Convention connection

It is hard to believe the Democrat and Repubican conventions are almost here.

RRA received word today that it is close to getting prime workspace in Minnesota for the RNC (in the same area as CQ) so if you are interested in sharing the space, please email Suzanne Struglinski at suzanne@desnews.com for details.

Also, please send along any links to convention stories from 2004 or even earlier as we would like to compile examples on what to write during convention time.

MARCH 31: Tax Event

Taxing Issues: A panel discussion on federal tax and budget policy

With just weeks to go before Tax Day on April 15, the Regional Reporters Association offers a seminar with leading policy experts to guide the way through federal budget and federal tax issues.

WHO: Policy pros from on and off the Hill including:

CBO – Melissa Merson of the Congressional Budget Office will provide an overview of the baseline budget, as well as the impact of the expiring tax cuts, the increasing growth of the AMT and other fiscal pressures.

IRS – Nancy Mathis of Internal Revenue Service will discuss rebate checks, AMT and other issues for the upcoming tax season, along with tips for localizing data for hometown readers.

Hill Staff: Senate Finance and House Ways and Means Committee staff members will provide background information on the latest on the Hill. (Note: the staff will be on background only and are still being confirmed.)

WHEN: Monday March 31, 2008

TIME: 1-2 p.m.

WHERE: National Press Club, Murrow Room, 529 14th St., NW

This event is open to Regional Reporters Association members and 2008 dues can be paid at the event.

Please email Suzanne Struglinski at suzanne@desnews.com if you want to attend.

Sunshine Week!

Well, Sunshine Week was last week and I missed it.

BUT to help continue the celebration, please click here.
The video features RRA's very own favorite attorney Kevin Goldberg!

March 25: No Recess for Regionals

Congress may be on a break, but from the looks of latest stories written by RRA members, there is still plenty to cover.

EARMARKS: Sylvia Smith of the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette looks at earmarks for her local colleges as part of the bigger earmark debate.

RECESS TRIPS: Aaron Sadler of Times-Record has a story for the Arkansas News Bureau about Rep. John Boozman, R-Rogers heading to Africa. In a March 24 story, Gerard Shields of The Advocate in Baton Rouge, La. writes about Sen. Vitter going to Afghanistan.

SUPREME COURT: Sean Reilly of the Mobile Register covered a Supreme Court case Monday, including Alabama Gov. Bob Riley. Larry Lipman writes in the Austin American Statesman about the court opting not to hear a case on Medicare benefits.

IMMIGRATION COURT: Joe Morton of Omaha World Herald gives an update on a new court opening in Nebraska

EASTER EGG ROLL: Suzanne Struglinski of the Deseret Morning News found some local connections to the White House party on Monday.

LOCAL RACES: Trish Choate of the Scripps Howard News Service writes about the finances of the local House race challenger.

BOEING DEAL: Rob Hotakainen writes in the Kansas City Star on March 23, about how the controversial missing Boeing contract could affect the November elections.

CHIP: Raju Chebium of the Gannett News Service gives an update on the battle over CHIP funding on March 21.

DO IT FOR YOUR PAPER!!!!! These stories by RRA members might be good for your own readership area.

• WHO PAYS FOR LUNCH: Gerard Shields of The Advocate in Baton Rouge, La. brings a personal story on lunch with a Hill staff to print to illustrate new ethics rules.
• Trish Choate of the Scripps Howard News Service looks at ZIP code data and income.

March 19: Regionals in Today's News

GUN CASE: Sylvia Smith of the Fort Wayne (Ind.) Journal Gazette gets reactions from local folks inside the Supreme Court oral arguments on Tuesday. Craig Gilbert of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

VA HOSPITAL Sylvia Smith of the Fort Wayne (Ind.) Journal Gazette writes the latest on her area's veteran's hospital as the Bush administration will not give up certain info.

PRIMARIES: In a March 11 story, Lesley Clark of the Miami Herald keeps up her coverage of the do-over Florida primary. Wes Allison of the St. Petersburg Times also tackles the issue in a March 18 story. Brett Lieberman of the Patriot-News Leader looks at Clinton's standings in a recent PA poll.

IRAQ ANNIVERSARY: Lisa Mascaro of the Las Vegas Sun look at Gen. James L. Jones new challenge --a great different way of writing about the 5th anniversary of the war. Jerry Zremski of The Buffalo (N.Y.) News looks at the next president will have to face on the war.

