Breaking News Update

AMITY, MA--Mere hours after Amity beaches reopened and a nurse shark was captured and identified as the predator, Amity's James Parks, 30, became this week's third shark attack victim.

Parks was knocked into the water when his small rowboat was attacked in the pond next to the beach at about 1:30 p.m. today. According to a press release from Chief of Police Martin P. Brody, "Most of his remains have not been found."

Officials report that beaches will remained closed until further noticed and urge residents to exercise extreme caution.

Shark Caught, Amity Beaches Reopen

AMITY, MA—The predator in this week’s shark attacks that resulted in the deaths of two Amity youths has been captured.

“The giant killer shark that has been blamed for the two deaths this week was caught and killed in waters one mile south-southwest of Amity,” said Chief of Police Martin P. Brody in a press release issued earlier today.

According to the press release, the 16-foot nurse shark was identified by Matt Hooper, a marine biologist from the Woods Hold Oceanographic Institute.

In addition to capturing the shark, Amity officials ensure vacationers that the beaches are scheduled to reopen, “though armed shark spotters will continue to patrol the waters off the beach.”

Amity residents and vacationers swarmed the beaches immediately after they reopened, although many seemed hesitant to enter the water.

With the persuasion of Mayor Bob Farley himself, one father led his family of five into the water, followed by hundreds of other Amity beach-goers.

Minutes after people began entering the water and it seemed as though the danger of further shark attacks had passed, one swimmer ran screaming from the water after spotting what appeared to be a shark fin.

The water cleared of all swimmers and armed patrol boats surrounded what they thought was the shark. Right as the patrol men were about to take fire, a young boy poked his head out from underneath his rubber boat, the rudder of which was the supposed shark fin.

Shark Update

AMITY, MASS—A lack of information from officials and two possible shark attacks in the past week have made Amity residents skeptical about the safety of their fine beaches.

While Amity Mayor Bob Farley and Chief of Police Martin P. Brody maintain that their decision to close down beaches is only a precaution, the deaths of two Amity youths appear closely linked to shark activity.

The first victim was 16-year-old Wendy Watson whose mangled body was found six days ago on Amity’s South Beach. Alex Kitner, 10, was killed in a public attack two days later on Village Beach.

According to the Global Shark Attack File, which is an international log of over 3,600 shark attacks, the majority of shark attacks in the United States occur in southern states such as the Carolinas and Florida. Although few shark attacks have been reported in New England, safety precautions should never be ignored.

"The reality is that, on the list of potential dangers encountered in aquatic recreation, sharks are right at the bottom of the list," said George Burgess, Director of The International Shark Attack File at the University of Florida Museum of Natural History in a blog about shark attack risks.

Burgess recommended simple precautions such as staying in groups and refraining from swimming when it’s dark. He also insisted that people “not enter the water if sharks are known to be present,” which relates directly to our situation here in Amity.

Although the probability of being bitten by a shark is quite small it is important to follow all safety precautions, according to Discovery Channel diver and shark wrangler Ken Moran.

“When you ride a motorcycle you should wear a helmet because you could get hurt. The same applies to any recreational activity,” said Moran. “Prepare ahead of time and avoid any unnecessary risk to your safety whenever you do anything in the water.”

Another Possible Shark Attack Puts Amity on Edge

AMITY, MASS.--Another Amity youth is dead in what appears to be another shark attack on Amity’s Village Beach.

Alex Kitner, 10, of Mayfair Court was playing in the water on a yellow rubber raft when he was attacked by something in the water around noon yesterday.

According to a press release from Chief of Police Martin P. Brody, “His body has not been recovered, but his damaged raft floated ashore with what appeared to be a big bite taken out of it.”

Kitner’s mother, Marian Kitner, saw the attack as it happened and has been taken to Amity Hospital where she is currently being treated for shock. She is reported to be in fair condition.

“I join Amity Mayor Bob Farley in expressing the town’s deepest and most sincere condolences to the Kitner family,” said Brody. “Now we know that these random acts of senseless violence, victimizing innocent, helpless citizens, do not just happen in the city.”

The press release also insinuated that the Watson death may also be linked to “possible shark activities.” The investigation remains ongoing at this time.

The Amity Board of Selectmen held a meeting at the Town Hall last night to discuss the current situation. Brody’s announcement that the town planned to close down the beaches for further investigation was met by cries of outrage from Amity citizens.

After hearing this negative reaction, Mayor Farley conceded that the beaches will remain closed for no more than 24 hours. “Twenty-four hours is like three weeks!” shouted one outraged Amity resident.

