This is an introduction for my fellow audio reporting students for Fall 2015 starts.

Audio Reporting Introduction

INTRO:
The lake front bike path that was badly damaged during the Halloween storm is already being repaired.

The park district says that repairs are expected to cost a few hundred thousand dollars and should be completed by early next week.

Some of the heaviest damage happened near Goethe St.

We asked people using the path what they thought about the damage and the repairs.

OUTRO:
That was people expressing their thoughts about the damage and repairs of the lake front bike path neat Goethe St.


Kaplan VoxPop

Governor-Elect Bruce Rauner took to the stage in downtown Chicago Thursday afternoon to addressed the media today for the first time since clinching the gubernatorial election.

Behind him stood members of his newly announced transition team.

Rauner declared a mandate to provide bipartisan solutions and focused on education.

“Our schools in Illinois need to be properly funded. We have been cutting education funding in Illinois for years and that’s wrong,” said Rauner.

Rauner also plans to embrace alternative forms of public education.

“There is an important role for charter schools and I support charter schools. I do not believe we should have a cap on charter schools in Illinois. And I believe charter schools should receive equal per pupil funding,” said Rauner

Rauner’s plan for expansion directly conflicts with efforts of the Chicago Teachers Union to reduce the impact of charter schools.

Tomorrow, Rauner will fly around the state to meet with constituents outside of Cook County.


Governor-Elect Bruce Rauner Press Conference Coverage

INTRO:
Governor-Elect Bruce Rauner addressed the media today for the first time since clinching the gubernatorial election Tuesday.

Medill’s Ezra Kaplan reports.

SCRIPT:
Bruce Rauner took to the stage Thursday afternoon.

Behind him stood members of his newly announced transition team.

Rauner declared a mandate to provide bipartisan solutions and focused on education.

RAUNER: “Our schools in Illinois need to be properly funded. We have been cutting education funding in Illinois for years and that’s wrong.”

Rauner also plans to embrace alternative forms of public education.

RAUNER: “There is an important role for charter schools and I support charter schools. I do not believe we should have a cap on charter schools in Illinois. And I believe charter schools should receive equal per pupil funding.”

Rauner’s plan for expansion directly conflicts with efforts of the Chicago Teachers Union to reduce the impact of charter schools.

Tomorrow, Rauner will fly around the state to meet with constituents outside of Cook County.

Ezra Kaplan, Medill


Governor - Elect Rauner News Spot

INTRO:
Metra announced, Thursday, new equipment as a part of its strategy to combat the snow expected to hit Chicago this winter.

From the Western Avenue Metra rail yard, Ezra Kaplan reports.

SCRIPT:
Against a background of flurries and winter chill, Metra introduced its newest weapon against the polar vortex.

The new high-pressure cold-air blower is about the size of a trash truck and has a bright yellow pipe winding its way over the roof and sticking out the front.

Each truck comes at a cost of $417,000.

“These machines are not only able to traverse by the rail but also on the highway and they have an articulated boom which allows us to move snow not only directly in front of us but from side to side. So it will clear some of the platforms you see in the yard where our workers are actually working.”

That was Metra CEO Don Orseno.

The cold-air blowers will be used primarily to blow ice and gunk out of the switches in the three main train yards.

Last year, blocked switches were the main culprit for train congestion.

The trucks will blast air at a speed of 525 mph, creating enough force to clear switches

The cold air is necessary because during the winter the tracks get so cold that any melted snow would immediately refreeze inside of the switch.

Metra purchased three of these machines and will station them at the busiest rail yards around the city.

Metra Winter Equipment

Metra Winter Equipment With Nat Pop

Dr. Mads Gilbert and Gaza

Ezra Kaplan enjoyed the woods ever since he was a boy. But when he began to struggle as a young adult, he found that nature can have real healing powers.

This is an "I Believe" personal narrative: http://thisibelieve.org/about/

I believe in the power of nature

Ezra Kaplan enjoyed the woods ever since he was a boy. But when he began to struggle as a young adult, he found that nature can have real healing powers.
