alternative story forms rock!
TRANSCRIPT
What are alternative story forms?» They’re ways to tell stories that are beyond the typical inverted-pyramid text + headline + photograph package.» They’re typically more visual, and involve text working with images to tell a story.» Common examples are timelines, grids, Q&As, calendars and data maps.
Why use ASFs?» They grab readers’ attention» They explain complex issues» They help readers retain information
Helping readers understandThe 2007 Eyetrack study by the Poynter Institute had three groups read an explanatory story about the bird flu that was presented in three ways. Readers were then quizzed on the content.The story forms:1. Straight narrative with image and quote2. Partial narrative with map and two sidebars3. No traditional narrative, but a map, Q&A, by-the-numbers chart and other graphics
What Eyetrack found» Those who read the third prototype answered at least seven of nine questions correctly, by an almost 2-to-1 margin.
» Of the people who had perfect scores, nine of 10 had read the graphic version.
Conclusion: ASFs help readers retain information.
The BackgrounderProvides background information to supplement an ongoing news story.
Think of it as an easy-to-digest and focused encyclopedia entry.
CalendarA good way to look ahead, especially if the “when” of the story is important.
Provides readers with the “what” and the “when” at a glance.
CartoonA fun way to tell a simple story visually.
ChecklistThis to-do-list ASF engages the reader, asking them to pick up a
pencil and get involved. Could also be used for a public official or coach to outline an agenda.
Data mapSometimes reporters can use data plotted on a map to tell a story.
DiagramConcepts can be easier to understand if you show
and tell readers what the story is about.
Election resultsA useful roundup for election results that need
to be noted but do not require a full story.
GameLet the game tell the story. This format is interactive
but there must be a logical progression for it to work.
MATT MCCLAIN WASHINGTON POST
Master Sgt. Martin J. Cervantez
About one hour fromKandahar, Afghanistan, theartist walked with soldiers andbomb-sniffing dogs on thelookout for minefields and theenemy.
They had inclines of dirt tohike over and grapevines toavoid.
“There was actually a vine-yard with grapes growing alongdirt mounds,” recalled MasterSgt. Martin J. Cervantez. “Thesoldiers were doing patrols, upand over. But they were steep,and the dog handler had to liftthe dogs.”
Cervantez, 43, joins fellowsoldiers in battle, but he makessketches and takes photo-graphs.
Back in his spacious studio atFort Belvoir, Va., the only offi-cial Army artist tries to capturewhat he saw, heard and felt.
“I go through the sketchesand photos,” he said. “What doI think would be visuallyappealing? What would capturethe soldiers’ experience? I wantto capture the soldiers’ perspec-tive so they have something tograb onto.”
Cervantez continues a
PROFILE
Storiesof soldierscapturedon canvasBy Jacqueline TrescottTHE WASHINGTON POST
See CANVAS Page D2
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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ROAD-TRIP CHALLENGEANNUAL THANKSGIVING GAME
Grab a pencil and a map: It’s time for Life &Arts’ annual Thanksgiving game.
Our Road-Trip Challenge asks you toidentify 12 Ohio towns whose names begin
with the letters in Thanksgiving.Get them all right, and you’ll win our admiration.
And we’ll admire you even more if you answer ourspecial bonus question — a riddle.
Here’s how to play: On the state map, we haveadded visual clues suggested by the 12 towns. Wehave also provided a few key letters.
Your job is to identify the towns, starting with No. 1.The task will take you on a virtual journey of about
1,569 miles (or so says Google Maps).It includes a couple of central Ohio locations, but
mostly — to make the game more challenging — weroam the state in search of small locales.
A state road map might come in handy.If you play the game right, the first letters of the
towns will combine to spell Thanksgiving. From there,you move to the bonus round — in which we ask youto identify a special Columbus street. Good luck.
SPECIAL BONUS RIDDLEEast of Dublin lies a streetThat makes you think of
darkish meatEaten on a special dayWhen the Detroit Lions play.Find this court whose
name recallsCertain parts of Butterballs.
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
By Joe Blundo and Charlie Zimkus | THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
1. _ _ _ _ S B U _ _
2. _ _ _ _ LT O _
3. _ _ H V _ _ _ _
4. _ _ _ O L E _ _
5. _ E _ O
6. _ _ D N _ _
7. _ _ _ E N V _ _ _ _
8. _ _ _ N T _ _
9. _ _ R M I _ _ _ _
10. _ _ D E P _ _ _ _ _ _ _
11. _ _ S H _ _ _ _ _
12. _ _ H A _ _ _
� Give up? Find the answers inside �D2
11-24-2011 PAGE D1
DLIFE&ARTS�
THURSDAYNOVEMBER 24, 2011
Our suggestions begin
Coming Friday
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDEDispatch.com/video
Online
JON WOODS AND TBDBITLOur seasonal contest for big people �D3
Gingerbread treat
‘Arrested’ to return on NetflixImagine Television and 20th
Century Fox Television have made adeal with Netflix to put the formerFox series Arrested Developmentback into production, according toBroadcasting & Cable.
An undetermined number of newepisodes of the show, with starJason Bateman, are to becomeavailable on the video-subscriptionservice starting in 2013.
Group to sing at White HouseThe New World Singers, a Colum-
bus Children’s Choir ensemble of 32youngsters 10 to 16, will travel toWashington to perform on Dec. 20at the White House.
The group, to be conducted by
SHOW & TELL
See SHOW & TELL Page D2
FOXJason Bateman in a scenefrom Arrested Development
5 DAYS ONLY!
After-ThanksgivingBONUS SALE!
Our Holiday Home Sale kicks offtomorrow at 8AM with bonus savings,special offers and free local delivery!
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www.FrontRoomFurnishings.com
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TUTTLE CROSSING
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Government how they votedShows what action a government agency took, the vote
and what it means for readers. It allows the reporter to focus on big issues while still recording the news.
Graphic pagesSometimes a story can be told through a variety of graphics,
including maps, charts and diagrams. The information can be so thorough that a traditional story is not needed.
Grids/tableUsed when you want to compare several items that are similar.
The comparison type must be short and the same length.
How toWalks readers through a process.
Asking families to havesupper together every night istough.
Life gets in the way, whatwith sports, homework andother activities — not to men-tion two or three jobs.
Still, making time is impor-tant, if only forone day a weekat first.
Choose yourfamily’s favoritedish — say,meatloaf — andserve it everyTuesday.
Trust me:Everyone willnaturally startto build theirschedulesaround the meal — thanks to asubtle shift in mentality.
The goal is to gather to sharestories and arguments.
