When the news hits close to home

Turner County has been making headlines in the state lately, and neither time has the news been good.


Photo courtesy of: http://pix.epodunk.com/locatorMaps/sd/SD_12999.gif

First, a Turner County deputy was shot and killed outside a Marion home. Now, a rural Chancellor/Tea resident has been found to have drugs and a stolen vehicle.

Both times, these news stories hit a little too close to home for me. The deputy killed was a classmate to my brother. The criminal resident, who is also suspected of starting a meth lab, lives only a mile-and-a-half from my parents. Yikes!

As someone who writes news, it's always a little strange to be on the other side of the equation, or in this case, have an association with the story. So many times I empathize with the people I'm writing about and think, "Man, I'm glad that didn't happen in my neighborhood." Well, now I'm on the other side of the fence, thinking, "Man, I wish that hadn't happened in my neighborhood."

Still, I think the experience is a good lesson for me. It reminds me of what it's like to be involved in the news, not just be a removed third party. I can experience the emotions of people involved in the stories, which has reminded me that it is good to try to understand these feelings as you try to interview people for emotional stories. So, even though the past weeks' events have disheartened, saddened and freaked me out, they have in some ways shown me that empathy is a good trait in a journalist.