Uncovering truth.

Tonya Miller

10-7-10

Evidence bag containing father's belongings

Inside father's wallet, Clifford's Meridian appointment card

Appointment cards found in father's wallet

Faith

Demeatrius & Tonya Miller

10-6-10

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."

Hebrews 11:1

Have you ever had one of those, "God" moments? It's a step past goose bumps and the chills... where you feel an unexplainable presence around you. You can hear the beating of your heart as your mind seems to drift for a second, but you know you're exactly where you're supposed to be...

I guess the feeling is hard to describe, but if you've ever had a "God" moment, you know what I'm talking about.

I had one tonight, and it was when I decided to put down my camera, and pray with a family broken by tragedy.

"We cannot attempt to understand how Clifford junior became so disconnected with reality, that he was able to harm those he loved most. We are extremely sorry for the pain and grief ripping the Gainesville community, and we can only hope that time will begin to heal the wounds so deep. Six families including ours, have been affected by this unthinkable horrific act. Please continue to pray for all families involved, as the community rely on our faith to heal."

Miller Family Statement

My Hawaiian Breeze Candle

I bought a Glade Hawaiian Breeze scented candle a few weeks ago, and I lit it for the first time tonight. It's crazy how one candle can make you forget where you are. It's only been burning for about 20 minutes, and my entire house smells like Hawaii... I guess I've never been to Hawaii, but regardless, the $2 candle has transported me to paradise, and inspired tonight's blog post.

As I was pulling into work this morning, I saw the red light on my blackberry flickering. It was an email from a good friend. The subject: "You and worry..."

At the very top, a question, "What Happens When You Worry?"

As I kept reading the message, one sentence struck me... "Worry doesn't take the sorrow out of tomorrow-it takes the strength out of today."

I wasn't expecting this "self-help" email from the friend who sent it. Regardless, I was appreciative and grateful, because despite some of the life-altering experiences I've encountered in the past year--realities that have shown me the value of today and the uncertainty of tomorrow-- I still find myself worrying about the future. My worries are generally about my job, and where my career is going.

It's been almost five months since I graduated from UF, and through my occasional "Facebook stalking," I've learned that several of my classmates have landed some sick jobs right out of college. I've got friends working for the network in NYC, others are reporting in top 50 markets...I can't help but look at myself--reporting for Gainesville's local ABC affiliate-- and not be anxious about where I stand in the world.

It's been five days since I interviewed Pastor Terry Jones, the man behind "Burn a Koran Day." I never expected that I'd be covering an international story during my time at TV20.

Although my coverage wasn't featured on CNN, or picked up by a big city ABC affiliate, I'm still grateful for the experience. For the first time in my young career, I was thrown into a media circus, where I was setting up my tripod and camera next to network news corespondents, BBC reporters, photographers that have been around the world and back... 

I saw first hand, the effects of social networking--- how Pastor Jones' message crossed oceans, and brought journalists from around the world to the front lawn of his small Gainesville church. I saw a clear illustration of traditional news media losing it's power. Journalists are no longer gatekeepers of news and information for the public... editors and producers no longer the sole judges of which stories are appropriate, which sources are credible, which quotes are valuable... 

Here was a story that, in my opinion, was made newsworthy by the people....the tweets, the Facebook groups, the YouTube videos-- the news media only added fuel to the fire.

The story opened my eyes to some of the realities of this changing industry... and it happened right here, in little old Gainesville. 

I know in my heart that God has put me here for a reason. I've also learned that much like my two dollar Hawaiian Breeze candle, a story can make you forget where you are- a story knows no boundaries- a story has the power to touch lives around the world.

In both my life and career, I can't worry about tomorrow. I need to save my strength- keeping my passion and fire burning for the story today.

Pastor Jones, all you need is LOVE!

Interviewing Pastor Terry Jones

9.16.10

Wall decor inside pastor's office

"John loved and prayed for the human race. Please tell people to pray the same for him. Remember that he had deep faith in love and that, though he has now joined the greater force, he is still with us."

Yoko Ono, December 1980

If the bible isn't teaching Pastor Jones about love, peace, and understanding....perhaps he needs to listen to The Beatles.  

A dark cloud...

Noon: Interfaith Prayer Service....Holy Trinity Episcopal Church...Downtown Gainesville

People from all walks of life came together, to pray for peace.

A moment of silence for those who lost their lives on 9-11-01

Gainesville Mayor Craig Lowe

2 PM: I took a drive to the Dove World Outreach Center, where Pastor Terry Jones was addressing the media.

As I was pulling away, I took a picture with my phone, and posted it on twitter.

The dark cloud over the Dove World Outreach Center made me wonder what God thought about all this...

Twitter and Terry Moran

Terry Moran interviewing President Barack Obama....

Terry Moran sitting in front of my desk.

The preacher that's putting Gainesville on the international stage with his Koran bonfire scheduled for September 11th, has brought ABC's Terry Moran to TV20. Named co-anchor of Nightline in 2005, Moran has chased stories around the world.

Before I left the station, I thought I'd interrupt Moran as he worked on his script to introduce myself, (I mean, when's the next time I'd be THIS close to Terry Moran?)

We started talking about the industry, where it's going, and what role social media is playing in it all.

Basically, Moran told me to TWEET.

