By now, you likely heard about the protests filling the streets of Tehran. Digitaljournal.com is lucky to have a journalist on the ground, telling us what is truly going on. Sean O’Flynn-Magee recently reported on the protests and the beefed-up government security. He also included some interview material: “Reza, a friend of mine who was closely monitoring the blogs, said that protest was heaviest in Esfahan, where protesters clashed with police, and at least one person was killed.” We anticipate more of your stories from Iran, Sean.
On the Streets of Portland’s Human Trafficking Trade. That’s the headline of a well-researched article by Carol Forsloff, probing the homeless situation in Portland. She was able to snag an interview with a homeless girl who provided insight into her experience. Also check out Carol’s in-the-moment photos of street life in the area, including a great pic of a police officer shooing away the homeless.
How has the U.S. recession affected artists? That’s the question Kim Hartman tries to answer in an interview-rich article on Tucson artists surviving the financial crisis. She doesn’t add her opinion, but instead lets the artists do the talking. Find out which artists are thriving and which need a bit more help. The photos are also top-notch, nicely done, Kim.
In Toronto, we’re facing a bit of a transit crisis. Well, the transit system is facing a PR crisis, to put it more succinctly. There to capture the controversy is KJ Mullins with a feature on the negative reports surfacing about TTC drivers. She investigates the issue by interviewing personnel from the TTC and Toronto Police. Find out what they said by going to the article to read it in full.
A selection of other notable stories include:
• New aerial photographs of Sept. 11 terrorist attacks released by Andrew Moran: 9/11’s aftermath continues to resonate, as Andrew reports on new above-air photos released by the NYC Police Aviation Unit and obtained by ABC News. The article explains what the photos depict, and there is some truly heartbreaking images of the smoldering and collapsing World Trade Center towers. A chilling photo essay.
shows an aerial view of the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks.
• Five killed in Connecticut power plant explosion by KJ Mullins: Talk about a week of bad news. KJ tells us about a deadly explosion at a power plant, killing five and injuring dozens. A gas explosion has been found to be the cause, she adds. Also, check out her follow-up article added several more details on the explosion, while also listing the appropriate hotlines for those affected by the disaster.
• CFB Trenton officer arrested, charged with murder by KJ Mullins: Also on top of another breaking news crime story, KJ reported on a Canadian soldier under suspicion for the murder of two women in Ontario. Col. Russell Williams has shocked the military world with this news, and rest assured this story will be monitored closely by our community of Digital Journalists.
• New Brunswick woman survives coyote attack by Kevin Jess: Still in Canada, Kevin writes on a brave woman fending off a coyote attack with her bare hands. “Ms. Simon went to the hospital where she received a tetanus shot and was bandaged.” That’s it? Wow. If there’s isn’t some kind of TV movie made of her ordeal, that’d be a shame.
• Minor 3.8 magnitude earthquake hits Chicago by Andrew Moran: More earthquake news, but this time in the U.S. – Andrew informs us about a small earthquake hitting the Chicago area. He kept us updated on the severity of the quake (quite minor) and the geological root of the problem.
• George W. Bush billboard anonymously erected in Minnesota by Michael Bearak: In some quirky news, Michael reports on a mystery brewing along I-35 to the north of Minneapolis, Minnesota. As Michael writes, “The billboard features Bush being quoted as saying, ‘Miss Me Yet?’ and it has people wondering who purchased the billboard.” Let’s hope this mystery gets solved since it does sound like a strange story. Keep us posted, Michael.
• Arctic ice melt is faster than thought, ecosystem in peril by Stephanie Dearing: Winning lots of attention is Stephanie’s thorough article on the melting ice in the Arctic. Why is this important? She describes the threats: “…the ice is full of toxic contaminants, which are released back into the environment when the ice melts. Wildlife in the Arctic is negatively impacted by the loss of ice and degraded habitat.” Read the comments for a lively discussion about climate change and offer your own opinion if you have a moment.
• Activists take down Australian government websites by Michael Squires: Turning to overseas affairs, Michael reports on angry protesters rallying against Australia’s Internet filtering legislation. How do they protest? By hacking into government websites and rendering them useless. Michael proves himself to be a studious journalist by updating the story constantly. Great job, Michael!
• New Orleans Saints Win Super Bowl by Carol Forsloff: Should we surprised our Louisiana correspondent (newly transplanted to Portland) was on top of the Saints winning the Super Bowl? Carol’s article immediately after the big win summarizes the win and gets the ball a-rollin for a downpour of Super Bowl articles. Also recommended is her article filled with interviews of Louisiana natives on the Saints, football and boosting hometown morale.
The Top Blog Post of the Week is given to Sharon Johnson. The Maryland resident wrote about the snow blanketing her community, a story seen all across the U.S. She even shared some photos of the snowstorm, inspiring other Digital Journalists to do the same. And then Sharon added more pics! We got cold just looking at them.
Also, remember that this month Digital Journal has launched a journalism contest called Cover Your Community. Details here, so time to go out to interview those sources and snap those fascinating photos. Have a great Valentine’s Day weekend!
