An insatiable curiosity and intense competitiveness is what drove news reporter Angela Bettis into the news business.

"I love to tell a story, love to get behind the scenes," says Bettis. "The news business is a unique career in that you get to experience so many things and meet so many people that you wouldn't normally do or meet."

A graduate of Illinois State University in Normal, Ill., Bettis originally hails from Girard, Ill., just south of Springfield.

"I grew up on a farm, in a small town of 2,000 people," said Bettis. "Most people don't believe me when I tell them I graduated with 48 kids in my entire class. But I wouldn't have had it any other way. I credit my values and work ethic to how and where I was raised."

But a career in the news business has taken her all over the country.

Bettis started her career in Springfield, IL. After stops in Rockford, IL and Champaign, Ill., she ended up at WPEC in West Palm Beach, Fla.

"I loved working there." "I covered sinking ships, manatee rescues, beach erosion, sea turtle hatching season, things I would have never experienced had I stayed in the midwest," says Bettis who won an AP spot news reporting team award while working at WPEC.

"I covered President Clinton's visit to West Palm Beach when he fell and broke his knee." "I covered killer tornadoes in Orlando, and stood in victory lane when Dale Earnhardt won his one and only Daytona 500." "I covered the murder of Johnny Versace and hunt for his killer, Andrew Cunanan, stories that made news across the country." "I interviewed the likes of Steve Forbes, Bob Dole, Rod Stewart, Richard Petty and Jeff Gordon."

But her love for home won out. Soon she was covering stories for WTMJ in Milwaukee, both in the air, and on the ground.

"Milwaukee is a great news city," said Bettis who admits she enjoys covering spot news. While at WTMJ, she covered the Badgers in the 1999 Rose Bowl, and was nominated for an Emmy.

"I love the news business, but I also wanted a family," said Bettis. "It's a hard business to balance with a family."

After having her second child, Angela decided it was time to focus more on family. Her husband's job brought the family to Madison in 2002. She now works a part-time reporting shift and writes for Channel 3000.

"WISC has an outstanding reputation and rightly so, says Bettis." "The staff is extraordinarily talented and experienced." "I am proud to be a part of this news team."

When she's not covering news around town. Angela spends time with her husband Carl raising their three children. When she can find the time, she loves to read and scrapbook.

Angela is also a freelance writer and volunteers her time with Christ The King Catholic Church in McFarland, the McFarland EC-5 PTO, the Madison Area Food Allergy Support Group, and as a Girl Scout Leader.

Favorite Sport To Play: Volleyball
Favorite Madison Spot to Eat: Red Robin
Favorite Teams: Chicaco Bears, St. Louis Cardinals

Got a story idea? E-mail Angela