Do you speak Arabic?
What did you do to assimilate to the cultures you were immersed in?
How have your experiences influenced how you see America?
What experience do you think has affected you the most?
How do you get people from other countries to really trust you?
Ken Armstrong knows people most people don’t.
The Pulitzer-Prize winning Seattle Times reporter has covered injustices in the justice system, illegal activity in an NCAA football team and a prescription drug scandal that led to dozens of deaths among Washington state’s poorest patients.
But in a meeting with students from The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University, Armstrong said it’s the people he has the opportunity to meet that make him love his job.
“When you’re a journalist, it forces you out of your comfort zone,” Armstrong said. “I found that through being a reporter, I have had to knock on doors and met people who I otherwise never would have met.”
While reporting on problems with the death penalty in Chicago, Armstrong met Renaldo Hudson, a man who had stabbed someone 60 times then watched him die. He had been written off by society, Armstrong said. He was one of those people who would never recover and could never enter the community.
But in interviewing him, Armstrong learned about his past. Hudson had been abused as a child and watched several members of his family die. He had no hope for a normal life, Armstrong said. But he had recovered, and prison wardens considered him one of the most trustworthy people in the prison.
“(The corrections officers) went to bat for him when he asked for clemency, because they thought he was a story of redemption.” Armstrong said. “He was somebody who they believed optimized the power of a second chance.”
Armstrong also recommended that inspiring journalists work at their college newspaper. He showed a caricature of himself that had been drawn by someone he’s worked with on the college paper when he studied at Purdue.
It had been drawn by Bob Peterson, one of Pixar’s most accomplished animators and the winner of two Academy Awards. He also met people who would go on to be executives of large companies, teachers and award-winning journalists.
“It’s a mistake not to work for your college newspaper,” he said. “You can meet some incredible people at your college paper. They’re incredible now, and they’re going to do incredible things for years to come.”
Iberdrola Renewables, a Spanish company whose North American offices are based
out of Portland, Ore., has laid off 50 people throughout the country in
anticipation of the Production Tax Credit expiring.
The PTC, a 20-year-old incentive program for wind power, has made companies
like Iberdrola viable in the United States. The Bighorn 1, Bighorn 2
and Juniper Canyon wind farms located north of Goldendale, Wash. produce
enough energy to power 120,000 homes, said Jan Johnson, Iberdrola
spokeswoman. Those projects can only exist because of the credit, which
gives wind companies 2.2 cents per kilowatt-hour for the production of
electricity from turbines, but it is set to expire at the end of this
year.
The credit, which has been renewed several times with bipartisan support,
is now the center of political controversy. Presidential candidate Mitt
Romney has said he would cut the credit, as well as several Republican
senators and representatives (this list exists somewhere. I just need to find it and call a couple of them.)
Johnson said with a Congress that “isn’t really doing anything,” companies must prepare for a lack of support.
Larger companies like First Wind, a Boston-based wind power company, should be
able to function if the program gets cut, said Ben Fairbanks, First
Wind’s business development director in the Northwest. However, the
business that are really suffering are those that manufacture the
turbine parts, as well as start-up companies that could not otherwise
start without the credits.
The projects have also provided significant tax revenues to Klickitat
County, allowing for the construction of a new school and the purchase
of new ambulances.
“We built a school,” Johnson said.
Several stories have already explored the impact on the wind industry if the
tax credits expire. I hope to explore the potential impact to rural
communities if wind jobs were to slow down.
Already interviewed Ben Fairbanks and Jan Johnson, need to talk to people in
rural communities, try to get in touch with a member of Congress and
talk to someone whose job is at risk.
More people in Pullman are coming “close to death” due to alcohol consumption than ever before, said Alison Weigley, spokeswoman for Pullman Regional Hospital.
“This is a real concern for the providers here at Pullman Regional Hospital. When it comes to emergency care,” Weigley said. “We are the best of the best, and we’re ready for anything and everything, but this trend is devastating.”
Four people have required life support this semester, an “alarmingly high amount,” Weigley said.
Pullman Regional treats about 93 people every year for alcohol related injuries and overdoses, but about 374 reach out to the hospital for treatment. Many of those cases are college students.
Members of the Pullman and Moscow Police Departments are taking steps to work with university students to prevent accidents — but members of the community and police officials aren’t sure if those steps are working.
‘Being stupid’
It’s been a little more than a year since WSU student Chad Heffelfinger was found lying in a pool of his own blood.
