Neighborhood Watch Alert STOLEN CAR

Currently I am the Neighborhood Watch Captain for my block in Toluca Lake California. On August 1, 2010 my neighbors 1967 Chevrolet was stolen from her parking spot. Thankfully, CHP (CA Highway Patrol) was able to recover the classic from the side of the highway near Los Feliz. Let this be a wake up call to keep in close communication with our neighbors, and let them know if something seems off. Thankfully this time there was minimal damage. With a neighborhood filled with celebrities and private security, it goes to prove these criminals are not afraid of Toluca Lake.

Resume

In the process of updating my resume! MUCH more to come!



Professional Background:
Beverly Hills Weekly Los Angeles, CA 6/2010-present
Editor

Responsibilities included writing and editing cover story for weekly publication and editing all stories from staff reporters

The Ellen DeGeneres Show
WAD Productions / Telepictures Los Angeles, CA 9/2009- 6/2010
Audience Production Coordinator

Responsible for audience management including pre-show audience preparation, ticket allocation, seating, and post-show audience relations

NBC/ KOMU 8 News Columbia, MO 8/2007-5/2009
Web Producer. General Assignment/, Morning Live Reporter

Responsible for updating content and web info structure
On-air reporter for cut-in anchor to NBC’s Today Show
Produced numerous live reports for the morning show

KMOX Radio -Missouri Digital News Jefferson City, MO 8/2007-8/2008
Political Reporter- State Capitol

Responsible for reporting current events from Senate and House

Education
University of Missouri School of Journalism
Bachelor’s of Journalism, emphasis in Broadcast / Minor in Sociology
Dean's List: 2007-2009

Technical Skills
Trained in Avid Newscutter, iNews, Active Content Manager, Media Manager, iMovie, Flash, DVC Pro Camera. Also proficient in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Organizations and Honors
Delta Delta Delta - Delta Xi Chapter

I almost forgot what earning a paycheck was like!

Well Bloggers,
Once again..the last few weeks were hectic. I worked my first freelance gig in Los Angeles, California. I was the "spokesperson" for Yebol, the internet search engine I told you about before. I learned more than I could ever imagine. Taping a commercial could not be any more different than what I thought it would be. I'm so used to live television (you only get one chance to get it right). We took all day to do the shoot. The producer and the rest of the crew were amazing, and SO fun to work with! I of course am my own worst critic and have already picked out a million things I can improve on. I've also enlisted some help from a producer working with major corporations. So far, so good. I'd love to book more freelance gigs, it was great getting paid just for having fun. It was nerve wrecking and unusual for me to have to memorize lines, and I'm sure that came across to the director. I really give people credit now who do this for a living. Of course I miss reporting and live television, so the job search must continue! Until then..
Stay tuned!
-J

California here I come!

Hello bloggers! Good news, I got the free lance commercial in Los Angeles! So I'm heading to California tomorrow, checking into a hotel and getting to work. It's not exactly news, but I'm happy to put more on air experience on my resume tape to send out. Since I'm a total multi-tasker I've also set up some interviews in San Diego for next week as well. I'll be meeting with Bruce Patch of CBS 8 San Diego and Irv Kass , old VP/News Director of NBC San Diego. Meeting those two people are really what I am most excited about. Growing up in southern California I always dreamed of working at stations like those. I'd love to be a little fish in that giant pond. First and foremost, I'm focusing on this shoot on Saturday. As I sit in bed, with my pineapple cocconut icecream reading scripts over and over again, I can't help but think of all the ways to take full advantage of my experiences in the next week. I'll blog and post pictures about beautiful Hollywood once I'm there, feel free to contact me with advice, or if you'll be in the area!
Stay tuned--
Jess

Ready...set...Graduate!

