Home › Blogs › Ventura County Star
« February 2005 | Main | April 2005 »
March 31, 2005
Afternoon update
Here's the plan for tomorrow's Page One:
Pope John Paul II develops a high fever and urinary tract infection.
Terri Schiavo dies Thursday at a Pinellas Park, Fla., hospice with her husband and parents fighting over her up to the moment of her death.
Local legal analysts react to the potential long-term impacts of the Schiavo case.
A presidential commission delivers a scorching assessment of the U.S. intelligence agencies.
Baseball season, colored by the steroid controversy, is about to begin.
Posted by John Moore at 03:25 PM
Terri Schiavo dies
The death of Terri Schiavo is the top story of the day. We will look, in our coverage for Page One tomorrow, to provide the news and sufficient perspective. We'll also have a complete back file available online of past stories. This, of course, is a story that has been anything but undercovered, so we are currently wrestling in the newsroom with what ... if any ... local perspective we can add to the story today that is meaningful. Any ideas? Any story angle you would like to see reported?
The other major package for Page One tomorrow will be an advance on the opening of the Major League baseball season. Afterall, as of this writing, the first pitch of the season is only 78 hours and 43 minutes away. Approximately. Sports writer Rhiannon Potkey (rpotkey@VenturaCountyStar.com) is talking to local fans to see if the steroid scandal has tainted the game, or their love for it. We're planning to run the story tomorrow because the three-game Freeway Series, the exhibition games between the Angels and Dodgers (both Los Angeles, now), begins tomorrow night.
The winds are stirring things up around the county today and bringing things down. Staff writer Marjorie Hernandez (mhernandez@VenturaCountyStar.com) is checking out the weather and wind damage for a possible Page One story.
The other wire story of interest at the morning meeting was the report by the presidential commission harshly criticizing the nation's spy teams for their failures before we launched the war on Iraq.
Posted by John Moore at 10:27 AM
March 30, 2005
Afternoon update
So, if you picked Option A, congratulations. We'll run Jean Ortiz's story tomorrow on the flight of the butterflies into California and how and why they seem to be in greater numbers this year than in the past. The tax package, by the way, isn't going away. It will be on the news budget for Friday's paper.
Also on Page One tomorrow will be a two-story package on the U.S. Supreme Court decision today on age discrimation. We'll have a wire story reporting what happened in Washington and then staff writer Stephanie Hoops will talk to California employement lawyers for their reaction.
The package on Cesar Chavez will also run tomorrow, starting with the story out of Washington by Michael Collins on the effort by the United Farm Workers to honor Chavez by getting Congress to approve a bill giving farm workers the opportunity to stay permanently, and legally, in the U.S. if they entered the country illegally. We'll also have stories on the Chavez' connection to Oxnard and the current status of farm workers in Sacramento.
The other two wire stories for page one will be coverage of the latest legal action in the Terri Schiavo case and the swearing in of Secretary of State Bruce McPherson.
Posted by John Moore at 04:31 PM
Pick column A or column B
Our county editor is presenting a choice for the main local news package for tomorrow's page one.
Choice A: Simi Valley staff writer Jean Ortiz (jortiz@VenturaCountyStar.com) is working on a package about the influx of butterflies to Ventura County. We always get our share of the royal Monarchs, but this year we're also seeing a large number of Painted Lady butterflies. Jean will explain why.
Choice B: It's that time of year. And staff writer Stephanie Hoops (shoops@VenturaCountyStar.com) will be writing about it. Not the Final Four. Tax time. Stephanie has discovered that tax refunds seem to be averaging a bit higher this yeat. She'll explain what that is all about.
Whichever doesn't get picked will hold for a day.
Also for Page One, we'll have a couple of stories on Cesar Chavez. Tomorrow is Cesar Chavez Day (and a state holiday, so all state government offices will be closed). Michael Collins, (collinsm@shns.com) our Washington D.C. reporter, has a piece on efforts to push Congress to pass legislation allowing farm workers who entered the country illegally to apply for permanent residency status. We'll pair that with a story from Sylvia Moore (smoore@VenturaCountyStar.com) on Chavez' ties to Oxnard. And state bureau chief Timm Herdt (therdt@VenturaCountyStar.com) is trying to put together a story on the relationship between farm workers and the governor.
The big story off the wire is the Supreme Court decision on age discrimination lawsuits. We're going to talk with some people to see if there is a local reaction to the case.
And, we're following the Terri Schiavo case.
Posted by John Moore at 09:56 AM
March 29, 2005
Afternoon update
The local news lineup stays the same from what we discussed at our morning news budget meeting ... sort of.
Zeke Barlow has his story on the one-year anniversary of the disappearance of Timothy Perryman of Agoura Hills.
And we continue to report on the death Monday of a 7-year-old Fillmore boy, strruck by a car as he walked with his family down an Anaheim street on their way back to their motel from Disneyland. Other family members remain hospitalized
Our business story examining the impact of the state's worker's compensation law is being held for a day, or so.
We'll look to the wires for stories out of two U.S. Supreme Court actions today, one giving standing to whistleblowers in Title IX cases and the other on the court hearing arguments today in an Internet file-sharing case.
And we'll have the obituary of famed trial attorney Johnnie Cochran.
His death was announced moments after we ended our 3 o'clock budget meeting. It bumped off Page One a story on the growing animosity in Sacramento between Gov. Arnold Schwarzenneger and Democrats, portrayed today by the delay in confirmation of the governor's choice for secretary of state. That story will run inside the main news section.
Posted by John Moore at 04:11 PM
Still missing
It was one year ago this week that Timothy Perryman left his Agoura Hills home. He had only his driver's license. He has not been seen since. Staff writer Zeke Barlow (zbarlow@VenturaCountyStar.com) does an update on the disappearnce, which one detective calls one of the more unusual cases she has worked on. The Perryman family tells us what it has been like for the past year, not knowing what has happened.
