Monday, Oct. 31, 2005

High price pumps up interest in Appalachian oil; tiny refinery revving up

Appalachian journalists should take a heads up from a story over the weekend by Roger Alford of The Associated Press, reporting that "New wells are going in every day throughout the region thanks to an oil rush powered by record high prices. With crude selling for $60 a barrel, even the traditionally slow-producing oil fields in the[foothills] of Kentucky and Tennessee, where most wells churn out one to two barrels a day, have become lucrative."

Frank Lynch, president of Somerset Oil, told Alford, "With the high-dollar crude, all of a sudden we were thrown into the big game." Somerset Oil was almost unnoticed for decades. Then last year crude jumped beyond $20 a barrel and kept on rising. Now Lynch expects the local supply to his refinery to increase from 2,800 barrels to 5,500 barrels within the next month and to 7,500 by the end of March. Its capacity is 10,000 barrels, making it one of the nation's smallest refineries. (Read more)

This is an example of an AP story that should spawn lots of local stories -- about on-the-ground activities that directly affect people, such as reopening of old wells, drilling of new ones and leasing of mineral rights for drilling. Oil leases typically last just a few years, unlike most mineral leases. Leases must be filed as public record, so they are available in courthouses. Also, the Kentucky Division of Oil and Gas recently began posting lease-by-lease production data, based on pickups of crude by trucks from Somerset and other regional refineries such as the Indiana Farm Bureau. To access this data, click here.

Small-school experiment shows excellence trumps size, structure

A hopeful endeavor to turn a small Washington-state school system into a model for similar schools nationwide has produced results counter to what was expected -- indicating that regardless of how schools are structured, excellence is still the key to higher academic achievement.

"Mountlake Terrace High School was supposed to lead the way in the national movement to remake large high schools into smaller ones that graduated more students and better prepared them for college. But the school that reorganized itself into five small academies with one of the first Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Small Schools Grants in 2001 is also serving as a cautionary tale about the difficulty of change," writes Lynn Thompson of The Seattle Times.

The foundation is moving away from converting large high schools into smaller ones and is instead giving grants to specially selected school districts that have proven academic improvement and effective leadership. Foundation experts have concluded "improving classroom instruction and mobilizing the resources of an entire district were more important first steps to improving high schools than breaking down the size," writes Thompson.

The Washington school system hasn't given up on the idea of independent small schools organized around themes such as technology and the performing arts, but is rethinking how to organize its three other large high schools. Ken Limón, the district's assistant superintendent for secondary education, told Thompson. "I think we're finding that it's not necessarily about the structure of the school as much as it's about the quality of instruction. It's the relationship between teacher and student that's critical."

The district described in Thompson's story is in the urban area of Snohomish County, just north of Seattle, but the small-schools experiment could have implications for rural schools. (Read more)

County considers rule to make growth planners consider impact on schools

The newest elementary school in Shelby County, Kentucky, opened in August and is bulging at the seams -- perhaps evidence of the need for local planners to consider impacts on schools.

"The county's population rose about 11.6 percent, or 3,880 residents, between 2000 and 2004 as it became a bedroom community of Louisville. Now Shelby County residents and elected officials are debating a proposed ordinance that would help ensure that population growth doesn't outstrip the capacity of the county's schools," writes Michael A. Lindenberger of The Courier-Journal.

The ordinance would allow zoning officials to consider a project's impact on schools as grounds for rejection. It also permits developers to offer school districts incentives such as including land for a new school as part of the proposal -- to ease the impact, reports the Louisville newspaper.

Chuck Kavanaugh, executive vice president of the Home Builders Association of Louisville, said builders oppose such a measure. By focusing on new homes, officials ignore other growth, including growth caused by families with children who move into a county and rent or buy existing homes, Kavanaugh told Lindenberger. (Read more)

Impact statement on mountaintop-removal mines pleases industry, not enviros

A programmatic environmental impact statement released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service attempts to coordinate reviews of mountaintop-removal mining permit applications and ease concerns over the controversial practice.

The statement follows several years of study by the Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Office of Surface Mining, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection into mountaintop removal in West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee. In essence, this statement approves a proposal to combine the mining permit reviews required by state and federal agencies into a single, joint evaluation, writes Ken Ward Jr. of the Charleston Gazette.

The $5.5 million study was promised in December 1998 to settle parts of a federal court lawsuit filed against mountaintop removal. "The draft study, published in May 2003, confirmed that mountaintop removal is destroying forests and streams in West Virginia and other coal states in the region. Among other things, the draft reported that coal operators had buried more than 720 miles of Appalachian streams between 1985 and 2001," writes Ward. (Read more)

"Coal industry officials welcomed the final study’s release, while environmentalists harshly criticized the lack of any concrete rule changes to more strictly police large-scale strip mining," Ward writes, quoting Carol Raulston, spokesman for the National Mining Association: “We think this will be helpful both for people filing permits, knowing what they need to file, and for the public, to review permits and get a more complete picture rather than something piecemeal.”

Joe Lovett of the Appalachian Center for the Economy and Environment told Brian Farkas of The Associated Press,"It's laughable to call it anything except a way to ease permitting for the coal industry. In my view, it's a complete abdication of the federal government under the Clean Water Act to protect this region's water. There is nothing protective about the EIS." (Click here for AP story)

If Katrina turns focus to poor, W. Post has a nominee: Central Appalachia

Tennessee Ernie Ford sang, "Sixteen tons and what'll you get, another day older and deeper in debt." But what happens when the coal is gone and poverty is pervasive and palpable? In the old coal-mining community of Kermit, W.Va., “junkin'” keeps a body alive, but barely. Evelyn Nieves of The
Washington Post captured the karma of Kermit this way over the weekend:

"Work is hard to find in Kermit (population 201), not to mention in all the other coal towns of southern West Virginia. So Greg Hannah, a 38-year-old single father, relies on the refuse ... to put some money in his pocket and help support his 8-year-old boy. Hannah is 'a junker' ... sifting through trash for metal and other junk and [he] sells it to a plant that buys aluminum for 50 cents a pound. If he works 'really hard, every day,' he says, he could make as much as $200 in one week."

Nieves writes, "After New Orleans's destruction, politicians and commentators predicted that Hurricane Katrina would force the nation to focus on the plight of poor people. If that were to happen, this swath of lush, green central Appalachia, where President Lyndon B. Johnson launched his 'War on Poverty' more than 40 years ago, would once again be a prime candidate for attention. ... Appalachia leads the nation in disabilities, deaths by preventable diseases, dental problems and prescription drug abuse, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Mingo County, where Kermit is located, the poverty rate is 29.7 percent, slightly higher than pre-Katrina New Orleans. Coal is the big industry, but mining jobs are as rare as luck." (Read more)

Meth candy? Chinese meth? Officials fear new forms from various sources

Methamphetamine, once a mainly rural drug, is making its way across American communities and now a new version of the killer may be on its way from China.

Hasan Davis is vice president of the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice, and he is talking about dealing with that development at various tour stops throughout the United States. While the Chinese meth looms on the horizon, Davis said the current meth problem must be dealt with first, writes Katie Brown of the Bismarck Tribune in North Dakota. "We really need to address the problems we have now so if and when we are faced with this we can do what we need to in order to keep it from becoming a catastrophic event," Davis said.

While Davis' committee continues to seek information about the Chinese meth, news is spreading that meth manufacturers have started creating candy-coated pill versions of the drug, reports Brown. "It probably isn't in the United States already, but with the global economy and global market, who knows how long we have before it makes it over here," Davis said. (Read more)

Cumulus Broadcasting to buy Susquehanna Media radio stations

In the largest radio-industry deal in several years, "Susquehanna Media Co., the nation's largest closely held radio operator by revenue, has agreed to sell its radio assets to a group led by Cumulus Media Inc. for $1.2 billion," reports Sarah McBride of The Wall Street Journal.

