Cleared out

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My roomate Andrea moved out today and took with her literally all of the living room furniture. Pictured here is my other roomate Nafia making the best of it. I’ll be hunting for some sweet stuff at Peoria goodwill/salvation army stores soon.

Cheers,

Pat

Before it fades away

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Todd Snarr, VP of Operations for ELM consulting, walks through the old steam factory at the State Hospital Grounds in Bartonville, Ill on Friday afternoon. The Village of Bartonville just spent $350,000 to remove asbestos from the building, which Snarr oversaw as project manager. The structure is scheduled to be demolished sometime next week. It was really cool to get a tour of this place before it ceases to exist. More photos here. Since my Nikon D300 has been out of commission being repaired, I’ve been using my old Nikon D70 as my primary camera so far since starting at the PJStar (Better image quality than my two provided Nikon D2Hs). It’s been a nice reminder that my vision, not my gear, is what makes great pictures. This was taken at 20mm, ISO 200, f/2.8, 2/5 of a second.

-Pat

Sing it

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The Peoria Housing Authority held a kickoff celebration for it’s new ARRO program (Access to Resources and Referrals Opportunities) on Thursday night at the Frank Campbell Community Center, 312 S. Merriman in Peoria. My favorite shots came when Pastor Spencer Gibson Jr. and the Integrity Gospel Singers performed.

Best,

Pat

Ghosts on the street

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Found while shooting historic buildings around Peoria today.

Meet the Cards

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I shot Cardinals fans getting autographs and talking with players and staff the other night during an off season fan event. I like the layers in this one.

Cheers,

Pat

Welcome to Peoria

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A few photos from my first few days at the Journal Star here in Peoria. I’m settling in here and getting used to new procedures. It should be a great several months.

Cheers,

Pat

Christmas Ridealong

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Hutchinson Police Officer Dayton Gates returns to his squad car after checking the back door to Hollywood Video in Hutchinson after a the burglar alarm went off at the store, most likely caused by wind, on Friday afternoon, Dec. 25.

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Hutchinson Police Officer Dayton Gates makes a phone call while fellow officer Chad Agnew interviews Douglas Miller, the downstairs neighbor of a man the officers later found dead in his apartment on W 10th St. in Hutchinson on Friday afternoon, Dec. 25.

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Hutchinson Police Officer Chad Agnew breaks in the door of an apartment on W 10th St. in Hutchinson on Friday afternoon, Dec. 25.

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Hutchinson Police Officer Dayton Gates interviews Jackie Redford, the step uncle of a man found dead in his apartment on W 10th St. in Hutchinson on Friday afternoon, Dec. 25.

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Jackie Redford, the step uncle of a man found dead in his apartment on W 10th St. in Hutchinson, waits outside the building on Friday afternoon, Dec. 25.

I spent my Christmas 2009 working my last day at the Hutchinson News. A reporter and I rode along with Hutchinson Police Officer Dayton Gates for a few hours. The ride-along started off pretty slowly- we drove around for a while and went on a false burglar alarm at a video store. Then Officer Gates got a welfare call- check up on a man who hadn’t been responding to his family’s phone calls for a few days. There was no response to knocks on the door and the neighbor downstairs hadn’t seen the man for a few days. Eventually a family member showed up and officers made the decision to kick in the door. We found the man dead in his apartment. What started as an uneventful Christmas Day for us and officer Gates quickly took on a somber tone as investigation into the death began.

Definitely not a typical Christmas.

Best,

Pat

Baby Dawson

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Christy Cox holds her one-year-old son Dawson in the living room of her Hutchinson, Kan. home on Monday afternoon, Dec. 21, 2009. Ms. Cox’s husband and Dawson’s father Aaron died before he was born and Dawson has struggled with his own health problems since birth. Dawson’s health has improved recently and was able to spend his first Christmas in Hutchinson with family.

Just catching up on a few last posts from Hutchinson… more to come soon before I start my new internship at the Peoria Journal Star in Peoria, Illinois on Jan 11.

Best,

Pat

Santa Buys

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Merry Christmas from Hutchinson, Kansas

-Pat

Silhouette breath

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An interesting scene at the Luminaria festival in Hutchinson’s Hyde Park neighborhood tonight.

-Pat