Recollections: Five Months Later and a Bear Encounter

It's hard to fathom that five months have passed since I last wrote in this blog. One of my primary motivations for maintaining this blog is to preserve memories for my children and grandchildren. As I peruse through my old notebooks, I stumble upon entries that have slipped from my mind. I must also mention that I've enlisted the help of AI to assist in reworking my articles.

Today's reflection takes me back to May 5, 2010, a day etched with both strangeness and sorrow during my tenure at KOAM-TV. I recall vividly being dispatched by my assignment editor to Sarcoxie, Missouri, to assist Nina Criscuolo with coverage. The reason was a tragic incident: a black bear had been struck on I-44, a bustling thoroughfare. The scene was chaotic as the bear attempted to rise, prompting a flurry of activity from law enforcement and highway patrol officers. Their efforts to aid the wounded animal led us to a vet office, but the severity of its injuries necessitated euthanasia. It remains the sole encounter with a bear throughout my career in journalism.