Cumulus Media Partners consists of Cumulus Media and three investment firms -- Bain Capital LLC, Blackstone Group LP and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP. All hold one-fourth interest, but Cumulus said it could raise its stake if it meets performance targets.

"Cumulus, which owns more than 300 stations mostly in smaller and medium markets, would have stakes in stations in several big cities like San Francisco and Dallas when the transaction is completed," the Journal reports. Cumulus and other companies have their eyes on the radio stations of the Walt Disney Co., including the ABC Radio Network.

"Acquiring the Disney stations, which had net revenue last year of about $450 million, would help any of the half-dozen or so second-tier radio groups around the country better challenge the dominance of industry giants Clear Channel Communications Inc. ... and Viacom Inc.'s Infinity Broadcasting," McBride writes. "Susquehanna is a unit of Susquehanna Pfaltzgraff Co., which recently sold its dinnerware business." (Click here to read more; subscription may be required)

United Nations envoy to examine Eastern Kentucky's poverty today, tomorrow

"A United Nations official who is studying 'extreme poverty' in the United States is scheduled to travel to Eastern Kentucky early next week to learn about Appalachia's economic and environmental problems," writes Frank E. Lockwood of the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Arjun Sengupta, with the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, will visit a homeless shelter in Hazard and a low-cost medical clinic in Paint Lick. Rev. John Rausch, director of the Catholic Committee of Appalachia, arranged the visit. Sengupta, a former Indian ambassador to the European Union, "is looking at numerous places in the United States where poverty has been overlooked or exists and is not dealt with," Rausch told Lockwood.

Sengupta has visited New Orleans and will soon see inner-city Philadelphia. In Kentucky, Rausch is encouraging people to give the official a realistic view of poverty. "I don't want to hear any glossy nonsense. I want to know where the cracks and fissures are," Rausch said, noted Lockwood.

The Appalachian Regional Commission reports that 32 of the 77 most economically "distressed counties" in its 13 states are in Kentucky. Sengupta is studying "income poverty, human development poverty and social exclusion" during his U.S. tour, reports Lockwood. (Read more)

Rural roots may help make Jerry Kilgore governor of Virginia next week

Jerry Kilgore could become the first Virginia governor from Scott County, an Appalachian community closer to seven other state capitals (even Columbus, Ohio) than to Richmond. Small-town life in his hometown of Gate City involves plenty of hunting, church gatherings and of course, football. "This is the place that defines who I am," Kilgore told Bob Lewis of The Associated Press.

Kilgore, 44, completely embraces his roots in Virginia's southwestern hills, "where life is tied closely to church and family, where pretense is a social blunder and where people feel forgotten and unappreciated by their leaders in Richmond, 348 miles away," writes Lewis. Now Kilgore, a Republican, wants Gate City's residents to have a leader that they know appreciates them. He started by becoming attorney general in 2001, and now faces Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine, a Democrat, for the state's top post. (Read more)

"Kaine has taken a narrow lead [of 47 percent to 44 percent] buoyed by newfound strength in Northern Virginia's outer suburbs and an electorate turned off by what it considers the negative tone of his Republican opponent, according to a new Washington Post poll," write Michael D. Shear and Claudia Deane of The Washington Post. However, Virginia's recent electoral history suggests that Kaine may need an even wider lead in polls to win on Election Day, since Democrats' figures are usually inflated. Kaine is leading among women, older voters, and suburban voters, Kilgore is leading among whites, men and those who say they live in rural areas, reports The Post. (Read more)

Minister who opposed gay-marriage ban sues Ky. Farm Bureau over firing

A Unitarian minister has filed a lawsuit claiming that the Kentucky Farm Bureau wrongfully fired him in January, after he spoke out against a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

Rev. Todd Eklof, a minister at Clifton Unitarian Church in Louisville, announced during a November service that he would no longer perform marriages until gay marriage was legalized. "In the lawsuit, filed in Jefferson Circuit Court, Eklof claims he was fired about two months after a television interview regarding his stance. Eklof was a corporate video producer for the Farm Bureau," says The Courier-Journal.

"What happened to freedom of speech?" Eklof asked about 50 supporters during a weekend rally. "We will not remain silent. We will not keep our opinions to ourselves." A Jan. 18 letter from David Beck, the Farm Bureau's executive vice president, said Eklof's public statements violated a company policy against such opinionated displays and that Eklof had performed poorly at work, reports Jason Riley for the Louisville newspaper. "Kentucky was one of 11 states last fall that changed their constitutions to outlaw same-sex marriages," he notes. (Read more)

Halloween weekend hayride in South Carolina ends with four people dead

Journalists who serve rural areas might want to report this item as a reminder to readers, listeners and viewers that hayrides can be dangerous.

"Four people were killed and at least 14 were injured during a hay ride Sunday in Florence, S.C., when an 18-wheeler slammed into a farm tractor pulling a trailer on which the people were riding, officials said," reports the Charlotte Observer. The trailer had no rear lights, and there were as many as 20 people participating in the hay ride through rural Marion County. When the truck hit the tractor and the wagon, the latter broke away and spun around, and passengers were flung from the wagon. (Read more)

Rural Calendar:

Nov. 5: Hotel reservation deadline this Saturday for Farm Journal Forum

The deadline for making hotel reservations for the 10th Farm Journal Forum, presented by Monsanto and ADM, is this coming Saturday. The forum is designed for participants to learn about what's new in consumer demands for food, farm policy, renewable energy and rural development.

The forum will be held Dec. 5-6 at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. Sign up for the forum by calling (703) 683-6334, e-mailing FarmJournal@PearsonPlanners.com, or faxing the registration form to (540) 373-8893. This year's theme is "Promoting Farmer-Consumer Connections." Invited speakers include Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns. The conference registration fee is $295. To make hotel reservations for $199 single and double occupancy, call (202) 737-1234 or (800) 233-1234 and mention the Farm Journal Forum. (Read more)

Nov. 1-18: Online Ecotourism Emerging Industry Forum starts tomorrow

Planeta.com and EplerWood International invite you to take part in the Ecotourism Emerging Industry Forum Nov. 1-18.

The Ecotourism Emerging Industry Forum will be conducted on-line. It will bring together key business, finance, and market players worldwide to discuss the needs of their industry. Moderators will be selected with experience and understanding of business goals and objectives.

Nearly 100 people have registered for this innovative online forum, designed to provide professionally moderated, up-to-date results on small and medium enterprise (SME) priorities for funding and investment decisions for sustainable tourism in developing countries. The organizers will prepare final results with a small editorial board to be announced. The results will be delivered to all of the development agencies via personal correspondence and meetings with the key individuals involved in donor policy development. (Read more)

Friday, Oct. 28, 2005

'Covering Coal' conference for Central Appalachian journalists Nov. 18

Coal has made news in Central Appalachia for more than a century, and it is particularly newsworthy right now. Prices are high and mines are hiring, but citizens are complaining about the impacts of the industry. Journalists, the major players may not live in your area, but the impacts – good and bad – are local, and your readers, listeners or viewers are interested in them.

But covering those impacts is often difficult, because coal is a complex industry – in its technology, its regulation and its economics, for example – and the decision-makers are often not readily at hand. If you’re a small daily paper or station, it’s easy to leave it to The Associated Press; if you’re a weekly and don’t have AP, reliable information is often hard to find. Even larger papers often need better access to experts and decision-makers.

To help Appalachian journalists cover this business that is so important to the region, the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues and its partners at other schools are presenting "Covering Coal," an intensive seminar on Friday Nov. 18 at the Graduate College of Marshall University in South Charleston, W.Va. Attendees will hear from people in the coal business, the bureaucrats who regulate them, environmentalists and other citizens who point out the others’ shortcomings, and veteran journalists who will offer useful advice. You will leave with a better understanding of the industry and its issues, and with story ideas, sources and the right questions.

The fee is $25 (after Nov. 10, $35). Because space is limited, attendance will be limited to the first 25 paid registrations. Details appear on this page of our Web site. To download a .pdf copy of the conference schedule and registration form, click here.

