Dig Into This

  I was going to save this post for when I saw my work published in The Weekly Dig this issue, but it ultimately wasn't...  Regrettably I don't think I'll be posting many of those published works at all.  Initially, I thought this whole "journalism" internship thing would be fun and interesting.  So far, (within the last month), all it's taught me is that I desperately need some sort of direction to get anything productive done.  With that being said, I don't believe journalism is the correct path for me.  I know I've only tried one avenue for journalism, but the fact that I loathe traveling into Boston every Thursday and would rather spend the day with 11-13-year-olds speaks wonders about my experience so far.
  I will still blog, obviously.  Maybe not here, but maybe I'll start something more personal, or even re-vamp this one to make it less focused on class and news.  Honestly, if I could make an adequate living blogging or vlogging, I'd probably try to do that.  I've gotten more interested in social media and less interested in journalism, but that doesn't mean I won't still write.  My #1 main goal in life is to write and somehow publish my memoir, and whatever it takes to get there, I will do that.  Still, looking into publishing companies and hopefully applying to grad school for writing might help boost my spirits about giving up my dream of being a journalist.  Eventually I'll have to understand that not all of Harriet's goals should be mine too.  I can't always follow in the foot-steps of a 6th grader.

Profile

  I finally decided on what I'm going to do for my profile piece.  I will be focusing on the principle of Newmarket Jr./Sr. High School and the impending building reconstruction issues the school will face in the coming years.  This has been an on-going issue, and since I substitute at the school and know the principle as well as the vice principal, this will be an interesting profile to make.  I hope I can do it justice with just five days to go, but I'll do my best.  That's all I can ask of myself.
  Background: The Newmarket Jr/Sr. High School building has come under fire recently for violating fire and other safety regulations due to it's old and crumbling 1920s-era design.  There are a few proposed plans in the works for improvement, including a demolition and reconstruction of a new building on a different property.  There is actually a meeting today to discuss and possibly vote on options available with the budget the school committee has drawn up.  I look forward to talking with Principal Andriski and learning more about him and the future of the Newmarket Jr./Sr. High School.

Jaws Scene: Alex

  Earlier today a young boy was killed off the shore of Village Beach around 2p.m.  Witnesses claim that there had been a vicious and unprovoked shark attack just moments before the boy went missing.
 
 The boy, who has been identified as 10-year-old Alex Kintner of Mayfair Court, was last seen floating on a yellow inflatable raft just off shore with some friends this afternoon.  His mother, Marion Kintner, was at the beach at the time of his disappearance.
 
 Witnesses say the yellow raft floated ashore, severely damaged and missing a large chunk of material.  Blood was also visible in the water around the area the attack occurred.  A body has not yet been recovered.  Marion Kintner was rushed to Amity General Hospital to be treated for shock.
 
 This tragic news comes just hours after the body of local resident Chrissie Watson was found near South Beach this morning.  Both attacks are seemingly linked and possibly shark related, but the investigation is ongoing.  Police urge residents and visitors to stay vigilant.
 
 A meeting will be held by the mayor, the Amity Board of Selectmen and Police Chief Brody tonight at 6p.m. at Town Hall.  The agenda will include discussion of closing the beaches, the Kintner case and a proposition from a Mr. Quint for catching the suspected shark roaming the waters.

Jaws Scene: Chrissie

  A teenage girl was found dead this morning on the shores of South Beach on Amity Island, MA.  Police Deputy Jay Hendricks discovered her mangled body while responding to a report of a missing person.
  Chrissie Watson, 17, of 23 Sharkstooth St. was last seen at a beach party with friends around 11p.m.  Witnesses claim to have seen Watson leave the party with another teen, Christopher P. Hoggenbottam III after drinking alcohol and possibly smoking marijuana.
  Hoggenbottam, a sophmore at Trinity College and former resident of the island, had no recollection of the night's events after following Watson to the ocean.  At around 6a.m. Hoggenbottam notified police, which resulted in the recovery of Watson's body.
  Watson was a senior at Amity High School, a member of the varsity swim team and a lifeguard at the local YMCA pool.  Police are continuing their investigation and have not ruled out a possible shark attack.  Visitors and residents are advised to stay out of the ocean, as a precaution.

