But is it news?

In the current issue of my hyperlocal on-line newspaper, The Hillsdale News, I wrote the following editorial. It raises some important questions, which I posed to my readers. I'm looking for comment from Red Electric readers as well.

Recently I've been challenged to answer the most basic question in journalism: What is news? Or more specifically, what is the news I should include in this hyperlocal publication?

I frequently get calls and e-mails from readers who want to bring certain worrying events to my attention. I'll give you some examples, but first let me share a few principles I try to use in determining what is important to pass on to readers.

Number one is "Do no harm." That's not always easy, but at least it raises two related questions: Will the story cause harm and to whom? Can this harm be justified? Will the harm caused by public exposure lead to a greater good?

Another question is whether the "story" will resolve itself. Will the parties involved find a solution on their own without my exposing it to public view? Indeed, will public exposure make it even more difficult to resolve.

Next, is there a public need to know about a problem? Does it violate a matter of public policy? Is it illegal? Are elected officials involved? Is public money involved? If so, how much?

Finally, is this a story that is wider in scope than Hillsdale? Has it been covered, or should it logically be covered, in a media outlet with a wider readership?

With those "news values" in mind consider these stories.

1. A citizen's complains at a neighborhood association meeting about a proposed new brew pub.

2. Landlords in Hillsdale have been named in a widely published city-wide report about discriminatory landlords.

3. A parent has submitted a formal complaint to the State and to the school district about a teacher, accusing the teacher of presenting issues in a biased way. The parent criticizes school administrators of being slow to respond.

4. Another parent complains about the rental of City parks facilities to parents who then fail to supervise teens using those facilities. The result has been a public disturbance and the alleged illegal use of drugs and alcohol.

Note that by simply writing those few words, I'm alerting parties concerned that the stories are on my radar. That may have effect in itself.

Before I share how I applied my "news values" screen to each, I invite you to apply your own to the stories. Question: Would you report on and publish these stories in the Hillsdale News?

What did I do? Let's take them one by one:

1. The objection to the new brew pub came up at a recent Hillsdale Neighborhood Association meeting. Both the complainant and the pub owner were present. The consensus at the meeting was that the two parties should sit down and work out the concerns. I decided to let that happen without publicity. I told both to get in touch with me if they were at an impasse. Sitting next to me was Jim Mayer of The Oregonian. He chose to write the story which ended up in the June 11 Oregonian in the "Community" section. It was also on his news blog, where it attracted the all-too-familiar vituberative comments.

2. The landlord story was widely reported in The Oregonian so I decided to let it go. I may follow up later to see how renewed efforts to enforce anti-discriminatory regulations are working here in Hillsdale.

3. I also chose to let the complaint about the teacher work its way through the system. In fact, the ability, or inability, of the school district and state authorities to deal with the complaint seemed more important than the alleged bias. I'm watching this one to see what happens.

4. The complaint about seemingly negligent parents renting facilities to be used by unsupervised teens should be shared with the officials renting the space. If the problem persists after the complaint is lodged, I'd pursue the story.

There it is. Now you make the call. As always, I'm interested in what you are thinking.

Sparking a "commons" revolution

Like you, I'm often asked whether I’ve read such-and-such column or article. And, of course, books are frequently recommended.

But magazines come up less frequently. When one is recommended to me, it is usually “Yes!” and, less frequently, “The Sun."

Both are ad-free, which speaks to their editorial independence and to why they have a progressive following.

I don’t subscribe to “Yes!” but I’m certainly aware of it. When it gets mentioned in conversation, I feel slightly guilty and out of the loop. To make amends I visit its web site and vow to buy a news stand copy.

(Actually, after today's visit, I was inspired to subscribe.)

This morning, just before I set out to do our “Usual Suspects” one-hour-a-month neighborhood clean-up, I visited the “Yes!” site. The first thing to catch my eye was a great list, “51 ways to spark a commons revolution.”

I’ve been trying to spark a “commons revolution” ever since I moved to my neighborhood nearly 25 years ago.

My major spark, among lesser ones, has been to start a community newspaper. The first was with an ink-and-paper publication that was (and is) called “The Southwest Community Connection.”

After I sold it, I started the on-line Hillsdale News.

Curiously, starting a community newspaper wasn’t on the 51 “sparks” list although #33 urged writing letters to the editor and posting on local web sites.

It’s worth noting that your community needs an editor before you can write a “letter to the editor.”

