As I come to the end of covering Jackson County for the this semester, I have learned a little bit about where to look when searching for resources for a story. Although the county extension agent was not very knowledgeable about specific health issues, she was able to connect me with a lot of people in the community, especially around Jefferson. One of the first things I did, upon her recommendation, was got to a Family Connection meeting. They meet once a month and it is a wonderful networking resource. Advocates from different parts of the community meet to discuss what is going on in their areas of interest, and talk about specific projects.

At one of these meetings, I met Amy Woodell, Public Health Educator for the Northeast District. She was very helpful throughout the semester, and if she did not having any particular comment on what I was writing about, she would recommend someone else. Two other people from her office, PIO Sarah Peck and Public Health Promoter Derrick Gable, were also very helpful. Once I posted a story on Grady Journal quoting Amy Woodell, which she approved of, others were very open about talking to me. I would recommend doing that early to build some trust. Stephanie Rucker, head nurse at the Jefferson Public Health Clinic, was also willing to talk and was easy to schedule an appointment with.

Amy Woodell also does a lot of work on HIV and AIDS education in rural areas and in jails. I did not cover that story, but I think it would be a good one. Anyone looking into Jackson will quickly notice that teen pregnancy is a major issue. They just announced the opening of a clinic especially for teens, so that may be a good angle on a future story.