From Bill Jensen

Mr. Woodcock, We haven't met, but Roger asked me to get on his computer and bring you and his friends up to date. He gave me your e-mail address. I submitted the article below to the local AV Press, but it was not accepted and they ran their own coverage, much abbreviated. "LPAC WORKER FIGHTS TO SURVIVE NEAR-FATAL STAGE FALL." LANCASTER, September 21st.. City of Lancaster employee, Roger Smith, 66, who reports to the Lancaster Performing Arts Center, suffered life-threatening injuries Sunday morning in a fall from the main stage into the orchestra pit. Crew members had arrived to prepare for a performance that night by LeAnn Rimes, for whom Smith had been assigned as "runner", or personal driver. Smith and his co-workers had been out in the bright deset sun, and entered the darkened theater, painted flat black throughout. All were letting their eyes adjust, but continued onto the main stage as they normally did so. Witnesses agreed they had not been told the Orchestra Pit had been lowered, and the traditional "ghost light" evidently had not been placed the night before. Witnesses said Smith had walked downstage-center, when he lost his balance and fell into the pit, landing hard on his left heel and breaking his left hip. Other stagehands placed him into the theater's wheelchair and got him back up on deck. He was quiet and lucid at the time, in spite of intense pain, witnesses agreed. Smith was transported by car to High Desert Medical Group for evaluation. X-rays confirmed the femur had broken at the ball, but the rest of the femur was intact. He was transported by ambulance to Lancaster Community Hospital for emergency surgery. In the ER, complications set in and emergency procedures were employed when Smith went into sudden shock. During this treatment, it was decided to postpone the hip-replacement surgery until the next day. Heavily sedated, he was assigned a room, but during the night lapsed into shock again, and was rushed back to the ER. Oncd again stabilized, his successful hip-replacement surgery began at 1 p.m. today. Smith is expected to be hospitalzed for some ten days, and undergo acute rehab therapy for 2 to 3 weeks." -30- This is the article that was rejected. I still think my coverage was better, but the paper wouldn't give this kind of space to "another injured City employee". I will provide you and your readers with updates on Roger until he can return to his computer. Sincerely, Bill Jensen