On Sept. 10, 2011, Heffelfinger left a party, highly intoxicated. He climbed over a 23-foot-retaining wall and fell to the asphalt below.
“I always hoped it would somehow all come back to me or I would have a dream about that night, but I still do not remember anything about the night or the trip to the hospital,” Heffelfinger said.
But at WSU, two students have already fallen and been treated at the hospital for severe injuries.
“It seems like every year we have a couple of fairly serious (injuries),” Pullman Police Chief Gary Jenkins said.
On Sept. 14, Pullman police responded to a fall at the Phi Kappa Tau house. A man was lying in his stomach outside a basement window, according to the police report. Axel Ellsworth, 19, climbed out of bed and perched in the window, but fell backwards. He was bleeding from his mouth, nose and feet.
He didn’t remember how much alcohol he’d had, according to the report.
He was taken to Pullman Regional and later air-lifted to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane.
Two weeks later, 21-year-old Johnathan Meyer fell trying to climb from one balcony to another, according to police reports. He lost his grip and fell to the ground below.
A witness to the fall said Meyer was “being stupid.”
Heffelfinger said he was shocked at the falls. There is no reason why the problem should continue a year after his fall, he said.
“My accident affected way more people than even imagined it would,” he said. “I do not want any of my friends and family to go through what they did again. I assume everyone else would feel the same way in regards to their loved ones.”
‘Should be an asset… not distraction’
Two fraternities in the Pullman-Moscow area have been disciplined this semester for alcohol related incidents.
The University of Idaho’s chapter Alpha Tau Omega is being investigated after member Kurt Wrobel, 21, fell from a window Aug. 18. Wrobel was trying to climb from one window to another to enter a locked room, said Moscow Police Chief David Duke.
Wrobel was transported to Spokane for treatment.
Latah County police issued 20 minor-in-possession of alcohol citations at a non-sanctioned fraternity event. Twenty-two members of the fraternity were expelled. The national chapter of the fraternity is conducting an investigation, according to a press release from the chapter.
“Our goal is that ATO at Idaho be a positive resource for the remaining members and potential members who are looking for a quality fraternity experience,” said Wynn Smiley, president for the national chapter. “Our chapter should be an asset for the university, not a distraction.”
Smiley and members of ATO did not return phone calls or emails regarding the incident.
WSU’s chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha lost university recognition until 2017 for violating the WSU Student Conduct Code. Members of the fraternity consumed beer from kegs at the house, according to a letter from university officials to the fraternity.
Members of the fraternity did not respond to the situation.
‘It’s the culture’
Police in Pullman and Moscow are reaching out to students in the hopes of changing alcohol consumption, but report that there isn’t much changing.
“It’s the culture,” Duke said.
In the last three years, two people have died from overdoses in Moscow. One of those people drank a fifth of whiskey within ten minutes.
“We can hope that we get the message out there, but as of now the statistics are saying we’re not,” Duke said.
Jenkins said police approach alcohol training with the knowledge that people are still going to drink. However, he said students must take care of each other and know their own limits when drinking.
For Heffelfinger, it took near-death to realize that. The WSU senior said he has calmed his drinking down a lot and makes sure he’s either taking care of himself or has someone to take care of him.
“Nothing I say or really, nothing anybody says, will keep students from drinking or partying,” Heffelfinger said. “All I can say is, know your limits, make sure you are around good company, and do not be stupid.
Contacts
Chad Heffelfinger
(360) 521-2590
Chief David Duke, Moscow PD
(208) 883-7054
Chief Gary Jenkins, Pullman PD
(509) 334-0802
Alison Weigley, Pullman Regional spokeswoman
(509) 336-7408
Two-sentence explanation: Three students from WSU and the University of Idaho have fallen this year after drinking too much, a little more than a year after Chad Heffelfinger was found unconscious after falling 23-feet onto the street below.
Evidence: It’s been a little more than a year since WSU student Chad Heffelfinger was found lying in a pool of his own blood.
On Sept. 10, 2011, Heffelfinger left a party, highly intoxicated. He climbed over a 23-foot-retaining wall and fell to the asphalt below.
“I always hoped it would somehow all come back to me or I would have a dream about that night, but I still do not remember anything about the night or the trip to the hospital,” Heffelfinger said.
But at WSU and the University of Idaho, three students have already fallen and been taken to the hospital due to alcohol related incidents this semester.
“It seems like every year we have a couple of fairly serious (injuries),” Pullman Police Chief Gary Jenkins said.
