Cassie's News Blog!

Pioneer Press reported that winter has finally arrived with the first snow fall. The creatively led the story by saying "Winter: It's back. But you know that by now, don't you?" I thought it was so cute and fun, which is out of the ordinary in hard news. They reported that the metro got up to 7 inches of snow. The most in Forest Lake where they got 7.5in. They also reported that on Saturday, the Minnesota State Patrol responded to 290 accidents, 98 of those in the metro, and 21 had injuries. The good news though is that none were seriously injured.
The Star Tribune followed suit with the Pioneer Press by titling their story, "White on Time." Their story was focuased differently than the Pioneer Press's though. They did not have exact numbers of traffic accidents, they merely said a 'slew of traffic accidents." They did, however, focus on opinions people had of the snow, and the fact that it is the snow that makes winter and the holiday season here in Minnesota. They also reported at there was power outages at 1,700 homes. Xcel quickly fixed the problem.

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The Star Tribune reported that a second man has been charged with the death of a bicyclist who was beaten to death back in September. The man is an inmate at the Hennepin County Jail and is 21 years old. I wrote a blog on this story back in September when it happened. I was really upset by the case and the negligence of the people who commited the murder.
The Pioneer Press also reported on the story and said that a man was charged last month with the crime as well. The suspect then turned around and claimed the man was in the area to buy marijuana. The victim's family denies the claim.

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The Eden Prairie Eagle's football team beat Cretin-Derham Hall in the State Championship game on Friday, 50 to 21, according to Star Tribune. The Eagles have always been a dominating force in high school football and they have now won two consecutive state championship. They have never lost in the prep bowl either, they are 6 for 6.
Before this game, the Eagles had not given up any first quarter points, not in their 13 games. Cretin-Derham Hall scored on the opening kick off, being the first.
The Pioneer Press reported that Eden Prairie, number one ranked, and Cretin-Derham Hall, number two ranked, played in the Minnesota Class AAAAA football championship game. Cretin-Derham Hall scored two touchdowns in the first quarter. The Eden Prairie coach, Mike Grant, had his senior son, Ryan Grant, playing for the Eagles. Ryan Grant is expecting to go to play for the University of Minnesota next year.

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On Monday morning the Star Tribune released the name of the two girls who were struck by a car very early Sunday morning. The girl who died, Rissa Amen-Reif, is from my hometown, Eden Prairie, and she graduated with my sister and my boyfriend. We found out what had happened on Suday, and they both new of her in High School. The other girl, Corinne L. Overstake, was injured in the accident.
The Pioneer Press reported that Reif had tripped and fell into the road as they were trying to cross the street. Overstake was trying to help her up when they were struck by the car.
Both girls went Minnesota State University, Mankato. They were supposedly coming home from a sorority party and got lost.

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A 13-year-old boy who got hit by a car while riding his bike is finally out of the hospital after 2 months, according to the Pioneer Press. He was sent home on Wednesday. The boy, Joshua Mallari, who is an 8th-grader at Lakeville, was hit on Sept. 9 of this year. He was not thought to going to make it, according to the first responders. However, after three surgeries and being heavily sedated and unconscious for the 10 days after the accident, he made it. He will be returning to school on Monday. However he will be assisted by a special needs aid. The accident caused a traumatic brain injury that has damaged his vision and lessened the control of his left side.

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The Minneapolis radio station, Cities 97, began selling their 19th Cities 97 Sampler CD on Thursday at 8 a.m, according to the Star Tribune. All the proceeds from the CD will go to local charities. Last year the Cities 97 sampler raised $6,000. This year, 30,000 copies of the CD are being sold in stores.
The CD is expected to sell out very quickly, and many eager buyers waited outside Target stores early this morning just to get their hands on some.
Personally I think selling these CDs and giving all proceeds to charity is a very effective way to raise money. Everyone wants the CD and so why not make the demand for the CD beneficial to charities. Most people who want the CD may only be doing it for the CD, not the charities. So it is a great way for people who would not usually donate to give a little unexpectedly. The radio station should be proud that they have found a great way to raise money for charity.
The CD has 19 tracks of popular musicians perfoming their music in the Cities 97 studios. This CD has more female artists on than ever, according to another Star Tribune article. There are 8 tracks with female vocalists, included in that is a duet. That is the most ever, as well as the most tracks on the CD ever, 19.

