Monday, April 26, 2021

May Anniversaries

 

5/3

5 YRS

Ford, Delarita Chivon

N Valley

5/4

17 YRS

Fuller, Jaclyn Elizabeth

De Printing

5/5

22 YRS

Hughes, David M

De State News

5/7

2 YRS

Lehman, Martha Lynn

De State News

5/10

5 YRS

Kotzbauer, Kathleen

W Valley

5/11

1 YR

Deiner, Paige Lauren

De State News

5/11

1 YR

Redefer, Kathryn Rose

De State News

5/12

7 YRS

Bucio, Jose Manuel-Cordova

Valley Printing

5/14

3 YRS

Grettenberger, Matthew E

De Printing

5/14

36 YRS

Leslie, Roger W

De Printing

5/15

2 YRS

LaPrade, George Konrad

De State News

5/16

2 YRS

Stubbs, Brendon James

De Printing

5/17

1 YR

Garcia, Benjamin Paul

N Valley

5/17

1 YR

Yu, Caroline Therese

N Valley

5/18

1 YR

Skinner, Elizabeth Christine

De State News

5/24

5 YRS

Finney, Michael Paul

De State News

5/25

22 YRS

Hicks, Angela J

De State News

5/26

6 YRS

Sagarnaga, Priscilla Luciana

Valley Printing

5/29

25 YRS

Laprade, Darel

Delmarva Reg.

5/31

4 YRS

Weller, Randall Carl

W Valley


Peoria Independent Mission story for April

 

Here is a series of stories explaining the many facets of water issues in the city of Peoria. Stories include the expansion of the city’s water system, proposed water rate increases, a water landmark in the northern part of Peoria and a commentary on the 100-year water supply, under which the city is certified.

 

Click the links within this story to visit the other stores.

 

https://yourvalley.net/peoria-independent/stories/priming-the-pump-292m-planned-for-water-improvements,226373

 

 

Glendale Independent Mission Story for April

 

To name or not to name? We encountered this at the Glendale Independent. Quick breakdown: High school teacher publicly accused of alleged inappropriate behavior/contact with his students. Placed on leave. Police investigating. Teacher resigns, school board accepts resignation. High profile story in the community. But, do we name the teacher in our reporting? No charges have been filed. Some news outlets in the Valley did name him, others chose not to. We discussed it, and decided to name him since he was a teacher in a position of power. We also noted high in the story that no charges have been filed.

https://www.yourvalley.net/glendale-independent/stories/dvusd-teacher-under-investigation-has-apparently-resigned,226157?


DVUSD teacher under investigation has apparently resigned

The Deer Valley Unified School District governing board will take action on the resignation of a teacher under investigation for alleged inappropriate communications with students on social media.

www.yourvalley.net


Congratulate a Graduate

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XTUGvWUmBP3n7XJ1NBwJk0bKY0V6GEFT/view?usp=sharing

Introducing a new website

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AXhCB04zhYvBV8O_dUE4zGdZJZD4BUJN/view?usp=sharing

Stars of Delaware nominations

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QU8MLYl5q2XqgQPCtE-CdJocXTvWntZG/view?usp=sharing

Get Hooked

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GiOXopT4gof1yO2r8ff1t8QsDXaCCZmp/view?usp=sharing

Help support community journalism

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XZTuJLoPpk-mmb2KD2on4EeRDwh5uGr_/view?usp=sharing

Happy Mother's Day

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/15RWcbqBjiDGqDIz62BXEoK0Inn7cJ5E9/view?usp=sharing

Sunday, April 11, 2021

Newspaper = Textbook for Life

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/19DSDN8XS1pkkXQz4scSYViISKlpk0Jpe/view?usp=sharing

Free digital newspaper

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/166uE72fcxwHtYvkrNnZGUVjXfOENtTCK/view?usp=sharing

Classified ads online

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ubxuAzJff_KvVlIf7XbYmoNUfEvdTfk_/view?usp=sharing

Goodyear/Litchfield Park Mission Stories

 

When Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey issued an executive order rescinding all previous COVID-19 pandemic executive orders, and barred municipalities from enforcing city- and county-wide mask mandates and other safety protocols they enacted last year, some residents rejoiced, others were upset and nearly everyone was confused about what it all meant.