As my children were beingraised, my wife, Susi, startedevery meal with “What’s thefunniest thing you heard allday? What’s the worst thingthat happened all day? Withwhom did you sit at lunch?”
Family conversation has anew rival these days: hand-held gadgets.
I suggest adopting a Batalifamily rule: no technology atthe table — no texting, tweet-ing or electronic messaging.(Jonesing for a tweet? Sneak offto the bathroom.)
My offspring have started toenforce the ban, too.
Sunday supper won’t curethe world’s problems. Yet thefew minutes around the tablemight give children the con-fidence they need to thrive.
The food at the table
Familystarts withmealtime
RECIPES FROM BATALI
� A recipe for a side dish withBrussels sprouts �D3
MARIOBATALI
See BATALI Page D3
Food Editor Robin Davis will makeGreek Sandwiches (see recipe,Page D2) on 10TV News HD at noontoday on WBNS-TV (Channel 10).Missed the segment? Find it atDispatch.com/food.
WHAT’S UPAT THE KITCHEN
Dumpling dayMonday will welcome the Year of the
Dragon with the Lunar New Year — andoffer a reason to celebrate in the wake ofmany other holidays.
The traditions of the Lunar New Year in-clude the eating of Chinese dumplings, ortender dough stuffed with a variety of fillings,then boiled.
The making of dumplings certainly takestime, but it lends itself to another Lunar New
By Robin DavisTHE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
CHRIS RUSSELL DISPATCH PHOTOS; FOOD STYLING BY CHARLIE ZIMKUSYear of the Dragon Dumplings With Ginger Dipping Sauce
Filled noodleshelp make
Lunar New Year
entertainingfor friends,relatives
� A recipe for Year of the Dragon Dumplings �D3
1. Place about 1 table-spoon of filling in thecenter of each wrapper.
2. Moisten the edge of the wrapper withwater to help seal it.
3. Fold the wrapper.Pleat the edges andpress them together.
4. Note the half-moon shape of afinished dumpling.
5. Boil dumplings inwater until they havebecome tender.
See DUMPLING Page D3
01-18-2012 PAGE D1
DFOOD&LIFE�
WEDNESDAYJANUARY 18, 2012
Goody reveals gender
Coming Thursday
A SPECIAL BABY CAKEDispatch.com/now
Online
WHO’S YOUR VALENTINE?A quick soup recipe �D3
Lots of lentils
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Aftertaking over for Larry King lastJanuary, Piers Morgan worked foronly 11 days before his vision ofthe show collided with reality.
He was flying to Los Angeleswith producer Jonathan Wald —and, as soon as they landed, theircellphones buzzed with news ofpolitical upheaval in Egypt.
Wald turned to Morgan andsaid, “You know, we were wonder-ing when we were first going to
go live. Tonight’s the night.”So began an eventful year that
saw Morgan revise the format ofhis prime-time show, quit Amer-
ica’s Got Talent and see his repu-tation dragged into a phone-hacking scandal.
Through everything, he sur-vived. He didn’t live up to hisinitial boasts about the competi-tion being buried, but he didn’tfail, either.
Viewership for Piers MorganTonight rose 9 percent over thefinal King year and even moreamong younger viewers.
He is marking his firstanniversary this week with
TELEVISION
Talk-show host has hectic first yearBy David BauderASSOCIATED PRESS
See HOST Page D4
Piers Morgan
‘Artist’ up for 12 British awardsThe frothy silent movie The Artist
and the moody spy saga Tinker TailorSoldier Spy rank among the leadingcontenders for the British AcademyFilm Awards, the British equivalent ofthe Oscars.
The Artist received 12 nominations;and Tinker Tailor, 11 — including nodsfor best picture and director, andbest-actor mentions for Jean Dujardinand Gary Oldman.
The other best-film nominees: TheDescendants, Drive and The Help.
In a diverse field not dominated bya single film, multiple nominationswere also tallied by The Help, The IronLady, My Week With Marilyn and We
Need To Talk About Kevin.The best-actor contest pits
Dujardin and Oldman against GeorgeClooney of The Descendants, MichaelFassbender of Shame and Brad Pittof Moneyball.
Nominated for best actress are
SHOW & TELL
See SHOW & TELL Page D4
Jean Dujardin and BereniceBejo in The Artist
FAREASTflavors
OFTHE
THE MANYEXPLOREIf you love Asian cuisine, then Market Districtis the place to be this weekend! Come samplefabulous Asian dishes and take advantage ofgreat deals on a variety of Asian ingredientsand foods all weekend long!
Friday, January 20through
Sunday, January 22
ALL MARKET DISTRICT LOCATIONSSAMPLING 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Job searchUsed when multiple candidates are being considered for the same job. Categories can include age, background, pros/cons and qualifications.
Keys to victoryWhether it’s a big game or a big election, breaking down the
keys to victory into numbered lists makes the information more accessible to readers.
Location mapUse this when the location is the most important information. The map serves as the backbone of the package and points out areas of interest.
This example of the I-70/71 split incorporates a step-by-step ASF.
GREATERCOLUMBUSCONVENTIONCENTER
NORTH MARKET
D O W N T O W N
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S H O R TN O R T H
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ARENADISTRICTATHLETICCLUB
OHIO STATEUNIVERSITY1.5 MILES
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I-670 CAP
MCFERSONCOMMONS
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GOODALE PARK
ARENA GRANDMOVIE THEATER
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1. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
2. Homage
3. Sushi Rock
4. Bar Louie
5. Park Street Tavern
6. Park Street Cantina
7. Gaswerks
8. Garage Bar
9. BBR Columbus
10. Brothers Bar & Grill
11. Japanese Steak House
12. Barley’s Brewing Co.
13. R Bar
14. Gordon Biersch
15. Big Bang Dueling Piano Bar
16. Buca di Beppo
17. Sunny Street Cafe
18. Boston’s the Gourmet Pizza
19. Ted’s Montana Grill
20. BD’s Mongolian Grill
21. Elevator Brewery & Draught House
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TOM BAKER | DISPATCH
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Food and drink
Psst: In town for the weekend? � Looking for a good time? � With six NCAATournament games on tap Downtown on Friday and Sunday, thousands ofvisitors unfamiliar with Columbus will be seeking places to eat, drink andshop during their downtime. � (And that number doesn’t count visitors who
are destined for the state high-school girls basketball tournament and other bigdraws this weekend.) � The good news: Nationwide Arena is ringed by restaurants,bars, boutiques and galleries — so finding a lot to do quickly won’t require a degreein logistics. � To further simplify matters, The Dispatch has put together two in-stallments of tips and suggestions for navigating the Arena District and pointsbeyond. � Today, with four games on the local NCAA basketball schedule, the focusis close to the action — a few blocks in any direction from the arena. � For the offday, our guide on Saturday will broaden the scope, assuming that people have moretime and a greater inclination to venture out. � Let the big weekend begin.
