Last week I wrote an article about a professor who was found murdered. It was one of the tougher article I had to write due to sensitivity issues. It was also hard to get information from police, family, and friends. Some crucial information was never even discovered.
Members of the campus community are mourning the loss of a mother, wife, friend and professor.
Mathematics Professor Martha “Bettina” Richmond, 51, was found dead in her van at Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Sunday, according to a Bowling Green Police Department press release.
Police were called to the recreation building’s parking lot, located at 225 3rd Ave., at about 11:30 p.m., according to the press release. They are investigating the death as a homicide.
Barry Pruitt, public information officer for the Bowling Green Police Department, said police had no further comment as of Monday afternoon.
The Richmond family declined comment Monday, according to a family friend who answered the phone at the Richmond residence.
Richmond was a professor at Western for 23 years.
Her husband, Tom Richmond, is also a math professor at Western.
Assistant Math Professor Molly Dunkum said it was a strange environment in the math department Monday.
James Barksdale, a transitional retiree in the math department, said Richmond always seemed to be in a good mood.
“She’d tell me a joke, and I’d tell her a joke,” he said.
Richmond was always well prepared and dedicated and she cared a lot about her students, Barksdale said. She was outspoken in a nice way.
He said the mother of two would always come by his office when selling Girl Scout Cookies.
“It really strikes home when it’s someone you work with and have known for a very long time,” Barksdale said.
Mark Robinson, assistant math department head, said the death was a shock to everyone.
Western counseling services will be available to faculty, staff, students and others who knew Richmond, according to a statement issued by the university.
Tough News
Lately, I have been working on a pretty taboo article for the College Heights Herald. STDs plague college campuses all over the nation. I am going to expose the numbers of STDs on Western's campus. Although shedding light on this subject might be bad press for Western Kentucky University, it is still public knowledge and students should know their risks if they choose to engage in promiscuous sexual activity. When I went to Health Services, they were very hesitant to even talk about their recorded numbers, and they really didn't even know them. Now I am waiting on an e-mail from them. Hopefully they will be cooperative and I can get my story out there.
Internship Hell
It seems that the process of getting an internship is a never ending nightmare. I have sent in several applications and e-mailed countless editors. The ideal internship in my opinion would be writing on the police beat for any New England newspaper...oh yeah and I'd really prefer to be paid. I had an unpaid internship last year and I think that should only be done once. Internships are the key to building a resume for finding your dream job. Dream job...I don't really know what mine is anymore. It changes daily but at least I know I want to write or shoot photo.
Swine Flu Article
This is my first ever centerpiece article for any publication! I was very excited.
Some members of the Western community got in line early Monday morning to be among the first people at Health Services to get the swine flu vaccine.
Health Services received 400 doses of the vaccine last week after requesting 2,000 doses earlier this semester and asking for an additional 500 doses last week, said Terri Cunningham, Health Services marketing coordinator.
By 4 p.m. Monday, Health Services was out of the injection form of the vaccine and had 20 doses left of nasal spray form, said Stacie Sutter, Health Services business manager.
She said workers gave the vaccines to about 67 people per hour starting at 8 a.m. Monday.
About 100 people showed up for the vaccine within the first 30 minutes of Health Services opening.
Cunningham said people who weren’t members of the Western community were turned away Monday because the vaccines were meant for patients associated with the school.
“Of course we are going to focus on campus community,” she said.
Health Services officials expected between 500 and 600 people to show up to get vaccinated, Sutter said.
They had 100 doses of the swine flu injection specifically for high risk patients, including pregnant women and healthcare and emergency workers with chronic medical conditions, according to the Health Services Web site.
Health Services also had 300 doses of the vaccine in nasal spray form for patients not in the high risk group. Healthy people between 2 and 49 years old fall into that category, according to the Web site.
To organize the process Monday morning, each patient was given a number and a questionnaire which determined whether they were eligible for the injectable or nasal vaccine, Sutter said.
They were then called back in groups of five or 10 and separated again into four rooms to receive the vaccine individually.
Irvington junior Gibby Jones was among the early crowd.
“It’s so contagious, and it’s such a big issue,” she said. “I thought I had it because someone came into my house who was confirmed with the flu.”
The limited supply and rarity of the vaccine made Jones come early in the morning so she wouldn’t miss out, she said.
Children are among the most at risk for swine flu, according to Health Services’ Web site.
Monica Burke, an assistant counseling and student affairs professor, took her sons to get vaccinated Monday morning.
“I’ve just heard about the number of children (getting sick), and I want to be proactive,” she said.
Burke came to Health Services because she said the pediatrician she takes her children to in Bowling Green ran out of the vaccine a couple weeks ago.
Leitchfield senior Derrick Dennison, said his mother, who’s a nurse, has been pressuring him to get the vaccine.
“It’s pretty serious across the world, and I’d rather be safe than sorry,” he said.
Leaving the Country
So I will be leaving the country quite a bit this time of the year. I'll be in India after Thanksgiving and London, England for New Years. I'm hoping to have a lot of fun and learn a lot of things. In India I hope to learn more about journalism and further my writing skills. In London, I'm looking to party honestly. I want to relax and have fun with friends. India is going to be a lot of work and effort which I'm looking forward to, but relaxing in the land of our queen mother will be quite alright with me!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
