News Package Pitches Week #2

Capstone Thesis: News Vision

Deja Lakin

Package Pitch #1
Slug/Title: Local Reactions to Handcuffed Nurse in Utah

Background Research: In Salt Lake City on July 26th, footage from University
Hospital and officer body cameras showed Detective Jeff Payne and nurse Alex Wubbels
in a standoff over whether the policeman was allowed to get a blood sample from a
patient who had been injured in a collision in northern Utah that left another driver dead.
Wubbels stated that blood could not be taken from an unconscious patient unless the
patient was under arrest and unless there was a warrant allowing the draw or unless the
patient consents. The detective acknowledged in the footage that none of those
requirements were in place, but he insisted that he had the authority to obtain the draw,
according to the footage. As the footage continues Wubbels was threatened with for her
interference. After she talked to l hospital officials and repeats the policy, Payne arrests
and grabs her, handcuffs her. The footage shows the detective dragging Wubbels out of
the hospital and putting her inside a patrol car. To localize the incident it can be
compared to another incident that happened this summer at Howard University Hospital,
in which a patient was dumped from the hospital by campus security. The female patient
was left at the near by bus stop on Georgia Avenue. No reason for the womans discharge
and removal was not given. However, ultimately the three officers involved in the
incident were fired. The two incidents raise the question and concern of police brutality
in hospitals amongst patients and those who work there.

Potential Interviews:
Local Residents / Students
Hospital officials and security who can explain what the role hospital security and
police are supposed to play.
Package Pitch #2
Slug/Title: How Student (And Faculty?) s Stay in Touch With Families Amid Natural
Disasters

Background Research: Being away from home as a college student is never easy and
Howard University is already known for its diverse student body. Though homesickness
is something that does effect most students, what happens when students have to deal
with having little control or ability to help their loved ones who are dealing with natural
disasters in their hometown. Most recently Hurricane Harvey struck by August 25th near
Port Aransas causing severe damage to the Corpus Christi area. The hurricane then
moved into the Houston-area causing thunderstorms and tornadoes that caused severe
damage in some areas. From August 27th to 28th many families had to be rescued from
their homes due to rapidly rising waters. Many areas were evacuated and the overall
damaged totaled to billions. A little over a week later another hurricane, Irma, was
spotted and named. It was declared a category 4 hurricane and expected to impact mainly
Florida and Puerto Rico. Though Harvey was the first major hurricane in almost 12 years,
with Irma coming right afterwards, back in October of 2015, South Carolina faced a
historic flood as well. Though it was not due to a hurricane, the state still faced major
damage and even had a few deaths. Efforts were and have been made by student
organizations to help those affected by the natural disasters, but just how much help are
students with closer connections able to offer? And another question to be asked, is how
does it affect their lives in D.C. The same question can also be asked toward professors
and other faculty members at the school.

Potential Interviews:
Student with immediate families in Houston, Florida and/or South Carolina.
Package Pitch #3
Slug/Title: Labor Day, More Than a Day Off

Background Research:
Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is
dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a
yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity,
and well-being of our country. Through the years the nation gave increasing emphasis to
Labor Day. The first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances
passed during 1885 and 1886. From these, a movement developed to secure state
legislation. The first state bill was introduced into the New York legislature, but the first
to become law was passed by Oregon on February 21, 1887. During the year four more
states Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York created the Labor Day
holiday by legislative enactment. By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska, and
Pennsylvania had followed suit. By 1894, 23 other states had adopted the holiday in
honor of workers, and on June 28 of that year, Congress passed an act making the first
Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the
territories. Though there is so much history behind it, most are not aware of the real
purpose of Labor Day other than most schools and jobs offer the day off and in some
cases mark the last week of summer vacation. This package can be used to educate those
who do not know the origins of the day as well as see how people spend their own first
Monday in September.

Additional Links: https://www.dol.gov/general/laborday/history

Potential Interviews:
Local residents
Local workers and/or business owners
Historian