Local fisherman Ben Quint silenced the uproar by offering to catch the shark for a price of $10,000.

“With that you get the head, the tail, the whole damn thing,” said Quint.

Amity officials accepted Quint’s offer and plan to compensate him if and when he catches the shark thought to be the perpetrator in these tragic attacks.

Girl Found Dead After Possible Shark Attack

AMITY, MASS.--A young female was found dead on South Beach in Amity in the early hours of the morning.

The cause of death has not yet been identified, but a press release from Chief of Police Martin P. Brody suggests that the girl’s tragic death may be the result of a shark attack.

Sixteen-year-old Wendy W. Watson of 23 Sharkstooth St. in Amity was last seen alive leaving a beach party with an unidentified male at about 11 p.m. yesterday.

According to the press release, “She decided to go skinny-dipping and entered the water at a remote section of the beach.” Witnesses at the party said both teenagers had been drinking during the evening Watson’s companion contacted authorities when she did not return from the water.

After a brief search, Watson’s mangled body was found washed up on the shore. Her attacker remains unknown, but Chief of Police Brody assures Amity residents that police are continuing their investigation and visitors on our fine island “are in no danger.”

Durham Weather Alert

DURHAM—Power outages caused by high winds and heavy rains made a difficult morning commute for UNH students and employees.

The power outages, which occurred at the intersection of Madbury Road and Route 4 in downtown Durham, eliminated the use of traffic lights and the Durham police force had to stand in and direct traffic.

In addition to Durham, power outages have been reported in several other New Hampshire towns, including Conway, Eaton, Madison, and New London.

Although UNH students experienced flickering lights earlier this morning, the university has not yet initiated any curtailed operations. Students hope that holiday travel will not be impeded by the extreme weather.

According to weather forecasts, 38 mph winds and heavy rains are expected to taper off by tonight. However, New Hampshire and Maine residents may be able to expect a snowy Thanksgiving weekend.

The Obama-Clinton Relationship

Sunday, November 23, 2008

The New York Times article "Clinton-Obama Detente:From Top Rival to Top Aide" focuses on President-elect Obama's pending decision to select Hillary Clinton as his secretary of state. The lead of the article is both a summary and a scene-setter; it tells the reader that the article is going to discuss the relationship between Obama and Clinton, but it also describes a specific instance in which Clinton gave a passionate speech supporting Obama.

Although the article shares interesting facts about past presidents and their secretaries of state and has an easy-to-read narrative style, the piece lacks hard evidence. One fact is attributed to the "people on both sides," referring to people who supposedly listened in on a conversation between Obama and Clinton on an airplane.

In addition to vague references, the article doesn't really get to the heart of the issue surrounding the Obama-Clinton relationship: their disagreements over foreign policy. In my opinion, American citizens are more interested in learning about how the pair plan to handle foreign policy as opposed to the nice things they have said about one another.

An outline for this story might look something like this:
1. Highlight past conflicts between Obama and Clinton
2. Talk about steps that they have taken to resolve those conflicts
3. Discuss why Obama plans to elect Clinton as secretary of state
4. Talk about their personal and professional relationship

Drug Smuggling results in New York City Police Chase

NEW YORK CITY—Four New Yorkers are dead as a result of a police chase involving Detective Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle and suspected French assassin, Pierre Jeantot. At around 4:00 p.m. Sunday, Doyle pursued the suspect from 35^th Street Station to 15^th Street Station, the place where Jeantot was finally shot and killed.

The chase began when Jeantot, 36 of Nice, France, attempted to assassinate Doyle from the roof of a building near his apartment at 1767 W. 57^th Ave. The New York City Police Department believes that this attempted assassination is related to Doyle’s recent investigation of illicit heroin smuggling from France into the United States.

According to a public statement issued by New York City Police Commissioner Ruth L. Ess, “Jeantot was allegedly working on behalf of a French drug kingpin who Doyle and his partner, Buddy “Cloudy” Russo, had been investigating.”

The document also stated that Jeantot entered the country on Nov. 4 on a flight from Paris to New York City, according to Homeland Security Records. Two other men are suspected of being involved in the smuggling operation and are being pursued by the police department at this time.

Jeantot, who accidentally shot and killed 63-year-old Betty B. Badluck of the Bronx in his pursuit of Doyle, attempted to flee the scene when he realized that he was being pursued by Detective Doyle. Doyle sprinted up to the roof of the building where Jeantot had been shooting but found nothing but an abandoned rifle.