BROOD HEREWhether toasting a last-
minute win or drowning yoursorrows after a heartbreak-ing loss, consider the flavorsof establishments that brewtheir own beer.
Three can be found withinreasonable walking dis-tances:
Gordon Biersch (401 N.Front St.), part of a Cali-fornia chain, is a bottlecap’s throw from the arena;Barley’s Brewing Co. (467N. High St.) features adifferent firkin (beer from asealed cask) every Friday;and Elevator Brewery &Draught Haus (161 N. HighSt.) offers tours of its nearbybrewery (165 N. 4th St.) at4 p.m. every Saturday.
SPORTSAUTHORITIES
Pretty much every barand restaurant has a varietyof options for sports view-ing, but some raise “bigscreen” to a new level.
Hockey fans might wantto check out R Bar (413 N.Front St.), the unofficial bar of the Columbus BlueJackets, our not-so-fearsome NHL team and the
main tenant of NationwideArena.
Other bars that empha-size sports viewing includeBoston’s the Gourmet Pizza(191 W. Nationwide Blvd.),BBR Columbus (106 VineSt.), the Garage Bar (147
DOWNTIME DELIGHTSWhere to eat, drink and relax in the Arena District
By Jeffrey Sheban | THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
A BREAK FROM THE MADNESS PART 1 OF 2
Vine St.) and Bar Louie(504 Park St.).
For communal viewingwith a twist, consider “FanMadness,” a free event from11 a.m. to 11 p.m. todayonly in Battelle Hall of theGreater Columbus Conven-tion Center (400 N. HighSt.).
All tournament games willbe televised on five largeprojection screens, and fanscan mingle with former OhioState athletes LeCharlesBentley, Terence Dials, BrianHartline, Craig Krenzel,James Laurinaitis, ScooniePenn and J.J. Sullinger.
Beer will be available, as will video games, amechanical riding bull andbag-toss games.
For more information,visit www.fanmadness.com.
SONG AND DANCEJukeboxes are a dime a
dozen, but at least twoArena District establish-ments emphasize livemusic: Park Street Tavern(501 Park St.) and the BigBang Dueling Piano Bar(401 N. Front St.).
For the young at heart,singles and basketball fanslooking to burn off nervousenergy, a series of large,dance-friendly bars andclubs can be found on andnear Park Street — gener-ally two or three blocksfrom the arena.
Included are BrothersBar & Grill (477 Park St.),Gaswerks (487 Park St.)and Park Street Cantina(491 Park St.).
See BREAK Page D8Football player James Laurinaitis,scheduled to appear at Fan Madness
The fluidly animated Chico &Rita offers a sexy, sultry, passion-ate love story between a 1940sHavana nightclub singer and herfaithless pianist.
The film, which lost the Oscarfor animated feature to Rango, istold in terms easier to reconcilewith a live-action movie: The rela-tionship is realistic, frankly sexualand more emotionally violent thana cartoon is expected to be.
The work represents a mostlySpanish-language collaborationbetween writer-director Fernando
See CHICO & RITA Page D2
MOVIE REVIEW CHICO & RITA
Animated love story is for adultsBy Colin CovertSTAR TRIBUNE (MINNEAPOLIS)
LUMA FILMSRita in Havana, in a scene from the film
03-16-2012 PAGE D1
DLIFE&ARTS�
FRIDAYMARCH 16, 2012
Non-Downtown options
Coming Saturday
PART 2 OF OUR GUIDEDispatch.com/events
Online
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING?Ryan Johnson joins ‘Fairly Legal’ �D3
Cheeky sidekick
As pop culture goes, here’s what drew the most eyes and ears during the past 10 days:
TELEVISION1. American Idol (Wednesday), Fox2. American Idol (Thursday), Fox3. The Voice, NBC4. Person of Interest, CBS5. The Big Bang Theory, CBS
ALBUMS
1. Wrecking Ball, Bruce Springsteen2. 21, Adele3. Now That’s What I Call Music! 41,
various artists4. Own the Night, Lady Antebellum5. Mylo Xyloto, Coldplay
COUNTRY SONGS1. Home, Dierks Bentley2. Alone With You, Jake Owen3. Ours, Taylor Swift4. Love’s Gonna Make It Alright,
George Strait5. Reality, Kenny Chesney
R&B/HIP-HOP SONGS1. Love on Top, Beyonce2. The Motto, Drake featuring Lil
Wayne3. Strip, Chris Brown featuring Kevin
McCall4. Lotus Flower Bomb, Wale featuring
Miguel5. Rack City, Tyga
DVD SALES1. Immortals2. Game of Thrones: The Complete
First Season3. Jack and Jill4. Footloose5. Puss in Boots
Sources: Nielsen Media Research, Billboard, Rentrak
THE TOP FIVE
CRITICS’ CHOICESEach week, we consult Metacritic.comto compile aggregate opinions, con-verted to numbers, based on reviewsfrom printed and online sources. Eachmovie is listed with its “Metascore,” anaverage rating from zero (terrible) to100 (outstanding).
— Michael [email protected]
TV crime-drama adaptationsMOVIE....................................SCORE21 Jump Street (2012) 70
Miami Vice (2006) 65
Starsky & Hutch (2004) 55
Charlie’s Angels (2000) 52
The A-Team (2010) 47
Top March-opening moviesMOVIE....................................SCOREAlice in Wonderland($334.2 million, 2010)
53
300 ($210.6, 2007) 51
Monsters vs. Aliens ($198.4,2009)
56
Ice Age: The Meltdown($195.3, 2006)
58
Liar Liar ($181.4, 1997) 68
CBS rolls out wave of renewalsCBS has renewed 18 series, repre-
senting the bulk of its schedule, fornext season.
The mass renewal includesdramas, comedies, reality shows andnewsmagazines but not the sitcomTwo and a Half Men, whose return isstill being negotiated.
Three of the series had alreadybeen picked up: The Big BangTheory, How I Met Your Mother andSurvivor.
The rest of the list consists of thedramas Blue Bloods, Criminal Minds,CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, TheGood Wife, Hawaii Five-0, TheMentalist, NCIS, NCIS: Los Angelesand Person of Interest; the comediesMike & Molly and 2 Broke Girls; thereality shows The Amazing Race andUndercover Boss; and the news-
magazines 48 Hours Mystery and 60Minutes.
Museum, Smithsonian linkedThe Springfield Museum of Art has
become the only Ohio art museumnamed a Smithsonian affiliate, themuseum announced yesterday.
