down, forwards and backwards, and side-to-side – simulates a walking movement,” said Pete Senn, farm manager at the Root Farm.  “So for people who may come in a wheelchair or something, the movement of the horse simulates the walking, which in turn will trigger the mind and strengthen the parts of the body that normally wouldn’t get strengthened through non-movement.”

 

The Watermans say that Andrew’s two years of hippotherapy has been incredibly helpful in his therapy so far.

“Just walking, when the horse walks, it builds up his core,” said Waterman.   “His balance has gotten better.  He trusts the horse one hundred percent.  They can do about anything they want to do with him when he’s on that horse, because he’s thinking of other things.”

 

Equine therapy isn’t just for physical therapy though, it can help with behavioral problems as well.

 

“It’s not only always just the physical type needs you see changed,” said Sue Zbytniewski, a volunteer at the farm.  “And it’s behavioral.  Some little ones that are kind of off into their own little world and when they get on the horse and we’re asking them to do things, it brings them back.”

However, the Waterman’s, are just wishing for one thing for Andrew.

 

“I hope that he’ll walk one day,” said the Watermans.  “Probably not too long down the road, he’s really progressing.”

 

 

Occupy Wall Street Protests Come To Syracuse

Protesters have been camping out downtown since Sunday in protest

By Alison Kurtzman (SYRACUSE) – Protesters have been camping outside of Chase Bank downtown since Sunday night as part of the Occupy Syracuse protest.

 

Occupy Syracuse is the local part of the grassroot movement spreading around the country protesting what is described as corporate corruption of politics, the economy and the environment.

 

Andy DelliColli is only on his second day of camping out but he plans to stay until he is forced to move.

 

Forced to leave school because of costs

 

DelliColli used to be a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.  He said that he loved school but was forced to leave because he couldn’t afford to pay for it anymore.

 

“I was a fine arts student, and I’m also just an angry American who was not able to afford higher education,” says DelliColli.  “And that is not something that is terribly unusual in this day.”

 

DelliColli decided to join the Occupy Syracuse group becuase he hopes to band together with the 99 percent of American that are not living “as a top dog bank CEO” as he describes.

 

And it’s not just young adults that are protesting.

 

People of all ages upset 

 

Martin Rothenberg is the owner of Glottal Enterprises on East Fayette Street.  He is just as frustrated with the current conditions of the nation.

 

“There are a small number of people who make immense amounts of money, billions of dollars, and in general they don’t work that hard,” said Rothenberg.

 

The protesters chose their location very carefully.  They are actually currently located on Chase Bank private property.  They say they will stay there until they are forced to move.  If they are instructed to move they will then move 15 feet to the public park next door.

 

Just a sample of my work. To see more or discuss possible work >>

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