We are checking out reports this morning that the family members struck by a vehicle while crossing a street near Disneyland last night were from Ventura County. A 7-year-old boy was killed. If we get confirmation, we'll put the story up on our website ands then follow it on Page One tomorrow.
Another story we're looking at for Page One is a business piece by Allison Bruce (abruce@VenturaCountyStar.com) that takes a look at California's new worker's compensation law, a year after it was changed.
Off the wire, we'll monitor follows on the Indonesian earthquake on, of course, on the Terri Schiavo case. And we'll look at a Supreme Court ruling today protecting whistleblowers who accuse academic institutions of sex discrimination.
Posted by John Moore at 10:01 AM
March 28, 2005
Afternoon update
The earthquake in Indonesia will be our lead story in tomorrow's Star. We will package that with a story from Star staff writer Tom Kisken who is in Sri Lanka, with photographer Matt McClain, and a group of Westlake Village volunteers working on rebuilding a fishing village. They'll tell us what it was like to be awakened and told that another tsunami may be on the way.
Also tomorrow, we will have a story from staff writer John Scheibe (jscheibe@VenturaCountyStar.com) about the impact of the closure of the cafeterias at Ventura County's three community colleges.
And staff writer Zeke Barlow (zbarlow@VenturaCountyStar.com) looks at the colorful bridge project being built over the Santa Clara River on Highway 101. Except Caltrans isn't too thrilled with the color. It's the ongoing target of folks with cans of spray-paint.
Off the wire, we plan to run the story on the U.S. Supreme Court hearing today on whether the U.S. can deny foreign criminal suspects access to legal help from their consulates.
Not on the list for Page One tomorrow is the latest on the Terri Schiavo case. It was the feeling at the news budget meeting that there is nothing new on the situation today, so we'll run the story inside the front section.
Posted by John Moore at 03:21 PM
Quake watch
Our morning news meeting was interrupted with notice of the earthquake in Indonesia along the same fault line that caused the December tsunami.
It was of keen interest in the newsroom because there is a Westlake Village group of volunteers now in Sri Lanka working to rebuild a fishing village damaged by the tsunami. And they are accompanied by a reporter and photographer from the Star.
We got first word of the quake from the photographer's mother, who lives in Indiana. She beat the AP alert. We had just moments before hung up from talking to reporter Tom Kisken when Matt McClain's mom called to ask what we knew about the quake. Of course, we didn't know anything.
But we got on the phone to Sri Lanka. Calling cell phones and satellite phones, the best we got were answering machines (it was about 10 p.m. there). We finally reached someone connected with Knightsbridge, the charity group overseeing the work. He wasn't aware of the quake but promised to try to reach the group. He assured us that even if there was another tsunami, they would be safe because they were on the second floor and above of their hotel.
About 30 minutes later, we got a phone call from one of the church members who said that Kisken had called a Knightsbridge representative who then called the church member to let us know that everyone was safe, in their fourth floor rooms and monitoring the situation.
Tom got through to us a little while later and updated his blog, which he'll update throughout the day every chance he gets.
Posted by John Moore at 10:50 AM
March 25, 2005
Good Friday
It's Good Friday and staff writer Marjorie Hernandez (mhernandez@VenturaCountyStar.com) will talk with local Christian churches about the busiest week of the year for them, and how they prepare and cope with the increased services and attendance that Easter Week always brings. In addition, we are covering the annual Passion Play in Oxnard and will have a story in the Arts & Living section on the Hispanic traditions for Easter. We also will be running the listing of Easter services.
The other local Page One story in the works right now is a piece on West Nile virus. Health officials are concerned that our wet winter has left behind stagnant pools of water that are breeding grounds for mosquitoes that can pass along West Nile through bites. Staff writer Kevin Clerici (kclerici@VenturaCountyStar.com) is writing about the issue for tomorrow's Page One and will also have some tips to how to take away homes from them pesky skeeters.
Obviously the Terri Schiavo case remains in the forefront of the news and we'll continue watching that story all day. The other wire story that interested us at the morning news budget meeting was the ongoing crisis in Krgyzstan where the nation's capital of Bishkek is described as "gone mad" with looting.
And we welcome another staff blogger today. Tom Kisken is sending us missives from his mission to Sri Lanka, where he and photographer Matt McClain are following some East County residents as they spend two weeks helping reconstruct a village destroyed by the tsunami of three months ago. Check out his first blog entry.
Posted by John Moore at 10:14 AM
March 24, 2005
Afternoon update
The problems of Ventura County got a thorough workout today at the Road Ahead conference held at CSU Channel Islands and staff writer Zeke Barlow (zbarlow@VenturaCountyStar.com) will write about the ideas, suggestions and discussions for tomorrow's Page One. He'll also profile the keynote speaker, Joel Kotkin.
Staff writer Stephanie Hoops (shoops@VenturaCountyStar.com) explores the idea of children being arrested at social or political protests ... something that happened yesterday at the Terri Schivao protest.
Off the wire, the stories (at this time) that will have on Page One are: the latest on the Schiavo case, the overthrow of the government of Kyrgyzstan (a story that, once again, makes all of us here glad we're not in the broadcast world and having to pronounce that name) and the amazing discovery of soft tissue from a T-Rex dinosaur thigh bone that could, possibly, maybe lead to new specific details about dinosaurs. (Can you say: Jurassic Park?)
Posted by John Moore at 03:24 PM
The Road Ahead
We're out covering the Road Ahead 2005 conference this morning on the Cal State Channel Islands campus. The Star is hosting this sold-out event. Discussions will be held through the morning on ideas to address growth and sustainability in Ventura County. Staff writer Zeke Barlow (zbarlow@VenturaCountyStar.com) is covering the conference. He will also write a profile on the keynote speaker, Joel Kotkin. And we'll have video of the conference available on the website tomorrow morning.
