Matt Miranda's News Blog

Community Responds to Weekend Violence

2010-03-01T22:08:34Z

Minneapolis community leaders are concerned about a rash of shootings over the weekend that left a teenager dead, according to the Star Tribune.
17-year-old Alisha Neeley was killed by gunfire outside a north Minneapolis party.
Four young men were wounded in three other separate incidents on Saturday and Sunday.
Renewed gang activity from members released from jail could be the cause of Neeley's death, according to K.G. Wilson, president of Hope Ministries and City Council member Don Samuels.
Minneapolis police said in a Minnesota Public Radio story that the shootings are "unacceptable," but not necessarily related to each other.

Chile Responds to Earthquake

2010-03-01T22:00:38Z

Aftershocks, damaged roads, fallen bridges and downed telephone lines have hampered rescue efforts in Chile, according to the New York Times.
The BBC reports that the Chilean military has been deployed to restore order, quell looting, and distribute aid in the most ravaged areas. 160 people were arrested in Concepcion, one of the hardest hit cities. One man was killed.
"We need food for the population. We are without supplies, and if we don't resolve that we are going to have serious security problems," said Mayor Jacqueline van Rysselberghe.
The New York Times reports the nation-wide death toll at 711, the BBC at 723.
According to both publications, the Chilean government has requested aid from the United Nations.

Obama Plans to Reduce Nuclear Arsenal

2010-03-01T21:51:14Z

President Barack Obama plans to make dramatic reductions to the U.S.'s nuclear arsenal, according to an administration official in this New York Times article.
The United States will develop no new nuclear weapons, and would eliminate "redundant" weapons by removing stored warheads from service.
The number of reductions would be "in the thousands," according to a senior administration official.
The plan will be contained in the Nuclear Posture Review, undertaken by each president to determine nuclear policy.
Mr. Obama outlined his nuclear vision last April, calling for the world to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and to abandon cold war thinking, according to the BBC.

U of M President Appeals To Legislature on State Aid

2010-03-01T21:40:38Z

The University of Minnesota's president appealed to the Minnesota legislature to soften cuts to the university's state aid Thursday, according to an article in the Pioneer Press.
President Robert Bruininks said he'd like to see Gov. Tim Pawlenty's $36 million cutsreduced to $24 million. Cuts to education are a part of Pawlenty's plan to reduce the state's budget deficit.
The university has weathered many significant cuts since 2004, and has reached the limits of its ability to make deep cuts, said Bruininks.
Bruininks said the university would explore energy conservation and administrative reorganizations to lessen the blow, but that serious job cuts and tuition hikes would be necessary.
He also stressed that the university is a valuable resource for the state's future that shouldn't be choked off.
According to the Minnesota Daily, higher education makes up 9% of Minnesota's budget.

Multimedia Analysis

2010-02-24T18:59:38Z

This Star Tribune article about a home explosion features a video of firefighting units working on the blaze, as well as an interview with an eyewitness, the fire-chief, and a Center Point spokeswoman. Text in the video is limited to bold descriptive section titles. The page also features a photo slide show, with single-sentence cutlines that describe what is happening in the photo. These complement the news story by providing visual context to the article.

WCCO follows a similar format, with a photo slideshow using one sentence descriptive cutlines as well as an embed of their TV coverage. However, WCCO's main body text is shorter than the Star Tribune's.

Home Explodes in Edina

2010-02-24T18:47:51Z

No one was hurt when a house exploded at West 50th St. and Arden Ave. Tuesday afternoon, according to WCCO.
The explosion happened when a cable company contractor severed an underground gas line nearby, a spokeswoman for Centerpoint Energy said in this Star Tribune article.
Residents were evacuated one block north and one block south until the leak is located.
Homeowner Jeannette Auguston said the house was empty when it exploded. "We are so glad we weren't home, and so grateful for everyone's support."
According to Hennepin County Records, the house was worth an estimated $538,900.

One Shot, Another Injured in Woodbury Domestic Dispute

2010-02-22T21:13:17Z

A man was shot and a woman injured during an apparent domestic dispute in Woodbury Monday morning, police told the Star Tribune.
The man was taken to Regions hospital for an abdominal gunshot wound. The woman suffered a head injury that did not result from gunfire, and was taken to Woodwinds Hospital.
According to the Pioneer Press, children were removed from the home and taken into police custody.
The Star Tribune reports that a handgun was found at the scene, and that there had been no previous police calls to the residence, located on the 2200 block of Kings Drive.

Obama Announces New Healthcare Plan

2010-02-22T21:04:35Z

President Obama has unveiled a new health care reform proposal, aimed at achieving bipartisan support to revive stalled legislation, according to the BBC.
Obama's plan largely resembles the Senate's version of the health care bill, and contains no new major concessions to Republicans, reports the New York Times. The White House said the plan would cost $950 billion over a decade.
Republicans have attacked the proposal. The house minority leader, Rep. John A. Boehner of Ohio, called it "the same massive government takeover of health care."
This is the first time the president has put forth his own proposal on health care, according to the Times article.

