continued....

Kevin and Mike's day out

100 word story

A 3-year-old girl was found trapped in a washer in a local laundromat after her sister closed the door when her sister climbed in.

Jennifer Childs of Rockland did not escape from the washer, that was equipt with an automatic lock, despite her aunt's attempts until five minutes later when a man got a hammer from his toolbox and smashed the glass on the machine's door. Today, Janice Childs, the aunt, can be thankful for Paul Hecker's valiant attempt at saving her neice's life.

A Rockland Hospital spokesperson said Jennifer was listed in good condition after being admitted yesterday.

editor's checklist/tipsheet

Here are just a few tips I think are important to remember when covering an event:

--Be prepared. Do your homework on the subject matter. That means know what you are getting into before you get there. Research important people, dates or facts if necessary. You will be thankful when you are more prepared than you thought, cause you never know what you are getting into until you are there. It's better to have too much info instead of not enough.

--Ask questions. Truthfully, it's the only way to get the knowledge you need to write a well thought out story. And don't just go to the main sources. Asking other media in attendance things you don't know isn't a crime. You cannot be intimidated. Remember, the event is being held to expose information, not hide things. So if you have questions, ask.

--Take notes. You most likely don't have a photographic memory, so you need to recount important things that happen during the event. And you can't do that without notes. Whether it's with a laptop or notepad, they are vital when reviewing what happened after the event has ended. You'll be glad you have them.

--Bring a tape-recorder. When conducting an interview, be it in a group setting or one-on-one, you simply cannot write as fast as people talk. I know because I've done it and with less than thrilling results. That's why having things on tape is so vital. You can go back and catch anything you may have missed. You can't misquote people and if you just write a phrase or so down, it isn't complete. Meaning, you need to stay away from that quote, however important it may turn out to be. Having a recorder fixes that. And gives you increased credibility and reliability because you are able to go back and get it right.

lede 4/5

4. With identity theft one of the leading criminal actions over the past year, a state representative is sponsoring a bill that will allow credit card holders to see if their numbers have been stolen.

5. The Maryland department of education is awarding millions of dollars to 53 school districts throughout the state to offset recent cutbacks of state funding.

Lede practice

1. Roger Datolli, 67, suffered a broken leg and several broken ribs in a Thursday afternoon crash involving two other vehicles.

2. Two city council members raised an issue at a recent meeting in an effort to form a committee to oversee changes that are potentially being made to the city's historic district.

3. The department of energy announced Monday that a plan is in place to store nuclear waste in Nevada. 

extra credit

1. Use commas in compound sentences when clauses are separated by a conjunction such as and, but, for, nor, or yet.

examples: She managed the restaurant, but he did the cooking.

                   He thought he was on time for the meeting, yet the clock said otherwise.

2. Use commas to separate elements in a series. Such elements are usually adjectives, verbs, or nouns.

examples: The tall, dark man walked down the street.

                   Helen Keller was blind, deaf and mute.

3. Use commas when attributing from quoted materials. Commas set off words of attribution from the words of a one-sentence quotation unless a question mark or exclamation mark is preferred.

examples: "Hello," he said.

                   "We just didn't play well," the coach said.

4. Commas follow introductory mattter.

examples: When the team was forced to kick, the coach sent in his best players.

                   In the spring of 1981, she returned to College Park.

5. Commas follow the salutation of a friendly letter and the complimentary close of any letter.

examples: Dear Reese,

                   Sincerely, Kevin

6. Commas follow all items in a full address or date.

example: July 16, 1962, is his date of birth.

                 She has lived in Manteo, N.C., all her life.

7.Commas surround nonessential words or phrases.

examples: Well, we will just have to walk home.

                   See, the dog did not get the frisbee.

8. Commas surround words of direct address.

examples: Betty, please pass the butter.

                   I can see, Fred, that you are lazy.

9. Commas indicate omitted verbs, usually expressed in another part of the sentence.

examples: Talent often is inherited; genius, never.

10. Semicolons connect two complete sentences if sentences have a related thought.

examples: The mode seemed destined for quick success; it is possible that's why she was a  target.

11. Semicolons are used in a list separating items that require significant internal punctuation.

examples: He visited Richmond, Va.; Raleigh, N.C.; and Birmingham, Alabama.

12. Colons precede formal lists, illustrations, multisentence quotes, and enumerations.

examples: The following students received scholarships: Ben Williams, Mike Stevens and Allie                        Jones.

                   Do not enter under these circumstances: The door is locked or the alarm is set.