When Doyle caught sight of Jeantot he was running towards the 35^th Street Station where he boarded the train. Doyle had no choice but to chase the train by car, narrowly avoiding other vehicles and pedestrians in his pursuit of Jeantot.

While Jeantot was aboard the train he shot and killed three train workers; Roland Evans, 34 of Brooklyn, Horatio C. Hornblower, 30 of White Plains, and Peter Howe, 27 of Queens.

Hope and Horror

Monday, November 17, 2008

In today’s edition of the New York Times, the article “A Time of Hope, Marred by an Act of Horror” caught my attention, simply because of the implications made in the title. This article relates the story of Bishop Bryan Robinson Jr. and his mostly black congregation in Springfield, Massachusetts.

On the same night that Barack Obama was elected president, and blacks across the country breathed a sigh of relief that change had finally come; Robinson’s almost-complete church was burned to the ground. The church, which was 75% completed, was a project almost 7 years in the making.

The article opens with an anecdotal lead and continues this story-telling style throughout the piece. It relates the story of how Robinson came to be pastor of the Macedonia Church of God in Christ in Springfield, and explains the emotional roller coaster that he and his congragation experienced on the night of the fire.

The article also shares specific details of the fire, such as the exact location and building dimensions of the church, but mainly it focuses on the story of how the church finally began to be built. It also focuses on timing; it closely intertwines the timing of the fire in correlation to Obama's election and describes how that fact impacted Robinson.

A possible outline for the writer of this story might include the following:

1. Introduce Bishop Bryan Robinson Jr.

2. Explain his story and how he became a pastor

3. Tell the story of the fire

4. Relate the timing of the fire to the presidential election

5. Emphasize the hope that Robinson and his congregation still have for a new church

California Fires

Sunday, November 16, 2008

I immediately took notice of the online version of the New York Times article, “Firefighters Struggle to Contain California Fires,” because of the graphic images that accompanied it. The beginning of the article is set up with a summarizing lead, and it sheds light on the catastrophic effects of the California wildfires.

This article is jam-packed with information; the number of people that have been evacuated, the percentage of the fires that have been contained, and countless locations that have been affected by the fires. Although this data was informative, I found it to be somewhat overwhelming at times.

The article continues in this heavily-informative style until the final few paragraphs where it talks about a specific example that makes the disaster real for readers. It talks about the impact of the fire on the Oakridge mobile home park, and shares quotes from some of the residents who lost their homes.

The addition of such a specific example of how the fire impacted California residents brings the story full circle. Although the story maintained a very suspenseful tone throughout, the stories of the Oakridge residents has an even larger impact.

A tentative outline for this article would include the following:

1. Summarize the overall effect that the fires have had on California

2. Share cumulative data on the fire

3. Describe how the situation is being handled by government and fire department officials

4. Relate some of the personal stories of those who have been affected

5. Make readers aware of the current status of the fires

Commitment to Change

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Ever since Barack Obama was elected as the 2008 Democratic candidate, my eyes habitually scan the pages of the New York Times for instances of his name. That is why I took an interest in Saturday’s article, “In Transition, Ties to Lobbying,” which opens with a summary lead.

The article begins by describing how Mr. Obama’s recent imposed restrictions on the White House transition team show that he is committed to making a change in Washington. Although the lead reveals the slightest hint of skepticism, saying that Obama's list of staff members "includes a complicated tangle of ties to private influence-seekers," the article goes on to describe the measures being taken to make sure that the special interest of lobbyists' is eliminated.

To make sure that this happens, Mr. Obama has prohibited lobbyists from handling any similar issues in which they have dealt with in the past 12 months. He has also ruled that transition team members are barred from “working on matters where family members or recent business associates may have a direct conflict of interest.”

The article highlights some potential problems within the transition team, such as Obama's appointment of several lobbyists with ties to Fannie Mae and other mortgage giants. However, I feel that the following quote from a transition spokeswoman summarizes the general conclusion of the article: “While these rules disqualify many well-qualified professionals from participating in the transition as a result, they also put in place the right safeguards to prevent any potential conflicts of interest."

Here is a probable outline for the content of this article:

1. Highlight some of Obama's changes to transition team regulations
2. Discuss possible problems that might occur within these regulations
3. Discuss the benefits
4. Talk about certain appointments within the team that are controversial
5. Show quotes both for and against the changes

Have Doctors Really Developed a Cure for AIDS?