We're also working on another story spinning out of the ongoing Terri Schiavo case. We noticed that the protests in Florida included a number of children, three of whom were arrested for trying to intervene in Schiavo's feeding. There's a long history of parents involving their children in social and political protests. But we wondered about the impact. So Stephanie Hoops (shoops@VenturaCountyStar.com) is talking with people today who look at both sides of this issue. Depending on whom she reaches, this could be a Page One story for tomorrow.
And we're looking at a story based on a study that ranked Thousand Oaks as one of the least economically stressed out cities in the nation. We want to explore the study a bit to find out how it was conducted before we commit to what section we want to run the story. It could be a good local news section rather than a Page One offering.
Off the wires, the big story remains the Schiavo case.
Posted by John Moore at 09:52 AM
March 23, 2005
Back in business
Back in business today, fresh from our adventure to Dallas to talk new technology with newspaper vendors from around the world. And we're just in time for the latest new technology for you. Tomorrow Sony cracks open the boxes of the new PlayStation Portable game machines, at $250 a pop, with games going for $50 each. Sony expects to sell 1 million of them within days. Business writers Jim McLain (jmclain@VenturaCountyStar.com) and Allison Bruce (abruce@VenturaCountyStar.com) are putting together a package on the latest game device. We're talking right now about whether the story will run on business, with a lead-in from Page One, or all in Business or all in the front news section.
Also tomorrow we're planning a story with photos from Matilija Canyon Road, the wettest spot in Ventura County. They've had more than 70 inches of rain there, twice what us flatlanders have slogged through. We have a reporter and photographer on their up to the canyon this morning (looks like they're going to have to hike in because the road is washed out). The plan is to run it tomorrow (when more rain is due) if they make it back in time.
We also will stay up with the latest on the Terri Schiavo case. Staff writer Stephanie Hoops (shoops@VenturaCountyStar.com) will have a sidebar to the main wire story looking at the huge increase in interest in end-of-life documents as a result of the attention this case has drawn.
The other wire story of interest at our morning meeting was the summit in Texas today with the presidents of Mexico, Canada and the United States.
Posted by John Moore at 09:46 AM
March 18, 2005
On the road
I'm putting on my other hat ... the "technology" part of assistant managing editor/new media and technology ... and heading to Dallas for the annual newspaper technology show.
The blog will be in hiatus until I'm back for the news budget meeting Wednesday morning, March 23.
Posted by John Moore at 02:03 PM
Friday in the news biz
It looks like we may run the story tomorrow (or Sunday) by Marjorie Hernandez about the effort to ban sodas and junk foods in high schools in California. It's a story we've had available for a few days but have held because of other stories and news packages that we wanted to get into print. This story is keyed to passage this week of the bill in a Senate committee implementing the ban. Kids and health officials comment on it.
Also for tomorrow we will have coverage of the press conference in Los Angeles this morning by Attorney General Bill Lockyer on a settlement with California Alternative High SChool. The school, which had classes in Oxnard and Simi Valley as well as Los Angeles, apparently is going to be required to pay back thousands of dollars to students. It granted them high school diplomas that, they later found out, were fairly worthless. Reporter John Scheibe (jscheibe@VenturaCountyStar.com) who broke this story for us last summer is covering the press conference.
The rain is beginning today so we'll be watching it. It's supposed to be a light storm so it probably won't be on Page One tomorrow, but ... you never know.
We'll be following the latest on the effort to stop the planned removal of the feeding tube for severely brain-damaged Terri Schiavo.
Posted by John Moore at 10:28 AM
March 17, 2005
Afternoon update
We aren't happy about the high price of gasoline. But we seem resigned to it ... and to the price continuing to climb. Reporters Stephanie Hoops (shoops@VenturaCountyStar.com) and Zeke Barlow (zbarlow@VenturaCountyStar.com)talked to some of you filling up your gas tanks today with the highest-price gas Ventura County has ever seen. Those comments, along with an explanation of where prices are going, reported by Jim McLain, (jmclain@VenturaCountyStar.com) will be the main Page One package tomorrow. It will be illustrated by a graphic from graphics editor Brian Snyder and his department.
Also on the page will be local reaction to the ongoing controversy surrounding Harvard President Lawrence Summers' remarks concerning brain differences in men and women. Reporter Kim Lamb Gregory (kgregory@VenturaCountyStar.com) has that story for us.
Then, off the wires, we will carry stories on the congressional hearings about steroid use in baseball, the latest on the various legislative efforts to intervene in the scheduled removal Friday of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube, and testimony before Congress by CIA Director Porter Goss who said he could not guarantee that the CIA did not use torture in interrogating prisoners since 9/11.
We also discussed possibly putting on Page One the wire story on the budget debate in Congress where the Senate voted to strip its budget of Medicaid spending cuts, which the president wanted and the House says it needs to balance the budget. That story, as of now, will go to an inside page instead, bumped off by the Goss testimony. Basically, we reasoned that the budget debate has a ways to go before it is resolved while the Goss testimony moved that story forward.
Posted by John Moore at 03:40 PM
Pay as you go ... and pay some more
We're Californians. We drive. And we're paying for it. The price of gasoline in Ventura County has hit an all-time high. And analysts say they don't see anything that will halt the climb. Today a couple of reporters are exploring the price of gas for a package for Page One tomorrow, trying to explain why it's going up, and whether we will pay any price for gas ... or is there a point where we say enough?
Staff writer Kim Lamb Gregory (kgregory@VenturaCountyStar.com) is following up on the controversy around Harvard president Lawrence Summers' statement that intrinsic differences in ability are a key reason why fewer women are in the applicant pool for jobs at the highest level of science. She talks with local academics to get their take on the continuing controversy.
And, off the wires, we'll look at today's congressional hearing on baseball and steroids as well as the last-ditch efforts Florida to block the removal of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube.
Posted by John Moore at 10:51 AM
March 16, 2005
Afternoon update
And then there was news ...
