The Mississippi river starts as an ankle deep creek in Northern Minnesota. From there it flows south, growing stronger till it has zig-zaged its way thru America.

On Friday, I was part of the little creek that became the Duke Lacrosse “bombshell.” I was working with Julia Lewis in Durham covering the Helping Hand Mission’s Christmas dinner. Julia and I were chewing the fat about work when she got word Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong didn't have enough evidence to proceed with a rape case against the three Duke Lacrosse players. We jumped in the van and flew to Mike Nijfong’s office. Julia was yelling phone numbers for me to dial on my phone while she was talking on hers.

We arrived at the courthouse and got a copy of the DA’s statement and within seconds she was on the phone, live on the air, and it was out. This huge story was all over the country and it all started with that one phone call. Within minutes all the major networks were running crawls across the bottom of the TV. ESPN even broke into coverage. Julia got off the phone and started calling the players. She called Collin Finnerty’s mother to get her reaction. She didn’t know about it. Julia called the player’s defense lawyer Joe Cheshire. He didn’t know either. No one knew but the DA’s office and Julia.

I’ve been a part of a breaking story before. As its happening you just know the other local stations are watching, pulling their hair out in a panic to get where you already are.

I watched as Julia told Noon Anchors Bill and Lynda she’d just received the paper work on the dismissal. She was still out of breath from running up the stairs to Mike Nijfong’s 6th floor office. I keep thinking EVERYBODY is pulling their hair out all across the country. This huge breaking news story started with one little phone call from Julia to WRAL.