So add #52 to the list. “Start a community newspaper — on line and/or off.”

As I headed out the door for the clean up, I was heartened to know that I was also setting off a couple of other "sparks" in the revolution. Namely:

#12. “Treat commons spaces as if you own them (which, actually, you do). Keep an eye on the place. Tidy things up. Report problems or repair things yourself. Initiate improvement campaigns”

and

#35. "Pick up litter that is not yours."

You can see entire Yes! list of 51 ways to spark a revolution in your community HERE.

It's worth the visit, a first stop on the way to getting to Yes!

Are we being taken for a $8.24 bus ride?

If you can believe TriMet's figures, it costs the transit agency $8.24 per rider to run the #55 Hamilton bus line, which serves Bridlemile and Hillsdale. TriMet could hire taxis to ferry riders to and from downtown for that. If the riders double up, TriMet might even save money using cabs.

Okey, all those cabs might pollute more, but they would employ more drivers.

Something is fishy about this whole TriMet financial mess. I hope hearings about the proposed service cuts shed some light on the workings of TriMet.

See the Hillsdale News for more about the #55 and other proposed cuts in local service.

A trip to get the oil changed

It was just a trip to Handy Andy’s Auto Service to get the oil changed this morning.

The snow had stopped (yes we got a light dusting this morning, but, again, nothing stuck.) Garry and Andy were ready to take the RAV4, giving me an hour to kill in Multnomah Village.

Ah, the joy of it!

Life is good.

I figured I’d wander over to the Multnomah Arts Center, plunk down in an easy chair and read today’s New York Times.

Richard from Annie Bloom’s book store stopped me on the sidewalk to congratulate me and the Hillsdale News for our scoop on the Multnomah Farmers’ Market.

Annie had a green Remington #3 portable in the window, so I let Richard and the clerk know about my typewriter collection. They seemed interested in a window display. I referred them to my Back Space Typewriters site, where there’s a page devoted to my current University of Portland display.

On to the Multnomah Arts Center. Turned out that the Loaves and Fishes/Neighborhood House rummage sale was in full swing. I’m a sucker for all things rummage. The voyeuristic hodge-podgery of it all.

Alas, no typewriters (which is probably just as well) but I did score a tin, recipe box ($1), of which I have several now (don’t ask); a 304-piece jigsaw puzzle of Monticello (25 cents) and one of those floating compasses for mounting on the dash of the car ($3). (see photo above)

So I escaped for $4.25. Not bad. Never did read the Times.

Back at Handy Andy’s to pick up the RAV, I noticed a 1951 Chevy Deluxe sedan parked next to the garage and decided to feast my eyes (and camera) on the chrome and patina (cracked paint, rust spots).

"It won’t start," Garry says, but he and Andy are going to try bring it back to life for its owner, who bought it dead on a whim.

I told Garry that my mom had a primrose yellow 1952 Chevy convertible back in the dawn of time. He didn’t seem impressed. He and Andy, who hale from those days, have seen 'em all.

And now you’ve seen this one.

To think that this all started as a trip to get the oil changed.

Good news and bad about on-line news

Today brought major good news for the news-blogging community, and small-potatoes not-so-good news for this particular news blogger.

The good news was that Joshua Micah Marshall, the founder and force behind the investigative blog Talking Points Memo, has won the distinguished George Polk Award for legal reporting.

For the first time the national award is going to a journalist who publishes exclusively on the web. An article in today’s New York Times describes both Marshall's success and his site, which has a staff of seven reporters and an army of online citizen tipsters and correspondents.

Question: Why is this story on the “Business” page? Could it be because, notably, Marshall and his operation are actually making money.

The Polk Award is both recognition for Marshall and his site and a note-worthy milestone in the history of journalism.

Now for the not-so-good news here in Hillsdale.

First a little background.

Although I still write a monthly print column for The Southwest Community Connection, a monthly I founded and sold in 1999, most of my journalistic energies now go into The Hillsdale News, and, to a lesser extent, this more-or-less daily blog.

Both are volunteer efforts. I have not sought to make a dime off either, although I eventually may offer advertising space on the Hillsdale News. I'm waiting for my subscriber list to break 400. I'm now at 318.

Now for the not-so-good news.

Today I was at a small gathering of community leaders when one of them announced that he had read an obscure, one-sentence news item in The Oregonian today about a non-profit housing agency, Community Partners for Affordable Housing's, moving its offices to Hillsdale.