Alliance Coal to reopen long-dormant mine in West Virginia panhandle

The Old Valley Camp coal mine near Wheeling, W.Va., is being revived after laying dormant for 30 years. "This will be the first time coal is mined in Ohio County in 30 years," State Sen. Andy McKenzie told Juliet A. Terry of The State Journal in Charleston. "It's going to be one of the largest openings of a coal mine in a long time." (Read more)

The Old Valley Camp mine, now the Tunnel Ridge reserve area, covers 50,000-plus acres in Ohio County and adjoining Pennsylvania. Alliance Resource Partners is in the permitting process to open the mine, Terry writes.

Alliance said the mine could produce up to 6 million tons of coal annually, also predicting about 300 new jobs will be created when it opens, with salaries averaging $50,000 to $55,000. It's expected to be a $200 million investment over the next five years, Terry writes. The company estimated Tunnel Ridge could generate $179 million in state severance taxes and $9 million in county severance taxes over its lifetime.

FCC chairman wants to shore up funding for rural telecom services

Declining costs of pohone service, telephoning over the Internet and a blurring definition of telecom company have hurt the Universal Services Fund that hels rural areas. The Federal Communications Commission chairman, Kevin Martin, says the government should help.

On Wednesday, Martin told Telecom '05 conference attendees in Las Vegas he hopes the government will improve funding for advanced telecom services for rural and isolated businesses, schools and consumers, reports Nicholas Hoover of Information Week.

"The commission needs to revise the way in which it collects universal service funds," said Martin, who grew up in rural North Carolina. He noted the FCC is charged with assuring that rural America doesn't get left behind in services. The Universal Services Fund requires interstate telecom carriers to pay taxes into the fund based on their revenue, notes Hoover. Broadband and other high-tech telecommunications services are costly in rural areas, so the fund subsidizes small rural carriers.

Martin has proposed that companies pay taxes based on the number of lines they service, not on their total revenues. Martin noted not everyone is happy with the proposal, and is open to any proposal that would make the system more technology-neutral, Hoover writes. (Read more)

Congress delays country-of-origin meat labeling, possibly to 2008

Under a joint recommendation from congressional appropriations committees, meat processors probably won't have to label where products come from until 2008.

Both chambers of Congress will vote on the recommendations, which include delaying mandatory country-of-origin labeling until Sept. 30, 2008, writes Shea Van Hoy of The Morning News of Springdale, Ark., home of Tyson Foods Inc. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports the cost of mandatory labeling for beef and pork packers would be more than $2.4 billion in the first year, writes Van Hoy.

Tyson spokesman Gary Michelson told Van Hoy, "While we're pleased it has been delayed again, we still believe this measure should either be repealed or made permanently voluntary." Tyson opposes mandatory labeling, citing high costs, lack of consumer demand and difficulty in tracking products' origins.

Consumer groups and cattlemen organizations, such as the Montana-based Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund/United Stockgrowers of America, back country-of-origin labeling. Danni Beer of the cattlemen's group told Van Hoy the joint committee "caved in to Tyson's pressure" when it adopted the country-of-origin delay. The consumer group, Americans for Country of Origin Labeling, contends costs for a mandatory program are overestimated, and it says U.S. trading partners require labeling to allow consumers to make better choices. (Read more)

New owners shake up Eagle-Tribune; Ketter named 'educator, trainer'

Community Newspaper Holdings Inc. has replaced Lawrence (Mass.) Eagle-Tribune Publisher Irving ''Chip" Rogers II with Richard Franks, who had been chief executive officer, and made the company's vice president of news, William Ketter, an "educator and trainer" who will no longer oversee the day-to-day editorial content. That role goes to executive editor Karen Andreas, 39, who worked at North Shore newspapers for 17 years, including three as Salem News editor, reports the Boston Globe.

The Eagle-Tribune, which CNHI bought recently, is the Alabama-based chain's largest daily. Mike Reed, president and chief executive officer of CNHI, told Crane that Ketter, 65, will work with editorial personnel company-wide. Under Ketter's leadership the Eagle-Tribune won one of its two Pulitzer Prizes. "Why not expose (Ketter) editorially to the whole company?" Reed asked. "He can ... see how they conduct newsroom proceedings. Do they have a good grasp on what should be on page one versus page three? Maybe he can make future editors by passing on his experience."

Ketter's experience includes work for The Patriot Ledger of Quincy, service on the Pulitzer Prize board, and teaching journalism at Boston University. (Read more)

Wal-Mart chief wants higher minimum wage to help workers, customers

Wal-Mart's top official asked Congress to consider raising the minimum wage this week, saying he wanted to help his employees and the customers who shop at the retail behemoth.

Wal-Mart Chief Executive H. Lee Scott said he wants to improve worker wages, which at his company average less than $10 an hour. "Even slight overall adjustments to wages eliminate our thin profit margin," Scott said, but said the wage should be raised to also help Wal-Mart's cash-strapped customers.

Carl Pope, the executive director of the Sierra Club and a board member of Wal-Mart Watch, a group critical of the company, said the firm still needs to address some environmental issues, such as how new stores impact rural areas. The massive buildings cover fields or wetlands and prompt customers to consume extra gasoline, Pope told Barbaro and Barringer. (Read more)

On the prowl: Wal-Mart's critics to take fight inside churches, synagogues

Wal-Mart's critics will be preaching their gospel from pulpits, figuratively speaking, across the nation.

"Producers of a new documentary, Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price, will show it in about 1,000 churches, synagogues and religious sites nationwide on Nov. 13 in a bid to force changes in Wal-Mart's employment and other practices," writes Jim Hopkins of USA Today.

"The movie is part of a broader campaign by a disparate group of critics who now include ministers asserting Wal-Mart's tactics are a moral as well as economic issue," Hopkins writes, adding that the film comes on the heels of Wal-Mart's public relations effort "to polish its battered image." (Read more)

The Wal-Mart film features interviews with company employees, small-business owners, teachers and others who sharply criticize it with charges of low wages, skimpy health benefits and a poor environmental record. The film's producer Robert Greenwald told Hopkins, "Those are moral questions."

Wilma's aftermath: Florida's farmers hurt when sugar cane tangled, twisted

Sugar cane stalks normally rise upward toward the sun's rays, but hurricane winds have left Florida's rich crop bent downward and even flattened in some areas.

"Sugar cane is one of the most important crops in the state, and agriculture vies with tourism as the main engine in Florida's economy, which is valued at $50 billion annually. The losses in the region are going to run into the tens of millions if not billions of dollars, government officials and business people said," write Joseph B. Treaster and Abby Goodnough of The New York Times.

The damaged Everglades region, densely populated with migrant workers, is already economically challenged. Now, most field workers are out a week's pay. Rick Henderson, who runs a company that provide portable toilets for field workers, said, "The farmers lost probably 80 percent of their crop." Henderson told the Times, "I imagine this is going to kill our business. When the farmers get hit, it has a domino effect on the whole area." (Read more)

Colorado governor changes mind on spending tobacco settlement funds

States around the nation are still managing a multi-million dollar windfall blowing into their coffers from the 1998 national tobacco settlement. Colorado Gov. Bill Owens has changed directions.

Owens "shifted his stance on how the state should use tobacco settlement money, saying that he would opt for deeper budget cuts over one-time funds to fill the gaps in next year's state budget if voters reject" ballot proposals to suspend spending limits for five years, writes Mark Couch of the Denver Post. "Owens said he would be reluctant to use money the state could raise by selling bonds backed by money the state expects to collect from tobacco companies," as many states have done. (Read more)

"I'm not sure we'll securitize, because the cliff you walk off in the future is a lot steeper," Owens said recently about proposals to sell bonds. "Tobacco securitization" is one of the governor's top priorities, which he sees as a way to put money into a rainy-day fund to cope with future emergencies. As debate over the referenda heats up, it is being touted by many Republicans as a solution to budget woes.