 Goodyear/Litchfield Park Independent news editor Kelly O’Sullivan reported that while the city of Goodyear followed the governor’s lead and rescinded its mask mandate for city facilities and city-sponsored events, the city of Litchfield Park opted to keep protocols in place at least through May 1. She also spoke with residents on whether they would continue to mask up, and business owners on whether they would continue to enforce COVID-19 safety policies, and clarified that under Executive Order 2021-06, the governor made it clear that businesses in Arizona have the right to require patron to wear masks and socially distance on their premises.

 https://www.yourvalley.net/goodyear-independent/stories/goodyear-rescinds-mask-mandate-other-covid-19-safety-measures,222058?

 https://www.yourvalley.net/litchfield-park-independent/stories/litchfield-park-keeps-mask-requirement-in-place-for-city-facilities-events,222063?

 https://www.yourvalley.net/stories/about-that-mask-order-arizona-businesses-have-a-right-to-enforce-policies,222689?

 

 

Salisbury Independent Mission Story

 

So-called “anniversary stories” can become news reporting at its worst. Such stories trigger a question: “Why would a news event be important on its anniversary date – and not every day?” But when it comes to coverage of the Coronavirus pandemic, good anniversary coverage can matter a lot. With the arrival in March of the one-year calendar date of community disruption and shutdowns, a reflective story that relived that year was in order. The Salisbury Independent’s anniversary story looked back at how the crisis changed life locally, recapped the contributions of our first-responders, health care workers, and government and business officials, and looked toward the future as conditions eventually improve. The feature was contributed as an element to an all-hands package shared with the regional daily and other weeklies.

 

https://baytobaynews.com/wicomico/stories/pandemic-life-anniversary-a-year-of-awkward-agony,42392?

 

Queen Creek Independent Mission Story

 

It’s a situation many adults and children face in their lives each day. With the number of diagnosed autism cases rising, there’s a good chance that events that don’t bother other people can trigger those with autism. With that in mind, the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce is working to make Florence an autism certified city,

Florence is working with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards to make Florence an Autism Certified City. Part of the certification process is not only training but identifying certain triggers around the community that might be unfriendly, such as loud surprising noises or bright lights that suddenly flash.

 

In this story, I show which departments are interested in getting autism certified and talk to a business owner who has a personal reason for wanting this program to work.

 

https://www.yourvalley.net/florence-independent/stories/florence-working-to-be-an-autism-certified-city,218911

 

Glendale Independent Mission Story

 

In honor of spring training, local man looks back on being the only person to get drafted three different times in the first round by Major League Baseball and why he never played an inning of pro ball -- and why that's okay with him.

https://www.yourvalley.net/glendale-independent/stories/when-baseball-dreams-ended-new-roads-opened-for-glendale-resident,220674?

Friday, April 2, 2021

Banner Mission Story

 

A recurring issue in Dorchester County cropped up once again in March – the sheriff versus the County Council.

We follow the Sheriff’s Office and the County Council closely, and with this being an issue that affects public safety and a considerable amount of money, the Banner put together a comprehensive story and gave it front-page placement.

Dorchester is Maryland’s biggest county by area, and one of the least populated. With a limited budget, the sheriff has only three or four deputies on patrol at any one time, adversely affecting response times.

And the budget is where the action is. The sheriff came right out and said it: He is an elected official, and the council members can’t control him.

But they can restrict his budget and not give deputies a raise since 2004. That has caused low morale, the loss of experienced officers, and difficulty in recruiting new ones.