RECESS TRIPS: Noelle Straub of the Billings Gazette writes about Sen. John Barrasso's visit to Afghanistan.

OBAMA SPEECH: Craig Gilbert of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel covers Sen. Barack Obama's speech on race. Josh Drobnyk of the Allentown Morning Call looks at a new poll in his state on race in the election.

BOEING CONTROVERSY: Rob Hotakainen of the Olympian explains the controversy over the Airbus contract in a March 17 story.

YUCCA LICENSE: Steve Tetreault of the Las Vegas Review Journal continues his coverage of the Yucca Mountain project in Nevada. The Energy Department aims to file its license application in June.

GET LOCAL!

• Maureen Groppe of Gannett News Service is on the road and has two stories covering the death of an Indiana solider in Kentucky. Click here and Click here for her great stories.
  
• Malia Rulon of the Cincinnati Enquirer tells the story of a local man now living in Afghanistan.
  
• Aaron Salder writes in the Morning News about Arkansas' high mark for mental health data. Salder also writes in the Times Record about another report on the uninsured dying earlier because of poor health care.
  
• Bruce Alpert of the New Orleans Times-Picayune writes about a study ranking Louisiana eighth among the 50 states in terms of state financial commitments for preschool education.
  
• Marc Heller of the Watertown Daily Times interviews a member on his stance on waterboarding.

Thursday Tip

Two tips from RRA today.

1) This is an obvious one but a good reminder: Print out your source list and keep one at home OR at least have an electronic copy on your home computer hard drive. (ask me why? I needed a source number late night on Tuesday and it was in my laptop in my office. I have a lot stored in the Blackberry but of course not the one I needed.)

2) The DC Public Library has a large amount of online databases -including Washington Post Archives -that you can access for free. Anyone who lives, or WORKS, in the District can get a card. I attended an event going through this at the National Press Club this week and was shocked at the amount of stuff on there.

---Thanks,
Suzanne Struglinski
RRA President

March 13: Regionals in Today's News

Regionals in Today's News

BOXES OF INFO: Steve Tetreault of the Las Vegas Review Journal, writes about 23 boxes of pretty much useless info arriving at the door of Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev. (note the photo).

WARHEADS: Joe Morton of the Omaha World-Herald, writes about the local Air Force base's role in the country's nuclear warhead stockpile.

PRIMARIES: Lesley Clark writes in the Miami Herald about the Florida Democrat's do-over primary, including a previous story about it's cost. Brett Lieberman covers a Clinton event for the Patriot-News and wrote an earlier piece about Obama. Suzanne Struglinski of the Deseret Morning News, writes about the Utah Lt. Gov push for a regional primary plan.

EARMARKS: Ellyn Ferguson of Gannett's Green Bay Press-Gazette covers the contorversy over House Appropriations Committee Chairman Dave Obey, D-Wisc. letter to members on earmarks. Lisa Mascaro of the Las Vegas Sun writes about Sen. Harry Reid's support of earmarks. Jake Thompson of the Omaha World-Herald, writes about the untold side of some road earmarks: state matching funds.

CHEMICAL PLANTS: Sylvia Smith of the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette covers a hearing where a local women's testimony illustrates the need for tighter OSHA rules.

AIRPORT FEES: Bruce Alpert of the The Times-Picayune writes about the New Orleans airport wanting to increase fees due to reduced flight schedules in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

BOEING: Sean Reilly of the Mobile Register writes about the Boeing contract controversy.

SMOG RULES: Jim Myers of Tulsa World writes how new EPA smog rules don't sit well with Sen. Inhofe.

ENERGY LOBBY: Trish Choate of the Times Record News writes about the Texas oil lobby opposing pending bills.

HARDROCK MINNING: Noelle Straub of the Jackson Hole Star-Tribune writes about the latest progress in a rewrite of the 1872 mining law.

ETHICS: Larry Lipman in the Palm Beach Post, writes about a local lawmaker's push for ethics reform in the House.

CREDIT CARD FEES: Suzanne Struglinski in the Deseret Morning News, writes about the battle over a new credit bill.

and......because she just can't stay away, Lisa Friedman writes in the LA Daily News about Rep. Howard Berman taking over the Foreign Affairs Committee.