Massachusetts Senate president proposes statute to shield reporters' sources

In the ongoing debate over reporters using confidential sources, Massachusetts state Senate President Robert E. Travaglini added his input by filing a bill Thursday to create a shield law for his state.

"The law proposed by Travaglini would bar any branch of government from using subpoenas or other methods to force reporters to name sources, except in extreme cases of overriding public interest, such as when the information is deemed necessary to prevent a terrorist attack," according to The Boston Globe.

"For the most part, I believe that journalists use these resources in a responsible way. Unless there are some extraordinary circumstances, they shouldn't be forced to reveal their sources," he said. (Read more)

The Missouri Photojournalism Hall of Fame announces first inductees

The Missouri Photojournalism Hall of Fame, which opened Oct. 20, has announced the names of its first eight photojournalists inductees. The University of Missouri opened the hall of fame to promote photography in journalism, as noted in The Rural Blog Oct. 14.

The initial inductees are: Cliff and Vi Edom, who worked as a team at the university to promote photography in journalism; Angus "Mac" McDougall, who directed the school's photojournalism sequence from 1972-1982; Arthur Witman, a St. Louis Post-Dispatch photographer; Jack Zehrt, a St. Louis Globe-Democrat and freelance photographer; Bob Briggs of the Globe-Democrat, who also worked for Life and Time magazines; Charles Stacey, whose 28-year career at The Salem News documented the lives of rural people; and Betty Love, who pioneered the use of color photography at the Springfield Daily News and Leader-Press. (Read more)

Three Kentucky college students charged with destroying newspapers

Three Morehead State University students have pleaded not guilty to third-degree criminal mischief, after allegedly confessing to burning 7,000-plus copies of the student-ran Trail Blazer newspaper.

Danielle Brown, Andrea Sharp and Jennie Williams pleaded not guilty in Rowan County, Kentucky, and the case will go to a pretrial hearing Dec. 14. MSU police said the three students signed a written confession to confiscating and burning the Sept. 23 newspapers because of a rape story included in that edition, writes Tonia Sexton of The Morehead News. Her story is not online; here is an earlier story.

Keeping trick or treaters safe: Harvard offers tips on treats, costumes

Halloween has become not only an annual feast for youngsters but a major concern for their parents, with reports each year of injuries and deaths caused by tainted treats to fire-prone costumes. Harvard Health Publications, the publishing group at Harvard Medical School, has some tips on holiday candy, costumes, Jack-o'-lanterns, and home safety.

For candy, the publication advises, "Kids will be less likely to overload on candy if they eat something before they go out," reports Newswise.com "Costumes are an essential part of Halloween fun, but hazardous situations can arise if a costume is made from the wrong materials or does not fit properly," advises the health publication.

As for carving Jack-o’-lanterns, it advises, "Under parents' supervision, children ages 5 to 10 can carve with pumpkin cutters that have safety bars." And, for home safety, the medical publication writes, "Keep your own home safe for visiting trick-or-treaters by removing anything that a child could trip over and by replacing any burned-out outdoor light bulbs," Newswise reports. (Read more)

Nov. 5 Louisville SPJ workshop to feature Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter

The Louisville chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will present reporting tips from Tom Hallman Jr., a Pulitzer Prize winner and long-time writer for The Oregonian, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5 in the WFPL-FM studio at 619 S. Fourth St.

For directions, go to this site. Registration and continental breakfast will begin at 8:30. The cost is $15 for students, $20 for SPJ members and $25 for non-members. Reservations are due Nov. 2. Checks, made payable to Louisville SPJ, may be sent to Kathy Francis, 3313 Broeck Pointe Circle, Louisville KY 40241. You may also pay at the door. To register or for more information, call (502) 379-7918 or e-mail Mklfrancis0457@aol.com.

Thursday, Oct. 27, 2005

Iowa, Kentucky join to study air quality at livestock production facilities

Engineers at Iowa State University and the University of Kentucky have teamed up in a new $1 million monitoring program to collect air emissions data from poultry and other livestock production facilities in Kentucky, a project that could help the industry reduce pollution levels.

"A new air compliance agreement between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and industry groups led to the development of a monitoring project that will gather emissions data from swine farms and manure storage facilities, poultry houses and free-stall dairy facilities across the country, write Susan Thompson and Laura Skillman of the UK College of Agriculture.

Robert Burns, the project leader and associate professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering at Iowa State, told Thompson and Skillman, “We’re setting the stage for future poultry and other livestock production facility air emissions monitoring under this program.”

The project, funded by Tyson Foods, monitors ammonia, carbon dioxide, three types of particulate matter, hydrogen sulfide and non-methane hydrocarbons. Data will be collected for one year, analyzed and reported to the EPA. The idea is to evaluate differences in emissions due to geographical region, season of the year, time of day, building design, growth cycle of the animals and building management for new air emissions guidelines, note Thompson and Skillman. (Read more)

Newspapers should not degrade editorial content, ad-buyer tells publishers

In the midst of growing competition, diminishing circulation and increased shame from industry screw-ups, newspaper publishers should not back down on their role as community watchdogs and advocates, says an executive with a major media-planning firm.

"Bottom-line-oriented publishers who chop away at their paper's news content are undermining their business," said the executive with Newspaper Services of America at a recent meeting of the Inland Press Association. Dave Gusse told the group, "Don't let your CFOs run your companies. Don't cheap out on editorial."

Gusse directs the Safeway and Mervyn's Department Stores accounts for NSA. He had advice for newspapers on how to land more advertising including allowing clients to buy into total market coverage, but he repeated his admonition on editorial content and quality as a driver of advertising business, writes Mark Fitzgerald, editor-at-large for Editor & Publisher.

Gusse told the Chicago meeting he was speaking as a reader, as well as a media planner and buyer. "For many of our advertisers, what separates you from the shared-mail products is your editorial content," and added newspapers must offer a quality news product that makes people want to subscribe. "I hate seeing editorial be run down," he said. (Read more)

'Ice' has a price: Meth's human, economic toll enormous, reports Ga. paper

The methamphetamine epidemic has prompted a Columbus, Ga., newspaper to take an in-depth look at the toll in human suffering caused by the powerful drug, and it reports growing devastation.

The city's Metro Narcotics Task Force recently arrested two residents and confiscated 10 ounces of "ice," a form of meth. It was the second-largest seizure in Columbus. The largest was more than a pound earlier this year with a street value of $27,000, report Melanie Bennett and Chuck Williams of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.

"Methamphetamine, once a rural problem, has spread to cities like Columbus. And the costs are enormous for environmental cleanup, for medical bills, for legal and rehabilitative services, for the law enforcement officials needed to combat the drug. And that doesn't include the human costs; children with meth-addicted parents, parents with meth-addicted children, and lots of broken homes," write Bennett and Williams.

Dr. Drew Williams, at the local medical center, told Bennett and Williams he sees chronic users daily with heart problems, infected sores, rotten teeth and blistered feet. The drug stimulates the brain and users do not sleep for several days at a time. Williams told them, " If you stayed up for two, three, four days, you'd get real paranoid, start doing things you wouldn't normally do. It becomes rational to steal and fight or do sexual favors for drugs."

Jesse Hambrick, an investigator in the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, told Bennett and Williams the drug is next to impossible to quit because, "When you are using meth it is like having the best sex, a fantastic meal and winning the lottery all rolled up in one package. Why quit if it makes you feel that good? Because eventually it is going to kill you." (Read more)

Windmills, new generator help TVA meet growing demand for 'green power'

The Southeast's largest homegrown green-power program is operating with a surplus for the first time since 2003 with additional an additional generator and new wind turbines on-line and growing demand.

