News Cut: December 8, 2011 Archive

The mystery of the Mankato anchorwoman (5x8 - 12/8/11)

Posted at 7:19 AM on December 8, 2011 by Bob Collins (2 Comments)
Filed under: Five by 8

1) WAS SHE?

Not since a reporter had what appeared to be a stroke at a Hollywood awards ceremony last winter has there been such a brouhaha over the "health" of a TV newsperson. This time it's one of ours.

Annie Stensrud, the Sunday night anchor on KEYC, disappeared halfway through her broadcast after an "uneven" performance.

The Mankato Free Press reports...

Dan Ruiter, KEYC news director, said viewers are jumping to conclusions if they assume Stensrud was intoxicated. There is no proof of that, he said.

In an official statement released Wednesday, KEYC Vice President and General Manager Dennis Wahlstrom declined to say whether Stensrud is still working for the station.

That usually means "no."

2) PEOPLE DOING GOOD: REDDIT

Lucas Gonzalez, 3, of Jacksonville, Fla., was born with a rare primary immune deficiency disorder called Hyper IGM Syndrome. He needs a bone marrow transplant in North Carolina and his folks have to quit work The trip would cost $50,000.

His aunt's boyfriend had an idea: Appeal to the good people on reddit:

It was a great idea. The good people on reddit raised more than $50,000. The young man gets his transplant next month.

3) THE GOOD SOLDIER, THE BAD SOLDIER

"I was starting to think about how lucky I am to have a warm place to come home to,"
Eric Jungels says about his Thanksgiving. He's a veteran of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

He's not pleased that a lot of people don't have a home, so he's camping out in a tent in Sartell, the St. Cloud Times reports. He wants to raise $5,000 for a group that helps the homeless.

Veterans are 50-percent more likely to end up homeless than the general population, according to the Center for American Progress.

As a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan myself, it's disheartening to think that--among others--some of the men and women who have served our country are sleeping outside this December. So, I've decided to do what I can to help out. If nothing else, I'd like to raise some awareness of the challenge we're facing as a community and raise a few dollars that will be put to good use, in an effort to end homelessness.

He plans to stay outside until Christmas Day.

That's more consideration for the people who served than high-ranking Air Force officials have shown. The Washington Post reports today that the remains of more than 274 soldiers, killed in the wars, were dumped in a landfill.

The military doesn't want to look in the landfill for the remains now because it would take too much work, prompting an appropriate response from Rep. Rush Holt, D-NJ.

"What the hell?" Holt said in a phone interview. "We spent millions, tens of millions, to find any trace of soldiers killed, and they're concerned about a 'massive' effort to go back and pull out the files and find out how many soldiers were disrespected this way?" He added: "They just don't want to ask questions or look very hard."

"They have known that they were doing something disgusting, and they were doing everything they could to keep it from us," a war widow told the paper.

4) US UNLEASHES MUPPET POWER

Nothing much has worked to prevent Pakistan from slipping toward an anti-American role in the region, so the U.S. is unleashing a big gun: Elmo.

The United States Agency for International Development, USAID, is spending $10 million to fund production of a Pakistani version of Sesame Street, the BBC says.

Elmo's new home is a Pakistani village, complete with tea-stall and shady Banyan tree. Big Bird has not made the journey, so he is surrounded by new friends. There is Baily the donkey - who wants to be a pop star - and a vain crocodile called Haseen O'Jameel, who dwells at the bottom of a well.

5) CHANGE FOR A DOLLAR

(h/t: Bernie Ockuly)

TODAY'S QUESTION
The Obama administration has announced that a focus of U.S. foreign policy will be to promote the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people abroad. Today's Question: Should support for gay rights around the world be part of U.S. foreign policy?

WHAT WE'RE DOING

Midmorning (9-11 a.m.) - First hour: The science of siblings.

Second hour: The value of failure. Author: Tim Harford (rebroadcast)

Midday (11 a.m. - 1 p.m.) - First hour: Washington University political scientist Steven Smith on the presidential campaign one month before Iowa and NH.

Second hour: New York Times columnist David Brooks, speaking at the Aspen Ideas Festival about his book, "The Social Animal."

Talk of the Nation (1-3 p.m.) - First hour: Sovereignty and stability in the Eurozone. Plus, Kyra Sedgwick.

Second hour: How are these hard times affecting you? The NPR stories of economic struggles across the nation.

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