The French Connection

At least six people are confirmed dead after a dangerous shooting in New York City, which left much of the city streets in shambles.  Detective James Doyle and Buddy Russo led the charge against the shooting rampage while pursuing a dangerous suspect.

            The narcotics division of the NYPD is investigating the shooting and capture of a dangerous foreign fugitive.  Pierre Nicoli Jeantot, 36, of Nice, France was shot and killed by Detective Doyle after evading police during a harrowing car chase between the 35^{th and} 15^th Street train stations.

            Detective Doyle sustained non-life-threatening injuries as a result of the chase and is said to have provided valuable evidence on the whereabouts and dealings of a major heroin shipment from overseas.  Local as well as foreign drug dealers are said to be involved.

            According to eyewitness accounts, the shootout began at 1767 West 57^th Ave.  “The first shot fired hit a woman with a baby carriage,” said Sarah Allen, 19, of 16 Brooklyn Drive.  “Then a man ran into the building, up to the roof and the shooter ran out, so the guy followed him,” said Allen.  Allen had rushed to the aid of the first shooting victim, Betty A. Badluck, 63, of the Bronx, who had been walking her granddaughter near her apartment complex.

            Consistent with the eyewitness accounts, the suspect then proceeded to the train station at 35^th Street, from which he traveled all the way to the 15^th Street station.  “It was awful, he just shot that poor guy,” said Lucy Clearwater, 32, of Manhattan.  Clearwater was sitting on the train when the shooter entered her car, demanding to see the conductor.  “He had his gun pointed at the officer on the train and when he tried to step closer he shot him, right in the chest.”  Clearwater said that other passengers started to panic as the shooter gained access to the controls.

            Meanwhile, on the ground, Detective Doyle was seen driving recklessly in pursuit of Jeantot and his train.  Many eyewitnesses claim that Doyle struck more than one vehicle in his haste to catch the suspect.  “He just clipped the truck there,” said Gary Sampson, 43, of Staten Island.  Sampson had been underneath the bridge for the train when Doyle happened to speed past him.  “I heard the beeping and saw the car coming, but didn’t think it would clear the truck,” said Sampson.  Doyle narrowly missed a rear-end collision with a large truck during the high-speed chase.

            As Detective Doyle made his way carelessly to the 15^th Street station, Jeantot had commandeered the train from the conductor and refused to make any stops.  The commuters crowding the train became concerned when the conductor did not make his next scheduled stop and did not answer calls for help.  According to police reports, the train made an unscheduled security stop after crashing into a safety mechanism on the tracks.

            Eventually, Jeantot escaped the compacted train car onto the safety of the platform, only to be greeted by Detective Doyle, who had followed the route of the train from the beginning of the chase.  “The look on the guy’s face was priceless,” said Tony Lavato, 52, of Brooklyn.  “[Doyle] looked up at the guy and he was like ‘Aw, crap.’”  When Jeantot attempted to escape, Detective Doyle shot and killed the suspect, watching him crumple and fall down the steps to his feet.

            Although Detective Doyle was able to prevent his own assassination, he still fought for further questions in the narcotics case.  According to police records, the detectives impounded a vehicle that may have been used to import copious amounts of heroin into the country.  The intended receiver or owner of said vehicle is Henri Devereaux, a prominent French actor.

            Detectives Doyle and Russo used the information they obtained from searching the vehicle and investigating the shooting to set up a temporary road block in an area notorious for drug trafficking and known to Doyle as an area of escape for the foreign fugitives.  According to police, the suspects were seen heading in the direction of the police blockade before fleeing the scene.

            During a routine search of the property where the fugitives were said to be, the warehouse was detained on account of the drug-related charges according to the police report.  Two men were killed in the shootout with police: Sal Boca, an accomplice, and Bill Mulderig of Washington, D.C., a federal agent assigned to the case.  The other fugitive, Alain Charnier, escaped police custody.