Until last year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had rated the Tennessee Valley Authority's renewable energy program "one of the top 10 renewable energy programs in the country. But delays in adding 15 wind turbines to the three already on TVA's Buffalo Mountain wind farm near Oliver Springs, about 30 miles west of Knoxville, stalled the program and demand outstripped capacity," writes Duncan Mansfield of The Associated Press. (Read more)

Jerry Cargile, manager of TVA's Green Power Switch program, told Mansfield, "It is the best year so far. That has made us optimistic that we can get back on track." The new windmills came on line earlier this year and as of 45 days ago the company's new 33 megawatt capacity erased its deficit. In August, TVA sold 77 percent of its generation.

TVA officials say the company is now in a position to renew its efforts to expand the program, which reaches about 8,300 households. Eighty-nine of TVA's 158 distributors currently offer Green Power Switch, sold in 150-kilowatt-hour blocks for an extra $4 a month, writes Mansfield.

Key senator calls for Indian gaming review; cites possible corruption concerns

U. S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., told at a meeting at Portland State University that Congress needs to review gambling regulations for American Indian casinos, saying that a $20 billion industry based on mostly cash transactions is vulnerable to corruption.

The meeting at the Native American Student and Community Center at Portland State was a bipartisan effort to address issues facing the tribes, U. S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., told William McCall of The Associated Press. Several tribal leaders told McCain, who is chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, that they have concerns over changing any of the gambling regulations, which they feel are adequate. "We have a difference of opinion," McCain said. "This is an industry with a long history of corruption, so we'll just have to respectfully disagree." (Read more)

Rural landfill turns waste gas into fuel; rising energy prices spur development

Does decay pay? A growing interest and industry where rot is really hot says it pays and it pays big.

"Landfill gas, a combination of methane and carbon dioxide generated by tons of rotting garbage, is the hot darling in the world of alternative energy. The Chester County [Pennsylvania] Solid Waste Authority officially [has] joined the trend. Working in partnership with Michigan-based Granger Energy, the pair [have] unveiled a state-of-the-art gas processing plant at the Lanchester Landfill. Estimated project costs are $12 million," writes Nancy Petersen of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Authority Chairman Robert J. Schoenberger, an expert in solid waste management and former Drexel University professor told Petersen, "The project is a win for everybody." The landfill, spread over 160 acres on the border of Chester and Lancaster Counties, produces enough gas to save about 122,800 barrels of oil a year or heat 33,900 homes.

Previously, the gas was burned off in flares, but skyrocketing costs for natural gas, coal, and other more traditional fuels are ending that practice. Granger Energy president Joel Zylstra told Petersen, "We set it up so it's always a better deal for them." Since the authority and Granger shared the construction costs of the wells, the processing facility and the pipeline, Schoenberger said that he expects the authority to break even on its investment in about six years, Petersen writes. (Read more)

Rural Texas community goes wet despite minister's protestations

The Decatur, Tex., City Council approved the limited sale of alcohol in its zoning district, despite the protests of a local Baptist minister, reports the Wise County Messenger in Decatur.

The council voted to allow private clubs with a special-use permit in the Decatur Square zoning district to sell alcohol. Rev. David Isbell of Eagle Drive Baptist Church told the council that alcohol is harmful to society and that “leaders of our community are elected to reduce the harmful effects (of alcohol) rather than assist its increase," reports Don Munsch of the Messenger.

Isbell also cited statistics that showed increased city costs associated with alcohol sales, and said any increase in revenue would "not really increase the bottom line." Rev. Isbell added, “social problems growing out of alcohol are very expensive. The revenues generated by the sale of alcohol do not cover the cost of the trouble created by the use and abuse of alcohol.” Isbell used an array of studies to support his opinion, Munsch noted. (Read more)

Rains in N.H. bring a deluge of road and waterway barriers, beaver-built

New Hampshire has a problem, and it's not solely the monsoon-like rains this past month, but road and waterway constrictions created by an inspired critter that thrives in ponds, lakes and marshy wetlands that wreak havoc on forests, block culverts, and flood country roads.

"Days and days of rain, streams overflowing, meadows flooded -- bad stuff for farmers, but great for New Hampshire's most industrious wildlife species, the beaver," writes New Hampshire Commissioner of Agriculture, Markets & Food Stephen H. Taylor in his Weekly Market Bulletin on his Web site.

Taylor says landowners and road agents statewide are having to deal with flooded roads and blocked waterways compliments of the toothy, wood-chomping rodent with the beefy, paddle-like tail. Taylor reports an increasing number of dams, ponding highways and plugged culverts produced by the prodigious, pudgy cousin of the groundhog.

Biologist Marsha Barden of the animal damage control unit of the state's Fish and Game Department tells Taylor that landowners suffering damages from the over-zealous rodent engineers, are allowed to "trap or shoot the animals regardless of whether it's the legal season for taking the critters," Taylor writes.

Barden's agency has a list of trappers for hire, who have had to resort to pest control in recent years, since beaver pelts no longer fetch a fancy price. But, Taylor warns, inspired by the beaver's industrious reputation, "Take a backhoe and breach a beaver dam or unclog a culvert ... [and it will likely be] restored in just a day or two." Click here to read more, in .pdf.

Rural Calendar:

Nov. 1-18, on line: Ecotourism Emerging Industry Forum

Planeta.com and EplerWood International invite you to take part in the Ecotourism Emerging Industry Forum Nov. 1-18, 2005.

The Ecotourism Emerging Industry Forum will be conducted on-line bringing together key business, finance, and market players worldwide to discuss the needs of their industry, say organizers. Moderators are being selected with experience and understanding of business goals and objectives.

Forum officials say nearly 100 people have registered for the online forum, which is "designed to provide professionally moderated, up-to-date results on small and medium enterprise (SME) priorities for funding and investment decisions for sustainable tourism in developing countries," they write.

Planeta.com and EplerWood International will prepare final results with a small editorial board to be announced later. The results will be delivered to all of the development agencies via personal correspondence and meetings with the key individuals involved in donor policy development, they report.

Nov. 7-8: Home-based business workshop on heritage skills

A two-day home-based business seminar is planned at Natural Bridge State Park in Slade for those wishing to start or to expand their business. The event will focus on home-based craft, basketry, tourism and heritage skills businesses.

The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service and the Southern and Eastern Kentucky Tourism Development Association along with the Barnhart Fund for Excellence will present a "Home-Based Business Workshop." Registration begins at 9 a.m. on Nov. 7, and the workshop
will conclude at 12:30 p.m.

For more information or to register by Oct. 24, contact your local Extension Service office. The cost is $15 per person. Discounted room rates are available by contacting Natural Bridge State Resort Park at (800) 325-1710. Organizers say to be sure to mention you are attending the workshop.

Nov. 11: Kentucky Conservation Committee's 'Kentucky Voices'

The Kentucky Conservation Committee invites you to "Kentucky Voices," its annual evening of poetry and prose. This year's event features Kentucky authors Gwyn Hyman Rubio, Ron Ellis and Steven Cope, with music by Billy Hower.

This year the event will be on November 11, at 7 p.m. in the Parish Hall of the Church of the Ascension at 311 Washington St. in Frankfort. The suggested donation is $10 for adults, $5 for students.

Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2005

PTAs try to shed image as moms-only group; 'not just about baking cookies'

National and local Parent-Teacher Associations are making a big push for men this month.

PTA officials say men are a minority and women involved in the group want to "dispel the image of the PTA as a middle-class women’s organization," writes Marita Dempsey Lowman of The Times-Tribune in Scranton, Pa. "The PTA is not just about baking cookies any more," said Christine Munchak, president of the Pennsylvania Parent-Teacher Association. (Read more)

About 500,000 men are among the nation's 6 million PTA members nationally, writes Chris Reinolds of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. PTA leaders say research shows that students perform better academically when their fathers get involved. "We found out the No. 1 reason we didn't have more men involved is they were never asked," said Rick Mendiondo, a national PTA board member. Lack of time was the second reason they cited. PTAs lobby for education issues, support arts and character education curriculum and keep parents informed. (Read more)

The Natchez Democrat reports that PTAs in Mississippi and Louisiana could use both more moms and dads. "The teachers at every school in the Miss-Lou are only second string. They are great backups in the educational ballgame, but they are really only just that, backups. It’s the first string, moms and dads, that can win or lose the game, principals and teachers say," writes Julie Finley. (Read more).

