The Local Impact

I first heard of the Jan. 19 Wetumpka tornado through social media, as Troy University students from the Wetumpka area posted their thoughts and prayers on Instagram. People at the university were personally involved in the tragedy that was over an hour away. I questioned whether there was something there and if I should develop a story. It was 12:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. As I was preparing for bed, I had a curious idea. It’s most likely the same feeling journalists get when they hear breaking news. In the event of a tragedy, the journalist is concerned for the parties involved, yet intrigued by what happened. I had this urge to visit Wetumpka, for a community of people were affected not only there but in Troy. I packed up my equipment, texted a fellow student journalist to tag along, set my alarm and went to sleep.  Wetumpka had trees down, buildings destroyed and the Bibb Graves Bridge which connects the east and west sides of the city closed off. Winds speeds reached 120-1...

My name is Brady Talbert. I’m a student journalist originally from Birmingham, Alabama. I’ve been covering news stories for five years now, and still get a thrill watching stories come alive on a page or on television.  I have gained experience in broadcast news through internships in the video production field, as well as TROY TrojanVision News at Troy University. I also have a background in print news writing, as a staff writer at the Shelby County Reporter.  As a local reporter, I’ve had to take broad concepts and show people in my community how such current events affect them. Nationally, the effects of stories trickle down into our small home towns and communities.  How is the government shutdown affecting the food supply locally? How does a hurricane in Panama City, or a Tornado in Wetumpka affect members of our community? These types of topics will be discussed.  It’s important to have an understanding of what is happening locally in order to ...