Reporting Out West

[Cynthia Ott]

Hey guys,

I was wondering if anyone on here could help me out with some information about working out west in Colorado or Arizona. I am a realtime reporter in Washington, D.C. who is looking to relocate out west. I've been dreaming of escaping this rat race for a while now, although there's so much work here.

I just wanted to get some perspectives from reporters working in either of those two states about if there is reporting work to be had and how much of a living I could make reporting out there. Is there any demand for realtimers?

I guess I'm just looking for a little direction. Any info you want to give would be helpful. Thanks a bunch.

Cynthia Ott

[Rebecca Blasco]

Hi, Kelli,

That's wrong info now. My sister lobbied AZ state legislators to declare that reporters in AZ must pass a state exam and be licensed now. I don't know how long it's been in effect, but I know that my mom can only do uncertified work in AZ because of it.

Granted, this is why my mom tells me, but I have no reason to think it's not true.

However, at this moment in Colorado, you do not have to be licensed to report.

[G. Allen Sonntag]

Kelli,

A lilcense is required in AZ, just FYI.

Allen

[Dorothy Smith Pouch]

Cynthia,

Sorry I can't offer any perspective about moving out West because I'm also right in the DC area. I just started CR school and I'm curious what you mean about what it's like being a reporter in DC. What should I expect when I get out there? Thanks in advance for letting me know what you mean.

Regards,

Dorothy

[kathy - iamwrdsmth]

Rebecca,
Do you work for the Colorado Tourist Board in your spare time?
I'm almost ready to pack and move after reading what you wrote!!
sounds beautiful there!!!
kathy

[Rebecca Blasco]

HA! No, but if they offered to pay me . . .

I have been to a LOT of places in this country, and I've been to a few places around the world, and there are lots of pretty things to see. But in Garden of the Gods? Lemme tell you something . . . God dwells in the hearts of men, but He summers at Garden of the Gods. There is nowhere in there that isn't just fantastic, mind blowing beauty with hawks and eagles and deer and such.

The piece of property was once private land held by a private family for generations. The old man died and the children decided to donate the land to the City as long as it was always free to enter. The only thing that you pay money for at Garden of the Gods is the outpost where you can buy cool stuff, or eat, but to walk the land, you can go as far as your walkers can take you for free.

Up the road a piece is 7 Falls, and it's just a series of waterfalls that are really pretty, that you can enter a cave and go up through an elevator to the top of the falls to see, or if you're brave -- I'm not -- you can walk the thousands steps to the top. About a half mile from there is the country's only mountain zoo. There's a reason why Olympiads train here - the air at 6500 feet is pretty thin, but after you get used to that, if you're an athlete, you come here to get better. And Manitou Springs - never a prettier little town was had. It's like walking back in time, and it's like it's nestled into the crags of a canyon that you'd never know was there unless you were above it looking down.

Pike's Peak is the reason why have a song called America the Beautiful. In 1893, Katharine Lee Bates, long-time professor at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, was lecturing at the summer session at Colorado College. During her visit she joined an expedition to the summit of Pikes Peak in a private wagon. Electrified by the beauty she saw atop Pikes Peak, she wrote the poem that later became the song.

http://www.manitousprings.org

I was not born here, but I will never leave here. The place is too fantastic to put into words. My goodness, we spent five years there, and the only thing they were going to teach my special needs daughter was how to tie her shoes. Not finding that acceptable, we spend six month researching cities that we could move to that would actually be good for her, knowing if it was good for her, it would be great for the other two. This move was the very best move, and I highly recommend it to everyone. Life IS better here.

[JiLL]

Rebecca-
I know, rite! I still would LOVE Colorado!