Local paper front page: Fort Wayne's The Journal Gazette

My local paper for Fort Wayne, Ind., is The Journal Gazette.

The lead story for the Feb. 4 issue is “House OKs bill to revise use of surveillance” by Niki Kelly of The Journal Gazette. The story is timely, as it reports on a bill passed the previous day. It belongs on the front page because it has a relevant impact on readers. House Bill 1009 was a state bill passed in the Indiana House that limits police use of electronic surveillance, namely though cell phone data collection. The story also taps into the larger, national conflict concerning the National Security Agency’s warrantless data collection from cell phones. The word “surveillance” in the headline captured my attention since this has been a hot issue of late. There is no opinion in the story.

A secondary story before the fold reads, “Murderer captured after chase.” It is an Associated Press story originating from Ionia, Mich., where convicted killer Michael David Elliot escaped from prison. The story is, once again, timely, as Elliot escaped from prison Sunday night and was then captured Monday evening. It is a relevant story, and thus front page news, because Elliot fled from Michigan down into Indiana very near to Fort Wayne. He was ultimately apprehended near LaPorte, Ind. This encompasses both impact on the community and conflict. It is important to inform readers about what happened, and some may have followed the chase as it unfolded. The story gives details about Elliot’s escape and recapture. The headshot of Elliot actually captured my attention, as I had followed the story online the previous day and had seen his photo several times. There is no opinion in the story.

A third story below the fold is another Associated Press piece titled, “Gingerich to skirt adult prison,” by Tom Coyne. A new sentence for teenager Paul Gingerich was delivered Monday, making this another timely story. It has a direct impact on the community, as Gingerich pleaded guilty to conspiring to help kill a friend’s stepfather halfway between Fort Wayne and South Bend, Ind. Also, this is a story that, very likely, was followed closely at the time of the original trial three years ago (this was before I lived in Fort Wayne). The story presents potential conflict, as this new ruling could permit Gingerich to avoid adult prison, thanks to a new Indiana law. The phrase “skirt adult prison” caught my attention. It alerted me to the fact that this story was about a child or teenager. For those familiar with the story, I would image his name would have garnered interest as well. Within the story, Coyne’s presentation of the issue of forgiveness and remorse intrigued me. It was very interesting and relatable for any reader. There is no opinion in this story, as Coyne presents both sides throughout.

The final story below the fold is “Cars may talk to each other” by Joan Lowy, once again from the Associated Press. The timeliness of the story is based on a news conference held Monday announcing the government’s plan to require automakers to install technology in new vehicles that warns of impending collisions. This could, of course, have a direct impact on drivers everywhere. It is not as pressing as the news above, but interesting enough nonetheless to be placed on the front page. What actually caught my attention in this story was the somewhat emphatic government messaging in the story, most likely due to thinking of the reading assignment. The story does not have outright opinion; however, there are no dissenting opinions presented in the piece.