Sept. 3

The CAL
A pretty bland section today.
Nelsy Rodriguez had the vote on the initiatives in Murrieta. The PE didn’t even staff it. The PE forgot to do a few things, including the Temecula bicyclist killed.
The Cal had it. While it’s not shaking news both stories needed to run.
Okay I ran across the PE’s story on the bicyclist but its on the Web site not in the paper. Big Snafu there. Doesn’t that seem to happen more and more these days? As a writer who uses the Internet a lot I think most papers are using Web sites the wrong way but I’m not here to pontificate – nope, my job is to be a journalism teacher.

The sole story I found interesting was Rani Gupta’s on how much Temecula school district pays for sports.
It’s ridiculous how much parents are required to pay. After all, these teams usually do bring in a profit. The entire school funding system is broken. I say blow it up and let monkeys redo it. They can’t do any worse than our politicians.
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/09/02/news/californian/temecula/zca512e6d366fd0f2882574b90013bc18.txt

Oh yeah. How many times is the Cal going to write about Tap Dancing Dads? Over and under at 10. Place your bets.

On a better note, I forgot to give Aaron Claverie much kudos for his panhandle story. Here Mr. Aaron Burgin here is your butt. Claverie just handed it to you.
I griped about how Burgin’s story lacked any actual person who would be affected. I think Mr. Claverie reads my site because he went out and did actual journalism. You are to be commended sir.
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/08/29/news/californian/lake_elsinore/z1836853c4bc25dc8882574ac006bc1e2.txt

The PE

Not much difference from the PE. The local section has a nice picture from a non-staff photographer. The story is short and funny – bobcats are in town. And who else wrote this little brite that put a smile on my face: Sarah Burge.
People reading this must think I favor Burge. You can’t favor brilliance.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_sbobcat03.3df7b63.html

Sonja Bjelland and Gene Ghiotto continued on with a story about Nazario asking for his job back with the Riverside Police Department. The lede should be way better than it is. It reads like a copy editor got his/her hands on it.
A former Riverside police officer acquitted of war crimes can apply to be an officer again, officials say.
But the city is in a hiring freeze, so it is unclear when he could actually start, said Chris Lanzillo, president of the Riverside Police Officers Association.
Why not lede with this guy’s walk to the police department? Isn’t that more exciting? More thrilling? Instead we get the words “Officials say” in the lede.
Newspapers are losing readers because good writing is disappearing. Reporters need to fight for better ledes and editors need to let them run.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/rivcounty/stories/PE_News_Local_N_nazario03.49fcf85.html

The rest of the PE is relatively boring on the Local section. Jeff Horseman wrote about an upcoming fundraiser and a Pechanga Council guy dying in Denver. John Asbury continues his good work covering the Chris Kanton case.

The UT
The UT wrote a story where a state investigator slammed SDG&E for failing to take care of their powerlines leading to the Fallbrook Fire. Will the PUC act on this? Beats me but don’t the utility companies look slimy.
Intably recommended the utilities commission make special note of SDG&E's lack of cooperation and issue a separate order clarifying that utilities must “provide immediate access to witnesses, sites or any other evidence requested” by regulators.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20080903-9999-1n3puc.html