This time last year, hospital officials were seeing increases in blood-alcohol levels and a significant number of alcohol related cases resulted in students being airlifted to other hospitals. What are the numbers this year and how are Pullman community members reacting to it?
(I’ve contacted members of Alpha Tau Omega, the national chapter president, Pullman Regional Hospital and Ruben Harris. Still waiting on calls.)
Why now: It’s been almost exactly a year since Chad was last in the news — good to check in and do a follow-up with him; falls have all occurred in the last two months, and we’re nearing some pretty big party weekends; predominantly a public service piece
Interviews: hospital official, Ruben Harris
Format and Length: A 400-600 word story with a more in-depth sidebar about the chapter at Idaho being investigated
“For anything you want to do in journalism, anything you dream of doing in journalism, understand that writing is the bedrock of the craft,” former CBS anchor Dan Rather said Thursday morning.
Award-winning journalist Rather stands in the Communication Addition building on the WSU campus, addressing a group of about 50 students. Later this evening, Rather will accept the 2012 Edward R. Murrow Award for Lifetime Achievement, but this morning, he was having a conversation with budding journalists.
He is soft-spoken, speaking directly to students asking for advice and information about the craft he is known for. He keeps on hand in his pocket for most of the speech, making eye contact with students as they ask questions.
Journalists have tremendous opportunities today, Rather said. However, they must continue to be good writers across all platforms—even those allowing for 140 characters or less.
“There’s no getting around we are in a crisis period because the old order is gone,” he said. “The new order is not yet fully in place.”
But journalists must still have a certain “blue, hot flame,” that keeps them passionate, Rather said. The greatest failure of today’s journalists is a lack of courage, he said.
“The best of the American journalism tradition is to have grip, to have guts, to have courage, to ask the tough questions,” he said. “Just ask the damn question.”
Rather used Murrow, the man for whom his award is named after, to exemplify these standards in journalism. Today, Rather said, he is on campus to “honor the memory of the legacy of Edward R. Murrow who stands alone in the pantheon of American electronic journalists.”
“I think his courage manifested itself at best when he did ask the tough questions.”
Within the next three years, Pullman residents will begin seeing the impact of a federally funded energy project in their homes—and on their electric bill.
The Pullman Smart Grid Demonstration Project will upgrade the power grid in Pullman, saving energy and providing Avista customers with several new features intended to increase communication between customers and the power company.
The project comes at a cost—$38 million for the Pullman project, $19 million of which is funded by the federal stimulus package. It’s the first part of an overarching $178 million Pacific Northwest Smart Grid Demonstration Project, which is also half funded by federal stimulus funds and includes 11 regional utility companies.
Avista spokeswoman Laurine Jue says this is only the beginning for smart grid projects. Upgrading grids will be a costly process, requiring billions of dollars, she said. Indeed, 4.5 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was set aside for upgrading inefficient power grids.
“They’re a hundred years old,” Jue said about current power grid techonology. “They’ve really just stayed the same way as they were when Thomas Edison worked back in his day, so centuries ago. It’s really time for us to upgrade it.”
Since the project began in 2010, about 13,000 customers in Pullman and Albion have had advanced meters already installed in their home, which provide Avista customers with improved, real-time measures on energy use in their homes.
The grid will also help the power company respond to power outages. If power goes out on one street and affects the streets around it, Avista will be able to isolate and respond more quickly to the outage.
Avista is also beginning the process of installing smart thermostats in customers’ homes for trial periods, a process Jue said will be completed by the end of October. The technology will allow customers to control their thermostats remotely.
WSU Associate Professor Carl Hauser is among those having one of the thermostats installed in his home.
“As someone who’s curious about the way these things work, I wanted to contribute to these studies.”
Hauser, a faculty member with the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, has also conducted some research in smart grids. He said he isn’t sure if he will personally see direct savings on his power bill, but he is enthusiastic about the project and trying the thermostat.
Anjan Bose, a regents professor with the EECS, serves as a consultant for the Department of Energy and is conducting research into the Pullman project with a team of graduate students. He said the features of the project should make it easier for Avista to control and save the amount of energy being distributed in the grid—and therefore money.
WSU will also see energy savings as a result of the project. The University has received $4.2 million to upgrade its power grids and to install smart technology, said Terry Ryan, director of energy management at WSU. About $2.6 million comes from DOE funding, as well as grants from the Washington State Department of Commerce.
The university has started installing smart meters in buildings, allowing staff members to take measurements on energy use and determine efficiency problems remotely, rather than sending electricians out once a month to take the readings manually.
