April 2011 Archives

I looked at an article called "High radon levels persisted in basement where Ann Arbor police officers worked, records show" that I found on the nicar website.

There are several links throughout the article that lead the reader to websites with additional information. For example, one sentence discusses the radon that was present and it is also a URL to a site containing information about radon and how to be safe and preventative. The next couple links in the article are placed in paragraphs of two men who died because of the high radon levels. When the reader clicks on "died April 6" it brings up an article all about that man and what happened to him. Other links contain information and data that are relevant to the story.

This reporter would have to know some basic HTML in order to turn sentences into links with URLS. There is also HTML used to make some sentences bold or different colors. The reporter would also need to know how to use a blog, upload photos, and organize all of that information.

An Idaho man is believed to be dead after getting trapped in the mine he was working in when it collapsed, CNN reported.

Hecla Mining Company changed the mission into a recovery mission since they believe teh man is dead, King5 News reported.

Miner Larry "Pete" Marek was in the mine when it collapsed nine days ago.

Hecla said they are concerned with recovering Marek's body and keeping other employees safe while working.

The suspect believed to have put a pipe bomb in a Colorado mall was released from prison, CNN reports.

Surveillance photos of the suspect were released Friday, according to MSN News.

FBI announced a nationwide manhunt for Earl Albert Moore, 65.

Moore served time in a federal prison for a bank robbery.

Officials say he has a significant criminal background.

Indonesia is on high alert for Easter after a bomb was found near a church in a Jakarta suburb, CNN reported.

Djoko Suyanto, chief security minister, said the bomb was found after weeks of militant attacks, according to Reuters.

Nineteen suspects were arrested in connection with the bomb incident.

The predominantly Muslim country is increasing security around tourist destinations and places of worship.

One fourth of Minnesota households are using cellphones only and getting rid of the landline, according to estimates released Wednesday, the Pioneer Press reported.

Adults living in the Twin Cities are more likely to be completely wireless in the household, according to the The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A federal report shows Wisconsin's results as the same, the Star Tribune reported.

Twenty-five percent of adults only use cellphones in the household. The amount of cellphone-only users in Wisconsin has risen 15 percent over the past two years.

An Edina woman died in a house fire Monday morning, the Pioneer Press reported.

Cynthia L. Robb, 54, almost made it out of her house, according to the Star Tribune.

The fire may have burned for three hours. A preliminary review points to an electrical problem in the basement ceiling.

Fire Chief Marty Scheerer said the cause is under investigation.

Robb was by herself during the time of the fire.

The Stillwater Lift Bridge is reopening on Monday at 3 p.m., the Star Tribune reports.

The bridge was closed April 8 because of strong waters on the St. Croix River, according to the Pioneer Press.

The Stillwater bridge is the link between Minnesota and Wisconsin over the river.

The St. Croix River and the Mississippi River are beginning to recede.

This is an important milestone for the ending of flood season.

The Red River, however, is not beginning to recede.

Two inmates in Sioux Falls wrapped plastic shrink wrap around a 63-year-old guard's head, took his uniform and left him to die, the Pioneer Press reported.

Eric Robert and Rodney Berget, both 48, used the guard's uniform in an unsuccessful attempt to get past security, according to the Star Tribune.

The two inmates were charged with first-degree murder.

They are being held without bond.

Robert was wearing the uniform and pushing a cart with two boxes on in, where Berget was hiding inside.

When Robert failed to swipe his electronic ID card when exiting an area, officers became suspicious and called for more guards.

The two inmates are not allowed contact to each other.

A student at Ricori Middle School in Cold Spring, Minn. was questioned by police after a handgun was found in his locker Tuesday, the Star Tribune reported.

Superintendent Scott Staska told the St. Cloud Times it happened around 9 a.m., according to the Pioneer Press.

Staska did not release the student's gender or which grade he or she is in.

The student had the gun out in the hallway where other students saw and told the principal.

A shooting happened at Rocori High School in 2003. Two students died and the shooter was sentenced to life in prison.

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was hospitalized for heart problems Tuesday while being investigated for allegations of corruption and use of violence on protestors, Yahoo News reported.

According to CNN, Mubarak was admitted to the hospital after telling his doctor he did not feel well.

Mubarak's condition was stable, not critical, according to a military source.

