Metro editor to talk news with you

Add comment July 28th, 2008 02:26pm Anna Voelker

Our new metro editor is blogging. Christie Bobbitt started her What’s News blog last week. Drop by and get to know Christie and discuss local news with her. Christie started June 30, coming to us from the Fort Myers (Fla.) News-Press.

Christie Bobbitt

any young people going to the republican convention?

1 comment July 26th, 2008 06:27am Jennie Pollock

the register star is not sending anyone to cover the democratic and republican conventions, which are a month away. we’ll have plenty of material available through our wire services.

but i’m curious: are there any young people from the rock river valley going to the republican national convention in the twin cities? a former rrs intern and now graduate student is going to denver for the dem party, and i’d like to have her blog, so i’m trying to scope out the other side. let me know at jpollock@rrstar.com or in the comments here.

p.s. speaking of “the cities,” i love this piece of art, spoonbridge and cherry, at the minneapolis scultpure garden…

Our journalists share passion for good writing

Add comment July 25th, 2008 05:15pm Anna Voelker

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Reporter Sean Driscoll talks in this video about the writing group he leads for Register Star journalists. The group meets regularly. Sometimes the focus on good writing gets lost in the daily hustle of our business.

no comment

Add comment July 25th, 2008 08:30am Jennie Pollock

sheila (mcclear, i’ve learned) on gawker, a n.y. gossip blog, makes the argument that newspapers should not be in the business of comments.

Newspapers have more important things to do than worry about comments—like, say, report the stories that blogs so desperately need in their 24-7 quest for content!

well, we’re happy to have comments back after a months-long hiatus. the register star encourages community conversation, though you now see our “pool rules” sign before you can post.

i’m sure some of the people across the country who have to scan, warn and ban the “idiot” posters of the world probably got more than a chuckle from sheila’s idea.  and they could relate to nerd world’s take on the cruelty of anonymous posters.

Who knew we would celebrate the anniversary of George Brett and that pine tar? I sure didn’t

3 comments July 24th, 2008 09:23am Anna Voelker

Andy Brown, assistant online news editor, came up with an idea to mark the 25th anniversary of George Brett’s infamous pine tar incident.

He put together this online package and is encouraging you to share your memories and thoughts. I’m 30, and I don’t remember this at all. But I enjoyed catching up … 25 years after the fact.

Check out some of our other “Remember When” packages, too.

what are you doing? making friends and having fun!

Add comment July 24th, 2008 09:11am Jennie Pollock

a couple of years ago, when i was in a management training program, i was encouraged to try 10 techie things. to take a plunge. and then to make my fellow co-workers and staffers do so.

i lost the list, but joining facebook, linked in and myspace probably were on there. same with setting up rss feeds and blogging. not all of this was new to me, but as someone said to me this week, “i learn by doing. i don’t learn by reading a book.”

one thing many of our staffers have learned this week is how to build social networks on ning.com. it’s pretty easy and entertaining (photos! videos! customized colors!), but it does take time while you experiment, i have to say.

this is meant to prepare us as we anticipate launching a seamless way for readers to submit content and connect with one another, especially in our rock river valley communities. no date attached to this yet. stay tuned.

p.s. regarding the headline inspiration, back in the 1980s, we used to say we were “making friends and having fun” in key club in high school. now kids are friends on the web with hundreds of people.

Register Star publisher to retire

1 comment July 23rd, 2008 10:43am Anna Voelker

Our publisher, Fritz Jacobi, announced his retirement this morning. Scott Bowers, our former controller and Springfield Journal-Register publisher, will be our new publisher. Tom Lasley, our marketing development director, will serve as general manager. Bowers, who will be based in Springfield, will split his time at Rockford and the Capitol.

me and my shadow (can’t … resist … pun)

2 comments July 23rd, 2008 08:05am Jennie Pollock

this week, we had a young aspiring journalist visit the newsroom. instead of spending time in the sun or sleeping in (if i were a teenager again, these would be high on my list), he spent almost four hours at the news tower.

brylind lawson of roscoe, a 16-year-old from hononegah high school, had a smile on his face most of the morning as we gave him a tour and showed him what it takes to tell stories in “the new world.”

he said he could see himself in our chairs someday. that’s what we love to hear.

Sharing information as we gather it

Add comment July 22nd, 2008 11:40am Anna Voelker

Yesterday, we published several updates on two stories: the Winnebago father and son who died in a farm accident and the Joseph Boomer trial coverage. Both were the most-viewed items on our site yesterday. They continue to drive traffic — and community conversation — today.

Both of these stories also are filled with human emotion. We journalists do our best to respect the families and friends affected when we’re covering stories like these.

I read comments on the farm accident story today, and one person thought we shouldn’t have posted any information until we had news.

We first told readers on rrstar.com around 3:30 p.m. when the coroner was on her way to the farm. The 911 call came about two hours earlier. We updated the story as we gathered more information. One of the updates confirmed how the father and son — died. Another update added context on the type of accident. Much later, we told you their names — Michael and Kyle Mitchell.

We try to share information with the public as we have it. That means we check that information and release it as we have it confirmed by sources. It’s not always black and white. This tragedy has affected a tight-knit community.

It was evident in this quote from the Rev. Steve Shullanberger of Winnebago First Presbyterian Church, who served as the family’s spokesman: “I’ve been blessed to know the Mitchell family for about 12 years. They’ve been a part of the church since before I was born, some 60 years. They’ve been dairymen for many, many years. They’re not just respected locally, but regionally. They’d give you the shirt off their backs to help you out.”

Today, we’re talking to community members who will help the Mitchell family run their farm as they cope with their loss.

exercising our editorial ‘voice’

Add comment July 18th, 2008 08:18am Jennie Pollock

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you may be familiar with mary kaull from her blogging at “a seat at the table,” but you don’t often “hear” this longtime editorial board member.

she’s the voice in this tour of the ncenter, a place for youth in rockford. UPDATE: our “text” editorial is here.

thanks, mary, for serving as the editorial “we.”

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