            Fortunately, the heroin trafficking center was shut down and the drug pushers held responsible were detained, according to police reports.  Detective Doyle and Russo were reassigned to another division following the death of Federal Agent Mulderig and the police are still on the lookout for Charnier.  Any information regarding his whereabouts should be directed toward the NYPD.

Recently In The News

  These are the stories that I've paid attention to the most recently:

Elmo: Puppeteer has supposed underaged relationship with another guy, guy comes forward with accusations, guy conveniently recants previous claim after puppeteer takes a leave of absence.  Typical hollywood drama, right?  Wrong.  Anything involving puppets and the sexual orientation of their voices is questionable at best, but this is just weird.  I actually feel bad for Elmo, of all people...

Kevin McHale: The Houston Rockets basketball coach's daughter recently died at the age of 22, (a huge wake-up call for those of us who are also 22, like ME).  I also saw on the news this morning that his daughter, Sasha, had Lupus, (again, like ME), so that was really interesting to see.  I was watching with my dad and we both looked at each other when the reporter said that she had been fighting Lupus for some time.  It really makes you think about what you take for granted and what you have to take seriously in life.

Black Friday: Who would've thought that extending hours into Thanksgiving for all those eager beavers out there would actually end up hurting sales on Black Friday, the day that's set aside for trampling people at Walmart to get that 39" television.  In fact, I knew a lot of people who actually went out Thanksgiving night to shop and said it was a lot easier Black Friday to get around.  I wonder when people will realize that this could end up being EVERY DAY of our LIVES eventually, if we keep this shit up.  I mean really, Thanksgiving is one of the only days during the year some people actually see their families, and now we have to worry about big deals and other crap ruining that too?

Newswriting Woes

  As it gets closer and closer to the end of the semester I'm slowly realizing a few things.  I'm almost done with my undergraduate degree, for one, (cue silent cheering and jumping around my living room).  On the other hand, I have been bombarded with classwork winding down to these last two weeks, and I'm not sure if there's enough time in my schedule to accomplish everything.  I still have two more required stories to write, (one being the profile, which I still have no idea who I'm going to write about), and on top of that I have a research project, two large papers and a butt load of group work I'm behind on due to the fact that every waking moment I'm not at school I'm at work...  Nevertheless, I will do my best, and hopefully I'll still graduate with honors.  I've been neglecting my duties as a journalist, but can you blame me really?
  So far this week these are the only things I have to report on: Arsenic and Old Lace had a phenomenal weekend at the Sanborn Regional High School drama department, Lauren won America's Next Top Model, (SERIOUSLY??), UNH lost badly to...some other team, while the Exeter Blue Hawks sailed into yet another Division I State Championship, and the Pats beat the Colts 59-24.  That's pretty much it.  Also, if you haven't noticed, Christmas has already started, so break out the Christmas carols and start writing your wish-list for Santa.  Apparently he's starting an early lay-away program for the Nice List kids...

*Be on the lookout, as I plan to publish more on this topic in the upcoming issue of DigBoston!!

