How We Got The Story: Breaking the story on the Kane trade

Let me set the scene ...

It's December 30, 2022. A simpler time. A time before, well, a time before we had to start remembering that it's 2023.

As the clock ticked down on '22, I was given the assignment to cover a kids "Noon Year's Eve" party at the Geneva Library. Basically it's a way to convince kids they've celebrated the beginning of the new year just like Mom and Dad, only you don't have to let them stay up until midnight and deal with those consequences.

It started off pretty well. There were games. Selfie stations. A dance party room with a bubble machine. I made some pictures that I was reasonably happy with, but not happy enough to leave early.

Plus, I didn't want to miss the big "photo op," as they call it. Just before noon there would be a countdown and then a balloon drop to ring in the "noon year." Years of photojournalism experience have taught me never to miss a balloon drop.

Everyone gathered in a rotunda area. As a librarian read the kids a story before the countdown, I saw him. My guy. A dapper little man wearing a sport coat. He even had a paper top hat like Mr. Peanut or Rich Uncle Pennybags, but he had taken it off. No matter. He was sitting there quietly and listening, but I just had one of those feelings.

Sure enough, when the countdown started, my guy got into the spirit. This kid really was into it, and I was all over the shutter button on my camera.

Ten seconds later, the balloons came down. The library staff had underestimated how many balloons it would take to make an impact in that space, so it was a bit of a let down (mostly just for me; the kids seemed fine with it), but I didn't care. I had my guy. I found his mom, got his name, and I was on my way.

It's not the best picture I made in 2022, but it's certainly my favorite. And it came on day 364.