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The Star Tribune has reported that Vikings running back, Adrian Peterson, set the new record of all-time rushing yards in a single game. He rushed for 296 yards, and 3 touchdowns. The news were refering to the secrest to winning as, handing the ball to Peterson. After the first time of watching Peterson, I told the guy sitting next to me that he would break the all-time rushing record, and he did. Many team records for offensive yards were also set.
The Pioneer Press said the Vikings ended up beating the Chargers with a score of 35-17.

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The Star Tribune reported that a hunter was shot in Elbow Lake Saturday morning, which is the opening day for fire-arms deer hunting. The man was 60 years old and he was shot in the chest a little after 9:30 a.m. The man was waiting for deer, as other hunters were trying to run those deer towards him. Where the bullets came from has yet to be determined and police are investigating.
The Pioneer Press reported the shot to be accidental and that the man was taken to Lake Region Hospital, where he later died. This story was very personal to me because my boyfriend is gone hunting this entire week, including that morning. I understand what the hunters were trying to do, when they wanted to run the deer towards the hunter who got shot, and my boyfriend and the guys he hunts with commonly do that.

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The Star Tribune reported that a 12-year-old boy is in custody for the shooting death of a 36-year-old-man. He will make his first court appearance on Wednesday. The death happened on Monday in Raymond, Minn. A young child called the police saying that a child's father was shot. The man later died at the hospital. The boy will not be charged as an adult.
The Pionner Press reported that Keith Ambron was the man who died. Investigators believe that they found the handgun that the boy had used to shot Ambron in the arm. The boy is in custody on suspicion of 2nd degree murder.

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Pioneer Press reported there was a bomb threat on the University of Minnesota campus late Tuesday afternoon. They said that many university buildings were being evacuated. The evening classes were said to be cancelled. The buildings were Blegen, the social sciences Tower and Anderson Hall.
I was really interested in this news brief because I go to the U, of course. I quickly checked my e-mail and found a message form the University President notifying us students and faculty of the situation.
I checked back to my e-mail later and I noticed I received an "all-clear" e-mail. Nothing was found, and classes are expected to resume Wednesday morning. Which was pretty upsetting because I have a mid-term in Blegen Hall tomorrow morning.
I did not find a follow up notification on the Pioneer Press's website, but I did on the Star Tribune. They took three small paragraphs to sum up the events of the bomb threat. Most importantly, they let the public know that nothing was found.

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The Pioneer Press had reported on October 1, that a University of Minnesota Graduate student had been attacked by an unknown man in a University Library, Wilson Library. The first reports were vague, and stated that the women had yelled for help when being held against her will in a remote library staircase. The Pioneer Press said other people came to her aid and the attacker was chased out of the building. They gave an accurate description of the man, and that was most likely what helped catch him.
Two weeks later, the Star Tribune reported that the man had been found and was charged with false imprisonment and failure to register as a predatory offender. The documents showed the man, Matthew G. Pengre, 35, is a level 2 non compliant predatory offender. Last year, he was also charged for the attack of another female university student at the University Village Apartments.

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When a soldier comes back from war after being away from his or her family and friends for so long, it is always an emotional homecoming. For one White Bear Lake middle school girl, it was her father's homecoming that she will never forget. The Star Tribune reported that Specialist Michael Mirza returned back home Monday from serving a year in Iraq. His daughter did not know of his return until she saw him in the middle of her volleyball game on the very court she was playing on. The game was put on pause so the daughter, Jordan Mirza, could welcome her father back home with a long embrace.
The Grand Forks Herald also reported on the event, and they seemed to use nearly the same report from the Associated Press as the Star Tribune. The only difference was that the Grand Forks Herald mentioned that Jordan had a hard time having her father gone in Iraq.

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More patios are begin built at Minnesota businesses in order to cater to smokers. The Pioneer Press reported that the many patios that are going to possibly be built may be accompanied by new patio regulations. That would include certain rails or barriers, and restricted hours of use if the business is in proximity of homes.
The Star Tribune reported that the smoking ban could cause local restaurants to have less business. Building patios for the smoking customers could be a step towards keeping smoking customers around. Businesses are worried about how far this smoking ban will possibly go, and so am I. I am not oppose to the smoking ban, but I hope that they do not try to go so far as to try to regulate smoking on all outdoor patios and areas.

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A Plymouth man won a federal duck stamp contest, which was artwork of two pintail ducks in a marsh, according to the Star Tribune. The winner, Joe Hautman, is a wildlife artist and will have his duck artwork on stamps next year.
He has won the contest twice before, in 1992 and 2002, and his brothers also have won some of this same duck stamp contests.
According to the Pioneer Press the stamp will go on sale next June. Winning the contest does not offer any type of prize, the artist gets paid by the sale of the stamp itself.