The affiliation program, in
SHOW & TELL
CBS
Jim Parsons, among the starsof The Big Bang Theory
See SHOW & TELL Page D3
ON THE WEB� To watch a video aboutColumbus microbreweries,visit Dispatch.com/video.
NuggetsGood to use when there are multiple elements to a story.
Rather than tying them together, let the nuggets stand on their own. Includes a brief introduction, short text of 30 words or less and short
headlines. Group related nuggets together.
Cape CodThis simple style, introduced by Englishsettlers in Massachusetts, was revived afterWorld War II because of its efficiency andlow cost. Typically found in 11⁄2-story ver-sions, it’s characterized by open side gables,narrow roof overhangs, rectangular shape,wood siding and, usually, a symmetricalappearance.
� When popular: 1940 to 1960
� Where to find: Colonial Hills in Worthing-ton, Hanford Village on the East Side, West-gate on the West Side
RanchThis one-story design, sometimes called arambler, emerged in California before WorldWar II and flourished nationally in the 1950sand 1960s. It is marked by its single-levellow-pitched roof, asymmetrical layout, abun-dance of windows and, typically, wide eaves, arear terrace and minimal ornamentation.Among architectural purists, ranch describes aform, or shape, of a house, rather than itsstyle. Likewise, the phrase midcentury moderndoesn’t describe a style but might refer to alarge ranch, especially one with an unusuallyopen layout.
� When popular: 1940 to 1980
� Where to find: Upper Arlington, NorthwestSide, Berwick
Colonial revivalAlthough its popularity peaked in the 1940sand 1950s, this style — based on early Amer-ican styles such as Georgian and Federal —has never truly left. It is now enjoying anotherrevival in places such as New Albany. The styleappears in many variations, but it is broadlycharacterized by a center entrance accented bycolumns, a symmetrical facade, double-hungwindows, brick or wood siding, and a rectan-gular layout. Also common are pediments overthe front doors and window shutters.
� When popular: 1880 to today
� Where to find: Bexley, Upper Arlington
CraftsmanInspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, thisstyle is distinguished externally by exposedroof rafters, low-pitched gabled roofs, wood orstone facades, wood details, and front porch-es supported by thick, tapered columns.Internally, the homes feature extensive woodtrim and built-in details such as bookshelves.
� When popular: 1905 to 1930
� Where to find: Clintonville, GrandviewHeights
ItalianateThis style, widely popular in the Midwest,is characterized by low-pitched hip roofs,decorative roof brackets, tall and narrowwindows, and elaborate door and windowcrowns. Some examples include archedwindows and cupolas or towers.
� When popular: 1840 to 1885
� Where to find: German Village, ItalianVillage
American foursquareThis phrase describes a ubiquitous designpopular during the first half of the 20th century,a stripped-down variation of the more elegantPrairie style. Foursquares are identified by theirboxy shape, 21⁄2-story height and hip roofs,which typically include a center dormer. Full-width porches are common.
� When popular: 1900 to 1940
� Where to find: Olde Towne East, UniversityDistrict
InternationalThe style, so-called because it originatedin Europe, is chiefly identified by its flatroof, minimal ornamentation and plainstucco or concrete finish. Other commonfeatures include metal windows, cornerwindows, a lack of window or door trim,and cantilevered second-story projec-tions.
� When popular: 1925 to today
� Where to find: scattered
Queen AnnePopular during theVictorian era, homes inthis style are identifiedby steeply pitched roofs,multiple roof lines,shingle siding, asym-metry, front porches andfront-facing gables. Baywindows are common,along with decoratedexterior wall surfaces.
� When popular: 1880to 1910
� Where to find: OldeTowne East, VictorianVillage
Tudor revivalThis style, which harks back to medievalEnglish cottages, is identified by steeplypitched roofs, exposed decorative timbers,massive chimneys, multipaned casementwindows and asymmetrical layouts. Elaborateexamples feature wood-shingled roofs anddecorated chimneys. Stucco siding is com-mon, but brick or stone can also be found.
� When popular: 1890 to 1950
� Where to find: Bexley, Old Beechwold, UpperArlington
Dutch Colonial revivalA variety of the Colonial revival movement,this style is primarily distinguished by gam-brel roofs. Other characteristics include arectangular shape, double-hung windows,symmetrical layouts and center entrances.Some versions include second-floor dormersor eaves extended over a porch.
� When popular: 1900 to 1940
� Where to find: Clintonville
Sources: A Field Guide to American Houses, Virginia & Lee McAlester; The Visual Dictionary of American Domestic Architecture, Richard Carley; www.architecture.about.com; jan.ucc.nau.edu;Ohio Historic Preservation Office; LaFontaine Architecture & Design; Columbus Landmarks Foundation
12-11-2011 PAGE H1
HHOME&GARDEN�
SUNDAYDECEMBER 11, 2011
Readers share their tales
Coming next Sunday
HOME FOR HOLIDAYSDispatch.com/video
Online
CHUTNEY CHEESE BALL Stevia can be grown indoors �H6
Sweet as sugar
Why sell a ranch home whenyou can sell a midcenturymodern?
And why bother with a bungalowwhen you can list a Craftsman?
Names do matter, in architectureas well as in real estate.
A snappy architectural descriptioncan add cache to a home. It can alsodraw frowns from those in the know.
“The real-estate community has itsjargon, and within the architecturalhistory community, there’s jargon,
By Jim WeikerTHE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
An architectural digestExperts clarify the proper descriptions for 10 home styles
in central Ohio — from American foursquare to Tudor revival
See STYLES Page H2
My holiday gift to you is a list ofmy most-used tools, gadgets, gluesand other assorted stocking stuff-ers, some of which cost nothingbut might draw perplexed looks ifyou give them as gifts.
Let’s start withthe wire clotheshanger, the kindthat comes backfrom the drycleaner with yourpressed suits. I usethem for every-thing from holdingsmall parts forspray-painting torepairing a saggingmuffler.
My daughter’s last muffler repairjob was a work of art, with threestrands of coat-hanger wire, twopieces of sheet metal from thebottom of a discarded charcoalgrill and three metal screws. Theguys who finally won the honor ofreplacing it with a new mufflerhowled when they saw my handi-work.
I used hanger wire recently toclean out a downspout that hadbecome clogged with leaves. Thewire is flexible enough to make theturns in the elbows, and the hookon the end did a great job of snag-ging the gunk clogging the pipe.
I suggested recently to somecollege students that they use ahanger to fix a sagging futonframe. They looked perplexed.
“My hangers are all plastic,” onefinally said. I will bequeath themone of my metal hangers.