Afghan Civilians Killed in NATO Strike

2010-02-22T20:50:25Z

A NATO helicopter attack killed 30 Afghan civilians, along with 69 Taliban fighters, according to an Afghani government official quoted in Al Jazeera.
The New York Times places the number of civilians killed at 27.
Afghan president Hamid Karzai condemned the attack. "The repeated killing of civilians by NATO forces is unjustifiable," he said.
General Stanley McChrystal, commander of the International Security Assistance Force, apologized for the attack and promised to redouble efforts to avoid civilian casualties.
NATO officials have not revealed the nationality of forces involved, according to the New York Times.

Texas IRS Building Attacked with Plane

2010-02-19T19:52:01Z

A disgruntled computer engineer crashed a small plane onto an IRS building in Austin, Texas Thursday morning, reports the New York Times.
The BBC reports that the man, identified as Joseph Andrew Stack, left behind writings that criticized the government, big business, and particularly the IRS, saying "violence is the only answer." Web postings by Stack indicate he was having problems with the IRS, says the BBC.
Stack is believed to have died in the crash, while one other person is unaccounted for, reports the Times.
The building was engulfed in flames, but only two men were injured, according to the New York Times.
Austin police and Homeland Security Department officials have emphasized that this was an isolated incident and there is no indication of links to terrorism.

Top Taliban Commander Captured

2010-02-17T18:01:32Z

The top Afghan Taliban military commander Mullah Abdual Ghani Baradar has been captured in Pakistan, U.S. officials said in this BBC report.
Baradar reportedly manages all long-term strategic planning for the Afghan Taliban. U.S. officials believe his capture could have a large effect on the Taliban insurgency's operations.
The capture is part of a NATO offensive against the Taliban in Afghanistan's south.
The New York Times reports that analysts believe the arrest is a strategic coup for Pakistani intelligence forces, positioning Pakistan for a more involved role in dealing with the Taliban.
The Taliban have denied the arrest.

Pawlenty Hopes to Slash Budget (Again)

2010-02-15T22:37:46Z

Gov. Tim Pawlenty unveiled a budget proposal Monday that would cut aid to cities, counties, and human services to tackle a $1.2 billion state budget deficit, reports the Star Tribune.
The proposal would cut $250 million from aid to local government, $347 million from human services programs, $47 million from higher education, and $181 million from other programs, according to the governor's office.
Pawlenty's proposal also includes a 20 percent tax cut for small business and corporations, costing the state $278 million in tax revenues through 2013.
Pawlenty said these cuts would improve the business and job climate in the state. According to the Pioneer Press, DFL leaders have criticized Pawlenty for a budget they say hurts Minnesota and benefits corporations. They say his cuts will hit public safety programs despite the governor's previous pledges to protect them.

Structure Analysis

2010-02-11T22:00:07Z

In this Star Tribune news story about the State Senate voting to extend the General Assistance Medical Care program, information is organized in a standard inverted pyramid.

The lead summarizes in general the key who, what, and when information. The story becomes progressively more specific as it continues. The second paragraph lists the specific tally of votes. The third paragraph outlines some specifics of the GAMC and it's cost. The fourth and fifth paragraphs are devoted to giving both the Democrat and Republican responses to the vote.

The information has been ordered this way to provide the reader with the most important information first, becoming progressively less important. This story could have been done differently, for example using a martini-glass story structure. However, this is a hard news story and does not lend itself well to any format other than the inverted pyramid.

Blizzard Slams Northeast

2010-02-10T20:36:50Z

Blizzards have strained public services and government operations in Washington D.C. since Monday, reports the BBC.
Winds have been recorded gusting up to 60 mph by the National Weather Service.
Plowing operations have been suspended due to hazardous conditions in the nation's capital.
Government offices remain closed for the third day, and the House of Representatives has canceled all votes this week.
Nearby Baltimore is expected to receive more than 20 inches of snow. According to the New York Times, the average yearly snowfall there is 18 inches of snow a year. The city has banned all public traffic on roadways, the BBC reports.

Ex-Gopher Pleads Guilty

2010-02-09T23:27:34Z

Former Gopher basketball player Royce White has plead guilty to a single count of trespassing, reports the Pioneer Press. The former University of Minnesota freshman had been charged with three counts of trespassing in an investigation into the theft of a laptop from a dorm.
White's lawyer said White must serve 50 hours community service and pay a $100 fine, and that the offense will be expunged if he has no legal troubles for a year.
According to the Star Tribune, White was a sought-after recruit. He was unable to play this season due to suspension after an Oct. 13 incident at Mall of America. He received a stayed sentence and served no time.
White withdrew from the university last week. While Gophers coach Tubby Smith is willing to let White return next year, White has said he would only do so under "perfect circumstances," reports the Star Tribune.