Climbing back in the saddle, the writing saddle that is

WATKINS GLEN, New York, USA - Within two weeks of landing here in the reaches of upstate NY, it seemed like a good idea to find out if any local media would be interested in using me to write stories, take photos, or shoot video.

Seemed like a good idea.

After a few fits and starts, I have now completed four assignments for two different newspapers and with some local controversies flaring up (a major one surrounding natural gas, so pardon the flare pun), it's likely others may follow.

Here's two of the stories:
DEC says EIS is inadequate
Emergency plans? Not yet

The pay is extraordinary. As in extraordinarily low, compared to California rates. But as a way to get to know the communities here better, you can't have more entree than to show up with a reporter's notebook in hand and a camera.

Shockingly high water

And it's fun to go chasing around with the camera.

Today, as a major flood watch looms over the entire Central New York area, I went out and shot a few photos at a local marina, where Seneca Lake water levels are already reaching historic highs. For unexplained reasons, the people in charge of the lake level aren't letting much water out...

With 2 inches of rain predicted for this afternoon, comparison shots tomorrow morning of the ones taken today are in order.

In big waves, the gasoline pumps are swamped

Mark Singer talks about Donald Trump - fabulous...

Column writers wrap it, offer what columns they should have done

SACRAMENTO, Calif., USA - The columnistas of the column-writing class at CSU, Sacramento turned in collections of their work Monday, which included a section on columns they wish they had written, but didn't.

Some of those column titles included:

Insight into the life of The Hornet 
The Hornet needs more buzz
Car Flirting: Advice for the bored commuter
Remembering my grandmother's cooking
Lefties dominating a right-hand world
Ed has the munchies
How I got away with doing every column last minute
Miracles: Evidence of the supernatural
Watch out! Black man running

Over the course of the semester, each writer put together 14 columns of 650 words each, due Tuesday mornings by 8 a.m.

The class also had a string of guest speakers from off campus, including Marcos Breton, Jon Ortiz, Dan Weintraub, Claudia Buck, Bob Shallit and Rachel Leibrock.

Editor of Sacramento's Comstock's magazine to speak at CSUS

Doug Curley

SACRAMENTO, Calif., USA - Doug Curley, a CSUS alum - a 1979 graduate of the Journalism Department at the University - will be guest lecturing in Journalism 132 (Magazine Writing) Monday, Dec. 6 in Mendocino Hall.

Curley is currently the editor of Comstock's, a regional business magazine in Sacramento. He will be speaking about his career journey since graduation that led him to various writing and editing positions in California before he took over at the helm of the magazine.

His appearance December 6 coincides with the final meeting of the magazine writing class. Each student has written three stories for the class and are in process of attempting to get them published by print or online magazines.

Two students - Chloe Daley and Kim Reyes - have already been successful in selling stories.

Sacramento Bee's Bob Shallit to speak in column-writing class

SACRAMENTO, Calif., USA - Sacramento Bee columnist and business writer Bob Shallit will be speaking in the column-writing class at CSU, Sacramento Monday.

Shallit's appearance comes two weeks after Bee colleague Claudia Buck spoke to the class, detailing out her work as a personal finance columnist.

Shallit

Shallit's columns usually include several different business-related items, reminiscent of the three-dot journalism of the San Francisco Chronicle's late columnist, Herb Caen.

At times, Shallit also writes longer pieces on business and business trends.

Here is a link to his columns: Bob Shallit's columns in The Sacramento Bee