Much of the early plan for the day was trashed when news happened, both local and wire. Here's a look at the revised Page One lineup:
Federal officials have arrested a Tierra Rejada couple in connection with the escape of their tiger. The incident ended in the shooting death of the animal near a Moorpark park. Reporter Maria Gonzalez (mgonzalez@VenturaCountyStar.com) will have the main story and reporter Jean Ortiz (jortiz@VenturaCountyStar.com) will write a profile of Abby and Emma Hedengran, who have denied the tiger belonged to them.
We'll have the story by Ventura city reporter Kevin Clerici (kclerici@VenturaCountyStar.com) on the re-opening of Buenaventura golf course and its impact.
Then, off the wires, we'll report on the not guilty verdicts in the Robert Blake trial in Los Angeles and a study released today that indicates the life expectancies of Americans are going to shrink, courtesy of our obesity. We'll also have a different looking Page One tomorrow to give references to other major news stories that broke today: death penalty for Scott Peterson, approval of oil drilling in the Alaska wilderness, advance on Thursday's U.S. Senate hearing on steroids in baseball and President Bush's statements today or Iraq.
Posted by John Moore at 03:25 PM
Fore - thought
The city of Ventura is reopening one of its golf courses Friday. Golf writer Bob Buttita (bbuttita@VenturaCountyStar.com) has a look at the redesigned Buenaventura public course in Sports tomorrow. City reporter Kevin Clerici (kclerici@VenturaCountyStar.com) will have a Page One story examinign the financial impact of the course, the expectation by the city and addressing whether some believe Ventura County might be at the saturation point on golf courses. The package will be complemented by a video of the course by Anthony Plascencia.
Sacramento bureau chief Timm Herdt (therdt@VenturaCountyStar.com) is covering a state Senate hearing today on a bill that would ban the sale of soda and other junk food at high schools. Marjorie Hernandez (mhernandez@VenturaCountyStar.com) will be talking to Ventura County school officials, parents ... and kids ... about the idea, which is already in place in most middle and elementary schools.
And Teresa Rochester (trochester@VenturaCountyStar.com) is checking out reports of lines being crossed between church and state at a Simi Valley high school. The reporting is just starting on this story, which she learned about at the ACLU meeting on racial and cultural conflicts earlier this week.
President Bush had a press conference this morning, talking about Social Security, Iraq and other topics. Something out of that will probably land on your front page tomorrow.
Posted by John Moore at 09:41 AM
March 15, 2005
Afternoon update
Eleven schools in Ventura County, most of them in the Conejo Valley and Ventura, posted top scores in state education rankings released today. Last year there were eight county schools at the top of their rankings. But the number at the bottom also grew, from four to six in the county. Education writers Jean Moore (jcmoore@VenturaCountyStar.com) and Erin Hutkin (ehutkin@VenturaCountyStar.com) explain what today's numbers mean.
Nearly 500 students attended protest rallies over the lunch hour today at Ventura and Oxnard colleges. Reporters John Scheibe (jscheibe@VenturaCountyStar.com) and Zeke Barlow (zbarlow@VenturaCountyStar.com) were there.
State Treasurer Phil Angelides becomes the first Democrat to officially enter the governor's race ... for 2006. Sacramento bureau chief Timm Herdt (therdt@VenturaCountyStar.com) explains while he's doing it now, and gives a little insight to Angelides ties to Ventura County.
Wire stories will incude the conviction of WorldCom chief Bernie Ebbers and the latest postal anthrax scare in suburban Washington D.C.
Posted by John Moore at 03:32 PM
A day of numbers
It's an API day. That's always a "fun-filled" day in the newsroom ... it's a day when the state releases scores on every school in the state. Which means, of course, every school in Ventura County. There are a lot of them. Just ask our folks who put the numbers together. Education writers Jean Moore (jmoore@VenturaCountyStar.com) and Erin Hutkin (ehutkin@VenturaCountyStar.com) will report the story, giving you some sense and perspective of what the numbers mean. Meanwhile, graphics director Brian Snyder and his crew are spending the day crunching the numbers and putting them in the easy-to-read chart that will appear in tomorrow's paper. That's where the fun occurs.
Another education story planned for Page One tomorrow will be coverage by reporter John Scheibe (jscheibe@VenturaCountyStar.com) of the planned walkouts late this morning at our community colleges to protest budget cuts.
Sacramento bureau chief Timm Herdt (therdt@VenturaCountyStar.com) will profile Phil Angelides, who is kicking off his 2006 campaign for governor. Herdt will have a sidebar telling the story of Angelides' link to Ventura County. (Hint: Think high school.)
Another possible local story for the front page will be the discussion at the Board of Supervisors regarding changes in the funding system for the county's libaries. It's expected that Thousand Oaks will challenge the change because it would take money away from their library. County reporter Charles Levin (clevin@VenturaCountyStar.com) is at the hearing this morning.
And we're watching the wires to see what will make its way out front for tomorrow.
Posted by John Moore at 09:52 AM
March 14, 2005
Afternoon update
We asked for news ... and we got it.
Lead story in tomorrow's Star will be the decision by the California Superior Court judge that the state can no longer justify limiting marriage to a union between a man and a woman. If it's upheld on appeal, it would allow same-sex couples to wed. We will have a local reaction to the ruling, written by reporter Stephanie Hoops (shoops@VenturaCountyStar.com) as part of a two-story package on Page One.
Another local Page One story will be the announcement out of Washington that the clock has started on the process to close military bases. Our Washington reporter, Michael Collins (collinsm@shns.com), writes that the president Tuesday will name the independent panel that will recommend which bases should be closed.
Leaving Ventura's beaches in a wild state -- or at least a state where debris from storms is left to the ebb and flow of the tide -- is the idea of some beach erosion experts who say it will help the beach and provide a haven for birds. Kevin Clerici (kclerici@VenturaCountyStar.com) reports on the proposal.
