As a high school sports reporter, stirring controversy wasn't in the job description for the Star Tribune's David La Vaque. However, the decision he was faced with while covering the 08-09 prep hockey season had the potential to raise a few brows.

Although the mediums of journalism and news may be constantly changing and evolving over time, many people would like to think that the ethics that go with good journalism remain static. They believe that if the code of journalistic ethics continues to be followed, good journalism can continue to be produced. These values are being questioned as the popularity of the Internet news continues to grow. A study that was done by PBS's show "Frontline," shows that on a typical day, 23% of Americans get their news from the Internet. This study shows that while all other forms of media are losing viewers, the viewing trend of Internet news is on an upward climb.

The Washington News council is on the front-line of media ethics. Some see the organization as a revolutionary alternative to the court system; others see it as a biased obstacle to the media. It has yet to be determined if the WNC will be around in the coming years, but it cannot be denied that the council has shaped the media landscape in the region.

The photographs are graphic--of a child with a cleft lip and palate, of twin boys with cataracts that stopped them from seeing, of a man whose tumor weighed over 6 ½ pounds deforming his face.

Two years ago, Tom Hawley, editor of the Baldwin Bulletin, faced a decision. He had received an angry letter to the editor about a story that he had written, and had to decide whether or not to run it in the paper.

The Society of Professional Journalists' (SPJ) Code of Ethics states that journalists should "act independently" and "avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived." But where is the line drawn? How much of a reporter's personal life can editors and publishers control by this seemingly simple ethical suggestion? In some situations, these "conflicts of interest" are blatant and the answer is clear, no questions asked. But in most cases, there is no easy solution, no concrete line that can be set. Take Chuck Laszewski and Rick Linsk for example. One misinterpretation of a "conflict of interest" left them suspended without pay from their jobs at St. Paul's Pioneer Press.

In January 2007, the city administrator spot in Rogers, Minn. became open after Gary Eitel was let go after 22 years. Behind the decision to let him go was the mayor of Rogers at the time, Paul Przybilla, along with two other men from the city council.

Eddie Myers doesn't regret the choice his family made.

There's always an instance that changes the way a community looks at itself

University of Minnesota Duluth star running back Isaac Odim had just rushed for four touchdowns in leading the Bulldogs to a semifinal win and first-ever berth into the Division II national championship, when Duluth News Tribune Staff Writer Jana Hollingsworth was sent up to campus to cover the historic season.

The night of April 9th, 1990 was the last time a Duluth police officer was killed in the line of duty. Dennis Anderson, anchor at WDIO-TV, was a few minutes into the ten o'clock newscast when a panicked producer ran into the studio and told Anderson "two police officers were just involved in a shooting."

A 19-year-old girl ran for her life to the neighbor's house after an argument with her boyfriend that sent him chasing after her with a handgun.