Charnice Milton, Ward 7 resident & Capital Community News Reporter was murdered last night.

I'm not really sure what to say right now. I'm still trying to process this terrible news in some kind of way that makes sense while at the same time sharing it with the people who Charnice touched through her words and spirit.

I had the pleasure of first meeting Charnice three years ago when she reached out to me for a story for East of the River magazine. I was rushing at the time and she was trying to meet a deadline. Over the past three years I had the pleasure of working with her on east of the river stories or just seeing her out and about in the community.

Charnice was such a lovely and humble person. She had a sweet smile and intelligent eyes. I always got the feeling she saw everything, every little detail and she was always so gracious. She kept us all informed on east of the river happenings through her many articles in East of the River Magazine. She was a valued member in our community.

The last time I saw Charnice was about a month ago when she came out to THEARC in Ward 8 to cover the First Lady of Japan's visit. In fact, I reached out to a lot of local news agencies and Charnice was the only one who came out to cover the event. She arrived early (as was her habit) and was ready to get to work. Charnice was so gracious and courteous and so committed to getting the story correctly. I suppose that is what I enjoyed most about Charnice, her commitment to telling a thorough story. She wasn't one to jump to conclusions or regurgitate old facts, she liked to research things on her own. She knew that east of the river was more than a sound bite, she knew the real story was complicated and beautiful. She wanted to tell the full story. 

And I suppose that is how I will choose to remember her, full of life, getting the story.

Charnice will be missed. 

Nikki Peele

Photo credit: Lawrence Green for THEARC