A late story tonight that is expected to make it out front is coverage of a community meeting in the East County to discuss solutions to racial and cultural conflicts that our youth are encountering. Teresa Rochester (trochester@VenturaCountyStar.com) will report on the meeting, which is sponsored by the Ventura County chapter of the ACLU.
Sacramento bureau chief Timm Herdt (therdt@VenturaCountyStar.com) is covering an announcement this afternoon by a combine of health groups who are trying to push an initiative for the fall special election ballot that could lower drug costs for many Californias. It is the first of what is expected to be dozens of initiative ideas being pushed for the election, being called by the governor.
Posted by John Moore at 03:20 PM
A little thin
"A little thin," Managing Editor Rich Luna said at our morning news budget meeting. That would be a good thing in many of our lives. But the reference was to the local news budget. That's not a good thing.
It's Monday morning in the news world and, as is the case on many Mondays, there's not a lot of news percolating.
Yet.
Here's what we're looking at for tomorrow's Page One:
It should be a good day to get into print the story we've been holding for a few days on the suggestion by some in Ventura to not clean up the storm debris from the beaches to create a natural habitat for birds. Ventura city reporter Kevin Clerici (kclerici@VenturaCountyStar.com) has that story.
Simi Valley reporter Teresa Rochester (trochester@VenturaCountyStar.com) will be covering a public forum tonight hosted by the ACLU where school and community leaders will talk about the racial and cultural conflicts that have been erupting in our county.
There was a disagreement on a SCAT bus over the weekend involving a disabled passenger. We're looking into the reports and getting both sides ... it may be a Page One story. It may not even be a story at all. We're checking it out.
Reporter Zeke Barlow (zbarlow@VenturaCountyStar.com) will write about a study being released tomorrow that is highly critical of the training given to education leaders in this country. He'll talk to local educators to get their take on the report.
Off the wires, the massive rally in Beirut looks to be the top of the news along with follows on the courthouse shooting in Atlanta.
Posted by John Moore at 09:45 AM
March 11, 2005
Afternoon update
The courthouse shooting in Atlanta will be the lead story in tomorrow morning's Star. In addition to coverage out of Atlanta, we will have a short story inside that will look at safety of the Ventura County courthouse.
Details on the sale of the Pierpont Inn to a group out of San Luis Obispo -- along with a look back at the history of that venerable landmark -- will be included in Jim McLain's story.
And Jean Moore will have details on the plan to build a new coed Catholic high school in Thousand Oaks.
Off the news wires, will have stories on the Bush administration's change of tactic in deal with Iran, and a story looking at Internet data brokers and how you just can't keep your personal information out of their hands.
Posted by John Moore at 03:18 PM
Spring changes
It looks like Ventura County might get a new high school. And a venerable establishment is changing hands. Both stories are being reported right now but should be ready for Page One tomorrow.
First, we are told that there is a deal to buy land in Thousand Oaks along Olsen Road to build a coed Catholic high school. Education reporter Jean Moore (jcmoore@VenturaCountyStar.com) is chasing this story for us. Jean will have the basics and, at our budget meeting this morning we also wondered about the impact on other Catholic schools, such as La Reina, the all-girls school in Thousand Oaks, and Santa Clara, the Oxnard school with a declining enrollment. And we wondered about whether this signals a growing move to private education in light of the continuing funding fights over public education in California.
The second change is the sale of the Pierpont Inn in Ventura. The family that has owned it is apparently selling to a management group out of San Luis Obispo. Business writer Jim McLain (jmclain@VenturaCountyStar.com) will have the story, which will also trace some of the history of this hotel institution.
Protests continue today at Oxnard College over the budget cuts. Education reporter John Scheibe (jscheibe@VenturaCountyStar.com) will cover that as well as planned student walk-outs next week. He's also looking at reports of growing dissatisfaction on the Oxnard campus with President Lydia Ledesma Reese.
The story about the beach cleanup (or non-cleanup) in Ventura that was held yesterday is available again today. And government writer Charles Levin (clevin@VenturaCountyStar.com) will advance the housing conference planned for later this month. The Road Ahead is sponsored by The Star.
The only wire story at this time that we're looking at for Page One is the shooting in Atlanta where a rape suspect grabbed a deputies gun in a courtroom and shot and killed the judge. At least two others died; the man remains on the loose.
Posted by John Moore at 09:54 AM
March 10, 2005
Return of Hollywood
Jesse James Hollywood, the suspect in the Santa Barbara killing nearly five years ago of a West Hills teen-ager, was brought back to the United States today from Brazil, where he was captured yesterday. Reporter Angela Martinez (amartinez@VenturaCountyStar.com) was in Santa Barbara at a press conference to talk about the capture of the fugitive.
This afternoon, state Superintendent of Schools Jack O'Connell will be in Ventura for a rally opposing the governor's proposed cuts to education. Education writer Erin Hutkin (ehutkin@VenturaCountyStar.com) will be at the 4 p.m. rally.
And there will be more on the funding cuts at the Ventura County Community College District. Education writer John Scheibe (jscheibe@VenturaCountyStar.com) explores the disagreement over the extent of the funding shortfall at the district.
Another local story that might make its way to Page One regards beach cleanup in Ventura. Mayor Brian Brennan and others are suggesting that maybe we shouldn't clean up the ocean debris left on the beach after this winter's storms. Instead, the debris could be left as natural habitat for birds and possibly to stem beach erosion. Sunbathers, however, may not be as happy. Ventura city reporter Kevin Clerici (kclerici@VenturaCountyStar.com) reports.
The Michael Jackson trial might make its way back to Page One tomorrow. Jackson didn't make it to court on time this morning, stopping at the hospital because of a bad back. The judge wasn't happy, issuing a bench warrant for his arrest. Jackson made it to court. The trial has resumed. And today is key testimony from Jackson's accuser.
