I hadn’t even gotten beyond the station’s Bridge Street neighborhood in DeWitt on my way home after a long and trying week for the community. A personal phone call inadvertently turned into a news tip: “Maria Regina is on fire.” Say no more. I responded: “Can I call you right back?”
I made a call to the newsroom to alert my colleagues on duty. I knew our main reporting crew at that hour was relatively far away, in a distant part of Madison County, working on another big story. Without hesitation, I diverted from my normal I-690 route and headed to the North Side.
I knew even minor flames would be a big deal because of the campus’ history…