As the sheriff is quoted saying in the article, “Why the hell would anyone come here?”

We also published the full text of a letter from the sheriff to the council, both online and in print. These are issues the Banner is well positioned to serve our readers by sharing.

https://baytobaynews.com/dorchester/stories/sheriff-phillips-to-county-council-deputies-deserve-raise,43659

 

Looking for friendly people

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xYwTgD26DOVYucj8t6rp3OVp-ybbltyZ/view?usp=sharing

Gannett Audience Participation

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MUpaJB2gTEA3QyGwe-MpIVhFW8Xjrzt2/view?usp=sharing

Arizona Republic promo of replica e-edition

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w-bC8AAmZpMGdMzTKJPmOVRJz9OFtWAQ/view?usp=sharing

Seeking community reporters

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gIAttBQG4Q-Fq3x-PqqvZMpueAO49ORt/view?usp=sharing

Give me a call

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oABdjZdJHC_XuiaINcH7ye4-upnLmMRj/view?usp=sharing

Headed back north for the summer

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/18C4V6p0aBpaDMVMFdF46tNKFnIG1k9Ff/view?usp=sharing

Free news to your inbox

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ANzTagwEGG4COl0XXbt7-HOx-fgaaE1V/view?usp=sharing

Daily news at your fingertips

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IgfsWcVjxN9MKgDOgmfdoiubPicVuVA8/view?usp=sharing

$5 online Classified Ads

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eEoQFTziatwmCprk3VcmIa9WQNIm4a_O/view?usp=sharing

About Us

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VlQHgrUfhEnF2Q_kam7X0qgBqkbv8lBT/view?usp=sharing

Your Opinion, Not Ours

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Zkzr2Ga74uaWSDJ1JgqwAlW9cWBPhNje/view?usp=sharing

A destination, not a distraction

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b7voz_O3kRKQd9k5HNCb-gu1Glt6rUz1/view?usp=sharing

Florida Mission Stories

 

Newspaper helps get shots in arms

COVID-19 vaccinations continue to be in the news. In March, the Lake Okeechobee News came to the rescue when local officials realized the state appointment system had made only 85 appointments and the vaccine pod at the Okeechobee Agri-Civic Center had 500 doses available. The first person county officials called was Lake Okeechobee News Editor Katrina Elsken, who had not even left the house yet but had given county officials her cell phone number. Why call a newspaper? Officials know the newspaper has the community’s most popular page on social media.

https://southcentralfloridalife.com/stories/400-first-doses-of-covid-19-vaccine-available-today-in-okeechobee-on-first-come-first-served-basis,17391?

Katrina quickly made use of the newspaper’s website and Facebook page – which has more than 21,000 followers – to start spreading the word. Throughout the day, the Lake Okeechobee News kept the community updated with how many doses were still available and how long the line was. News staff also fielded questions about what type of vaccine was available (Modern), what paperwork was needed (just a driver’s license or ID card) and who was eligible (initially those over age 50, but in the afternoon it dropped to anyone over age 18.) By 3:30 p.m. all doses had been given with none of the precious vaccine going to waste.

In follow up stories, the newspaper addressed the reason the state vaccination system is having problems making appointments – people see the “unknown caller” and think it’s spam! The Florida papers will continue to stay on top of the vaccination story and continue to keep readers updated.

https://southcentralfloridalife.com/stories/state-vaccination-system-fails-to-schedule-appointments,17475?

https://southcentralfloridalife.com/stories/signing-up-for-covid-19-vaccination-on-the-state-waitlist-dont-make-these-common-mistakes,17217?

 

Puppies, puppies, puppies!

The Lake Okeechobee News made a difference in a lot of little lives in March. After five mother dogs gave birth at a local rescue, 44 puppies needed homes! The story on the SouthCentralFloridaLife.com website attracted attention from as far away as Orlando (two hours away by car), and soon the little pups were lined up with new families.

https://southcentralfloridalife.com/belle-glade/stories/okeechobees-trail-of-hope-rescue-has-puppies-galore,17177

Now the newspaper and website running items on the mother dogs and other dogs at the shelter, hoping to help them find “furever” homes as well.