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Star Tribune had just updated their story on the Wisconsin-shooting rampage one minute earlier when I got to read the story. It happened in a small northern town called Crandon, with a population of about 2,000. Six people died in the shooting, however the story contradicted itself by saying he killed six people and then saying he killed five people and cops shot and killed him. I was confused by I looked to a national journalism source for reinforcement of one of the two.
CNN reported that the shooter, named Tyler Peterson, killed six people at a local house. They said the incident happened early Sunday, however, they did not have as in-depth information as the more local news source.
The Star Tribune reported that three of the killed were Crandon High School students and the other three had graduated within the last three years. The shooter was a male 20 year old who worked at the sheriff’s office and was a part time officer.
The national news source only focused on the hard news, what happened, how many died, where, when, ect. The more local news source focused on more personal facts and incite. They mentioned a 14-year-old-girl who was among the dead, and they uncovered the possibility that the shooter may have been a jealous boyfriend.

The sources for the Star Tribune
Sheriff Keith Van Cleve- Human Authoritative source
Police Chief John Dennee- Human Authoritative source
Gary Bradley, mayor of the city- Human Authoritative Source
Schools superintendent Richard Peters - Human Authoritative Source
Jenny Stahl, mother of deceased – Human Real People Source
Marci Franz, neighbor- Human Real People Source

The sources for CNN
Crandon Police Chief- Human Authoritative source
Forest County Sheriff Keith Van Cleve- Human Authoritative source
-However, in a quote he had about the possible age of the shooter he was more of a real
people human source.
Police Chief John Dennee- Human Authoritative Source
Kevin St. John, a spokesman for the state Department of Justice- Human Authoritative Source
Bud Evans, a local priest- Human real people source

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A 14-year-old girl was arrested and pled guilty to suppling other middle school children with crystal methamphetamine. The Star Tribune reported that seven students actually ingested the drug during school. When one girl felt sick and scared she went to the nurse and confessed. The school decided to send all the children to the St. Paul Children’s Hospital. Once released from the hospital, police arrested the young girl. The article from the Star Tribune used a lot of sources within their story, below is all the sources they attributed.

Ramsey County Attorney’s office is an authoritative human source.
Ramsey County Spokeswoman is an authoritative human source.
School officials is an authoritative human source.
Police spokesman Tom Walsh is an authoritative human source.
Hazel Park Principal Coleman McDonough is an authoritative human source.

The Pioneer Press also reported on the arrest and they attributed similar sources, but not as many. That showed in their reporting because they did not have as much information as the Star Tribune.

St. Paul Police is an authoritative source.
Hazel Park Principal Coleman McDonough is an authoritative human source.

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Kare11 reported that there was E. Coli found in the water supply in Park Rapids, Minn. This means that the residents must boil their water before using it for food or to drink in order to kill the bacteria. If they do not they could become sick, with symptoms of diarrhea, cramps, nausea and headaches.
The Pioneer press said that the E. Coli was found on Friday and the boil order was announced on Saturday. The city is trying to treat the water by flushing it with chlorine. They have yet to determine the cause, but they are looking at a recent highway construction project as a potential cause.
This issue is important to me because my family has a cabin in the area. According to the Pioneer Press about 3,000 people live in Park Rapids, and it is just about 30 miles south of Bemidji.

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Brett Favre became the NFL’s all-time leader in career touchdown passes with 422 on Sunday according to the Star Tribune. The Star Tribune has much more after opinions of the game and a lot of observation. Favre and the Green Bay Packers beat the Minnesota Vikings, 23 to 16. Farve’s history making touchdown pass came in the first quarter, to Greg Jennings. He also added another touchdown pass to his lead in the forth when he passes to James Jones. The Packers are still undefeated this season with a record of 4-0.
Kare11 reported that Favre beat hall of famer, Dan Marino’s, all-time record of 420 touchdown passes. Kare11 gives a detail description of Favre’s reation after his 421st touchdown pass. There was also a video message from the now 2nd all-time career touchdown pass leader, Marino, to Favre. To sum it up he said that he enjoyed his 13 years as the leader, and he was glad that Favre was the one to take it over.

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Liberians under the United States’ Temporary Protective Status are rejoicing yet again. President Bush has granted them an 18-month extension to stay in the country, however this was not their first extension. According to an article from the Star Tribune, 3,500 Liberians have been under this Temporary Protective Status since 1991, and they have gotten extensions almost every year since. 1,000 Liberians are living in Minnesota and many have raised their children here.
The Star Tribune offered a slide show of the Liberian’s celebration at local churches, which showed how much the extension meant to the Liberians. The Washington Post reported that the Liberians were allowed to live here to avoid a civil war in their country. The war ended in 2003.