This leader receives the Hillsdale News in his e-mail in-box. The last edition was mailed nine days ago and had the same story but prominently displayed and thoroughly reported.

In short, The Hillsdale News scooped The Oregonian by more than a week, yet the leader wasn’t aware of of the Hillsdale News story.

The scoop wasn’t the first, and it won’t be the last.

The problem is that the reading habits of this community leader and of many others still take them routinely to print and only sporadically to online news sources. When I informed him that I had the story more than a week ago, he apologized that he hadn’t “had time to get to” the News yet.

But he obviously makes time each day to go to The Oregonian.

I can sympathize because I still turn to print over online sources. Confession: I hadn’t even heard about Talking Points Memo until I read about it in my ink-and-paper New York Times this morning. I now have it "book marked."

We are all running to keep up, not only with the news but with the news media and their stunning transformation.

Why are these moist people smiling?

In the movies they call this a "trailer," for reasons I've never been able to figure out. On TV it's a "teaser." No explanation needed.

Whatever you call this group portrait with its headline, you can find out more about the whole scene on Saturday when I post the next issue of the Hillsdale News. If you want the issue sent to you via e-mail, sign up on the site under "join."

I should come as no surprise that the location of this "shoot" is Portland. The group was pausing in the course of an event that, as far as I know, could only happen here.

Intrigued? Sign up for the e-newsletter to find out more.

Wordstock Book Festival? Sure. Why not?

So I get an e-mail from a volunteer publicist asking me to mention in this very space the Wordstock Book Festival to be held at the Oregon Convention Center, Nov. 9-11.

So there, I did it. You're welcome.

I've never been the Wordstock Book Festival, now in its 3rd year.

Perhaps you have. Should I go? Should we go? Together? As a group?

Just so you know how the festival's e-marketeer (that's her term for herself) perceives you and me, here's why she thought we might be interested in the festival: "It might be of interest to you and your readers that there is a panel on investigative journalism on Saturday (Nov. 10) at 1:30 with Lance Williams, Mark Fainaru-Wada and Nigel Jaquiss."

She also offered the complete schedule for authors speaking at the festival.

I have now devoted far, far more space than intended to The Wordstock Book Festival.

My problem is that I don't have a policy for press e-releases, if that's what they are called. In the newspaper business, they have these things covered with a book's worth of policies. But this, obviously, isn't a newspaper. (I do put out an on-line newspaper, Hillsdale News, and, yes, I do have a policy. To make the cut, your event must pertain to Hillsdale — and be vaguely interesting.)

With blogs, especially ones as amorphous as this one, the blogger makes it up on the fly. But then that must be obvious. One day I'm slashing away at Jobdango signs in the public right of way or Flowmax ads during the World Series, the next I'm mired in the subject of consensus, Interstate Avenue and Christianity, and then, without any warning what-so-ever, it's a captioned photo of my hysterical Charlie Brown pumpkin.

So here, on the fly, is my policy regarding publicizing events: I welcome all comers, who will be mercilessly subjected to whatever whim strikes me.

My overall policy (at least for today) is: If it seems right, do it.

Wordstock Book Festival? Sure, why not?

Pixated

Yesterday I found myself writing a fellow editor from my print days that the “ink in my veins” has dried up and been replaced by free-flowing pixels.

Publishing is still about words and pictures, except that ink and paper are a lot more expensive than pixels — and that makes a big difference.

If you have a computer (and who doesn’t these days?), the start-up costs for on-line publishing are virtually zero. Because of that, there aren’t a bunch of advertisers looking over your shoulder.

Of course there’s a whole lot more competition for readers, resulting in what mass media moguls rue as the dread “fragmented” market.

But one publisher’s fragmentation is another’s diversification.

Besides, any moderately tagged site not fixated on profit is instantly accessible through search engines. I’m amazed at the numbers of readers who “stumble” on The Red Electric because they are searching for “Ernie Pyle” or “A Pattern Language” or “Olympia Typewriters” or “Thoreau” or “billboards” or “farmers markets.”

Now that’s diversity!

I started posting less than a year ago. Over last weekend I passed the 400-post mark. I won’t do it tonight, but I need to examine the scope of those post topics to see whether I can stitch together a theme or two.

Without going into detail here, I’ll let you in on one: I am a “res … publican,” but I’ll leave that for another time.

