Welcome to SPJ Blogs Sign in | Join | Help

July 2008 - Posts

Thursday, July 31, 2008 6:33 AM

A Child Must Testify

"Jessica's Trial" by Eric Adler of The Kansas City Star is one of the finest courtroom dramas we've seen. The story begins two days before the trial when prosecutor Lori Fluegel takes 12-year-old Jessica into the empty courtroom to help her work up the
posted by BrianSummers | 0 Comments
Filed Under: , , ,
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 5:22 AM

The Big Collapse

I've seen two excellent and innovative Web packages commemorating the first anniversary of the terrible bridge collapse in the Twin Cities. The StarTribune.com's "13 Seconds in August" features an aerial shot of the bridge taken soon after the
posted by jonmarshall | 0 Comments
Filed Under: , , ,
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 6:25 AM

The Bishop and the Rabbi

No, this post about a bishop and a rabbi isn't an attempt to repeat one of the old jokes my grandpa used to tell. Instead, it highlights two very different profiles that I've enjoyed recently. Andrew Corsello's "Let God Love Gene Robinson" in
posted by jonmarshall | 0 Comments
Filed Under: , , ,
Monday, July 28, 2008 5:00 AM

The Searchers

David Filkins of the Albany Times Union and Lane Degregory of the St. Petersburg Times have written excellent short narratives that place readers in the middle of searches for missing persons. Here's an excerpt from Filkins' "In Fog's Cloak, a Search
posted by BrianSummers | 0 Comments
Filed Under: , , ,
Monday, July 21, 2008 6:25 AM

Summer Vacation

We're taking a break from News Gems for a week to enjoy a little vacation time. We'll be back with more stories on July 28. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions of great journalism you think we should feature, leave a comment below or send us
posted by jonmarshall | 0 Comments
Friday, July 18, 2008 6:54 AM

Treatment or Abuse?

In Boston Magazine's "The Shocking Truth," Paul Kix does a masterful job of investigating the use of electro-shock therapy at the Judge Rotenberg Center (JRC), a Massachusetts home for mentally handicapped and behaviorally impaired youth. The
posted by jonmarshall | 0 Comments
Filed Under: , , ,
Thursday, July 17, 2008 6:25 AM

The Front Lines

Reading most American magazines, you would never know we're a nation at war. The July issue of Texas Monthly doesn't let us forget, however. Matt Cook's brilliant "Soldier" gives a first-hand narrative of what it was like to start basic training
posted by jonmarshall | 0 Comments
Filed Under: , ,
Wednesday, July 16, 2008 6:22 AM

Where's the Sheriff?

Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona's Maricopa County boasts that he's the "toughest sheriff in America." Two years ago he began a highly publicized crackdown on illegal immigration, and last month he announced that deputies had booked their 1,000th suspected
posted by BrianSummers | 0 Comments
Filed Under: , , ,
Tuesday, July 15, 2008 5:24 AM

Thinking Outside the Box (or Going Ape)

Yesterday we featured a story about gorillas. Today we want to give equal time to orangutans.   At first glance, it seemed like a simple story. A baby orangutan battered by his mother in a Colorado zoo was moved to a surrogate mother in the Milwaukee
posted by BrianSummers | 1 Comments
Filed Under: , , ,
Monday, July 14, 2008 6:43 AM

Gorilla Murder Mystery

"Who Murdered the Virunga Gorillas?" by writer Mark Jenkins and photographer Brent Stirton in the July edition of National Geographic is a fascinating tale of intrigue set in the majestic mountains of central Africa. While tracking down the killers of
posted by jonmarshall | 0 Comments
Filed Under: , , , ,
Friday, July 11, 2008 4:29 AM

The Nurse Shortage

Roy Wenzl of The Wichita Eagle has written a nice two-part report on how the nationwide shortage of nurses is affecting a local health-care provider, the Via Christi Wichita Health Network. The first part, "Health Care's Looming Crisis: A Need for Nurses,"
posted by BrianSummers | 1 Comments
Filed Under: , ,
Thursday, July 10, 2008 6:41 AM

America's Toughest Mayor

The July edition of Esquire features an excellent story about the man who may have the toughest political job in America -- improving life in Newark, New Jersey. Scott Raab's "The Battle of Newark, Starring Cory Booker" profiles the city's young
posted by jonmarshall | 0 Comments
Filed Under: , ,
Wednesday, July 09, 2008 1:06 AM

Invasive Species

Two newspapers have produced noteworthy reports on non-native plants and animals that harm local environments. The Statesman Journal's ten-month series, "Invasive Species of Oregon," written by Beth Casper and Henry Miller, covers a wide range of species.
posted by BrianSummers | 0 Comments
Filed Under: , ,
Tuesday, July 08, 2008 6:35 AM

Weaving Themes

When AP's Helen O'Neill wrote "Money Ruling a Remarkable Woman's Legacy," she could have focused on any one of several themes: disabilities, discrimination, public policy, triumph and tragedy. But by choosing to tell a love story, she was able to weave
posted by BrianSummers | 1 Comments
Filed Under: , ,
Monday, July 07, 2008 6:46 AM

The Good Shepherd

For five weeks in Iraq, Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Moni Basu and photographer Curtis Compton shadowed Chaplain Darren Turner as he counseled battle-fatigued soldiers. Their 8-part narrative, "Chaplain Turner's War," is a finely crafted package
posted by BrianSummers | 0 Comments
Filed Under: , , ,
Friday, July 04, 2008 6:47 AM

Fourth of July

Brian and I are taking the day off from News Gems to celebrate our country's birthday. If you have a hankering to see some good journalism while we're gone, check out our archives on the left rail. We hope you all have a great holiday. See you back
posted by jonmarshall | 0 Comments
Thursday, July 03, 2008 6:04 AM

Olympic Dreams

NPR is running some inspiring stories about athletes who hope to compete in this summer's Olympics. "Olympic Profiles: Bound for Beijing" stories describing the Iraqi sprinter who dodges sniper fire as she trains, a shot-putter
posted by jonmarshall | 0 Comments
Filed Under: , ,
Wednesday, July 02, 2008 3:32 AM

Mid-East Media War

Craig Whitlock of The Washington Post has written a revealing two-part series on the Mid-East media campaigns of the U.S. government and al-Qaeda. It's fascinating to compare the campaigns' structures and their results. The centerpiece of Washington's
posted by BrianSummers | 1 Comments
Filed Under: , , ,
Tuesday, July 01, 2008 6:04 AM

Scenes From a Recovery

Bill Reiter, sports reporter at The Kansas City Star, visited storm-ravaged Iowa to report on the recovery efforts. The result, "Iowans Are Reclaiming Their Lives and Their Sports," uses scenes from Des Moines, Parkersburg, West Des Moines, Ames, Waterloo
posted by BrianSummers | 0 Comments
Filed Under: , ,