Friday, November 14, 2008

While browsing last Friday’s edition of the New York Times I stumbled across the article, “AIDS Patient Is Reported Cured in Berlin With a Rare Treatment.” The idea of a cure for the much feared AIDS virus seemed too good to be true, so I decided to give it a closer look.

The article can best be related to one of those sleep aid drug commercials; you know, the ones where they spend one minute talking about the benefits of the drug and another five listing off all the negative side effects.

The article, which uses a summary lead, begins by describing how a 42-year-old American man living in Germany was cured by receiving a transplant of AIDS-resistant blood stem cells. At first, the treatment sounds like a dream come true; that is, until you read paragraphs two-six which list the drawbacks and complications.

Although the patient discussed in the article has been free of the AIDS virus for 20 months, the new treatment will be of little to no help in treating the millions of people suffering from AIDS in Africa. Not only is the “cure” unsuitable for treating the masses, but it is also extremely risky. In order to perform the procedure doctors must use drugs to essentially wipe out the patient’s immune system, the process of which carries a notorious 10-30% mortality rate in AIDS patients. There is also an “extremely small” chance of finding a compatible stem cell donor.

All in all, I found the title of the article to be a bit misleading. Although it is true that a man has been cured of AIDS, it is unlikely that that cure will be able to be applied to the millions of people who are infected with the virus.

A possible outline for the writer of this article would be the following:

1. Tell the story of the cured man in Berlin

2. Make readers aware of the treatment's risks and limitations

3. Highlight the recent strides that have been made in AIDS research

4. Explain promising studies and possible cures

Election Day in Durham

DURHAM, NH—Oyster river High School buzzed with excitement this morning as thousands of people gathered to vote in the 2008 presidential election.

“Students have such a great hope for change,” said Larry Brickner-Wood, UNH Chaplain and a poll volunteer. “It infuses the election with great energy and excitement.”

Bridget Farmer, 20, was just one of many young voters present at the polls this morning. Farmer, who campaigned with Senator Obama during the primary election, noted a good mix of voters but predicted that New Hampshire is “probably going to go blue.”

Farmer was not the only person to notice a predominantly Democratic presence at the polls in Durham. In addition to Democratic buttons and campaign signs, the vast majority of new voters were affiliated with the Democratic Party.

“All of the people that I’ve registered here at the polls have been either Democrat or Independent,” said Deputy Town Clerk Tom Poirier. “I haven’t yet registered any new voter under the Republican Party.”

Poirier, who considered himself a “staunch Republican” until 2004, now campaigns with Obama and estimated that there were two or three Democratic voters for every Republican voter in Durham.

In addition to the overwhelming Democratic presence at the polls, election officials and voters alike were overwhelmed by the sheer number of people that came out to vote.

“It’s been really busy since we opened at seven this morning,” said Poirier. “There was a point where voters were starting to get anxious because the lines were so long, but now it’s under control and things are running smoothly.”

According to Democrat Suzanne Dev of Durham, NH, the line at Oyster River high School can be viewed as nothing but a positive thing.

“I’ve been here 20 years and I’ve never had to wait outside to vote,” said Dev, as she watched the line that stretched outside the gym in amazement. “It’s great because it means that a lot of people care about voting and are ready for a change in this country.”

“I felt good about being able to vote,” said a UNH student who wishes to remain anonymous. “Voting is a powerful thing and I am happy to have been a part of it.”

Portsmouth Students May Face Weekend Detentions

PORTSMOUTH,NH—Portsmouth High School students may be forced to serve Saturday detentions for smoking in school bathrooms and other disciplinary problems.

The Saturday School motion was made by School Board member Tim Steele, who suggested that students who have disciplinary problems during the week should be required to return to school for a special Saturday session.

The weekend detention would be held from 8 a.m. until noon on several Saturdays throughout the year. It would require an allocation of $3,000 per year for staffing.

Mr. Steele explained that the new disciplinary measure is being proposed in an effort to reduce the number of in-house suspensions, which are currently given automatically to students caught smoking inside or outside of Portsmouth High School.

In 1995, 154 students were given in-house suspensions after which they were not permitted to make up the school work that they missed during the day. Steele said that the new program would ensure that students would not have to miss any class time.

Steele’s proposal was met by both positive and negative feedback at the Portsmouth Town Meeting, which was held last night at 7:30. “I work 6 days a week—including Saturday morning—and it’s bad enough to get my son off to school Monday through Friday,” said Peggy Bacon, a parent of one of the students. “Why should I have to worry about Saturday as well?”

