Finally a happy story

Redding cancer survivor will join others in Relay for Life

And bad news from yesterday's paper:

Governor's proposal would eliminate health care for thousands of north state children

Challenges

I had to tell a caller today that it is not my job to write a story on what the definition of marriage should be, but that it is my job to present both sides objectively. I hope I did.

Gay marriage issue isn't settled, both sides claim

I also got to meet Meg Whitman yesterday, which was neat. I remember John McCain tossing her name around during the presidential election.

Candidate for governor visits Redding

Interesting story

Tehama County man summoned to serve on Shasta County jury

More bad news, written by me

We got a press release from the sheriff's office at 4:56 p.m. on the Friday before Memorial Day weekend and I scrambled to find people to talk to. Luckily the seventh person I called answered the phone. :-)

Shasta County sheriff lays off 25 employees

Two articles from today

Following election, sheriff plans more layoffs

Open campsites may be scarce this holiday weekend

Special election coverage

Voters reject five out of six measures

Dog shooting

Neighbors upset after dog shot near bus stop

I did a lot of research for this story and talked to many neighbors, police and the man who owned the goat that was killed. I also made efforts to locate the gunman. I wish there had been more room for me to keep the many details that were cut during final edits.

Two more front-pagers

But what I'm really excited about is an article coming out this weekend!

Lone Stranger, Sidekick revealed

Cuts will reduce oversight of nursing homes, assisted living facilities

I wish that as journalists we could educate the public about the news process. So many people don't realize that news articles are, as Brad Howard put it, the words that fill the space around ads. Reporters don't get very much say in how long an article will run, unless it's a special project and editors are given advanced notice. Our articles have to fit within the space leftover once the ads are placed. Along with that -- news articles are not advertisements and should not be treated or intended as such in my opinion.

Also, with the staff cuts at newsrooms across the nation, the manpower simply isn't there to cover every event, meeting, band performance etc. I got yelled at today over the phone by a woman because I wrote the story about the Lone Stranger being identified and not about the kiddie parade, which her daughter's band was in.

I'm getting used to writing two to three stories a day and am feeling much more confident about my work performance.

Two front page articles today!

Shasta County sheriff may have to cut a fifth of staff

Spring rains may boost north state water allocations

Yesterday I wrote this article and took video for one of the Rodeo Week events. It was really fun: Lone Stranger and Sidekick strike again

Property tax woes

No help available for north state homeowners struggling to pay property taxes

My story on Medi-Cal cuts is the second most e-mailed and second most commented story on www.redding.com, the Record Searchlight site.

Top article in today's issue

Poor prognosis

I have another article coming out tomorrow.

First county meeting, first feature

County supervisors cut vacation buy-backs

Redding ALS patient hopes new machine will help

Two articles on two of California's special election initiatives

Prop 1D would tap First 5 Funds

Prop 1E would reallocate mental health money