The tweets that Moran said, put him on the map in the twitter world:

On board Air Force One. Pancakes, bacon and eggs on the menu. Twix and snickers for snacks. 8:46 AM Feb 10th, 2009 via mobile web

Music on AF1 includes: Jason Mraz, Goldfrapp, lots of J Legend, Rihanna, + Jeremy Pelt! 8:57 AM Feb 10th, 2009 via mobile web

AF1 lunch: baked potato topped w/ BBQ chicken, fudge brownie. Yum. Tue Feb 10 15:32:25 2009 via mobile web


Moran said OVERNIGHT, he had hundreds of thousands of followers, simply by tweeting about the food served on Air Force One.







Firestarter: Pastor Will Burn the Koran
Meet the Florida Pastor who plans to commemorate 9/11 by burning the Koran.

Wes Skiles

a dark year for sea turtles...

Click on the picture below to watch my story...

One Day

This is the intro to a 15-minute video I produced for Mike Clark. Two months ago, his 19-year-old son Philip was killed while on foot patrol in Marjah, Afghanistan.

Something compelled me to stay in the studio after work last night and finish the video. As soon as I was done, around 10 PM, I drove the dvd over to Mr. Clark. 

I would soon find out that Philip's brothers of the 1/6 Marines, (Alpha Company) were on their way home, arriving back on base at Camp Lejeune, NC early this morning. 

With the arrival of the 1/6, a family is reminded of their great loss, but I hope this helps them remember a hero- whose life is an illustration of the most perfect love.

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" ~John 15:13

the 911 call

I was on call last week.

At TV20 when you're, "on-call," that means in addition to your normal slave- I mean, work-week, you have to respond to any "breaking news" that happens before or after your shift.

Last Tuesday, I got a call from my assignment desk around 8:30 in the morning.

I was told there had been a shooting inside a Gainesville neighborhood, deputies were on scene, and to "get there fast."

I ran out the door, threw my camera and tripod in the trunk of the TV20 chevy I had been rocking since my on-call shift started that Friday, and raced to the address, (I guess the good thing about being on call is, you get to drive a Home Team wagon for a week- and TV20 fills up the tank).

When I got to the neighborhood, Alachua County Sheriffs Deputies were blocking the "no outlet" street that led to the location of the shooting. I was told a 16-year-old male had been shot to death inside his home, and deputies had no suspect.

I set up my tripod and camera.

Just as I was asking deputies if I could get closer to the scene, I saw a medical examiners truck coming my way. I ran to my camera and hit record.

When the truck reached the stop sign behind me, I kept rolling and stepped away from my camera. At that moment, a ray of sunlight hit the back window of the medical examiner's truck... I saw a covered body.

The truck pulled away, and for a few seconds, I stood still. My thoughts were paralyzing.

After speaking with the P.I.O on scene, I learned that 16-year-old Sebastian Ochsenius was inside his home, playing video games with a friend. Around 3:30 AM, he got up and walked to the kitchen. According to Sebastian's friend, (who stayed behind in the game room) moments later- multiple gun shots were fired.

Sebastian's parents were awakened, only to find their son bleeding to death on the kitchen floor.

Last night, deputies released the 911 call made by Sebastian's dad, Boris.

My news director had it in his hands by 7PM.

He asked that we all stick around and listen to it, and make a group decision whether or not we should broadcast the call on the 11:00 news that night.

It took only about 2 minutes for me to make my decision.

When I felt my eyes welling up with tears, I walked away from the newsroom. I didn't want my emotions affecting how my co-workers reacted to the call.

Inside the break room, I closed my eyes and began to sob. For me, the 911 call added details to a horrifying portrait I had already painted in my mind. Three days after Sebastian's murder, the Ochsenius family welcomed me inside their home. Sebastian's dad Boris described how his son died in his arms. He was holding Sebastian with one hand-and talking to a 911 operator with the other.

Speaking to Sebastian's father, Boris Ochsenius

Candlelight Vigil July 2, 2010

The 911 call had absolutely no news value. After the 5-minute call ended, I composed myself and walked back into the newsroom. My co-workers and I talked for 20 minutes- each of us expressing our opinions on whether the call should be broadcast.

I expressed my strong feelings against airing the call- saying it would do more harm than good.

One of my co-workers asked if my decision was based on the fact that I knew the family- and had developed a relationship with them.

As a human being with a heart, I knew it was unethical to broadcast the call. My decision would have been the same whether or not I had developed a relationship with the family. In no way would airing the call on the 11:00 news have helped detectives find Sebastian's killer, (who is still on the loose), nor would it have benefited the community- particularly Sebastian's family and friends.

I'm a journalist... but I'm a person first, and I'm not above anyone. When it comes down to it, viewers are no different than I...and if Sebastian was my brother, I wouldn't want my father's 911 call broadcast to the world.

Sebastian's sister Carolina, painting Gainesville's 34th Street Wall

June 30, 2010

Yea there's good news and bad news, but in the end- the ultimate goal of what we broadcast is to reveal truth- in hopes that will bring us all toward a greater good-whatever that might be.

Journalists are messengers- we bear a great power, one we mustn't keep but pass on to the people; whose best interest should always be at heart, especially when we're tested in covering life's most challenging stories.

Sebastian Ochsenius

December 3, 1993 - June 29, 2010

...and in the end, TV20 didn't air the 911 call.

I'm not afraid

My last post was on May 18th.
I didn't know it at the time, but on that day, a story had begun; one that would touch my heart and life forever...