Ms. Bacon went on to express her feeling that the Saturday detention would most likely not have any impact on students’ behavior. “I just don’t think it’s going to make any difference, and the parents are going to pay for it—in higher taxes as well as in ruined Saturdays,” she said.

Bob Farley, resident of 64 Elm St., said that he liked the idea of the new rules. “Parents can whine all they want about this, but maybe it’s time parents in America were made to take a little responsibility for their kids,” said Mr. Farley. “Maybe if they have to miss a few Saturday morning cartoons they’ll start wising up.”

Lisa Gallagher, a senior at Portsmouth High School, was one of five high school students in attendance at the meeting. “In 12 years of school I’ve never served a detention, and I don’t intend to. But I don’t like this idea,” said Ms. Gallagher. “I think it’s just being done to make life easier for the faculty, so they don’t have to deal with detentions during the week. Anyway, what if someone skips a session? What are they going to do, make them stay all weekend?”

Mr. Steele assured Ms. Gallagher that if a student skips a Saturday session, he or she would not be allowed to return to school until the detention had been served. This would prevent students from being able to do their class work and would create even more incentive to serve the detention promptly.

After about 30 minutes of discussion, the board voted 5-3 in favor of the new proposal. However, one board member abstained from the vote, tabling the issue until its next meeting on March 7. Steele was instructed to return at that time with figures on in-school detentions so far this year.

Other highlights discussed during the meeting were a retreat for administrators in June; four requests from teachers for leaves of absence in the coming year; a financial report detailing federal budget cuts on the school lunch program; and approval of several school department and food service bills amounting to $13,568.

Speculation of Bias in the Times

Over the past few days, the New York Times has been attacked for publishing pro-Republican articles.

By looking at articles published Thursday, Oct. 23 and Friday, Oct. 24, it is clear that both issues of the paper feature Republican articles on the front page, with Democratic articles appearing later in the front section.

Although the location of the articles does seem to be a bit biased, the content of the articles is exceedingly fair.

Friday's front-page article, "How McCain Hopes to Defy the Polls and Win," discusses the plans of Senator McCain's campaign advisers. It talks about how it is crucial that the Republican Party focus on winning swing states, such as North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia, in order to stay in the race.

If any bias is evident in this article it is in favor of Senator Obama. This is because the article, while outlining the highlights of Senator McCain's plan, mainly emphasizes the difficulty and almost impossibility of coming from behind.

Another article featured in the Times was "$150,000 Wardrobe for Palin May Alter Tailor-Made Image," which appeared in last Thursday's edition.

Although the content of the article fairly discussed Governor Palin's disinterest in her new wardrobe, stating that "Ms. Palin did not spend time on the shopping, and that other people made the decision to buy such an array of clothes," the title of the article suggests otherwise.

Readers scanning for headlines might have glanced at the title and been too outraged by the ridiculous amount of money spent by the Republican campaign to even read the article, which possibly further demonstrates the Times hidden favoritism of the Democratic party.

Danger in Durham

DURHAM, NH – A rare spotted leopard named Fluffy escaped from the Durham Zoo sometime between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

“We have no idea what time Fluffy escaped or where she went,” said zoo director Gerry Durrell during a press conference on Wednesday morning. “We are searching the grounds of the zoo but so far we haven’t a clue.”

According to the zoo’s chief biologist, Kitty Smith, the Durham community should be highly cautious of Fluffy, who is an extremely dangerous carnivorous animal. “If these cats are cornered –or encountered on a dark night – their defense is to kill, and to kill quickly,” said Smith. “We urge anyone who encounters Fluffy to get slowly to the ground and lay still.”

Police and zoo workers alike carried high-powered rifles as a precaution as they frantically searched the grounds for Fluffy. According to Police Chief William Blair, the Durham police department plans to expand their search into the neighborhood after the zoo has been thoroughly searched.

“We are concerned because this is a residential neighborhood with an elementary school,” said Blair. “We don’t want Fluffy wandering around after the kids get out of school.”

My First Blog

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog!

I think I'm finally starting to wrap my mind around the art of journalism. I've learned how to generate story ideas, conduct interviews properly, and have a voice without showing bias. It has been challenging at times, but I think that I'm beginning to get the hang of it.

Like any relationship, my relationship with writing has its ups and downs. Sometimes there are hours, even days, when I suffer from severe writers' block and I can't make words flow for the life of me. But then there are other days when words come easily and putting pen to paper feels so natural and right. Those are my favorite days.

-Ali