“You’re seeing everything in the original place where all the magic happened”

AUBURN- The 1930’s was a time of glory for the automobile industry. Cars were a way to show the culture, luxury, and wits of the American people- especially in Auburn, Indiana. That is why the Auburn community was so eager to build the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum inside the original 120,000 square foot international headquarters of the Auburn Automobile Company. They wanted to preserve this time in history so luxury cars would not be forgotten in the generations to come. 

With over 120 vehicles on display, CEO Brandon Anderson said the museum is a multi-experience visit and they have something for everyone. Fans of art, architecture, vehicles, history, design, engineering, and technology can find themselves intrigued by the original work of the 30’s in the exact building where the magic was created. 

Though the auto industry has changed drastically, the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum continues to exhibit and interpret how the historic automobiles influence the current designs, technology, and safety features. 

The museum is family friendly and accessible to all people. People of all kinds from all over the world come to see what the 30’s car industry, Auburn Company, was all about. The museum also hosts multitude of private events and about 60 public events per year. They offer two bars and catering inside their private event facility that can hold up to 600 people. Their public events include Car Side Chats, Cars & Coffee, field trip options, fundraising events, Bootleggers Ball, and a Gatsby Gala.  

Brandon said it’s a really important goal of the museums to be a community asset not only to the Auburn community but for the automobile culture. The museum is planning more hands-on events including driving classes to teach participants how to drive manual and historic cars and being able to provide rides. They are always planning to get more vehicles, new exhibits, and creating new partnerships and events in order for the community to be a part of the museum. 

You can contact the museum through their website, phone number, or social media pages.

(260)-925-1444

info@automobilemuseum.org

Instagram: acdmuseum

Twitter: @ACDAM1974   

Facebook: Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum

1600 S Wayne St

Auburn, IN

46706

Below is the link to my first published story!

https://www.inputfortwayne.com/features/covid-international-students.aspx

There is no question that life has changed around the globe due to COVID-19, but healthcare workers are struggling more than others. Citizens are not taking the precautions in order to slow the spread of this virus, and that has left healthcare workers feeling the real consequences of this virus. 

Lynn Honaker is a registered nurse working in the Emergency Room at Henry Ford Sterling Heights Hospital. She says the scariest thing is the fact the people are not taking this virus seriously. She told me a bit about Sinai-Grace, a hospital in Detroit, that was hit hard with COVID-19 patients. 

“It’s like a warzone in a third world country in that ER,” she said. “They have body bags bodies stacked up in utility rooms because they have nowhere to put them. They don’t have enough staff, and people are dying in the hallways. It’s very regimented and it takes really tough backbone to be there.” 

Henry Ford Hospital had been stocking up on PPE since early December. The managers realized they were not invincible or immune to this virus and started preparing as soon as Wuhan and Italy’s hospitals were swarmed with COVID, according to Honaker.

“Our management was ordering PPE in December and January such ventilators and tubes,” she said. “We get palettes full of shipments weekly. We truly have an amazing supply of PPE. We can get gowns, gloves, and masks when we need them. It’s not going to last forever though, and we will need more during the regular flu season. We do limit N95 usage because there is a major shortage; we use them about a week or until they fall apart.”

Lynn said one of the worst things is that people are not taking this virus as serious as it is. 

“It’s frustrating because I don’t see people taking this seriously,” Lynn said. “I hear horror stories and people just don’t understand. I wish people could come to an ICU or ER and see first-hand what this virus does. They thank healthcare workers without knowing why it is so hard to go to work every day, why it is important to wash your hands, or wear a mask.”

Healthcare workers said people are not accepting the reality of this virus until it impacts someone close to them. Lynn talked about the emotional moment when she put her co-worker on a ventilator after he brushed off his sickness for a few days. 

“As it gets closer and closer into your circle and people die, then you realize,” she said. “We had a few of our staff members test positive after brushing off a minor symptom after a few days. Before we put him on a ventilator, he like looked at me and asked, ‘Am I going to be okay?’ That ripped my heart out. He died soon after that.”

Jen Boucher, an emergency room nurse practitioner and co-worker of Lynn, told me about some of the changes she and her co-worker have encountered during this pandemic. 

“At first it was busier, and the patients were sicker,” Jen said. “Now it’s slow because everyone is afraid to come to the ER, and the patients that do come are super sick with COVID.” 

It is surprising that the emergency room is slow at this time, but people are so afraid of going there that they must take extra precaution doing everyday tasks in order to avoid having to go to the hospital. That’s a good mindset, as COVID spreads through the air and by touching the face. 