Finally, just to show you how bad my obsessed, pixated brain is, I’ve started another web site, and, as of today, the first post is up. If you are interested, visit Back Space Typewriters.

Oh, and then there is always Hillsdale News, a site/e-newsletter serving our community.

See what I mean? Total pixation!

Outtakes from Issue #2 of the Hillsdale News

I'm giving a preview of issue #2 of the Hillsdale News for a couple reasons.

First, if you haven't visited the Hillsdale News site please do. If you are interested in Hillsdale, you might want to add your name to the subscription list so that issue #2 and subsequent issues of the e-newsletter come to your in-box.

Second, I wanted to share photos that I didn't have room for in the newsletter but which illustrate how beautiful our trails and community are.

The first two photos are from the story about Nicolai Woods. The story itself is at the end of this post (in italics).

The next two photos are of the new Stephens Creek Nature Park bridge, under construction and completed.














Both projects, it should be noted, result from neighborhood volunteer effort, one of our greatest riches in Hillsdale.

Finally, as a bonus, I'll throw in a photo of my scooter, which is becoming my principle mode of summer transportation. A poor man's convertible.

Here's the Hillsdale News (issue #2) story about Nicolai Woods.

Neighbors who banned together to preserve a parcel of wilderness next to their homes near Fairmont Boulevard have marked the accomplishment with a new sign.

Several neighbors (pictured here) and two staff members of the Three Rivers Land Conservancy installed the sign at the entrance to the newly named Nicolai Woods on August 2

The woods are named after neighbor and attorney Tom Nicolai, who donated his legal expertise to put together the complex land deal. Thirteen families and individuals contributed $224,000 to buy the 1.6 acres abutting the north side of 18th Drive trail.

The trail, maintained by SW Trails, joins 18th Place with Fairmount Boulevard.

After the purchase, the neighbors donated the property to the conservancy. The deal closed last December. The Nicolai Woods group is enlisting other neighbors and trails volunteers to help maintain the property.

Metro to hear Hillsdale Nov. 29

The elected Metro Regional Council will meet in Hillsdale on Nov. 29 at 5 p.m. to listen community plans for making Hillsdale a "model town center." The meeting's location has yet to be determined, but Wilson High School is the expected choice.

Metro Councilor Robert Liberty, who represents our district, initiated the Council's meeting here after he broached the idea to the Hillsdale Alliance in early July.

Moreover, City Commissioner Erik Sten has asked to speak at the November session. Sten, who took a Hillsdale walking tour Thursday, wants to discuss his efforts to help families continue to live in neighborhoods they may no longer be able to afford. The city assistance would help reverse the flow of families to the suburbs and their crowded schools and would help keep Portland's schools open.

The threatened closure of Rieke Elementary School last year resulted, in part, from a shift in enrollments both to the suburbs and to private or religious schools.

Developing Portland town centers, like Hillsdale, will also boost school enrollment by providing more close-in housing located near the schools as well as businesses and transit.

Community leaders here argue that Hillsdale has all those desired elements, as well as an engaged citizenry. That makes Hillsdale an excellent candidate to be a "model" for what town centers can be.

The question to be decided between now and Nov. 29 is what needs to be done to maximize Hillsdale's potential?

And Liberty and his Metro colleagues are asking us how they can help.

Hillsdale's job is to tell them.

New Hillsdale web sites, newsletter debut

With two small city grants awarded through Southwest Neighborhoods Inc. and the Alliance of Portland Neighborhood Business Associations, I have created two Hillsdale web sites and a newsletter.

I urge you to visit them the sites and to tell me what you think.

Hillsdale News at hillsdalenews.org is a project of the Hillsdale Alliance, a coalition of Hillsdale organizations including the neighborhood association, the farmers market, Neighborhood House, the public schools and the business and professional association. If you go to the site you will find the first issue of the Hillsdale News newsletter. To receive future newsletters as e-mails, sign up on the site.

Hillsdale Town Center is at hillsdalebusiness.org Right now the site has minimal content but does contain several useful links and some information about the Hillsdale business community. Local businesses will have a greater presence on the site in the future.

I welcome any comments you have about the sites and the newsletter. If you have news you want to share with Hillsdale News readers, just send it to me. I'll keep you posted on how many readers subscribe.

I'd like to thank SWNI and APNBA for the grants that have made this work possible and Todd Coward at Oakstand Community Web Site Development for providing me with technical assistance and support.