Federal authorities arrested Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich Tuesday morning on corruption charges . His chief of staff John Harris was also indicted. The news may or may not come as a surprise to both Blagojevich and Illinois residents.

In October 2006, Blagojevich’s chief fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko , and businessman Stuart Levine, were indicted on a host of charges. All involved “pay to play” politics.

“You might have thought that in that enivornment, pay to play would slow down. The opposite happened,” U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said in a news conference.

One by one, Blagojevich’s inner circle deteriorated. Even members of his wife’s family expressed their dissatisfaction with the way he runs his office.

Obviously, the federal authorities would eventually shift their focus to the governor. Despite this fact, the FBI alleges that Governor Blagojevich continued with schemes to raise money for his campaign, and secure a lucrative job for his wife. The governor also wanted to secure a powerful, and higher-paying job for himself.

The 76-page indictment includes quotes from wire taps, including taps on the governor’s home phone line. Information on page 74 indicates that Gov. Blagojevich even thought of appointing himself to the Senate seat vacated by President-Elect Barack Obama . According to the indictment, Blagojevich also had plans to run for President in 2016.

At 6 a.m., it all caught up with him. FBI Special Agent Robert Grant called the governor at home. The governor was taken into custody quietly and before his two young daughters woke up.

Among the allegations:

- Gov. Blagojevich wants members of the Chicago Tribune’s Editorial Staff fired in exchange for at least $100 Million in state financial assistance for the sale of Wrigley Field by the Tribune Company .

- Gov. Blagojevich and John Harris tries to leverage the empty Senate Seat in order to secure a position in President-Elect Barack Obama’s Administration, and secure funds for Blagojevich’s re-election campaign fund.

-Gov. Blagojevich will withhold $8 Million from Mercy Hospital unless its executive contributes $50,000 to Blavojevich’s campaign.

- Gov. Blagojevich awarded a $1.8 Billion Tollway project to a highway contractor in exchange for a campaign contribution of $500,000.
According to the FBI, there is also evidence implicating Gov. Blagojevich’s wife, Patricia , and others. However, U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald is asking others to come forward.

“We’re in middle of a corruption crime spree, and we wanted to stop it,” said Fitzgerald, “We encourage people to talk to us.”

Senator Dick Durbin wants the General Assembly to hold a special election to appoint someone to the Senate Seat– not the governor.

Rod Blagojevich’s predecessor, George Ryan, is currently serving a prison sentence again, on corruption charges.

“If it isn’t the most corrupt state in the United States, it’s certainly one hell of a competitor,” said FBI Agent Robert Grant.

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From time to time I like to share links to stories I find interesting. You’ve probably heard of the movie 10,000 BC . I haven’t seen it yet, but it’s on my Netflix list. It’s basically about woolly mammoths — at least that’s what the trailer indicates. (The last time you may have heard of woolly mammoths was probably in middle school , so Just to jog your memory, these large elephant-like mammals became extinct due the ice age .) Well, it looks like scientists have decoded the genome of woolly mammoths and in the future, they may even clone them. Take a look at this article in National Geographic . I smell a Jurassic Park spin-off! (And it smells great!) After all, if we bring back dinosaurs and woolly mammonths, wouldn’t you want to see them in the flesh?

I’m not sure about you, but there’s this annoying commercial that causes me to scream, hit mute, and then shut my eyes. It’s the Toyota “Saved by 0″ commercial. Aparently I’m not the only person who dislikes their ad campaign. TIME magazine came out with this article about general hatred for the commercial. One person even created a spin-off and compares the “Saved by 0″ to the horror film “The Ring .” Both freak me out. Of course, it is very possible that Toyota intentionally created this commercial to bother people. According to TIME, it’s working. People remember the 0% APR and are showing up at dealerships to take advantage.

And finally, China has officially recognized Internet addiction . They believe the obsession can be treated, but wouldn’t go into detail. I’m not addicted to my computer. I’m addicted to my “Crackberry .” And Twitter . And Facebook . I plan to eventually get addicted to my webcam, High-Def camera, and renew my RSS feed obssession. Okay… too much information. I’d better stop. Hope you enjoy the links!

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My new high-def camera came in the mail last week, and I’ve been anxious to try it out. It’s a Canon Vixia HG20. Finally, I couldn’t wait any longer. I woke my cats, Mila and Neiman, up from their naps to make a short film. (Yes, it was actually after midnight and the cats were sleeping– not me.) They obviously weren’t too energetic, but I got enough shots.

I also wanted to try out a demo of Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9 Platinum . I had tried Vegas 7 before, but opted to work with Adobe Premiere and Final Cut Pro. Not to mention Vegas 7 didn’t take high-def files. (Neither did my version of Premiere) I like Vegas 9 because it seems to integrate some of the best features of Premiere and Final Cut, (LOVE the transition and film effects options!) But it’s taking some getting used to. I miss the toolbars and some of the audio features of the other two programs.

Now the only problem I have is where to upload my high-def video. I was going to use Vimeo because they specialize in high-def, but they only allow one HD film per week and put a tight cap on file size. I can’t use Brightcove anymore because they are ending their free service. I called to find out how much I’d have to pay just to keep my demo on there. The answer: $6,000 a year. Ouch! And I won’t be able to extract my existing videos until mid-December. So, it looks like I’ll be using YouTube for the time being. If anyone knows a good site that encourages lots of free, high-def uploads, let me know. Enjoy!

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The other day I posted a blog called “Obama ‘Round the World ,” which featured the covers of newspapers featuring Obama after the election. I found this video on Vimeo today that illustrates his impact on another area: Kisumu , Kenya . This is where Obama’s father is from. I had seen some stories about this town leading up to the election, but I think this piece puts it in perspective. At least watch the first 15 seconds– and note the billboard.

