Media here and media there

This is just a quick post to link a couple articles. I have been fortunate to garner some media attention in the past few days, due to some unpleasant events. Most recently, I wrote about young Henry Schmidt, a victim of hit-and-run a couple weeks ago. A couple months before that, Mike Cooley was also severely injured in a hit-and-run. They were both riding their bikes home from work; okay, technically Henry was pushing his bike because it had a flat tire. But both were just minding their own business, legally on the road after a full day's work.

Henry has had some good news: on Thursday, a young woman turned herself in (after an auto mechanic called the police to report the suspect car had been taken to him for repair). Unfortunately, still no word in Mike's case.

BikePortland.org posted an article about Henry's case and I made a comment about the results of research I've done since Dustin died. This prompted a call from News Editor Michael Anderson for an interview, which I of course granted. I am pleased to see that attorney Joshua Shulman also was interviewed. Here's the article http://bikeportland.org/2013/08/23/how-can-oregon-make-hit-and-run-feel-as-evil-as-drunk-driving-92885

On Friday, I went to the arraignment of the reported driver in Henry's case. She is 29 years old, employed at a bar, and a mother of a 2 1/2 year old. I hope the child wasn't in the car during the crime! She plead not guilty and was allowed to leave with no restrictions other than to not drink and not drive. She was already driving illegally. She has a history of at least two convictions for PCS (possession of a controlled substance) and has been multiple traffic infractions and has had her license suspended 4 times in the past few years. Unbelievable.

I introduced myself to Henry's mother and at her request gave her my contact information. Then I boldly went up to a KPTV reporter who had interviewed me two years ago when Dustin was killed. She didn't have time to talk to me much but later in the afternoon I got a call from reporter Kai Porter asking for an interview. Here is that broadcast/article: http://www.kptv.com/story/23244950/mother-of-hit-and-run-victim-offers-support-to-henry-schmidts-family

 Hopefully something good comes out of this.