Stories published during weeks of travel

Although I haven’t posted in my blog in a couple weeks, I’ve had several stories and briefs run in the Tribune. I’ve been out of town for the majority of the time – but that’s for another post.

While I was away, I finished an assignment about two Navy SEALs, who died in Iraq and Afghanistan, being added to the Medal of Honor display at the national SEAL museum in Fort Pierce. It was amazing to learn how these heroes sacrificed their lives to save others.

Read the story here on TCPalm.com: “2 added to Medal of Honor display”

During the couple days I was home in between trips, I covered the dedication of a new building at the Florida Atlantic University branch in Port St. Lucie. I joined a massive audience to listen how this facility would double the FAU campus in size.

Read the story here on TCPalm.com: “FAU branch doubles in size”

I was back in time for Port St. Lucie City Council’s Monday meetings and covered the public workshop the council held to discuss their plan for the use of $13.5 million from the government to help fix the bad home foreclosure mess in the city.

Read the story here on TCPalm.com: “PSL council OKs home rescues”

Before I left on all of my travels, it was election day. Not only did I cover Port St. Lucie City Council meetings for three briefs, but I also worked for The Associated Press again as an election night reporter. I called in the general election results for St. Lucie County to The AP in Miami, similar to what I blogged about doing for the primaries. The one exception this time was covering the presidential race also.

Read those posts here: “Conference call prepares reporters for election night” and “Freelancer reports local primaries successfully”

And stay tuned for more on my travels.

 

Freelancer reports local primaries successfully

I wanted to be as prepared as possible in my assignment I explained in my previous posts “Local election gives freelancer AP opportunity” and “Conference call prepares reporters for election night.”

I arrived early at the St. Lucie County election offices on the night of the primaries. The polls closed at 7 p.m., but I went an hour early to introduce myself to the officials and set up my things – basically to get my bearings. I socialized with the public and other media until the results started to come in on the large scrolling screen in front of me.

It was all business from there. However, the races on the scrolling screen, as well as the names of the candidates, were in a different order than the AP ballots I printed. The numbers kept changing and moving, and I frantically scribbled what I could. At that point, I couldn’t balance the speed and accuracy.

After I called the Miami bureau with my half-updated results, they reassured me that it’s hectic at first, but I’ll find my groove. Sure enough, within a half an hour, I got the hang of it. I found if I copied the numbers of every other race, I could get the results quickly and correctly in two scrolls.

I called them at least every 30 minutes. One time I even called 15 minutes later with an update. I became comfortable bugging the officials about early votes, absentee ballots and provisional votes. I was in my element – and I absolutely loved it.

Unfortunately, a couple precincts had problems, and there was a massive amount of absentee ballots to be tabulated. I didn’t get the final results until after 11 p.m. I drove home both exhausted and exhilarated.

Now I’m ready for the general election in November.

 

Conference call prepares reporters for election night

A couple weeks ago, my editor at The Fort Pierce Tribune e-mailed me with a great opportunity. As you may have read in my post, “Local election gives freelancer AP opportunity,” I will be working for The Associated Press on election night covering the St. Lucie County primaries. The AP also asked if I could do the same on the general election night.

In the days building to the primaries, I’ve received many e-mails and attachments to prepare me for election night. We even had a conference call today. From home, I called the toll-free number The AP e-mailed us and entered a code. I joined the conversation of reporters from all over the state, as well as the nation, in discussing the details of our assignments.

As an AP Election Night Reporter, which is how I’m to introduce myself at the election offices, I’m one of 5,000 reporters who will call in federal, state and local race results to data centers across the nation. Florida’s AP bureau is in Miami.

From the time the polls close at 7 p.m. until about midnight – depending on voter turnout and speed of results – I will be calling every time a new batch of results becomes available. The AP said the data I give them will be “accumulated and distributed to newspapers, broadcasters, cable networks and Web sites across the nation for immediate publication and broadcast.” They stressed the importance of speed, but accuracy is always most important.

This is straight reporting – no writing – so creativity is not the issue. It’s always about accuracy, the most important element of journalism. In today’s world, it’s not only about getting information – but getting it fast.

I’m excited to know I’ll be a part of the news that each and every person will read later that election night online and the next morning in the newspaper.

 

Local election gives freelancer AP opportunity

As I worked on a couple stories today, I got an e-mail from my editor asking if I’d be interested in an assignment – not for The Fort Pierce Tribune – but The Associated Press.

The AP bureau in Miami needs someone to phone in the vote totals of the local elections on the night of August 26. My editor said it’s too much for the regular reporter to do in addition to the election coverage, so she wants me – a freelancer – to make the call. Plus I would get paid for it.

However, that didn’t matter to me. It’s The Associated Press. It’s what everyone reads in the newspaper, online, etc. It’s been a dream of mine, minus ever living in Miami. I would go so far as to call them the most credible name in news.

For now, it sounds simple enough. When The AP calls me with the details, I’ll be able to explain more.