Obama Mania in Kenya from Rocketboom on Vimeo.

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Hello! It’s been a couple of weeks now, and I’m finally getting settled in, although there are still plenty of boxes to go through. I’m excited about finding new opportunities. I’m not exactly sure what I’ll end up doing. I’m ready for a new challenge. With all the innovation and technology in this area, I’m confident I’ll be working in an engaging and fun atmosphere. I’ve added new video and included some of my anchoring work to the website.

For now, I wanted to list some of the highlights of DC:

1. The Smithsonian. I’ve been spending some time at the Museum of Natural History, looking at the Hope Diamond and a new exhibit featuring underwater photography. I’ve also went through the Postal Museum at Union Station.

2. The Metro. It’s not only easy to get around, but it’s entertaining. Especially on Friday nights when teens and other young people get dressed up and use the vertical bars like stripper poles.

3. The Food. It’s not just the gourmet flavors, it’s the exceptional service. I must say, I’m getting spoiled!

4. Our Apartment. It’s got a perfect area to play Wii. I just set up Wii Fit the other day and I’m already hooked.

Stay tuned for more updates. I’ll be visiting the Air and Space Museum this weekend, and I plan to see the new Jim Henson exhibit. Can’t wait to share!

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It’s so hard to believe that in a couple of weeks, I’ll be living in Washington, D.C. Patrick and I are moving there at the end of the month. We are going because Patrick got a great job at a television station there. I’ll be looking for work once we settle in town.

Patrick and I will be celebrating our five year anniversary on August 1st. And for five years, I’ve been making the two hour drive to St. Louis on weekends. We just bought our dream home in January 2007, and it’s been sad to see the for sale sign go up.

I’m also going to miss Southern Illinois. I’ve called the area my home since going to Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 2002. I still drop by every so often to see my professors or just hang out in the journalism building.

I’ve been at WSIL since January 2005, and have held numerous positions including weekend assignment editor, crime reporter, and morning show anchor. I’m extremely proud of my work with the Spark Your Health series. To date, we have 1350 members of the online team. And because of the message boards and blogs, many people have found the support they need to lose weight and get fit. I’m going to miss hearing the stories of success and discovering new ways to work out in the area. I’ll never forget the amazing feats of members who lost more than 100 pounds, those who started changing their lifestyle and made their families lives better, and the interesting ways to keep motivated (like the man who opened a gym in his garage.) I hope the team continues to grow in my absence and that I may still get updates.

I wish I could thank everyone personally for making me feel at home and for allowing me to share their stories– both heartfelt and hard. There have been so many times I’ve wanted to be the person who experienced the pain and hardship instead of the people who became victims. I’ve always felt my calling in life was to share people’s stories so that others may help. I’m so proud that many of the people affected by disasters and tragedies received the support and prayers they’ve needed to make it through.

I hope to find a job in D.C. where I can continue to do what I love, and that’s report the news. I’ve enjoyed anchoring and being the person people have relied on to get them going in the morning. I have to admit– I’m a night owl, but the joy of this experience has made me a morning person. I just wish I could give each and every one of you a hug to let you know how much you’ve meant to me. I hope I’ve been able to make your lives easier.

I want to share just a small handful of my favorite memories:

My first day as a reporter, we were on the road and pulled up to channel 12. We actually drag raced down route 13. WSIL won!

The second time I reporter, a giant dog jumped in our vehicle and wouldn’t get out. Later, we drove a little fast a hill hoped. It was kind of scary.

My first big on-air report was on the closing of some armories. I traveled down to Cairo (which became one of my favorite towns– gotta love Shemwell’s) and stood in front. I tripped on my words, and my voice was shaky but I got through it. Later on, I was told I needed a hair cut. I agreed.

When we received word that Lance Cpl. Jonathan Kyle Price died in Iraq, we went to his home in Woodlawn. I’ll never forget knocking on the door and meeting one of the most loving families. They let me into their home and shared their memories of Kyle. Later in the week, I was driving home to St. Louis, and I’ll never forget the pride I felt for America as I saw Kyle’s family and a long line of police escorting his body home. Everyone flashed their lights in respect.

The first time I was live on air was during a large protest at SIU. The Jonesboro Baptist Church was on one side, and hundreds of students were on the other. I was not prepared. I fumbled my words and it was awful. I learned so much that day.

My first big story was about prisoners in love. I went into prisons and interviewed murderers about finding love through pen pals. One was even engaged to a woman on the outside.

My first series about about homeless families in Southern Illinois. I was able to spend a day following families at a shelter in Herrin. After the story, some of the families received help from the community.

After we decided to do a series on missing sex offenders, I decided to see if we could actually track one down. It took two days and a four-hour drive to Lebanon, Missouri, but we were able to work with police and get him arrested. He was a sexual predator and was living next door to young children. Neighbors told us he was trying to babysit the kids alone. We got there just in time.

Everyone was able to follow Jodi, Bobbi, and Kim on their journey to lose weight and get fit through the Spark Your Health series. These brave women volunteered to share intimate details about their weight and lives to help others. And they have. We’ve received comment after comment about how the series has helped.

Recently, I spent some time in the Williamson and Saline county jails. We heard Williamson needed a new one, but we wanted to be convinced. I was able to use the perspective of an inmate to show just how dangerous it is for the staff and community. Now, the new jail is being planned.

There are endless stories of heroism and I’ve been fortunate to share some of those stories through the Unsung Heroes series. I’ve always been overwhelmed by the stories of people giving everything they have to help others.

I’ve barely begun to mention the stories that have touched mine and others lives. I just want to say thank you for those who have been willing to share. I’ve enjoyed my time at WSIL and am thankful for the opportunities I’ve been given. I hope that by moving to Washington, D.C., I may be able to help even more.

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