I bet you all have some greatuses for old hangers. Please sendyour ideas to me so I can sharethem.
Next on the all-time favoriteslist is something called Zip-ItClean, a tool so simple and vital —
OLD HOUSE HANDYMAN
He wantssome Goopin stocking
See MILLER Page H2
ALANMILLER
MINNEAPOLIS — Paul Brazel-ton will soon move his family intoa recently renovated 1935 Tudorhome in southern Minneapolisthat has no furnace.
Even though winter is bearingdown, he removed the boiler andplans to use that basement spacefor his daughters’ home-schoolclassroom.
He also took out the fireplace.If this sounds like an uninviting
house, there’s something else toknow: Brazelton, a software engi-neer and passionate environ-mentalist, has almost finished aretrofit of his house to the strin-gent engineering standards of thePassivhaus, or Passive House,model, a German system of home-building that uses insulation andhighly efficient doors and windowsto save energy.
The finished 2,000-square-foothome could be warmed even inthe dead of winter with two smallspace heaters, Brazelton said,although the family plans to piggy-back on their hot water heater anduse an in-floor heating system inthe basement.
“We’re really nervous,” saidBrazelton, “because when it’s 20degrees below and you can feelyour house contracting and crack-ing like it’s just trying to resist thecold, it’s hard to believe that twospace heaters from Target will dothe trick for us.”
The finished project is on trackto be certified by the PassivhausInstitute of Darmstadt, Germany,as the first EnerPHit home inNorth America, according to thefamily’s architect, Tim Eian of TEStudio in Minneapolis.
The EnerPHit standard, de-
No furnace?Renovationin Minnesotamakes leap By Matt McKinneySTAR TRIBUNE (MINNEAPOLIS)
See FURNACE Page H2
«
[ ]
NumbersUse statistics to tell the story.
WINTER RECAP
I read the obituaries.Even when I travel, I buy a
newspaper wherever I stop orstay and immediately turn to theobits to read about people I’venever known.
The habit began when I had towrite my mother’s obituary in
2000. The direc-tor of the funeralhome where thehospital had senther body told methat he’d prepareit. I said no —that I would sitwith him andhelp.
For almost anhour, I re-counted theidentities that I
thought should be included:member of the Women AirforceService Pilots in World War II,longtime Realtor, retired NevadaState Employment Service em-ployee and beloved mother.
From then on, I started read-ing the obits daily — at first outof curiosity. It’s amazing whatyou learn about people fromtheir obits.
Many newspapers today relyon funeral directors — instead ofnovice reporters — to collect thedata and submit them.
I’ve written a few obits in mytime — including one aboutWendy’s founder Dave Thomasfor a business newspaper.
One day, I got the idea toplace my hand on the obit pageand say a small prayer: “Receivethem please, Lord.”
I instantly felt better, but thepractice has turned into some-thing of an obsession.
Now, I must read at least onenewspaper a day. It must be inmy hands — online doesn’tseem to make it — and I mustrecite the prayer, with one reci-tation for each page.
Most days, I say it two or threetimes. On Memorial andVeterans days, I might say it fivetimes or more.
The habit has led me to someinteresting circumstances.
I once saw the obit of awoman who was survived by,among others, a son who borethe name of a man I know pro-fessionally: central Ohiodeveloper Larry Canini.
I like the guy, so I decided togo to the visitation. After arriv-ing, I didn’t see him, so I askedthe man at the door where Icould find him.
“I’m Larry Canini,” the mansaid.
I had gone to the wake of awoman who’d borne a son withthe same name, but I didn’tknow the man. Embarrassed, Ishook his hand, gave my con-dolences and left.
Another man and fellow golfer
First Person is a weekly forumfor personal musings
and reflections from readers.
FIRST PERSON
Obituaries a devotiondaily since
Mom’s death
JEF BENEDETTI
See FIRST PERSON Page D2
Chardon
A
$131Projected averageresidential gas bill
for February
15thRank for 2010-11among the coldestheating seasons inthe Columbia Gas
service area (No. 1:1976-77); or 28th
among average wintertemperatures in
Columbus
49Days with a snowdepth of at least
1 inch — or the fifthmost on record
(No. 1: 1977-78, with74 days)
6,300Lane miles of roads
that would be plowedto remove snow from
every street inColumbus (versus
3,000 lane miles inthe much-snowier
Cleveland)
$83.7million
Estimated cost,through Monday, ofplowing and treating
state-maintainedroads in Ohio
3Calamity days usedby most Columbus
schools (while a few have taken four
and Chardon hasused six)
For those who despair the season of snow, 2010-11 could have been worse. Perhaps these
numbers will provide a measure of comfort.
By Joe Blundo | THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
CHARLIE ZIMKUS DISPATCH
03-19-2011 PAGE D1
D
�
SATURDAYMARCH 19, 2011
A guide for the uninitiated
Coming Monday
FIVE YEARS OF TWITTERDispatch.com/weekender
Online
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING?Disney’s ‘Mars’ ailing at box office �D3
$175 million flop
Pop diva Christina Aguilera,hip-hop artist Cee Lo Green,Maroon 5 frontman AdamLevine and country croonerBlake Shelton were trotted outthis week at a media junket inLos Angeles to plug The Voice, anew challenger to American Idol.
To refresh fading memories:Late last year, amid swirling talkabout the upcoming battle be-tween the Fox series AmericanIdol and The X Factor withSimon Cowell, NBC pulled a fastone, announcing that it hadlanded the U.S. broadcast rightsto a hot new Dutch singing com-petition called The Voice ofHolland.
So a war for the hearts and
minds of America suddenlylooms between The X Factor andThe Voice.
In the Netherlands, the origi-nal version of The Voice hasdisplaced not only The X Factorbut also Idol and become themost-watched TV talent show inDutch history, NBC noted glee-fully.
The network has developedthe show so fast that The Voicewill premiere April 26.