States growing more concerned with security threat posed by bird flu

Although a viral mutation is needed before avian or bird flu can affect humans, fear is prompting states to draft contingency plans for an outbreak, or for the use of the flu as a terrorist weapon.

"Health officials in California and New Mexico are pressing their states to stockpile anti-viral medication. Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is urging residents to fill their pantries in case everyone is forced inside for an extended period. And Los Angeles airport officials are drawing up plans to quarantine passengers," writes Mark K Matthews of Stateline.org.

Patrick McConnon, executive director of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, told Matthews, “I think that people are uncomfortable that they don’t have the right answers to all these things.” McConnon suggests building on research compiled during past health scares involving anthrax and severe acute respiratory syndrome. New Mexico state epidemiologist C. Mack Sewell said efforts are aimed at bolstering the state’s response in case federal defenses fail. New Mexicomay buy its own supply of Tamiflu, an anti-viral medication. The federal government has dosages for a few million Americans.

California is stockpiling Tamiflu after testing for avian flue in 25 potential human cases in the past 18 months. All came back negative. For another report on similar concerns and efforts in Orange County, Calif., from NBC4 - TV, click here.

Rural N.M. residents concerned over lack of high-speed Internet access

A major communications company has, as promised, deployed high-speed Internet access to parts of New Mexico, but there is some concern that not enough people in the state's rural areas have access.

"Qwest and the state's Public Regulation Commission agreed in 2001 the company would invest $788 million in New Mexico over five years. The agreement also stated that Qwest would make DSL, broadband high-speed access, available in areas of Alamogordo, Farmington, Gallup, Roswell and Taos," reports The Associated Press.

But, PRC Commissioner David King told reporters that rural residents are concerned about the current state of Internet access. "In today's world, we have the responsibility to do a better job and not hide behind the bureaucracy,'' he said.

Qwest officials base their decisions about where to deploy DSL based on what makes sense for the business, said Nita Taylor, public policy director for Qwest New Mexico. New Mexico is part of a 14-state region, and DSL is available in 73 percent of that area, said Qwest spokesman Vince Hancock. DSL figures are not released on a state-by-state basis. (Read more)

Once mainly rural, Michigan law agencies say 'no place safe from meth'

A meth epidemic that originated on the West Coast now exists throughout the nation, from small towns to big cities, according to Michigan law enforcement agencies.

"In counties including Kalamazoo and Macomb, police have busted 207 labs as of September. The trend has caused law enforcement to ratchet up efforts to combat the highly addictive, potentially deadly stimulant and the people who cook it," writes Christy Abboscello of the Detroit Free Press.

Raids this year are just two shy of the 2004 figure and more than five times the number from five years ago, notes Abboscello. One of those labs was near the home of 64-year-old Janet Redmond. "No matter where you live, it's not safe because of these drugs," Redmond said.

Michigan State Police Detective Lt. Tony Saucedo heads a statewide meth team. He told Abboscello, "I could probably be safe to say meth has touched about every community in the state of Michigan. Even though the labs tend to be in the rural areas, we know the use is pretty much everywhere." (Read more)

Communities consider moss harvesting restrictions to protect ecosystems

Moss is the all-purpose sponge of the forest, storing water, releasing nutrients and housing tiny critters. Now, there are concerns about what might happen to the ecosystem if it is harvested to extinction.

Across Appalachia and in the Pacific Northwest, moss helps make ends meet when jobs are scarce. Moss is not commercially grown, so buyers depend on the wilderness. Some state and national forests have already banned harvesting, reports Vicki Smith of The Associated Press.

"Biologists, businessmen and pickers themselves say the good stuff is getting harder to find -- and the money harder to make. Moss is not commercially grown, so buyers depend on the wilderness. Some state and national forests, though, have already banned harvesting, worried about what they are losing when moss leaves the ecosystem," writes Smith.

North Carolina's Pisgah and Nantahala national forests expect to ban moss collection Jan. 1 after studies there indicated a growback cycle "on the order of 15 to 20 years," says botanical specialist Gary Kauffman of the U.S. Forest Service. That's twice as long as some veteran pickers and moss buyers speculated. Though Kauffman agrees the science is still lacking, Pisgah and Nantahala will likely err on the side of caution. Between 100 and 200 pickers a year typically get permits for collecting moss, notes Smith.

Nationwide, it's hard to tell how many people make a living from moss. Most search out private land, where they go unnoticed and untracked, reports AP. (Read more)

Rural for the sake of rural: Native inhabitants request official designation

Residents in Ketchikan, Alaska, and the city council are backing an official government-sanctioned rural subsistence designation requested by natives.

"Ketchikan officials are in favor of efforts to change the city's subsistence status to rural. The Ketchikan City Council also is urging the Federal Subsistence Board to hold a public hearing on the issue," reports KTVA-TV in Anchorage, in a combined staff and Associated Press story.

The council unanimously approved a resolution that said the city has "significant characteristics of a rural nature" and should be officially recognized as such. The resolution was requested by the Ketchikan Indian Community and the Alaska Native Brotherhood/Alaska Native Sisterhood. Local groups would like to see the entire island be designated as rural. (Read more)

Iowa to get $144 million tobacco settlement windfall, use for infrastructure

State officials have announced that Iowa will receive $144 million next month when officials refinance bonds being paid off with tobacco settlement money.

Matt Paul, a spokesman for Gov. Tom Vilsack, told reporters, "At this time of the year, when we’re putting the budget together, it gives us some really strong options." Top state managers have been working on refinancing the settlement, and a profit was expected, reports The Associated Press. States got settlement money as part of a lawsuit seeking to collect damages for the cost of treating smoking-related illnesses. Some sold bonds to get their money up front and are now refinancing in a stronger market.

Department of Management head Michael Tramontina said $50 million is free of any restrictions, while $94 million will have restrictions. "Those proceeds will have to be spent on infrastructure, on capital projects," he said. Gov. Vilsack has proposed splitting the windfall between water quality improvement programs, economic development and capital construction, reports AP. (Read more)

California judge awards $3 million in libel suit against weekly group

A San Bernadino, Calif., judge has awarded $3 million to a sheriff's department counselor who claimed a weekly newspaper group libeled her in articles about her relationship with the sheriff.

The judge ruled in favor of independent contractor Nancy Bohl in her case against Ray Pryke, publisher of Victorville-based Valley Wide Newspapers. Warner found that testimony from an Oct. 6 default hearing showed published stories caused Bohl "severe emotional distress, mortification and humiliation." Pryke said he intends to appeal the verdict, reports The Associated Press.

Valley Wide printed a series of stories in 2000 about Bohl's business, The Counseling Team, and her relationship with Sheriff Gary Penrod, who was dating Bohl at the time. They have since married. One article alleged that Bohl got her counseling contract because of the relationship. Another story said confidential information given to Bohl by deputies made its way to members of the department's command staff. Bohl denied the allegations in stories.

The articles in question ran in the Hesperia Resorter, Apple Valley News and Adelanto Bulletin, all published by Valley Wide. The weekly papers have a combined circulation of 20,000. (Read more)

Ohio newspaper wins release of 911 call logs, tapes from a triple homicide

A court has ruled 911 call logs and tapes related to a Jan. 21 triple homicide in a small Ohio town are public record and must be given to the Akron Beacon Journal.