March 11: Regionals in Today's News

A quick recap of the Regionals in the Today's News

CONGRESSIONAL RANKINGS: Craig Gilbert, in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, writes about his congressional delegations rankings. Larry Lipman writes in the Palm Beach Post about the Congress.org rankings.

EARMARK REFORM: Nicole Gaudiano of Gannnett News Service, writes about the Delaware delegation talking about banning earmarks.

MINE BILLS: Tommy Burr of the Salt Lake Tribune, writes about progress, or lack thereof on mine legislation.

ETHICS: Malia Rulon of Gannett News Services writes for the Cincinnati Enquirer about an aide to Rep. Steve Chabot doing campaign work on tax payer time.

ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE: Larry Lipman writes in the Palm Beach Post blog about Sen. Ben Nelson telling CNN it would be a "tragedy" if Florida's Democratic delegates could not go to the convention. Brett Lieberman writes in the Patriot News-Leader about Hillary Clinton's connection to PA.

VOTING RIGHTS: Noelle Straub writes in the Billings Gazette about the DC Voting Rights advocates hounding Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont.

CHEMICAL PLANTS: Raju Chebium, in the Courier-Post about upcoming legislation that will improve security at chemical plants.

ASHCROFT CASE: Sylvia Smith writes in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette about former Attorney General John Ashcroft and the Zimmer case. Raju Chebium, tackles the same topic in the Courier-Post.

March 6: Regionals in Today's News

WHITE HOUSE 2008: Wes Allison in the St. Petersburg Times writes about the fight for momentum among the Democratic presidential candidates. Brett Lieberman writes in the Patriot News-Leader about Pennsylvnia's clout in the upcoming April 22 primary. Tommy Burr of the Salt Lake Tribune, writes about Bush endorsing McCain. Craig Gilbert in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has an analysis about the Midwest State roles for Barack and Hillary.

INTERNET GAMBLING: Tony Batt in the Las Vegas Review-Journal writes about a bill introduced this week that claims an online gambling tax could produce up to $43 billion over 10 years.

IMMIGRATION: Jim Myers in Tusla World writes on Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla. using the state as an example for federal immigration policy. Matt Canham of the Salt Lake Tribune and Suzanne Struglinski the Deseret Morning News write on the Utah delegation's call for more ICE agents. Lisa Mascaro of the Las Vegas Sun, writes about the latest comprehensive immigration reform package.

BUDGET: March Heller in the Watertown Daily Times writes on Sen. Charles Schumer criticizing a Bush budget cut that could hurt schools under the No Child Left Behind law.

March 5: Regionals in Today's news

It is with mixed motions that I announce Lisa Friedman was laid off last Friday and will no longer be updating the RRA blog. In what might be the quickest turnaround ever, the good news is that Lisa did get a new job and starts later this month but the blog may be a little late over the next few weeks as the RRA board figures out what to do. This blog would not be what it is today without Lisa's hardwork and dedication to compiling it everyday without fail. So on behalf of all of us: THANKS LISA! and good luck. -Suzanne Struglinski, RRA President



ELECTION NEWS: Jerry Zremski writes from Ohio for the Buffalo News on Clinton's hinting at sharing a ticket with Obama. Wes Allison, in the St. Petersburg Times, writes about Clinton’s and McCain’s win. Trish Choate in the Erie Times-News writes about Texas Republicans supporting Obama instead of McCain
Sylvia Smith in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette writes about how Tuesday’s election results gives Indiana Democrats a real voice their primary.

FEMA TRAILERS: Sylvia Smith in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette reports that formaldehyde tainted FEMA trailers for Hurriance Katrina and Rita victims were made in Indiana.

FAA: Keith Chu, in the Bend Bulletin, co-authors a story looking at how new FFA rules could hurt local plane manufacturers.

SCHOOL LUNCH: Lesley Clark writes on the Sacramento Bee about school officials complaining about notification of tainted meat in schools.

COLOMBIA FREE TRADE: Tommy Burr of the Salt Lake Tribune and Suzanne Struglinski of the Deseret Morning News write about Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, experience in Colombia.

METH: Noelle Straub in the Billngs Gazette writes about Montana Attorney General Mike McGrath push touting the state’s anti-Meth program at the National Association of Attorneys General and National Association of Counties meetings.