In Which Amy Says 'Oh Shit!'

[amykhar]

Last night, I covered what is normally a pretty dull meeting – a historical review board. The board dictates what changes can be made to buildings in the city’s 5 historic districts. It’s usually stuff like people wanting to put on siding or put in replacement windows or hang a sign. Dull stuff.

Sometimes, it gets interesting. Like when a developer asks permission to demolish half a city block and put up a bank office building. Or like when the board decides satellite dishes are ugly and should be controlled in the historic district. That kind of stuff.

Last night, it got mildly interesting. I didn’t know just how interesting it was until today though.

Last night, a lady came before the board, seeking to put up replacement windows in a building she was converting to offices. My ears perked up when I heard the house used to belong to the family that owns the paper. An angle

As she talked to the board about the house, she mentioned some of the cool stuff inside and mentioned that there had been a really nice stained glass window with the coat of arms of the family that built the house. Had been was the key word. It seems that when she bought the house, the church that sold it to her said it was too valuable and removed it. She didn’t feel she had the right to complain because they told her when she first viewed the property. And, she wasn’t complaining to the board – just mentioning something cool that had been there.

The board members collectively jumped to attention. You see, the window was part of the external structure of the house and could not be removed without permission. The direction of the board – contact the church and get the window BACK.

So, I go back to the paper to write. Editor doesn’t need the fact that the paper’s owner’s family used to own the house, but wants me to research the original family. I do, based on the recollections of one of the board members. Another editor looks up the family in some books the paper has lying around and I hit Google.

In the research, some conflicting info comes out. The family that the board member said owned the house owned a mansion down the street. I needed to verify that he had the right family and the right house. So, I called the historical society today. They were no help. They suggest a title search at the court house. Like I have time for that.

So, I get the bright idea to call the church. I don’t mention the board wanting it back, but ask about the window. I ask the secretary who would know about the sale of the house and if she knew the family name on the window or the window’s location.

She didn’t know the name, but told me the window had been sold to a guy wearing a cowboy hat who was in the family that owned the newspaper. She gave me the name of a church member who had been involved in the sale of the house.

I called him. He confirmed the family name on the window for me and said the window had been sold to a member of that family.

Next, I called an editor at the paper and asked him if there was a family member who wore a cowboy hat. Yep. The brother of the publisher.

I called the brother (he runs a local radio station) Nope. He doesn’t have a window, but his brother might.

So, I end up on the phone with the publisher of the paper I write for and ask him if he bought a stained glass window. Yep. He did. Turns out, the family that owned the house is one of his ancestors and his middle name is that family’s name.

And, I have just traced the window back to somewhere I really didn’t want to find it. Little old stringer me. I emailed my editor with a summary of what I found and am now waiting to hear if a story is going to run or not.

On the bright side, I had fun finding the window.

[taurusmoon]

Woodward and Bernstein have nothing on you.

[theworm[$]]

Wow! That's funny!

Good work!!

[phoenixx]

LOL

[pippadaisy[$]]

omg, what a freaking MESS. What did the publisher say? (And how messed up that the church thought they could remove the window... der... even I knew that was a nono)

[amykhar]

I didn't tell the publisher why I was asking about the window and he didn't ask why I was asking. He seemed all happy about the window. I wasn't going to be the 'messenger' ya know?

[wivabef]

Amy! Sure beats my Sub Sale at Faith United Methodist Church story!



If the present owner is nice, and it sounds like she is, she'll let the publisher keep the window...he should foot the bill for the repacement.

[emeleel]

Eek. But how funny!

[cristina1]

That is too funny!

[Prepoia[$]]

Probably more interesting than funny aye, Amy? Let us know how it all works out. It will also be interesting to see if the story is run or not. I, by the way, would have had no clue that the window couldn't be removed.

[drmomentum[$]]

wivabef said

If the present owner is nice, and it sounds like she is, she'll let the publisher keep the window...he should foot the bill for the repacement.

I don't think that's the problem. The historical review board is probably going to take a dim view of this whole thing.

-JP

[Joubert[$]]

....follow the money....the money....follow the money

[mjfrombuffalo[$]]

Oh Sh!t is right!

[amykhar]

I love how the members here self-moderate their language and the admin doesn't.

George, I'm just afraid I might follow the money right out of a paycheck for me

[pippadaisy[$]]

Well, i did until you added my blog feed.

[mtomm[$]]

pippadaisy said

Well, i did until you added my blog feed.

Yes, I've now started thinking in terms of a Pippa mouth instead of potty mouth!

[hadassahchana[$]]

LOL, Amy! I can't wait to see how this one plays out.

[amykhar]

Good news and bad news.
First, the bad news. No story is going to run
Now, the good news.

The editor loved my 'dick tracy work'. Turns out, I got further than the beat reporter did. Last night, when I gave the editor my preliminary findings, she passed it off to the guy who covers the city. He got as far as the fact that it was in the newspaper owner's family, but no further. He tried calling the publisher be never got through.

Editor wanted to know how I got to the publisher without going through hoops. I didn't have the slightest problem. Called the paper's switchboard, asked for the brother, and then got transferred over to the publisher. Told my editor that we had a nice little chat.

She said she wished she could bring me on staff at $60 k a year. So, I had fun and the newsroom got a chuckle out of the whole thing.

[mjfrombuffalo[$]]

go Amy! go Amy!

[theworm[$]]

woo hoo!!!

[Prepoia[$]]

The best results possible

[theworm[$]]

so what happens with the window?