How The Outcomes Of The Election Effect Education

  Recently I read an article in The Huffington Post about how school curriculum all over the country is facing multiple levels of reform due to new bills being passed.  This new legislature is due to the election of new officials and representatives for education departments across the nation.
  Over the past few years, many reform efforts in education have been achieved through the election of people with authority in each state; reform could be looked at through either lens, good or bad in this case.  A lot of people would be surprised at what children are learning today in schools.
  In many southern and western states, homosexuality and sexual education have been banned or restricted to a point where abstinence is the main focus.  Some schools also offer safe sex practice procedures as well as sexual education for parents as well as students.
  The voucher system has come under fire in recent years, stemming mostly from people paying taxes and government involvement in local affairs.  Vouchers, for those who don't know, allow lower middle class families to send their children to private or charter schools with the money they would've been spending in taxes at their local public school.  Obviously there's a lengthy application process involved and approval from the board of education.  Even though I believe the option to send children to other schools should lie with the parents, the voucher system only hurts public education by allowing parents a "safety net" for a better education.  Those in office should be putting more emphasis on funding, reform, and improvement of public educational systems instead.
  Schools across the country have also decided to drop the use and teaching of cursive writing, stating that there isn't enough time or space in each curriculum to devote to this style of writing.  While many students could care less, (who loved learning how to write in cursive?), parents are concerned with the serious change in school policies and curriculum across the board.  The emphasis is now on teaching children keyboarding techniques in order to gear them more towards a 21st-century business zone focusing on technology advances in society.  Although this will ultimately be a useful change in the education system, the loss of cursive writing and other important time-tested teaching practices have startled parents.  If we lose cursive, what's next?  Recess?  Calculators?  Rulers?
  However bleak things may seem for education, there has been significant progress.  According to the article by Huffington Post, last year California became the first state to require the teaching of gay and lesbian history and current contributions to the nation in public schools.  This is a huge milestone in education as well as in homosexual rights and history.  Perhaps this new legislature will eventually move into more public schools across the country, especially with marriage equality growing across the board.

President Obama

  Last night, we found out that President Obama has been elected to a second term.  This reporter has no comment, however, I believe America speaks for itself.  Both candidates made speeches to end the night's events; Obama's victory speech was truly stirring and inspiring.
  Romney also made quite an impressive and humble concession speech.  Both parties seem to be accepting of their new roles in society after one hell of a campaign.  It's nice to see both Obama and Romney congratulating each other and thanking one another for their efforts.  We will surely look forward to seeing them work together on changes to our country in the next four years.

  In voting news, two major and controversial issues were voted upon in some states: the legalization of marijuana and the issue of marriage equality.  Colorado, Montana and Massachusetts were some of the states that voted for legalization of medical marijuana in conjunction with a few more states who voted on less restrictions on their preexisting laws for the drug.  States that legalized same sex marriage were Maine and Maryland, with Washington bringing up the rear as the final tally is counted.  Minnesota also voted for marriage equality, but in a different way.  The vote was against an amendment, with a definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman.  This vote was revolutionary for the state and it is the first state to vote against such an amendment.  We look forward to seeing these two issues resolved all over the country over the next four years.

  As exciting as last night was, refreshing my laptop every 30 seconds, I'm glad it's finally over.  We can now all go back to normal and forget about all of the political jargon that filled our televisions, computers and radios for the last six months or so.  Now what are we going to write about?

First Assignment

  DigBoston is an entirely new and different frontier for news writing.  In fact, a lot of it isn't really news at all; it's more of a local-happenings sort of paper.  Lots of music, food and bar reviews as well as opinion pieces.  One of these columns is called "oh, cruel world!" and is a griping column dedicated to the reader.  I, however, got the pleasure of writing one myself.  Here it is:

To my current roommate and so-called “best guy friend,”

Seriously?  You spend 4 days ignoring the dishes piling up in our sink in lieu of more important things, (ie: Assassin’s Creed III), only to rush them “clean” before your girlfriend comes over.  Like she’s really going to care if your apartment is clean when you two are just going to mess it up again anyway.

Speaking of your girlfriend, you need to take into consideration that your room is not soundproof.  I can hear everything from anywhere in the apartment, so stop waking me up, (apparently your designated fucking time is whenever my alarm goes off).  I don’t care if you got rid of your bed frame and shove a pillow in her face; I have the ears of a hawk.

Lastly, if you touch my food one more time, I will murder you.  You didn’t buy it, so don’t eat it.  I swear, if you go through another half-gallon of milk like it’s the only thing keeping you alive, I will insist you do a gallon challenge, (no, I’m not bluffing).

Sincerely,
The Only Girl Who Lives in The Apartment (until December)

  Having a sense of the tone of the paper, I wrote this based off of other entries from previous issues.  This was fun to write, (and get off my chest), so I'm hoping I have more assignments like this one.  Not bad for my first day?  More to come!