Posted by John Moore at 09:52 AM
March 09, 2005
Afternoon update
Page One tomorrow will be led by a two-story follow on the budget cuts in the community college district. Staff writer Tamara Koehler (tkoehler@VenturaCountyStar.com) will be report the reaction to the cuts, including the protest today at the Oxnard College president's office by more than 100 students. Education writer John Scheibe (jscheibe@VenturaCountyStar.com) will look at some of the longer-range impacts of the cuts and whether this portends a new direction for community colleges.
More than 500 people turned out today for the funeral of Pedro Reveles, the Oxnard College student and baseball player, who was shot Saturday. Coaches and teammates gave their rememberances and vowed to do something to help stop the violence in their community. Staff writer Angela Martinez (amartinez@VenturaCountyStar.com) has the story for us.
Sacramento bureau chief Timm Herdt (therdt@VenturaCountyStar.com)reports that a deal is close on funding for the widening of Lewis Road, access to California State University, Channel Islands. It would have the county picking up the bulk of the $33 million pricetag through a bond issue, with the state promising to reimburse the county in the next decade.
The results of the Los Angeles mayor's race will also be on Page One, as will a photo of CBS anchor Dan Rather on his last broadcast.
Posted by John Moore at 03:23 PM
Following the cuts
Now that we know what programs and positions the Ventura County Community College District board is looking to eliminate to balance its budget, education writer John Scheibe (jscheibe@VenturaCountyStar.com) will take a closer look at some of the impacts. But give him a little time before you contact him, please. He was working until 3 a.m. today to cover the meeting and get his story updated on our website. Also for tomorrow, reporter Zeke Barlow (zbarlow@VenturaCountyStar.com) will focus on the elimination of the journalism programs at Ventura and Oxnard colleges, ending the publication of the student papers at those schools -- an 80-year history at Ventura College.
Also in tomorrow's paper, we'll be covering the funeral of Pedro Reveles, the Oxnard College student who played on the school baseball team. Reveles was shot and killed Saturday night after an argument.
We'll be watching the ocean today as high surf is predicted up and down the coast. If there's any major problems, that story could be put on Page One.
Off the wires, the top stories of the day include the follow in the Los Angeles mayor's election from yesterday and continuing violence in Iraq.
Posted by John Moore at 10:04 AM
March 08, 2005
Cuts in college staff
There's only an afternoon update today because I wasn't at the morning news budget meeting and so I didn't blog this morning. I was at other meetings ... mostly on technology advancements were talking about for the paper. But here's the plan for tomorrow's Page One:
The Ventura County Community College District board is scheduled to announce its program and staffing cuts at a meeting in Oxnard tonight. There's expected to be a large crowd and education reporter John Scheibe (jscheibe@VenturaCountyStar.com) will be there to cover it.
Also on Page One tomorrow will be a story from business writer Jim McClain (jmcclain@VenturaCountyStar.com) on gasoline prices. It's not good news. Price of a gallon of gas has gone up 28 cents since the first of the year. And industry experts say it could go up another 24 cents ... in the next three weeks. That would push it above last year's peak average of $2.40 a gallon on Oct. 18.
Michael Collins (collinsm@shns.com), the Star's Washington reporter, is reporting on efforts by coastal communities across the country to battle the Bush administration over attempts to slash federal funds used to replenish sandy beaches. Cuts could impact a long-awaited study looking at the cause of erosion along beaches in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.
Voters in Los Angeles are going to the polls today to elect a new mayor. No clear winner is expected, which would send the top two candidates to a runoff. Even with the expected small turnout, Los Angeles may not have final results by presstime tonight, so check out the website.
Page One will also include a story on a massive pro-Syrian rally in Beirut today, with nearly 500,000 protestors chanting anti-American slogans. Another story will be the death of one of Chechnya's rebel leaders. And the final story will be the latest scientific tests on King Tut, which showed a badly broken left thigh could have been the cause of death of the boy pharaoh.
Posted by John Moore at 03:57 PM
March 07, 2005
Let's talk
We have embraced this brave new world of open, direct and immediate conversations with you, our readers. And you're making us just a little nervous.
We have received several emails in the last couple of days from readers expressing concern about the tone of some of the comments being posted on links to our news stories.
Some are concerned about the profanity. Some are concerned about the content of some of the comments.
First, let's back up a little.
We are, as far as we can tell, one of the few (if not only) newspaper websites that allows comments on all our news stories. You can come online, click on Comments at the end of the story and let fly with your opinion. There is no filter between you and publication of your comments.
That's the way we wanted it.
We do not want to be your nanny.
We want this to be your conversation, not ours.
And you have taken to it. With no promotion, the Comments took off on the first day and have been steady for the past three weeks, exploding during the three-day period around the killing of the tiger in Moorpark when we received almost 1,000 comments.
We noticed immediately that some of you are unable to put together a sentence without using a profanity. We don't tolerate obscenities.
We believe civil people can have civil conversations using civil language.
So we decided to monitor for obscenities and remove them. The software we use doesn't have a filter, so our online editor must look at the comments and individually remove the obscene ones. That sometimes takes a little time. And sometimes we miss a few. We're looking for alternatives.
We also drew the line at defamation. No personal attacks.
Some of you are complaining about some of the racist, xenophobic comments that have been appearing.
"As a paying subscriber, I would request that the Star establish some posting protocol in order to elevate the level of discussion to issues as opposed to ignorant stereotypes," wrote one reader.
Today we posted broad rules at the top of each Comments section.
But we are not going to go in and remove opinion from the postings simply because we disagree with it. We may not like the tone. We may not like the conclusion being drawn. We may believe it is hurtful and represents a very small minority of our community. But it's an opinion.
Besides, you, the other readers, seem to be doing a wonderful job of monitoring the outrageous opinions on your own. That's what we want. We want you to step up, speak out, and tell them (in a civil way) that racism is not tolerated in this county. It doesn't have a place here.
But sometimes we need to be reminded that an evil exists before it can be extinguished.
Meanwhile, we will consider this a work in progress. The rules may change. We want you involved in setting those rules.
