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Michael Jones
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Working hard and living the dream as a reporter/photographer/editor/webmaster for the next generation of journalism. Check out my news website at www.chartiersvalley.patch.com.
Currently working as a general assignment freelance reporter for the second largest print news organization in Western Pennsylvania. Cover local government and school board meetings for Trib Total Media and its various weekly papers. Also write feature stories for the newspaper's Neighborhood section.
Served in a managerial role overseeing the work of 13 census enumerators. As a crew leader supervisor, I was responsible for assigning and collecting cases from census employees, while also authorizing work from the local headquarters in Beaver Falls, Pa. Worked in several phases of the 2010 Census, which included quality control checks to ensure the door-to-door interviews were conducted properly.
Assigned to cover municipal government, school board meetings, local elections and police reporting in Washington County. Reported on other issues, such as the development of a coal refuse power plant, natural gas drilling in the region and Allegheny Energy's proposed high-voltage power line through Washington and Greene counties.
Wrote hard news and feature stories as police reporter for Charleston’s afternoon newspaper. While primarily assigned to the cops beat, I occasionally wrote auto racing articles and columns. I received a West Virginia Press Association award for coverage of the evacuation of New Orleans residents from Louis Armstrong International Airport by the 130th Airlift Wing following Hurricane Katrina.
Served as a staff writer for WVU’s student-run daily newspaper. Covered campus and city events, including WVU celebratory riots and expulsions, city council meetings and county magistrates cases. Attended Mountaineers baseball games and wrote game stories for the sports section.
Interned for Frontier League minor-league baseball team in Washington County. Wrote game recaps, worked scoreboard message board, and assisted public address announcer during games. Helped prepare press releases and media guides before games, and also appeared as "The Wild Thing" mascot at events.
Graduated cum laude from the P.I. Reed School of Journalism. While at WVU, played in the Mountaineer Marching Band for four years and was selected bass drum captain during senior year. Spent time working at WVU's student radio station, U92 FM, and worked as a reporter for the daily campus newspaper.
Graduated on the Honor Roll while also spending four years in the high school percussion ensemble and marching band. Served as drum captain for the drumline during senior year.
By Michael Jones
Daily Mail Staff
Sept. 9, 2005
NEW ORLEANS - "I never thought something like this could happen in America," a man told me while standing in the crowded lobby of Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans at 3 a.m. Saturday.
His brand-new white shoes were caked with muck. He had trudged through contaminated water after leaving his original shelter - an interstate overpass. He removed the laces because they were too waterlogged to be of any use.
He seemed to look through me with his drooping eyes. He was standing next to all his belongings in a couple of suitcases and wondering aloud how he would ever put his life back together.
When would he again see his wife, who had presumably already left the airport on an earlier flight? Would he ever regain his job as a welder? Where would he live until the city could be drained and restored? Would he ever really move back to New Orleans?
"Our world just changed," he said.
By Michael Jones
Daily Mail Staff
Sept. 4, 2005
NEW ORLEANS - A crew from Charleston's 130th Airlift Wing landed in New Orleans early Saturday morning and evacuated numerous injured and sick patients to Ellington Air Force Base in Houston.
Less than four hours later, they did it again.
The Air National Guard's 130th Airlift Wing flew into Louis Armstrong International Airport with 10 medical evacuation members and a critical transport team trained to care for patients while in the air. The team was able to extricate 48 people, mostly elderly, who were too sick to leave the flooded city on their own.
As the Hercules touched down to begin its first rescue mission at 12:50 a.m. local time, the only lights glimmering in New Orleans were from rescue boats searching for survivors.
The medical and flight crews were unsure of what they would see upon their arrival at the airport. Maj. Kyle Adams, the flight commander, warned the crew that the "terminal is turning into chaos."
By Michael Jones
O-R Staff Writer
April 16, 2008
WASHINGTON, Pa. - Barack Obama calmly stood behind a blue curtain, his arms crossed and body swaying back and forth, moments before being introduced to the crowd of about 300 people.
It is a routine the Illinois senator has been through hundreds of times on the campaign trail, but just beyond the curtain, anticipation swelled as supporters wearing campaign garb eagerly awaited the Democratic presidential hopeful's entrance.
"It's time to take our country back," Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner said, "and that's why I believe we are here today to support Barack Obama."
With that introduction, Obama stepped through the curtain and the crowd inside the Rossin Student Center ballroom on Washington & Jefferson College's campus rose to its feet and gave him a raucous reception.
By Michael Jones
O-R Staff Writer
Feb. 2, 2009
TAMPA, Fla. - Terrible Towels twirled and Raymond James Stadium rocked as the Steelers rolled Sunday night to a victory in Super Bowl XLIII against the Arizona Cardinals.
But hours before Santonio Holmes hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, anticipation swelled at tailgates near the stadium as game time approached.
The Corrigan family kicked back at their pickup truck that proudly displayed a sign asserting that Tampa was now Steelers Country. Joe Corrigan, 66, of Sarver, Pa., was tailgating and holding a reunion with his two sons, Sean and Patrick, both of whom left Western Pennsylvania for jobs elsewhere.
"I'm excited," said 39-year-old Sean Corrigan, who now lives in Atlanta. "It's always been a dream of mine."
The overwhelming force of Steeler Nation left an impression on the family.
"I'm amazed how few Cardinals fans there are," Sean Corrigan said.
The fans from Arizona, looking tan and happy to just be at the Super Bowl, made a decent showing this weekend, but were easily outnumbered. Patrick Corrigan, 35, who recently moved to Denver, still was unimpressed.
"When you see them, they have brand new jerseys with the price tags still hanging off," he joked about the recently growing Cardinals' bandwagon.
Read more about the Super Bowl in Tampa...
By Michael Jones
O-R Staff Writer
Sept. 15, 2008
MEYERSDALE, Pa. - My knees weakened and palms began sweating as I climbed the rickety metal stairs to the observation deck overlooking Mount Davis in southern Somerset County.
A person afraid of heights probably shouldn't be venturing to the highest point in Pennsylvania, I thought, as I gripped the railing and took gingerly steps to the summit last week.
But upon reaching the top and standing more than 3,000 feet above sea level, the anxiety immediately turned to serenity as I gazed at the picturesque view of rural Pennsylvania and Maryland.
These acres at one time were owned by Civil War veteran John N. Davis, but he died in 1913 without knowing his land was the highest point in the state. It wasn't until 1921 that geologist Harold A. Bean definitively measured the height of what was formerly Davis Plateau.
This VisualCV is available as a printable .pdf file