Well..time flies when you graduate and don't have a job! Looks like I have a lot of catching up to do. I graduated from college! I have now joined the millions of people trying to find jobs in today's economy. Am I a little nervous? Yes. Am I discouraged? No way! It's a really exciting time for me. After graduating from the University of Missouri School of Journalism (broadcast), I was at a crossroads. I had a job offer in the Midwest, and things could have easily been planned out for me. But then there was another direction....uncertainty. For the past ten years I had been playing the "what if" game with myself. What if I graduated and moved somewhere strange and started over? What if I move somewhere strange, and started a new adventure?..Well, the "what if's" won. I did it. My goal was to move to California, however that was not as easy as I thought. So I posted up in the desert, also known as Scottsdale, Arizona. I've been here for about seven weeks now. I love it.
I've started sending out resumes everywhere west of Colorado. I am ready to work and dedicate myself to something. In fact, I've made some progress. I find out Monday if I landed a freelancing job in Los Angeles! It's a small gig, but a step in the right direction. Now that I've semi-settled in, I'm ready to market myself as a journalist. So from now on this blog will be my journey to finding a job. I'll keep you posted on where I'm applying, who I'm keeping in contact with, my hopes and dreams..blablabla. Haha but this will be experimental. I hope to start "vlogging" (video blogging for you amatures out there) this week as well. Who knows, maybe one of you out there in cyber space has a connection, or vise versa! In the mean time check out my website and let me know what your think! Anyways, sorry it's been too long since I've updated, but I'm back on track now..so stay tuned!

Viva Las Vegas!

Well I survived Las Vegas! Unfortunately it was much more work than play, but having a conference in Vegas wasn't too shabby. I stayed at MGM Grand withmy co-workers. I attended RTNDA at NAB (Radio and Television News Directors Association for National Association of Broadcasters)..for all of you non-journalism folks. I learned so much..for example, there are not as many jobs in the business as I thought! I attenended seminars about new media, which I suprisingly new everything about, thanks to my wonderful capstone professor Jen Reeves. The event in Las Vegas helped more with introducing me to news directors and influential media professionals. It was great to be in the same room as the people who influenced me to go into this business in the first place (Al Tompkins)! I gave out a ton of resumes and business cards, so hopefully I'll stick out in someone's mind..can't wait to get a job!! (This picture is the lovely ladies of KOMU 8 TV..out to dinner at a Japanease Steak House after a long day of meetings!)

Story on the Vice President

I got the chance to cover Vice President Joe Biden in Jefferson City this week. He spoke at the ABB plant to talk about the Recovery Act. Back at the station, I put the video online as well as a web story and a slide show from my camera of pictures I took at the event. To view everything click here. Today I'm packing because I'm off to Vegas in the morning to go to a journalism convention, and hopefully find a job. I'll keep you updated when I get back, in the mean time follow me on twitter, as I'll be tweeting about the convention all week!

Website Launch

My website is finally presentable! I'd appreciate all the help I can get with it, so if you have any suggestions please let me know! It's an exciting time for me, as I begin to search for a job, but I will continue o update you on this blog as well as my other social networking pages. I'd also appreciate any job search engines online that you know of. Thanks!
-J

Dr. Drew

Last Wednesday I did my live shot from standing on top of the live truck . (see picture)..Earlier that afternoon I interviewed VH1's Dr.Drew Pinsky from Celebrity Rehab and Sober House. We talked Mizzou basketball before the interview, then I asked him about the event he came to Columbia for. Could not have been a nicer guy! He even sent me a message afterwards thanking me for the interview, and then tweeted about it! It was a great opportunity and I won't lie, being ON TOP of the live truck was pretty exciting. Good thing I wasn't wearing heels!

More fun Opportunities

Hi bloggers! It's been a while since I've made a new post, sorry! I do have a ton of new and exciting information. First of all My Website is now ready! It literally took me about 24 hours to just sit down and do it. What do you think? let me know, I could really use some input!
My latest story on the economy aired a few weeks ago. I got a lot of great feedback from that. It's already time for my second story to air! But I would love some input. It's about leash laws in Columbia Mo. Do you know any bikers that have had problems with dogs on the MKT trail? Or have you ever seen a dog without a leash where it is not permitted? Let me know! Don't forget you can always contact me via twitter too!