Inspiring Women

March was Women’s Month and the Caloosa Belle decided to celebrate by highlighting Inspirational Women of Hendry County. Readers were invited to nominate local women to be profiled. The ladies profiled included teachers, the first Black female police officer in Clewiston, and the woman inside the Easter Bunny costume.

https://southcentralfloridalife.com/stories/inspirational-women-of-hendry-county-kandie-perez,17132?

 

Delaware State News Mission Stories

 

A clear standout of our March reporting was the series of articles that marked the one-year anniversary of COVID-19 being detected in Delaware. Every reporter was involved in stories that examined the pandemic and its trajectory on schools, public health, businesses and – of critical importance – the medical workers on the front lines treating those sick and critically ill from the virus.

 A Seaford nurse told reporter Mike Finney:  “My heart has broken over and over this past year. I grieve every single patient we lose. I remember their faces and their last moments. It’s emotionally exhausting.”

 Reporter Matt Bittle sat down with Gov. John Carney via Zoom to get his thoughts on governing in a public health crisis and the lowest point of the pandemic. Reporter Craig Anderson explained the work of the epidemiologists behind the state’s data analysis and how deaths are determined to be COVID-19 related. Brooke Schultz, Glenn Rolfe, Noah Zucker and Tim Mastro all had stories. One even looked at why we couldn’t find toilet paper at the grocery store. Pages featured photos captured over the year by Photographer Marc Clery and our team of freelancers.

 Executive Editor Andrew West wrote a From the Editor column calling for the state to honor those who died from the virus in a special 3/11 memorial day.  Opinion Page Coordinator Lee Hoover sought commentaries from varied voices in medicine, education, religion and public service that complimented the news. Content Systems Manager Darin Powell created special front pages, bringing back elements of our design when the pandemic first began to give the paper a unique look. We highlighted statistics each day to give readers a quick glimpse at the impact the virus has had, from the stark positive case numbers and death toll nationally and in Delaware to the numbers of people unemployed because of the economic shutdowns.

 We began featuring our stories and photos on Thursday, March 11, the day that COVID-19 was first detected in a Delaware resident, and they ran through Monday, March 15. On March 11, a special doubletruck overseen by Heather Cregar honored the number of people who had died from COVID. At that time, there were 1,492 victims. In addition to special treatment in print, our Web Editor and Social Media Coordinator Brooke Schultz created a banner on our BaytoBayNews.com home page to gather our coverage and that of our Maryland papers into one umbrella, so that readers could easily see the coronavirus coverage and then be directed to the various stories being written and released over the weekend.

 It was a team effort that we are very proud of.  While the COVID-19 anniversary wasn’t an event to be celebrated, the newsroom certainly deserves applause for its efforts in surviving a year of pandemic reporting and the work they did under those conditions. With a presidential election and a candidate from the First State, it was a news year like no other. We look forward to a time of celebrating in some semblance of pre-pandemic normalcy.

  

https://baytobaynews.com/stories/pandemic-becomes-personal,42394?

https://baytobaynews.com/stories/not-business-as-usual-industry-leaders-owners-share-pandemic-struggles,42505?

https://baytobaynews.com/stories/fear-a-year-ago-cautious-hope-today,42548?

https://baytobaynews.com/stories/behind-all-the-numbers,42568?

https://baytobaynews.com/stories/delaware-schools-learning-hard-lessons-during-pandemic,42586?

https://baytobaynews.com/stories/carney-reflects-on-a-year-of-covid-in-delaware,42595?

https://baytobaynews.com/stories/grocery-store-chaos-reflecting-on-the-rush-of-the-pandemics-early-days,42710?