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United States Republican, Jim Ramstad, is planning on retiring from Congress. The Star Tribune reported the announcement is scheduled for 3 p.m. Monday. He has represented the southern, western and northern suburbs for 9 consecutive terms. The plan to retire is not thought to be because of health problems.
WCCO said that the loss of this representative would be missed not only locally but nationally as well. The press conference will be in Minnetonka, and Ramstad will undoubtedly announce he will not run for congress again. Ramstad has been a representative for Minnesota since 1990.

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A 41-year-old Minneapolis man was beaten on a late night bicycle ride Wednesday, and left to die early Thursday morning. The Star Tribune reported the man, Mark Loesch, was found on a lawn on the 3700 block of Elliot Avenue S. still breathing Thursday morning. Although he was dead by the time paramedics got to him. He was only 1.5 miles from his home. He had been married 16 years and has four children.
The Pioneer Press said the death was ruled a homicide, after the medical examiner stated the reason of death was multiple blunt force head impacts. The difference between the two articles is that the Star Tribune was more in-depth, and touched on who the cyclists actually was. I think it is important to recognize victims in reports, because it puts the focus on the victim, and gives a face to the terrible act.
Star Tribune:
http://www.startribune.com/crime/story/1425232.html
Pioneer Press:
http://www.twincities.com//ci_6904928

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Saturday night there was a shooting incident inside the target Center. The Star Tribune said that two men were involved in an altercation, and the shots were fired with people nearby. No one was injured in this incident that was the first in 20 years at the Target Center.
In a more in-depth report, the Pioneer press said that thousands of people, who were watching the “World Fighting Championships Downtown Throwdown�, were present during the shooting. It happened in the stands, and the victim was a 27 year-old Minneapolis man. The police also have the name of the suspect who fired the gun.

LEAD ANALYSIS:
Two men fought late Saturday inside Target Center and then one shot at the other as spectators sat nearby, police said.
This is a direct lead, that covers the when, where, who, what, and the source. The when is late Saturday. The where is the Target Center. The who is not as descriptive, it is just two men. The what is the shooting. The source is clearly stated at the end of the lead, which the source is the police.

http://www.startribune.com/467/story/1425999.html
http://www.twincities.com/allheadlines/ci_6912418?nclick_check=1

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September 9, 2007
The Star Tribune http://www.startribune.com/106/story/1385839.html reports that the Eden Prairie school district is planning on hiring 9 more teachers and keep 10 that were planning to be cut, making class sizes smaller. This will reduce the class sizes for all grades, Kindergarten through 12th grade.
This reduction will cost the school district, and tax payers, nearly $1.2 million, but educators believe it is worth it.
The district enrolls close to 10,000 students every year, and the district has a budget of about $100 million a year.

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Friday, September 07, 2007
Since the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) went on strike Wednesday, September 5, it has been relatively tame and respectful. However, at this morning’s University of Minnesota Board of Regents meeting, protesters got out-of-hand.
Of the 100 protesters who came to help the striking University workers, several ended up in handcuffs. The University police arrested a portion of the protesters for linking arms and barricading the exit from the board members. It went to far as for the University police to have to threaten the protesters with pepper spray in order for them to cooperate.
Some students did participate in the demonstration, and many students support the University workers in there effort for higher wages to match the cost of living. The University had given the workers a 2.25 and 2.5 percent per year increase; the workers want a 4.5 percent increase to better equal inflation. Jeff Shelman offers much more in-depth coverage of this morning’s dilemma in his article for Star Tribune.
The strike has not affected the University badly after only three days; Pioneer press reported that there have not been many disruptions thus far. However, the University expects to soon be feeling the delays and problems of missing almost 6 percent of their employees.
From my experience, one of my Teaching Assistants is on strike, and one of my classes is going to be held outside of University buildings. Not to mention you cannot go outside on campus without being reminded of the strike. Protesters are everywhere. Just this morning, things got a little rowdy on Washington Street near Cofffman Union. Protesters were near the street with signs and motorists were getting out of their cars at the stop lights to shout words of encouragement to the strikers. Many students and faculty have shown their support for the strikers, and hope that a deal can be worked out quickly and productively.
Star Tribune Article:
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1407813.html
Pioneer Press Article:
http://www.twincities.com/ci_6812058?IADID=Search-www.twincities.com-www.twincities.com&nclick_check=1

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