In December and January, the virus had taken over China and Italy, that is when the government should have started preparing instead of feeling invincible ((Is this your opinion or hers?)). Each healthcare professional I interviewed said they wished that the Federal government had taken the virus more seriously during the early stages. 

“I wish they had started limiting travel and starting social distancing earlier,” said Jen.  “That way maybe it would not have gotten so bad in the United States.”

Alexis Lombardo is a nurse assistant at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne. Originally working in the cardiac center, her unit has been turned into a place where patients wait for their COVID results. Alexis has yet to graduate and being thrown into this was something she never expected but is looking on the positive side. 

“The change has impacted literally everything we do on a daily basis,” said Alexis. “This is a tremendous life experience. I plan to be a physician’s assistant and I think this has been a great learning experience, truly once in a lifetime to work as a healthcare worker during a pandemic. I haven’t even graduated yet and I am exposed to this opportunity to learn. As crazy as it has been, I am able to learn from this.” 

While looking on the positive side of this, there are very real implications that come with committing to be a healthcare worker right now. I was shocked when she said there had been no pandemic crisis plan in place. Thinking she would be working with patients with heart issues, she was thrown into this COVID unit- and the scariest part is not knowing. 

“We truly didn’t have a pandemic plan in place, which I’m sure will change after this.” Alexis said. “The scariest part is the unknown; the patients on my floor haven’t tested positive or negative yet, so I could be caring for a patient for 30-40 minutes and not know if I am in contact with COVID. My job is to care for them and get them what they need- regardless of if they are positive or not. It is scary knowing that you could be contracting this illness.” 

Alexis’s hospital is offering free counseling to their employees to aid with the mental and emotional strain of dealing with this pandemic.

These medical professionals want people to take this virus seriously, even before you are impacted directly. These three women have seen the real life consequences of contracting this virus, and it is much more real than it seems. Limit leaving your house, wash your hands, wear a mask, and uphold social distancing guidelines. 

Imagine walking into your friend’s house to be greeted by their cute furry friend. The sweet animal is fuzzy and wants to show you how much they appreciate you coming over- using their form of communication to verbally greet you. 

Is the animal you are imagining loudly barking at you or kindly meowing? Drooling and jumping on your nice clothes, or brushing its furry face gently against your legs? 

Cats make a better pet for many reasons, not only because of the comfort of your guests, but your own as well. Cats are known for comforting- but not suffocating their loved owners. They will cuddle when they know you’re feeling down but won’t take up more than half of your bed and leave as much fur as a mess for you to late clean. 

Speaking of messes, dogs will leave you many of these as pets, which is why cats are a better choice for a furry companion. Dogs are harder to potty train- it takes longer, and sometimes is not fully effective. Even with a dog that is strictly potty trained, if you leave them inside for too long, they will be sure to leave you a pleasant surprise. Cats are able to be potty trained in about 4 months, and they can do their business inside so there are no barriers to natures call. 

Taking your dog outside so often may be a downside to having them as pets- as with cats, the owner may choose to allow them outside or determine their destiny in becoming a house cat. Having to leave your plans to take your pooch on a walk, or to let them outside is a hassle. Cats are chill- there no real rush to get home, so live your life! Some cat owners may argue that cats love to be home alone anyways! 

Another hassle to having a canine as a pet is the bathing. Depending on your dog’s size, there can be different ways to accomplish the task of giving them a bath: outside with the hose, in the bathtub, in the sink? These options are all messy, and dare I say gross? Having a cat instead of a dog will eliminate this issue! Cats clean themselves every day by using their bristle covered tounges to brush off dirt. My mother always said, “The only self-cleaning thing in this house is the cat!” 

Some pet owners do prefer dogs though, typically these people are more energetic, or have more time to put the extra effort dogs require, but for someone like me- who is relaxed and zen- a cat would make a much better companion. Don’t get me wrong, cats are not boring as pets. Cats love to play too- mine even plays fetch! 

If you need a furry friend who is low maintenance, loving, cuddly and cute, consider getting a cat. They aren’t too big or small, and don’t require as much attention as dogs do. They help calm you down but also bring excitement into life! 

FORT WAYNE- From a young age, Kudzai Toto has been dreaming big and putting in the work to make his dreams his reality. 

Born in Rundu, Namibia and raised in the capital, Kudzai learned from a young age the opportunities that lied ahead for him. Influenced by his father’s own education in the United States, he saw that the dream of studying in the states was possible. 

Growing up, Kudzai and his father played tennis for fun. When Kudzai started showing potential in the sport, his father pushed him to become more competitive in hopes to earn a scholarship to a college in the U.S. 