Posted by John Moore at 03:44 PM
Afternoon story lineup
For Page One tomorrow, here's our lineup:
Sports writer Loren Ledin examines the financial impact of success on high school sports programs. It's not cheap sending your teams into the CIF playoffs, particularly because half of the proceeds go to the CIF and not the schools involved.
County reporter Charles Levin has the story on the opening of the new juvenile court center later this month. Apparently you will have to drive to get there as bus service -- at least for now -- won't be available.
Business writer Gretchen Macchiarella reports on the sale today of J.D. Power and Associates of Thousand Oaks to McGraw-Hill.
Two stories off the wire:
The latest out of Iraq and the announcement of a study that shows aspirin can help prevent strokes in women.
Posted by John Moore at 03:31 PM
A busy Monday for news
There are too many options for local news today. That's a good thing for an editor. And it's a busy news day elsewhere in the world. That means something will probably be held until at least Wednesday. Here's a look at the stories we're working on today:
Sports writer Loren Ledin (lledin@VenturaCountyStar.com) writes that success for high school sports often comes with a price. Ledin reports that schools competing in CIF playoffs split half the gate -- CIF takes the other half. And the cost to get to the playoffs (for example, the Oak Park basketball team is going to San Diego for a Tuesday game at a cost of up to $2,000) is seldom offset by the gate receipts.
J.D. Power and Associates of Westlake Village has been bought by McGraw-Hill. Business writer Gretchen Macchiarella (gmacchiarella@VenturaCountyStar.com) explains the impact on the local company.
County reporter Charles Levin (clevin@VenturaCountyStar.com) checks out the report that when the Juvenile Justice Center opens later this month, it will lack pay telephones or bus service, making it hard for parents to talk to -- or get to -- their children involved in the juvenile justice system.
And, in a story that will probably hold for at least a day, education writer Jean Moore (jcmoore@VenturaCountyStar.com) has a fascinating story on high school seniors -- and how and why so many are coasting through their last year of high school because they've already completed all the requirements for graduation.
There's plenty of news off the wire services: New wave of attacks and deaths in Iraq; White House rebuttal of claims that an Italian journalist escaping Iraqi captivity was deliberating targeted by U.S. soldiers; more on the Syrian slow withdrawl from Lebanon; study that indicates women can cut the risk of strokes with aspirin; adn Martha Stewart goes back to work.
Posted by John Moore at 09:42 AM
March 04, 2005
Afternoon update
At this hour (3:30 p.m.), we're still waiting to find out how the Sacramento judge is going to rule (or if she's going to rule today) on whether the governor overstepped his authority in halting implementation of rules governing nurse-patient ratios in hospitals. If, as expected, she tells the governor he can't do that, then it probably will be the lead story on tomorrow's Page One.
The other local news package is centered just a little south: Los Angeles and the mayor's race. Their election is Tuesday and we take a look at the role the LA "stepchild" (San Fernando Valley) could play in the election.
We will have a story on page one with the latest on the tragic death of the Italian agent and wounding of the just-freed Italian hostage in Iraq. They were shot by U.S. forces at a checkpoint.
Another wire story that makes it to Page One is in the "wow, look at that" category: Italian military are wearing tiny video screen-like watches that receive signals from pilot-less airplanes to help them identify targets.
And, finally, Martha is still a Page One story. She remains a story folks are talking about, so that drove it out to the front page.
Posted by John Moore at 03:38 PM
Arnold may lose one in court
In Sacramento today, a judge may give her final ruling on whether the governor overstepped his power by stopping a law dictating the nurse-patient ratio in state hospitals. The judge tentatively ruled against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger yesterday. Sacramento bureau chief Timm Herdt (therdt@VenturaCountyStar.com) will be there today when both sides argue the case.
Another political story we're planning for Page One tomorrow -- and another story by Herdt -- is an advance on Tuesday's Los Angeles mayoral election. Herdt points out that the San Fernando Valley, which lost its bid to secede from LA three years ago, thanks to Mayor James Hahn's machine, may now be in a position to help oust Hahn and pick a new mayor.
Off the wire, we're following developments in Lebanon where the Syrian president may pull back his troops, but not withdraw them. Also, a new California Field Poll shows today that Californians oppose granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, by a wide margin.
And then there's Martha Stewart. We talked a lot at the morning meeting about how we want to continue to cover her release tomorrow. She's out. But that was reported in this morning's paper. It's a talk story -- you're talking about it and we're talking about it. The question for us today will be how newsy that will be by tomorrow morning ... and where we want to run the story.
Posted by John Moore at 09:32 AM
March 03, 2005
Afternoon update
Here's the lineup for tomorrow's Page One:
The beauty of Southern California. The weeks of rain have left their mark with the greening of the countryside. It could be the best wildflower year in half a century. Of course, all the rain and vegetation have other byproducts: mosquitoes and pollen, for instance.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is pushing ahead with his plan to ask voters to approve a new way of setting up legislative districts every 10 years. But legislators are hinting they'll come up with their own compromise and avert a statewide wide.
Off the wire, the stories for the front page include the decision by the Saudis today to tell Syria to get out of Lebanon, and Steve Fosset's successful around-the-world solo flight.
And, don't be surprised if your front page tomorrow includes a photo and story about a free Martha Stewart. She's scheduled to be released Sunday, but could get out as early as 1 minute after midnight, eastern time, tomorrow.
Posted by John Moore at 03:17 PM
It's good to be green
Ventura County is green. One of the wettest winters ever (and still raining) is creating one of the greenest springs ever. Reporter Zeke Barlow (zbarlow@VenturaCountyStar.com) will bring us the story about what one man is calling the best wildflower season in 50 years. And he will warn us about what this means for the next California season: the wildfire season.
Another candidate for Page One tomorrow will be a story on accreditation at California State University Channel Islands. Higher education writer John Scheibe (jscheibe@VenturaCountyStar.com) will bring us up to date on where our four-year university stands in the accreditation process.