On the other hand, Cowell —who has done The X Factor foryears abroad — announced
TELEVISION
Upstart talent show springs forthBy Lisa de MoraesTHE WASHINGTON POST
See TALENT Page D2 DAM
IAN
DOVA
RGAN
ESAS
SOCI
ATED
PRE
SS
Christina Aguilera, who willserve as a coach and judge onthe NBC competition The Voice
Once a month, we check in on thesupply and demand at the ColumbusMetropolitan Library:
TOP BUYS FOR APRIL1. I’ll Walk Alone, Mary Higgins Clark2. The Fifth Witness: A Lincoln LawyerNovel, Michael Connelly3. Save Me, Lisa Scottoline4. Treason at Lisson Grove, Anne Perry5. The Sixth Man, David Baldacci
RESERVES ON THE RISE1. Before I Fall, Lauren Oliver2. Secret Historian: The Life and Timesof Samuel Steward, Professor, TattooArtist, and Sexual Renegade, JustinSpring3. The Neighbors Are Watching,Debra Ginsberg4. The Nomination, William G. Tapply5. The Hare With Amber Eyes: A
Family’s Century of Art and Loss,Edmund de Waal
MEMOIRS AND BIOGRAPHIES1. And Furthermore, Judi Dench2. Untied: A Memoir of Family, Fame,and Floundering, Meredith Baxter3. The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels — A Love Story, ReeDrummond4. Zombie Spaceship Wasteland,Patton Oswalt5. A Widow’s Story, Joyce Carol Oates
SPEAKING VOLUMES
t long last, spring will arrive at 7:21 p.m. Sunday.Winter has seemingly lasted forever, keepingus shivering. Yet the numbers say the season
hasn’t been that cold, that snowy or thatcalamitous.
Central Ohio recorded one minor snowfallrecord: The 2.9 inches that fell on Dec. 12 was the mostever for that date.
Compare that with New York (snowiest January:36 inches); Hartford, Conn. (snowiest month: 57 inches);or even Huntsville, Ala. (most consecutive days withsnow on the ground: eight).
The most memorable weather event here was theice storm of Feb. 1-2, which knocked out power to180,000 American Electric Power customers in Ohioand left Columbus littered with broken branches.
With help from the cities of Columbus and Chardon;Columbus schools; Columbia Gas; the Ohio Departmentof Transportation; the National Weather Service; andKeith Heidorn, a Canadian scientist who calls himself“the Weather Doctor,” we offer a statistical snapshot ofthe winter of 2010-11.
148inches
Total snowfall inChardon, traditionallythe snowiest place in
the state, throughFriday — or about 120inches more than the
total in Columbus
30.1inchesSnowfall record forFebruary, as set in2010 (compared with 4.8 inches inFebruary 2011)
18Longest stretch ofdays (Dec. 12-29)with an average
temperature below 32 degrees
166Additional minutes
of daylight that Columbus will receivetoday compared withDec. 21, the first day
of winter
-2Lowest temperature
this winter in Columbus, as
recorded on Jan. 22
-22Lowest temperature in Columbus history,
as recorded on Jan. 19, 1994
32,379Weight of salt
(in tons) used byColumbus as of Friday
— or, at $59 a ton,about $1.9 million
worth
10millionApproximate weight
(in tons) of 5.7 inches of snow(about what fell onJan. 20) if spread
uniformly throughoutthe 227 square miles
of Columbus (with the actual weightdepending on the
water content of thesnow — which varieswidely, according to
Heidorn)
Photo essayPhoto essays are self-contained presentations that tell the story visually. You need text to set up the premise and captions for the photos, but the
point is to let the pictures tell the story.
ProcessShows how something happens.
Combines elements of a timeline with diagrams.
Q&AAnswers readers questions at a glance,
simply and effectively.
Q&As, continuedLet the subject or subjects of the story speak for themselves. This format
allows readers to scan more easily for the information they want.
QuizFun, interactive way to inform readers.
Today we continue the Bicen-tennial Challenge, a yearlongseries of quick quizzes aboutColumbus history — in honorof the city’s 200th birthday. Each Saturday,Life & Arts offersa quiz (alongwith the answersfrom the previ-ous week).The first reader to email JoeBlundo at [email protected] with the correct answersis declared the weekly winner.At the end of each quarter,the person with the mostvictories receives $25. (In theevent of a tie, a drawingdetermines the winner.)
THE BICENTENNIAL CHALLENGE
Test yourselfon city history
� Answersfrom lastweek �D3
Challenge No. 3In column 1 are six parks named for prominentColumbus residents of the past. Match the parkswith the first names and occupations of the peoplefor whom they were named (columns 2 and 3).
COLUMN 1 COLUMN 2 COLUMN 3Berliner Lincoln Quarry ownerGoodale Melvin Parks directorDodge John Sports writerSensenbrenner Maury Doctor, merchantAntrim M.E. “Jack” MayorPortman Lou City councilman
STASH ’STACHES
Tom SelleckSelleck, who stars in the policedrama Blue Bloods, possessesperhaps the best-known mus-tache on television. It’s sohighly regarded, the New YorkPost reports, that he had apersonal mustache groomerwho rushed to comb it betweentakes while filming in that city.
Geraldo RiveraRivera, 68, has told inter-viewers that his face was lasthairless when he was 25. “Mymustache is older than mywife,” he once said.
Burt ReynoldsAs iconic lip hair goes, hismight rival Selleck’s. It’s sowell-known that the miniseries I Love the ’70s had a recurringsegment dedicated to theReynolds ’stache.
Dr. PhilIn 2010, he made nationalnews when he allowed OprahWinfrey to shave off his mus-tache on her show. Evidently,he didn’t like the results. The’stache is back.
MarioThe jumping plumber from thevideo games sports a bushy,upturned mustache thatmakes him instantly recog-nizable. One of the theoriesbehind his popularity is thathis humble looks make it easyfor players to identify with hisadventures.
William Howard TaftOhio leads the nation in presi-dents with facial hair. Ulysses S.Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes andJames A. Garfield all sportedluxuriant growth. But one of thebest mustaches in presidentialhistory might have belonged toOhioan Taft.
Archie GriffinThe former Ohio State footballstar has rarely been without amustache since high school, buthe recently shaved it off. He wastired of mustache maintenance,he said. But the ’stache couldreappear. He likes to “change itup a little,” he said.
Michael B. ColemanThe mayor’s neatly trimmed lipadornment is the first mustache ofColumbus. Coleman, who first grewa ’stache in high school as a rebel-lious act, said he has shaved it offonly once (about 10 years ago) anddidn’t like the results. He won’tmake that mistake again: “I don’tforesee a time ever in life where Iwould shave my mustache.”
01-21-2012 PAGE D1
DLIFE&ARTS�
SATURDAYJANUARY 21, 2012
Several displays to come
Coming Monday
BICENTENNIAL ARTWORKDispatch.com/events
Online
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING?Actor loving nighttime soap �D6
Sweet ‘Revenge’
Cement, sand, aggregate andwater.
Though largely unnoticed indaily life, these ingredients —when correctly combined toform concrete — help shape
history.I’m in the
concrete-constructionbusiness — thepart that actuallyinstalls thematerial.
My family hasbeen in this lineof work since mygrandfatherimmigrated to
the United States in 1920.That’s a lot of concrete flowing
down a chute (or out of a dump-truck tailgate).