"The newspaper requested information shortly after the murder of two women and a boy in Brimfield Township, about 10 miles east of Akron. The murders were big news in the small town and the newspaper wanted to thoroughly cover them," said Stephen Dyer, the Beacon Journal reporter who covered the story. The newspaper received some records immediately, but others were withheld, writes Corinna Zarek of The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

After police and prosecutors refused to release requested records, the newspaper filed the case with the 11th District Court of Appeals in Warren, Ohio. Karen Lefton, the in-house counsel for the Beacon Journal said, "[the defendant] was trying to carve out a new exception saying if records are used in an investigation, they are confidential and should be private. We said the records documented the events and were pre-investigation. The court agreed with us." (Read more)

Industry News, from AP

Mahan named managing editor in Hilton Head, S.C.

Sally Mahan, former assistant metro editor of the Detroit Free Press, has been named managing editor of The Island Packet in Hilton Head, S.C.

Mahan, 47, replaces Janet Smith, who has been named editorial page editor. Smith, 49, replaces David Lauderdale, 51. Before joining the Free Press, Mahan was an editor at the Savannah (Ga.) Morning News, where she supervised coverage of crime, courts, education, health and social services. A graduate of Eastern Michigan University, Mahan also was executive editor of The Key West (Fla.) Citizen.

Smith will be in charge of producing the newspaper's daily opinion page and will continue serving on the editorial board. She previously worked at the Packet as business writer and city editor.

Overton to retire as publisher in Carrollton, Ga.

After 25 years in journalism, Times-Georgian Publisher Tom Overton will retire at the end of the year.

Overton, publisher since 1998, spent the past 10 years with Paxton Media Group newspapers, which is headquartered in Paducah, Ky. He came to the Times-Georgian from the Griffin Daily News, where he was publisher and Georgia Group president for Paxton Media Group. The search for Overton's replacement is ongoing.

Smith named editor in Steamboat Springs, Colo.

Michael Smith, associate editor of The Galveston County (Texas) Daily News, has been named editor of the Steamboat Pilot & Today.

Smith will succeed Scott Stanford, who has taken a job as assistant news editor of the Victoria (Texas) Advocate. Smith will oversee a 14-member staff in Steamboat Springs, a mountain community about 150 miles northwest of Denver. Smith's wife, Laura Elder, a veteran reporter, has accepted the position as editor of the Craig Daily Press. The Daily Press and Pilot & Today are sister newspapers owned by WorldWest Limited Liability Co. of Lawrence, Kan.

Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2005

Journalism society, fired journalist cry shame on Sinclair for lawsuit

The Society of Professional Journalists has chastised Sinclair Broadcasting Co., charging the major broadcasting group has "hit a new low when it filed a $17,000 lawsuit against Jon Leiberman, a journalist it fired last year."

SPJ President David Carlson said, "It would appear to be an effort to punish someone who exposed the company's plan to air a biased documentary and call it news." Carlson opined that the motive cannot be financial because the company will likely spend much more than $17,000 on the lawsuit.

The suit alleges Leiberman, who was Sinclair's Washington bureau chief, broke company rules by commenting on his bosses after Sinclair ordered its stations "to pass off as news a documentary critical of presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry," the Baltimore Sun reported, SPJ writes.

Sinclair fired Leiberman after he told The Sun, "Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal," was "biased political propaganda." Sinclair's plan to air the document on its 60 stations, which reach some 24 percent of the U.S. television audience in predominantly rural markets, two weeks before the 2004 election caused a furor. The company eventually aired only excerpts of the film, writes SPJ.

The lawsuit alleges Leiberman "divulged confidential and proprietary information ... to individuals outside of the organization," and claims he owes Sinclair $17,000 as "liquidated damages." Leiberman said, "This lawsuit is ludicrous. Sinclair should be ashamed of itself." (Read more)

D.C. area developers beef-up campaign bucks to growth-favorable candidates

Virginia's developers, home builders and real estate agents have more than doubled their campaign contributions from four years ago, backing candidates more favorable to their interests.

"The real estate and construction industries have become the most generous group of campaign donors for Republican gubernatorial candidate Jerry W. Kilgore, Democrat Timothy M. Kaine and independent H. Russell Potts Jr," writes Michael D. Shear of The Washington Post. The Virginia Public Access Project reports real estate developers had given this year's statewide candidates $3.4 million. Home builders have donated more than $573,000 to the candidates for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general. Real estate agents have given about $848,000.

Home Builders Association of Virginia Executive Director Michael L. Toalson told Shear his member companies are "ever vigilant" against legislation or regulations "that would hamper the construction of new homes in such rapidly growing areas as Northern Virginia," and he told Shear, "We work hard to keep a favorable housing climate." The industry has successfully resisted efforts to grant localities more power to regulate development. Development interests encourage state spending on services, such as roads and transit, that support new communities, Shear explains.

Kilgore, the former attorney general, promises to oppose slow-growth measures and has proposed regional tax referenda to raise money for roads. Kilgore spokesman Tim Murtaugh told Shear, "He understands that government should not be in the business of telling people where to live." Kaine said he would push for a law giving local governments the authority to stop construction if nearby roads are not sufficient. Prince William County land-use lawyer John Foote called it a "death knell for economic development in Northern Virginia," writes Shear. (Read more)

Missouri finds penalties tougher for rural criminals; seeking more consistency

In rural Clay County, Missouri judges sentence criminals to prison 42 percent of the time — the second-highest rate in the state. In more urban Jackson County, judges imprison criminals just 18 percent of the time.

"Such disparities are common among Missouri’s 45 court circuits, with rural judges often issuing harsher penalties than big-city judges. Legal experts have long discussed this inconsistency, and a recent state study confirms it, writes Joe Lambe of the Kansas City Star. (Read more) Sentences are more predictable in Kansas, where judges use mandatory guidelines, notes Lambe.

The study is part of an effort to bring uniformity to sentencing across Missouri and to fight prison crowding, writes Lambe. The Missouri Sentencing Advisory Commission hopes the study will persuade judges not to lock away nonviolent offenders, especially for first offenders. Beginning Nov. 1, a new routine probation and parole report on criminals will go to judges before sentencing. It will include a sentencing recommendation, possible alternatives to prison and other information. Lambe writes that some suggest a system of mandatory guidelines would be the best way to end disparities.

Johnson County District Attorney Paul Morrison, who is vice chairman of the Kansas Sentencing Commission told Lambe that due to changes nonviolent property offenders made up 24 percent of the prison population in 1993, while currently they make up less than 7 percent. The Missouri commission reported nonviolent offenders represented 46 percent of the 15,409 prison population in 1993 while currently they make up 55 percent of a population of more than 30,000 inmates. Missouri’s incarceration rate, 18th nationwide in 1994, is now up to eighth, Lambe writes.

'Cranktown, U.S.A.' - newspaper finds eight out of ten meth-affected

A seemingly tranquil rural Alabama community has garnered a not-so-pastoral name. Beulah, Ala. has been dubbed by some, "Cranktown U.S.A." - referring to a nickname for the powerfully addictive and destructive narcotic methamphetamine and the community's high incidence of use and arrests.

"You wouldn't know that nearly 50,000 people live within 10 miles of the high school. The average working person makes slightly less than $20,000. The average household income is slightly less than $40,000. Nearly 29 percent of the people 25 years old and older do not have a high school diploma. But beneath the placid surface of this rural community lies a dark secret," writes Chuck Williams of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer of Columbus, Ga.

For the past seven years, a growing drug problem has made Beulah the unofficial methamphetamine capital of the Chattahoochee Valley. The drug has been the target of numerous investigation by a number of law enforcement agencies, including the Lee County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, writes Williams. Williams reports that nearly 60 residents from the area have gone to prison on methamphetamine charges. There have been arrests in 104 methamphetamine cases. About 40 percent of those cases were in Beulah.

The Ledger-Enquirer interviewed more than a dozen people and found meth has touched eight out of 10 people living here. It has destroyed users, wrecked families and sapped the spirit of this community, Williams writes. Bridge Assembly of God pastor Bill Bryan told Williams that meth is "a weapon in the enemy's hand." (Read more)

Analysis shows poverty ridden, low education Kentucky losing millions to casinos

With one of the nation's highest poverty levels and lowest education achievement, Kentucky residents are gambled in southern Indiana to the tune of $600 million dollars last year, according to an analysis by a New York research firm.