“At around 12 years old my father sat me down and spoke to me about the opportunity to play tennis and study in the United States,” said Kudzai. “I made that my goal. I went to boarding school in another country to enhance my education, athletic ability, and ability to stay away from home for long periods of time. I was away from home ages 13 to 19.” 

While preparing for such an adventure was tough, the people surrounding him were supportive and helped him push towards his goal. Many of his friends went to university right after high school, but Kudzai had to wait another 8 months to come to America. During that time, he prepared for his future but felt stagnant. His friends and family knew his plan and were there to support him.

“This was when I knew for sure that I was going to the USA, when I didn’t enroll in the local university with all my friends,” he said. “I watched them go to university, it was kind of hard seeing them progress when I was not in school, but my parents gave me everything I needed. My friends were all very supportive, it was a big decision to dedicate myself to this goal. I was happy and excited that they believed in my ability to do this, so further, I believed in myself.” 

Kudzai and his father went to a recruiting agent to get in touch with college coaches, but they did not consider his specific request regarding his degree biomedical engineering. Kudzai and his father decided to take the task in their own hands.

There was another layer to finding the right college. He was not able to meet coaches in person or experience the campus. That did not stop him from achieving his goal. His independence led him to the ability to speak with coaches himself at a young but confident age. 

“We did it on or own, we drafted an email and I contacted over 100 coaches,” he said. “I scheduled about 50 Skype conferences and talked with coaches myself. My father always made me speak for myself from a young age- I was made to do things by myself. It’s a big gamble for coaches to trust someone who they have never seen play, but my videos helped that aspect. I did virtual tours of campuses so I could pretty much be there without being there.”

On June 12th, 2017, Kudzai committed to play tennis and study biomedical engineering at Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne, Indiana. 

“When I signed, it was like all the weight was lifted off my back,” Kudzai said. “I told everybody about my plans, and I was very excited, it’s a big opportunity to come to the USA and to take advantage of the opportunities that it offers.  It’s important that I saw this country has the ability to take you where you want to go with hard work. This was a breakthrough for me to better myself. I feel like I have the ability to make a bigger impact in the world now after coming here to get an education.”

His dream was now achieved, he just had to get there physically. After signing, things started moving very quickly. He met with the embassy, was approved for a visa, and after a 45-hour flight, was picked up at the Fort Wayne International airport by an Indiana Tech employee. While achieving his goal after 8 years, the only thing in his way was getting comfortable at his new home.

“My ability to morph my environment into a place that is suitable for myself is what I did to help myself through the transition. My tennis team was a huge factor is giving me a family at Tech. We are all internationals, so we were all feeling similar ways. The juniors and seniors welcomed us; everybody wanted to help each other be as comfortable as possible because we were all in the same position.”

The message that Kudzai wants to share with other international students, or anybody wanting to achieve a big goal, is to work hard. 

“Hard work. You need to work and keep on pushing,” he said. “It’s going to be very difficult, but opportunities are not given to people who wait for them. They’re given to people who bust their ass off. You have to do more to get more. You will get what you give and reap what you sow.” 

Kudzai plans to further his education by getting a masters and Ph. D, possibly in America or Europe, and create a Biomedical Engineering program in his hometown Windhoek, Namibia. 

“I feel after a while, I will be well equipped with knowledge from my education and work experience to provide others an opportunity,” said Kudzai. “I will have met many people in the engineering world who can help me with this goal and give towards it. That is what I want to give back to the world and my home.” 

Achieving a goal of this caliber is not easy, but with support, hard work and the right mindset, Kudzai shows that it is very much possible. 

TRENTON- Two weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic, I have moved back into my parents’ house in Trenton, Michigan. Per my last story, Indiana Tech asked residents to leave campus if possible.

As of March 24^th, the Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive order. This means that residents are not allowed to leave their house unless they are involved in the infrastructure work force, performing necessary tasks for the health or well-being of family, or doing an independent outdoor activity. 

I have not experienced anything like this in my lifetime, so I’m working to adapt. It was difficult at first to not feel as if this was an extension of spring break. Usually, when I am at my parents’ house I am not bogged down with homework and emails, but this time it’s different. I have had to create a schedule for myself 

I start by making myself breakfast, which is something new to me since at school I had a meal plan; this is a great opportunity to learn how to cook for myself. After breakfast, I get online. Checking my email and Blackboard is critical while everything involving my school is online. I find out my assignments for the week and prioritize what I need to do for the day. 

After the essentials are done, I do something that I’ve been wanting to do. Usually this is a craft or making some sort of video. This is a great time to do things that have been on your “to-do” list that you never had time for! I have a small side business doing custom embroidery and scrunchies, so I enjoy being able to put more effort into that.