I started working with con-crete in 1976, when, as a high-school sophomore, I took asummer job with the companythat employed my father. Thecompany built the infrastructurefor subdivisions: storm sewers,waterlines, curbs and pavement.
I spent summers during highschool and college in the middleof what I thought was nowhere— the vast land north of I-270,east of Brice Road and west ofNorton Road.
That “nowhere,” of course,eventually became somewhere.
We’d pull onto a site consist-ing of only survey stakes and adirt field; and, by week’s end, astreet would be born.
The routine continued as thesuburbs of central Ohio werebuilt.
I served my country in themilitary for three years andreturned to the industry in 1987.
My father and I started a busi-ness, again placing and finishingconcrete throughout FranklinCounty and beyond: in theBrewery District, at OtterbeinCollege in Westerville, atDonatos pizza shops and atuncounted residential and com-mercial sites. The work took usto a new strip mall in UpperArlington, an old supermarketon W. Broad Street, mechanicalpads on the roof of MountCarmel Medical Center andeverywhere in between.
There, we poured concrete —adding to the hard, gray historyof central Ohio.
Central High School becameCOSI Columbus, an open areanear the Ohio State UniversityMedical Center became theSpirit of Women Park, and landon the East Side became EastonTown Center — all projectsblending old and new.
On the western edge of theArena District, where my grand-father and father had contrib-uted to street-maintenance
First Person is a weekly forumfor personal musings
and reflections from readers.
FIRST PERSON
By hand,wide-open
spacesmade new
RALPH V.POLLETTA
See FIRST PERSON Page D2
Identify the upper lip Can you identify the person just by seeing the mustache?Here are six ’staches. Match them with their owners below:
a. Mark Twainb. Neighbor Ned Flandersc. Salvador Dalid. Groucho Marxe. Mike Ditkaf. Theodore Roosevelt
31
42
5
6
Hulk Hogan without a mustache? Unthinkable.Yet the former professional wrestler recently told TMZ.com that he is
going to shave it off. Apparently, it’s a career move: Hogan said he hassome movie auditions planned. He didn’t explain why that means the
mustache must go. The revelation prompted the president of the semi-seriousAmerican Mustache Institute to fire off an instant protest.
“We do hope that Mr. Hogan, for whom we have great reverence, reconsidersshaving his upper-lip shading device, as millions of those he has inspiredwould be greatly let down, leading to mass chaos and deep bouts of depressionin the mustached American community,” said Aaron Perlut of St. Louis.
Whatever happens to Hogan’s hair, the world will still have plenty of signature’staches, not to mention the memory of distinguished facial hair of the past.
Here’s a sampling of the mustaches that matter — including one that recentlydisappeared.
Clean-facedHulk Hoganwould shave
only a little off top of club
By Joe Blundo | THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
OF
ANSWERS:
1. b; 2.e; 3.d;4.a; 5.c; 6.f
LOS ANGELES — Etta James’performance of the classic AtLast was the embodiment ofrefined soul: Angelic-soundingstrings announced the arrival ofher passionate yet measuredvocals as she sang tenderlyabout a love finally realized aftera long and patient wait.
In real life, little about Jameswas as genteel as that song. Theplatinum blonde’s first hit, TheWallflower, was a saucy 1955R&B number about sex. She wasknown as a hell-raiser who hadtempestuous relationships withher family, men and the musicindustry. Then she spent yearsbattling drugs.
In other words, she was one ofmusic’s original bad girls.
“The bad girls . . . had the lookthat I liked,” she wrote in her1995 autobiography. “I wantedto be rare, I wanted to benoticed, I wanted to be exotic as
a Cotton Club chorus girl, and Iwanted to be obvious as themost flamboyant hooker on thestreet. I just wanted to be.”
James died yesterday of com-plications from leukemia atRiverside Community Hospitalin Los Angeles. She was 73.
Despite the reputation shecultivated, she would always beremembered best for At Last.Her soulful rendition of the tuneintroduced in a 1942 GlennMiller movie became the songthat would define her as a leg-endary singer.
Jamesette Hawkins was bornin Los Angeles to a motherwhom she described as a scamartist, a substance abuser and afleeting presence during her
ETTA JAMES 1938-2012
Singer made ‘At Last’ her ownBy Nekesa Mumbi Moody and Robert JablonASSOCIATED PRESS
FILE PHOTO
Etta James performing in 2009in Columbus
See JAMES Page D2
QuoteWhen what is said is the story. Present the topic for the quotes
in an introduction and then let the speakers tell the story.
Reality checkA quick way to verify the truthfulness of statements.
Our Ad Watch feature is a perfect example.
ReminderUsed to tell readers in a new way something they should already know,
such as how to steer out of a tailspin or the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning.
Report cardUsually less is more, but when comes to reporting Proficiency Test scores for area schools, more is more. Each reader is looking for information that
is relevant to him or her, and if it’s not there, this story is worthless.
Story so farUse for continuing stories to catch readers up to speed.
Ideally no more than 20-30 words. Could use subheads such as Story so far, What happened, and What’s next.
Talk to readerBreak out information into talking points to help guide readers
through a subject and answer their questions quickly. Look for visuals that can help tell the story.
Team comparisonBreak down the information into main categories and
compare two teams. This format is similar to a grid.
TimelineUse when the sequence of events is important in telling the story.
They help readers follow the big-picture part of the story, while freeing the reporter from having to include all the background information
in the article
TipsGive readers advice, keeping the tips short and relevant. Having the tips
come from an expert gives the package authority.
VignettesShort, anecdotal tales that are useful when telling a story through
multiple people. Can be used with news as well as features.
Two days beforeChristmas in 2004,Emmy and BillCamp were waitingfor their son, Brian,to arrive from Flor-ida when an icestorm knocked outpower to their
Gahanna neighborhood. Late in the evening, eight hours
late, Brian finally landed withsome guests: a pair of cockatiels;Rocco, the dog; and Tabitha, thecat, who promptly peed in aplanter.
Unable to take all the animals toa hotel, the family spent the nextfew days in coats and gloves, sleep-ing on lounge chairs around thefireplace.
Power was still out when theCamps’ daughter, Lisa, arrivedwith her family on Christmas Day.
Lisa’s husband, who worked atWendy’s corporate headquarters,packed along dinner: frozenWendy’s hamburgers.
Bill Camp cooked the hamburg-ers on a camp stove.
“That was our Christmas din-ner,” Emmy Camp, 77, said. “Westill laugh about that today.”