The university will see about $150,000 a year in savings once the installation is complete, Ryan said.
“…It becomes a resource savings,” Ryan said. “We can use those people on more critical work.”
To learn more about participating in the smart thermostat project, visit http://www.avistautilities.com/smart-tstat.
Outline
Lede
Slight explanation
Money + quote because that quote from Laurine is awesome
More thorough explanation of the grid and the effects it will have
WSU’s side of things (small)
Surces:
Terry Ryan
Director of Energy Services
335-9352
Anjan Bose
Professor
335-1147
Carl Hauser
Professor
335-6470
Laurine Jue
Avista spokeswoman
495-2510
Two-sentence explanation: Budget cuts and tuition increases have students strapped for cash already, but there’s another potential detrimental effect of increasing college costs: health. Students are foregoing their medical needs as a result of tuition hikes.
Evidence: Bruce Wright, director of WSU Health and Wellness services, said students struggling to pay their bills are using the health center less. Health, particularly for college students, is often put on the back burner when there are more expenses.
Also, Karl Eastlund, the CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho, said students are getting fewer STI treatments because of the economy. He said tuition increases may be part of the reason for this, at least in the Pullman area.
There is also the potential to address the Affordable Care Act and how that will affect university health plans. Wright said premiums for all university plans will increase, but the benefits for students will be great. Women’s health care is a major component of this, and could definitely be tied back to the Planned Parenthood business.
Why now: Lines up with the ACA (sorta), student budget always relevant
Interviews: students, health officials
Format and Length: A 400-600 word story
Two-sentence explanation: First Wind, an independent U.S.-based wind energy company, is nearing the end of the Palouse Wind Farm project, according to its website. When the company began the project, it predicted a significant economic boost to the Whitman County area–but some residents are upset by the installation, with one resident even leaving the area in protest.
Evidence: In recent years, the tiny town of Oakesdale, Wash has seen major job loss. Mayor Dennis Palmer suspects about 30 people have lost their jobs due to companies closing. Oakesdale’s population is only 420.
But with the construction of the wind farm just a short drive down the road, Palmer is hoping for economic improvements. First Wind projected about $30 million in spending during the project, then $1.5 million a year during operations. When the project is completed, city and county officials predict property taxes from the farm will help support the rural towns on the Palouse, supporting struggling fire departments, state offices and school districts.
Palmer said Oakesdale not seeing the boost they’d hoped for yet, but business has improved a bit. When the turbines are completed, First Wind will have an on-site maintenance crew, adding up to ten permanent jobs to the area.
“We can only hope that some of their future maintenance employees will put their kids through Oakesdale School District,” Palmer said.
First Wind has temporary local offices set up in Oakesdale which will move to the site of the farm when construction is completed. Palmer said the company has been wonderful to work with so far.
Some Whitman County residents, however, were less excited than Palmer about the construction.
Oakesdale-area Roger Whitten, who according to The Inlander had about 16 people backing his “Not-in-my-backyard” attitude, filed an appeal against First Wind’s permits.
The appeal was settled out of court, County Planner Alan Thomson said. The two parties came to a settlement agreement, and First Wind purchased Whitten’s property to use for the project.
“The company was under pressure to get funding, get financing, and get the project going and in their estimation, they chose to buy his property,” Thomson said.
Whitten has since moved to rural Spokane County.
Why now: The project will be completed in November
Interviews: Local landowners, city/county officials, Avista utilities, Roger Whitten (the man who moved)
Format and Length: A 600-800 word story explaining the history of the project and its impact on the community, plus Kaylee’s stuff; also planning on getting photos and maybe a little video
Longview Police are investigating a murder after a man’s body was discovered in the back of a van in the 300 block of Oregon Way.
According to the Longview Daily News, two men were seen pushing a car into an alley. One of the men, Longview resident David A. Holmes, was arrested. The other man said Holmes asked him to help clean up the crime scene and dispose of the body. He is being treated as a witness.
Longview Police responded to a call at 10 p.m. that a man who had been killed was in the back of a van, according to Oregonlive.com.
Holmes, 28, was booked into Cowlitz County Jail on suspicion of second-degree murder.
Holmes’ neighbor, Josh Williams, said this is an unusual situation, according to NWCN.com.
“In this area there’s not much that goes on,” Williams said. “When you see something like that it tends to get everyone’s attention.”
The name of the victim and the cause of death have not been disclosed.
 | Mr WordPress on Hello world! |
J425 