Why are kids in DC committing so many violent crimes? Children make up most of the arrests for robbery and carjacking. I wanted to know what's fueling this crisis. So I asked the kids. Here's my story for CNN.

Our @CNN story — the family of a transgender 12-year-old moved across the US to flee state restrictions on her gender affirming care. They fear federal restrictions under Trump could compel them to leave the US.

RT @cnnross: Breaking from @GabeCohenNews @snlyngaas and @ZcohenCNN: Georgia election official says battleground state fended off cyberatta…

I think we should all aspire to make that our legacy. I do. And I’ll tell you this. If I can be anything like Eric Johnson, it’ll be worth it.

I later learned that Eric stormed into Pat’s office and made a final pitch. He told Pat – imagine how smart you’ll look if you can turn this baby-faced MMJ into a great reporter in this market. It had to be Pat’s idea. Eric was crafty – I’ll give him that.

A week later I got an offer from a station I wasn’t excited about in a city I didn’t want to move to. I called Eric and asked what he thought I should do. He was flustered. He asked that I give him 24 hours.

Eric showed my tape to Pat, KOMO’s News Director. Pat liked my writing but couldn’t get past my baby face (in fairness, I got carded at R rated movies back then -- take a look). “He’s not ready,” Pat told him. “Maybe one day.” Eric didn’t give up.

I’ll add, at this time, recruiters and reporters at the same station were telling me there was little chance I could land a job there. Again, I got it. It was Seattle. I was a kid. Eric had other ideas.

Eric said he saw something in me and believed I could thrive in Seattle (you can imagine what that meant to a young reporter). We struck up a friendship. And for weeks he guided me, drawing up a strategy of how to get me hired at KOMO.

But one night, I got a call from an unknown number. I sent it to voicemail. It was Eric. This is the message – I’ve kept it all these years. And it was just the beginning.

I sent him a note saying I loved his stories and wanted to share some of mine. I felt vulnerable and embarrassed. I was nowhere near as good as him. Did it stink of desperation? I never thought he’d get back to me. Why would he? He probably received many of these messages.

In the Northwest, every reporter worth their weight knows Eric Johnson. He’s among the best storytellers in the country. And he had the dream job – main anchor and feature reporter in Seattle.

When I was 24, at the end of my contract in my first TV market, Spokane, I was desperate to make a career jump. I sent dozens (maybe hundreds) of emails. Almost no one answered. I get it. People are very busy in this world. And I wasn’t that good… But Eric Johnson did.

Scottie Scheffler does not wish to pursue any civil lawsuit around this, his attorney says. “He wants to move on."

BREAKING: all charges against Scottie Scheffler have been DROPPED.