Hearing from SantaOn Christmas Eve
14 years ago, 5-year-old ChristopherBalch was outdoorswith the familywhen an airplanedescended over thefamily’s Bexleyhouse toward Port
Columbus International Airport. It was too dark to make out the
shape of the plane, but the blink-ing lights were plainly visible.
“We told him that was Santa’ssleigh, landing,” said his father,J. Randolph Balch, 59. “His
Basking in warmthof holiday memories
By Jim Weiker | THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
See MEMORIES Page H2
12-18-2011 PAGE H1
HHOME&GARDEN�
SUNDAYDECEMBER 18, 2011
Woman finds new home
Coming next Sunday
A PLACE OF HER OWN Dispatch.com/video
Online
FIGHTING HUNGERRufous hummingbird makes appearance �H6
Rare Western visitor
Looking for a gift for the gardenerwho has everything?
How about a bottle tree?The decorative “trees” — with col-
ored glass bottles for “branches” — area tradition in the rural South and theCaribbean. But now they’re becominga popular garden ornament in theNorth, as well as the subject of a forth-coming book.
“Bottle trees are the modern pinkflamingo,” garden author Felder Rush-ing recently told The Wall Street Jour-nal.
Gardener Maggie McDonald, wholives in Wisconsin Dells, Wis., had beenpining for one since she first saw ahomemade version at a friend’s place.
“I’ve wanted a bottle tree for solong,” she said.
She looked without success until herhusband located a bottle-tree artistjust an hour’s drive away.
McDonald bought her “tree,”trimmed with cobalt-blue bottles, inJune and displays it near a stepping-stone embedded with matching blueglass.
“It’s so pretty!” she said. “When theblack-eyed Susans are in bloom, itreally looks sharp.”
Jerry Swanson, the Princeton, Wis.,
More bottle trees are sprouting in Northern yardsBy Kim PalmerSTAR TRIBUNE (MINNEAPOLIS)
TOM WALLACE STAR TRIBUNE (MINNEAPOLIS)
Bottle trees are whimsical yard deco-rations, popular in the South, that usecolored-glass bottles on a framework.
See BOTTLE TREES Page H3
“It’s so pretty!When theblack-eyedSusans are in bloom, itreally lookssharp.”MAGGIEMCDONALDWisconsin gardener
The couple visited the openhouses claiming to be in searchof a new home.
He was big, in his early 50s,sporting a chef’s coat. She wasin her late 30s and heavily tat-
tooed.The woman
was shoppingfor a home inthe wake of hermother’s death,they told real-estate agents.
Then theywent separateways in thehome. While theman occupied
the agent’s attention, the wom-an vanished into a bedroom.
And that, officials say, is whenthings went wrong.
According to the FranklinCounty prosecutor’s office, thecouple stole more than $12,000in jewelry, cash and cameraequipment from half a dozenhomes they visited duringAugust open houses.
“The gentleman immediatelycame into the family room,”said Annette Marble, an agentwith Columbus Realty Profes-sionals in Plain City who waslisting a Hilliard home that thecouple visited.
“She took off right upstairs,and he kept me at bay in thefamily room. I would headtoward the foyer and the stairs,and he would block me fromgoing there. Finally, I was get-ting ready to go upstairs, andshe came out of the bedroomand shut the door. . . .
“They seemed somewhatnormal, but after she shut thedoor, I had a weird gut feeling.When they left and my sellerscame home, I asked them ifthey were missing anything ofvalue.”
They discovered rings weremissing.
Once the agents realized whatwas happening, they contactedthe Columbus Board of Real-tors, whose alert caught theattention of other victims.
Lynne Elledge, a Real LivingHER agent, became suspiciouswhen a woman spent an unusu-ally long time on the secondfloor of a home that Elledge wasshowing on the Northwest Side.
After police compared notes,Michael Shipley, 53, of the WestSide, and Crystal Galloway, 37,of Richwood in Union County,were arrested. Each has beenarraigned on six counts of bur-glary and four counts of theft.Both have pleaded not guilty.
The thefts have understand-ably alarmed real-estate agents.Elledge, for instance, plans topost a sign on her open housesproclaiming that the home isunder surveillance.
Marble would rather not holdopen houses again — at leastalone.
“I love doing open houses,but I don’t like doing themanymore,” Marble said. “It justkind of put a bad taste in mymouth.”
If nothing else, agents canfind comfort that such incidents
ON THE HOUSE
Thefts showopen houses
as risky
JIMWEIKER
See WEIKER Page H2
Readersrecall stories
that holdspecial place
• • • •
( )While chestnuts should have been roasting on open fires, Emmy Camp’s familyhuddled around candles for a holiday meal of Wendy’s hamburgers. ¶ Hermemorable Christmas tale is among several “home for the holidays” stories
submitted by readers. ¶ Below are recollections of the Santa who fell into the coalchute, the lumpy gravy that turned out to be something else, the holiday dinnershared in an icy Indiana ditch and a surprise phone call from Santa. ¶ The tales offerholiday home adventures — or adventures on the journey home.
«
EmmyCamp
ChristopherBalch
Cooking up burgers
CHARLIE ZIMKUS DISPATCH ILLUSTRATIONS
Vocabulary listsHelps readers understand terms that might be used throughout
a story or series of stories, or can be a collection of jargon.
How do we use more ASFs?» Think about the package, not just our part
» Open our minds
» Think like readers
» Plan ahead
» Collaborate
Effective collaborationFormer Poynter Institute fellow Monica Moses offers tips:
What story should be planned?» Any story that readers should not miss. Usually the lead or centerpiece on each section front.
Who needs to be involved?» No more than six people.1. reporter 2. editor 3. photo and/or graphics rep.4. designer 5. copy editorOne must have authority to green light the group’s plans.
When is the right time to talk?» Before writing or visual work is begun, but after the reporter has a good idea of the scope and thrust of the story.» The more focused the story idea, the better the headlines and visuals can be.» Rule of thumb: If the story can not be summed up in 20 words or fewer, you are not ready to plan the presentation.
Questions to ask yourselves» What is the point of the story?
» Why will readers care about it?
» What form should the story take? (One long narrative? Intro with nuggets and graphic?)
» How can the story best be illustrated? (Photo, graphic or illustration? Numbers? Infobox?)
» What is the working headline? (Whoever is doing the visual work needs this headline to produce good, journalistic, content- driven photos, illustrations or graphics.)
How long should these meetings last?» No longer than 10 to 15 minutes. » The more you do, the better and faster you become
What is the tone of these conversations?» They should be as fun, democratic, creative and freewheeling as possible. » They can generate excitement.» Many photographers, artists and designers get new visual ideas from talking to reporters.» Many reporters say they see their stories in a new light after talking with people from other departments.