Another thing that I’m able to do more now that I have more time, is to workout. Even though I play soccer, sometimes I have felt as if I am in need of a workout but didn’t have the time to get to the gym. Now, I am able to do a workout session in my free time! 

I think this quarantine is showing Americans that yes, you can work from home. What comes with working from home is even better. There is enough time in your life to do what you always dreamed of; spending more time with your family, creating healthy habits, or using your creative side to better yourself. 

The hardest part is not being able to meet with my friends and extended family in person, though there are ways to connect via the internet. There are the apps that have always connected us:  Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook, and FaceTime, but Netflix created an extension that allows you to stream a movie in sync with another user. This is a great way to watch a movie with your loved ones who are not in your household; kudos to Netflix for adapting to this change, but they are not the only ones. 

I hope you are able to take something from this article and implement it into your own life of quarantine. 

The future of journalism lies in small tech equipment, digital content and social media platforms.

Digital Content Producer Ruben Solis spoke to Indiana Tech’s Multimedia Journalism class, on Feb. 27. He works for WANE 15 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His job is to create digital media stories every day and has had experience with producing. 

Everything in the media is turning digital, he said. He was once using huge cameras, boom mics, and a whole team of media developers to create a newsworthy story for that night’s television broadcast. 

Now, there is a special small tech kit that people can buy in order to get quality videos on their phones. It includes a small boom mic, a light, a tripod, and a stabilizer. This is the future of multimedia journalism. 

There is not the same need for a heavy-duty camera, a huge boom mic, and a camera crew.  Not only is it easier for the content creators to come up with stories, but it’s much quicker and easier for views to receive the news. 

“People are not waiting for the 5:00 news when we use digital reporting,” said Solis. “We are trying to get everyone on board with going digital.” 

Digital media can be put online or on news apps for viewers to see before the broadcast is even out. This allows the public to be informed during the event, instead of only after. Though the video content may be of a lesser quality, it doesn’t seem to impact the amount of views the story receives.

 News media is less about quality and more about getting the facts correct and showing action.

“I haven’t had any obstacles going digital that have stopped me from creating a story,” said Solis. “You may lose some quality, but people watch YouTube videos that are messy and it’s still effective.” 

If a viewer sends in their video of a car crash, even though it could be a shaky video, the news could still use it in the show because it is the best or only video content they have of the scene. 

Ruben discussed an aspect of his career he said he never saw coming: becoming a producer. 

“My best piece of advice is to look outside of the reporter and anchor job if you want to be part of a news organization,” he said. “I never thought I would be a TV producer.”

It’s a great way to diversify yourself in the field of broadcasting journalism, he said. On some days, nothing goes as planned. Your news show may be lined up but a few hours before the show breaking news story could happen. Being able to work well under pressure is a must for being a producer, said Solis. 

When asked about writing stories, Ruben said the lead sentence really becomes the headline. Creating an attention getting lead is  key to drawing viewers in. The beginning needs to entice people to click, read, or watch your story. A poor lead may turn readers away from a great story.

You can catch Ruben Solis online at WANE 15’s website or follow him on Facebook and Twitter. 

“If your dreams don’t scare you, then they’re not big enough.”

The Byler family faced their fear and tore down three barns to create the life they always dreamed of in 2016. They used the beautiful wood and strong tin roofing from the barns to build what is now Byler Winery in Auburn, Indiana. With not much prior wine crafting experience, they dedicated the next years of their lives to creating stellar wines served with the comfort and hospitality of backroad northern Indiana. 

Employee Katie Penland said she wanted a change, some upbeat times, and good people in her life. While working at a nursing home, she decided to apply for the full-time position at Byler Winery to add some positive excitement in her life. That is exactly what she got and is what everyone who walks through the door gets. 

The laid-back feel of Byler Winery creates a safe space for people who aren’t too sure about what kinds of wine they enjoy. While enjoying friends and family, it’s also a great place to be social with new community members. 

Penland said that it’s more than just drinking with your group; it’s an opportunity to meet people within your community. Everyone is really friendly, and you don’t need to be dressed up to come have a good time. They have an open layout, a cozy fireplace, comfortable couches, and the vintage feel of an old barn.

It’s the family feel, friendliness, and positivity that keeps Katie at Byler Winery and allows her to enjoy her career. The inviting atmosphere and comfortable aesthetic welcomes everybody and anybody to come taste their homemade selection of wines with a new one each month! Byler Winery is open year-round and offers tastings, bottles, glasses, and events. 

Contact Information

Telephone:

 260-920-4377

Address:

5858 Country Road 35

Auburn, Indiana 46706