There are a number of wire choices to look at for tomorrow's front page:
The flight of Steve Fossett is expected to end by late morning. He's trying to become the first person to fly solo around the world.
President Bush brought the country up to date this morning on the hunt for Osama bin Laden.
And the death toll of U.S. troops in Iraq passes 1,500.
The other story we talked about at the morning budget meeting was the impending release from prison of Martha Stewart. We have already printed a number of stories about her release, and what will happen in her future. And we're talking about whether to do more. Stay tuned.
Posted by John Moore at 09:50 AM
March 02, 2005
Afternoon update
After the plethora of stories from the morning, we dug out another news story today that will lead the paper tomorrow on Page One:
Thousand Oaks city reporter Grace Lee (glee@VenturaCountyStar.com) has ferreted out the information that the planned expansion of The Oaks mall in T.O. has been put on hold. The merger of the companies that own the mall's big department stores brings into question who's going to fill the mall's anchor spots.
Also on Page One tomorrow will be reporter Marjorie Hernandez's (mhernandez@VenturaCountyStar.com) story on farmworkers. She is examining the impact of the recent ag losses on the farmworkes, and what local government agencies are doing.
SCAT hopes to have full bus service back by Monday. But reporter Cheri Carlson (ccarlson@VenturaCountyStar.com) reports that the future of using natural gas to power the public transit system is in doubt after this week's pipeline break.
And education writers Jean Moore (jcmoore@VenturaCountyStar.com) and Erin Hutkin (ehutkin@VenturaCountyStar.com) are talking with local educators to get their take on Gov. Schwarzenegger's plan to take his merit-based teacher pay plan to the voters in the fall.
The lone wire story on Page One will be on today's situation in Lebanon.
Posted by John Moore at 03:29 PM
Many news choices
This is the kind of news day that managing editors love. There's a lot to chose from for tomorrow's Page One. A plethora of news, if you will.
Some of the local stories are being reported and may end up falling off the list, or moving to the Local news section. Others are reported and written, but don't have quite the immediacy (as in, they happened today) so could get held.
Here's a look at what's in the mixer for the front page:
The SCAT board is holding its regular monthly meeting this morning. It's usually a session the press doesn't cover. But we'll be there today as they talk about what happened with the shut down of bus service and what they're going to do about assuring a supply of fuel in the future. Cheri Carlson (ccarlson@VenturaCountyStar.com) continues to be the lead reporter on this story. We'll also look at the bus operation today with limited service in the West County.
Opening arguments are today in the bid by law enforcement to get a permanent injunction against the Colonia Chiques gang in Oxnard. Court reporter Jessica Keating (jkeating@VenturaCountyStar.com) will be there as attorneys argue before Judge Frederick Bysshe on whether to extend the existing temporary injunction.
CIA Director Porter Goss is in the county this morning, giving a talk at the Reagan library. Stephanie Hoops (shoops@VenturaCountyStar.com) will cover the talk. Depending on what he says, it could be a Page One story.
Editors are assigning reporters as I type to follow up on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's bid to take his reform plans to the voters next fall. We'll see what, if any, opposition exists in Ventura County.
We still have available the story by Marjorie Hernandez (mhernandez@VenturaCountyStar.com) about the impact of the storms on farmworkers. The fields are flooded, the crops are gone. What happens to the workers?
And county government reporter Charles Levin (clevin@VenturaCountyStar.com) is at a meeting this morning where officials are talking about the future of the Senior Nutrition Program in the county.
All those are possible candidates for Page One, along with wire stories: President Bush demanded today that Syria get out of Lebanon; and gunmen in Iraq kill a judge and lawyer working for the tribunal that will try Saddam Hussein.
It's a plethora day.
Posted by John Moore at 09:33 AM
March 01, 2005
Afternoon update
Here's the lineup for tomorrow's Page one:
No buses -- We'll have two stories on the South Coast Area Transit bus problem, one looking at what happened, how it happened and how transportation officials hope to fix it; the other at the reaction to the sudden lack of bus service.
Library funds -- The county supervisors received a report today on a plan to change how the various library branches in the county are funded, and reducing the library system's deficit by up to 75 percent. We'll have the details.
The two wire stories on the page will be Gov. Schwarzenegger's plan to start the clock ticking on a fall special election to have voters give thumbs up or down on a series of his reform plans; and the U.S. Supreme Court decision to ban the execution of juveniles in the United States.
Posted by John Moore at 03:19 PM
No buses running today
There are no buses in the West County this morning, and at least parts of the East County will also be without service as the day progresses because they're out of fuel. A broke pipeline cut off the supply of natural gas. A number of reporters will be chasing this story today, with Cheri Carlson (ccarlson@VenturaCountyStar.com) as the initial lead reporter. We'll be talking to bus riders. We'll find out the impact on schools and businesses. We'll ask transportation officials how we got into this situation, what they're going to do about it, and what happened with the communication process that word didn't go out until late last night.
Also for tomorrow's Page One, we plan to have the story we held from yesterdayi about the impact of the flooding on farmworkers. Marjorie Hernandez (mhernandez@venturacountystar.com) is finishing work on that story today.
A third possible Page One contender is coverage of a study session by the county supervisors today on the funding model for the county library system. Charles Levin (clevin@venturacountystar.com) is at that session, which will look at whether we have created a system of haves and have-nots in libraries because of how they are funded.
It's also a busy news day elsewhere:
Protestors returned to Beirut chanting anti-Syrian slogans as the crisis in Lebanon continues to escalate.
The U.S. Supreme Court today, in a 5-4 ruling, forbid the execution of killers who were under the age of 18 when they committed the crime. There were 19 states -- not California -- where the practice was used.
Iraqis continue to mourn the more than 120 people killed in yesterday's suicide bombing.
In Chicago, a federal judge whose life was threatened by a white supremacist finds two bodies in her home. They are reported to be her husband and mother.
Posted by John Moore at 10:04 AM