His wife and son stayed with him in the hospital, where the questioning for the investigation continued.

Mubarak went to Sharm el-Sheikh International Hospital.

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty told CNN that he is running for president Tuesday, the Huffington Post reports.

When CNN interviewer Piers Morgan asked Pawlenty if he would run as Donald Trump's VP candidate in a hypothetical situation, Pawlenty responded with his plan to run for president, according to the Star Tribune.

Pawlenty has already formed a presidential exploratory committee, but this is the first time he has directly said he is running for president.

Pawlenty spokesman Alex Conant told the Star Tribune, "He did not make news. He said he's not running for VP. Said that lots of times."

I read an article about age discrimination in the workplace today from CBS News, titled "Baby Boomers: America's new unemployables." The article discussed that it's extremely difficult for people over the age of 50 to get hired at a new job. While they are less likely to be laid off, it's more difficult to be hired into a new position. The report uses many statistics and testimonials of people experiencing this now. It does not stereotype older workers, it only presents statistical problems that they may face.

I talked to Jim, 54, who works as a computer programmer. He said the report presents issues somewhat similar to what is going on at his workplace. There have been many lay-offs, including young and old. His company does not show age discrimination. They have been trying to equally fire younger and older employees, so not to create an ageism problem. The information in the article is accurate in some areas, such as the difficulty for someone over 50 to find a new job.

A man carjacked a taxi driver at gunpoint in Minneapolis on Thursday, which led to a high-speed police chase and ended with police killing the suspect, the Pioneer Press reported.

Jason P. Barsness carjacked the taxi cab, starting the high-speed chase at the Lowry Hill Tunnel, according to the Star Tribune.

Barsness, 28, took control of a Red and White Taxi cab around 5 a.m. in south Minneapolis.

When the taxi driver asked how Barsness was going to pay, Barsness got violent and took over the cab.

Officers Jared Sturgill and Andrew Gibbs shot Barsness, resulting in his death.

A man and a woman were shot in the break room of a Festival Foods store Friday, the Pioneer Press reported.

Abigail M. Fedeli, 20, and Michael Habte, 21, were killed by an acquaintance while they were in the break room, according to the Star Tribune.

Habte was dating Fedeli for a month or two. The shooter was Fedeli's ex-boyfriend.

When officers approached the suspect, he fatally shot himself.

Police are not investigating any other suspects.

A tornado struck Mapleton, a town in western Iowa, destroying 20 percent of the town, the Star Tribune reported.

Twelve to 15 blocks were destroyed in the southwestern area of the town, according to the Pioneer Press.

Twelve to 15 blocks were destroyed in the southwestern area of the town.

The tornado hit at 7:20 p.m. on Saturday.

It had wind speeds from 105 to 135 mph, Monona County Sheriff Jeff Pratt said.

Homes and buildings were destroyed and power lines went down.

Israel will stop attacks on Gaza if Palestinians stop attacks on southern Israel, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Sunday, CNN reported.

Palestinians fired three mortar rounds on southern Israel Sunday, according to Fox News.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said if the attacks from Palestinians continue, the response will be "very harsh."

Neither side shows interest in escalating the situation.

There were no reported injuries from the mortar rounds, however electricity was disrupted in some areas.

Disagreements between Democrats and Republicans could lead to a partial government shutdown, the Washington Post reported.

Congress and the White House must come to an agreement by midnight on Friday, otherwise the government shutdown will occur, according to CNN.

If the shutdown happens, several government services will be temporarily stopped.

The amount of spending reduction is the main dispute between Republicans and Democrats.

Abortion and women's health issues are some of the main disagreements between the two parties.

I read the article "Discovery doubles genetic clues to Alzheimer's" from CNN. The article refers to numbers from two different medical reports about Alzheimer's disease. It talks about the amount of genetic markers that researchers previously knew about, which was five, and how it now has been doubled to 10. The reporter also talks about the number of research groups doing this work and the number of patients they have information from. The number of people who currently have Alzheimer's in America is talked about, as well as a predicted number for the future.

The writer presented the numbers in a clear, easily understandable way. She crunched the numbers to convey them in the simplest form. For example, she said something doubled. She attributed all of the numbers and information she used. One source was a survey from Nature Genetics, other sources were professors from universities working on the research, and the Alzheimer's Association.