"Kentuckians lost [the] estimated $600 million at five of Indiana's riverboat casinos - including three near the Northern Kentucky market - between July 2004 and June, according to a new analysis by Christiansen Capital Advisors," writes Patrick Crowley of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

The analysis also found that Kentucky residents generated nearly $200 million in state taxes for Indiana. Casino gambling is also legal in Illinois and West Virginia. And, according to the analysis, "Kentucky personal income ... funds gaming in Indiana, Illinois and West Virginia."

Gaming advocates Kentucky Lt. Gov. Steve Pence told the newspaper the tax money generated by Kentucky residents pay for vital services in other states. "I would like to see it ... help pay for [Kentucky] schools, roads, health care and other things." he told the Enquirer. Pence and others point to the state's need to generate millions of dollars in the face of a billion-dollar deficit in the state budget.

State Sen. David Boswell, D-Owensboro, has filed legislation to allow nine casinos, five of which would be at horse tracks and four free-standing locations. The horse industry is also backing a bill to permit casinos at just the state's eight race tracks. Both bills will be considered when the Legislature begins in January for the 2006, notes Crowley. The analysis estimates Kentucky casinos could generate nearly $1.5 billion a year and more than $500 million annually in new tax dollars. Gambling opponents say the social costs of gambling would outweigh benefits and they doubt Kentucky lawmakers will approve gambling in 2006, Crowley writes. (Read more)

Japanese mad cow disease panel delays decision on lifting U.S. beef ban

A Japanese panel on mad cow disease has delayed a decision on whether to ease a two-year-old ban on U.S. beef imports, according to a panel member, reports The Canadian Press.

The ruling body was expected to recommend easing the ban to the Food Safety Commission, but postponed a decision until the next meeting, stated a Dow Jones Newswires report, quoting a panel member.

Japan imposed a ban on North American beef in 2003, after the first case of Mad-cow disease, known scientifically as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE, was discovered in the United States, in Washington state. The United States has been pushing Japan to lift the ban, reports The Canadian Press.(Read more)

That's no gas: methane digesters new energy source in rural areas

Journalist Peter Millard probably never thought he'd be writing about cow manure as part of an innovation in alternative energy. Just like Dan Eastman, who helped create Microgy Cogeneration Systems Inc., never thought he'd be the one at the forefront of such a smelly innovation.

"Microgy sells and operates anaerobic methane digesters and electricity generation equipment that an increasing number of farmers and rural electric cooperatives are finding to be good investments," Millards writes. The digesters operate on manure, and the methane produced fires generators.

"The high cost of natural gas and electricity is making our alternative energy option economically feasible," Eastman told Millard. Eastman's company is banking on its digesters becoming more common than wind-power farms, which have been becoming more popular in rural areas. In addition to reducing high energy costs, environmental regulators are pushing for the digesters as the demand for dairy farmers to increase herd sizes continues to grow.

"State departments of natural resources and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are mandating that large farms with hundreds or thousands of cattle or hogs take steps to prevent animal waste from seeping into groundwater," Millard writes. The digester is a good way to treat manure while producing low-cost energy and protecting the environment. The U.S. Department of Energy and Wisconsin Department of Agriculture are providing financial incentives to invest in the digesters and generators, Millard writes. Eastman told Millard that Microgy's methane gas plants could produce between 350 and 400 megawatts of electricity. "Potentially, we could replace one coal plant," he said. (Read more)

For a press release from Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell's office on proposed regulations for large-scale farming operations and new manure management requirements to protect waterways, click here. For a complete copy of the regulations, click here - Keyword "CAFOs"

After accepting, Goody‘s says better buyout deal offered; stocks jump with news

The bidding war for Goody‘s Family Clothing Inc. has escalated with its directors saying the buyout proposal of two New York investment firms looks better than one the company has tentatively accepted.

"The bid would exceed an $8-a-share offer made by Boca Raton, Fla.-based Sun Capital Partners that Goody‘s tentatively accepted Oct. 7, and it would match a competing proposal received a week ago from an unnamed third party," , writes Duncan Mansfield of The Associated Press.

Shares of Goody‘s, operates 371 stores mostly in the South and Midwest. Reacting to the latest news, shares of the company's stock rose 14 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $8.96 in midday trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market yesterday.

Prentice Capital and GMM Capital have raised their bid three times for Goody‘s. Goody‘s said Prentice Capital and GMM Capital agreed to hold open their offer until midnight Thursday or until the Sun Capital deal is terminated, Mansfield writes. (Read more) For a more detailed report by Cynthia Yeldell of the Knoxville News Sentinel , click here.

Rural Calendar

Oct. 29-30: Wool, Walnut, and Weeds Field Days

Kentucky Wool Society is having the Wool, Walnut, and Weeds Field Days Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 29 - 30, from 10:00 a.m. to – 5:00 p.m., at the Lan Mark Farm located at 121 Sharpsburg Road (state highway # 1198) Bourbon County.

For more information or to learn more about the Kentucky Wool Society call 859 383-4560 or visit the Kentucky Wool Society web-site .

Nov. 2-4: Kentucky Women in Agriculture Conference in Owensboro

The sixth statewide Kentucky Women in Agriculture conference will take place in Owensboro November 2 through 4 at the Executive Inn Rivermont. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to empowering women in agriculture through education, involvement and action.

The main conference begins November 3 at 9 a.m. with a KWIA business session, followed by an opening session with keynote speaker Hilda Legg. Legg is a former administrator with Rural Utilities Service in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She also served as the executive director and CEO for The Center for Rural Development in Somerset for seven years.

Conference registration is limited and costs $60 for KWIA members and $70 for nonmembers. Included meals are lunch and dinner on November 3 and breakfast and lunch on November 4. Send registration and checks payable to Kentucky Women in Agriculture Inc., to Kim Henken, University of Kentucky, 206 Scovell Hall, Lexington, Ky., 40546-0064. For a conference program, registration forms or further information, visit the KWIA Web site.

Papers due Nov. 3 for Mountain Tourism - Diversity, Complexity and Change

A special session on Mountain Tourism will be held at an annual meeting in Chicago next year co-sponsored by the Recreation and Tourism Specialty Group (RTSG) and the Mountain Geography Specialty Group in (MGSG), but interested speakers need to send outlines of their presentations by next Thursday. The groups are inviting papers on this years' topic on "Mountain Tourism - Diversity, Complexity and Change" at the Annual Meeting of the AAG in Chicago, Il (March 7-11, 2006).

The session is to cover geographic applications of tourism in the exploration of issues of diversity, complexity, and change in mountainous environments. Speakers should send abstracts by noon of Nov. 3, 2005 by e-mail to sknepal@tamu.edu Online Registration: Directions are on the AAG Web site . Inquiries should be mailed to Sanjay K. Nepal, PhD, Assistant Professor Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences Texas A&M University College Station, TX-77845-2261, or by telephone: 979-862-4080. Fax: send to 979 845 0446 or visit the Texas A&M Recreation, Park & Tourism Web site.

Monday, Oct. 24, 2005

Poverty doesn't always mean low school performance, study finds

An new study by an educational watchdog group connects poverty with poor performance in public schools, but it also says low-income students do not have to be destined for making bad grades.

"With the exception of a few schools, high poverty public schools are also the lowest performing schools in America. A new publication highlights best practices in eight Kentucky schools overcoming the barriers of poverty with high performance," reports the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence.

Researchers Patricia J. Kannapel and Stephen K. Clements discovered several characteristics among the eight schools studied, states the committee in a preface to the report on its Web site. "The study found that high expectations for all students with a strong emphasis on quality instruction, routine internal student assessment tools to supplement state exams and a collaborative decision making process that engages all teachers," can boost performance at poorer schools. (For a pdf copy of the report, click