Holly Marie Dunfee
Dan Caterinicchia
OSU Meal Plan
What is a “Swipe” Worth?
How Much is a “Swipe” Worth on the OSU Meal Plan?

The Ohio State University meal plan is designed to give students quick and worry-free meal options, but the convenience does not come without a price.
Campus dining services offers seven meal plan options ranging from the Deluxe Plan with 250 swipes per quarter at $6 per swipe, to the off-campus Commuter Plus plan with 40 swipes per quarter at $8.75 per swipe.
Depending on which plan is chosen, there is a cash deposit given to BuckID accounts. The deposit ranges from $100 to $0.
“It is basic marketing. Purchasing a larger dining plan with more swipes is more cost effective, meaning the cheaper each swipe’s individual cost will be,” said Tim Keegstra, 55, associate director of OSU dining services.
The word “swipe” literally refers to the swiping of the BuckID card through an electronic reader to record purchases. A swipe is generally equivalent to a meal, however, depending on the location, a “meal” can vary.
“It is a complicated system,” said Keegstra.
Traditional dining offers all-you-care-to-eat operations with a retail value of $10.50. Students can pay with a swipe.
If the same student chooses to purchase groceries from a campus location, it is a maximum of $5 worth of already high-priced groceries for each swipe. No matter what type of dining plan a student has, in the case of grocery swipes, students are still losing money.
According to Keegstra, it is not cost effective to purchase groceries with swipes. OSU campus dining purchases from the same retailer as the CVS drugstore, which is why the prices for groceries are higher than a local Wal-Mart Supercenter, would be.
“We (OSU dining services) don’t buy in bulk…We’re not a grocery store, which is why we pay higher prices, meaning we therefore have to sell for higher prices,” said Keegstra. “It is not recommended that students purchase all their groceries at Marketplace…you should go somewhere else.”
OSU is gaining more money per swipe depending on the location that a student chooses to spend swipes. University residences and dining services does not view it as making money off of students.
“The money is reinvested,” said Keegstra. “Basically what has happened is that we have added flexibility.”
Having multiple dining options open various hours of the day has associated costs, and employing thousands of workers each year means their paychecks have to come from somewhere.
“In the Union (Ohio Union) alone, I employ 500 to 600 students between all of the operations here,” said Patrick Ionno, 42, the Ohio Union food and beverage director.

“That meal swipe has to be cut up into labor, supplies, food costs, and even the biodegradable containers…which are not cheap.” said Ionno. “We have to stretch a dollar a long way.”
Many would agree that the OSU dining plan is in need of a makeover.
“It is complicated system, really… after all the time I have been here I still don’t know how it works,” said Ionno.
Ohio State dining services are working toward changing the meal plan system to possibly a debit system, but there are no set plans or a known time as to when the changes will take place.
According to Ionno, Ohio State is part of The National Association of College University and Food Services. As a member, OSU can look to other universities for better functioning meal plan possibilities.
“I know they spent all last summer trying to unify the meal plan, but in doing that I am not getting my money’s worth,” said Emily McCallister, 21, a Drake Union employee.
A big part of the meal plan is awareness and education.
“Buy the meal plan that you want and buy what you will use,” said Keegstra. “The swipes don’t carry over, but you have basically a month each quarter to decide if the meal plan you have is right for you.”
Students have the option to change their plan each quarter by buying more or less swipes depending on what they will eat.
“We offer that flexibility and students need to take advantage of it,” said Keegstra.
Zack Meisel, 20, is a third-year student who lives off campus. Even though meal plans are only required of freshmen and expected of on-campus students, commuter plans are an option for those not living on campus.
“Fall quarter I purchased the commuter plan…it was so stupid,” said Meisel. “For 40 swipes I was basically paying $9 per swipe which is outrageous.”
Meisel is no longer participating in the meal plan program, learning his lesson the hard way.
“I can’t cook, so for the last two quarters I’ve mooched off of my younger friends,” said Meisel.
At certain campus dining locations such as Sloopy’s Diner, there are time restrictions in place for using swipes.
“A lot of students use the swipes, so from 11a.m to 2p.m students can only pay with cash (meaning no swipes) to attract more of a cash flow,” said Nicholas Vasques, 23, a server at Sloopy’s Diner.
To be sure, despite the limitations on using swipes as a payment method, Sloopy’s Diner continues to be a popular place to eat.
“People still come because it is a place on campus to sit down and get your meal,” said Jen Faber, 21, a hospitality management student.
Currently there are 10,541 students participating in the meal plan spring quarter. The count is down from the more than 11,500 students who had meal plans in the fall.
This may be because students realize they have the option to “opt-out” of a meal plan. However, there is a $515 dollar facility fee that must be paid regardless.
“It is a functional facility fee…it is a penalty,” said Keegstra.
Keegstra keeps records on the meal plans each quarter in order to track sales and better serve students.
The most popular meal plan is the Scarlet Plus which 2,994 students have, giving 150 swipes per quarter for $8.43 per swipe. Closely following is the Gray Plus which 2,294 students have, giving 100 swipes per quarter for $10.20 per swipe.
According to Keegstra they have tried to unify the program trying to give students what they pay for at each dining location.
However, there are still faults within the system and past advertising from The View Point restaurant and current signs from the Coca-Cola Co. may be charging more for products than what their retail value is actually worth.
Last year, The View Point restaurant on campus advertised Thanksgiving pies to “take home to the family” for only 8 swipes.
“That pie for 8 swipes would equal $80. That alone tells me that they have already secured our money,” said McCallister.
The View Point is now Sloopy’s Diner. OSU dining denies having anything to do with the pie advertising.
“We obviously don’t do that anymore,” said Keegstra.
Currently The Coca-Cola Co. has advertisements in campus dining facilities. In Fresh Express signs say “add a side of Coke” for a swipe. In the Ohio Union, signs read add a Coke and chips for $1.35.
Based on the advertising, it is unclear how much a coke actually costs.
“We have nothing to do with that,” said Keegstra. “It is Cokes doing.”
OSU’s contract with Coke may explain the advertisements.
Payments made to OSU from Coke come from royalty fees and vending commissions. In exchange, Coke receives the right to sell its products on campus as well as sponsorship opportunities and the ability to use OSU trademarks in Coca-Cola advertising, said Ionno.
Whether students choose to participate in the meal plan or to opt-out is an individual’s discretion.
“It all comes down to being an educated consumer…the most economical thing to do is buy the meal plan that you will use,” said Keegstra.



Holly Marie Dunfee
Dan Caterinicchia
Sources for article

Tim Keegstra, 55
Associate Director of Dining Services
Phone: 614.247.8359
E-mail: tkeegstra@studentlife.osu.edu

Patrick Ionno (I-own), 42
Food and Beverage Director
Phone: 614.292.9239
E-mail: jionno@studentaffairs.osu.edu

Zack Meisel, 20
Lantern Editor
Phone: 440.227.4733
E-mail: meisel.14@osu.edu

Nicholas Vasques, 23
Sloopy’s server
E-mail: vasques.2@osu.edu

Jen Faber, 21
Hospitality management
Student
Phone: 330.417.9266
E-mail: faber.42@osu.edu

Emily McCallister, 21
Drake Union employee
Phone: 304.545.0797
E-mail: mccallister.22@osu.edu

Final Project Multimedia Usage

If I had more time and the resources, I would love to incorporate more aspects of multimedia into my final project. What I would really have liked to do was create a broadcast based on the subject of the meal plan. I think it would be amusing to begin the video broadcast by asking random people on OSU's campus how much they believe a swipe is actually worth. My guess is there would be multiple different answers to this question. Then I would go into the broadcast about the meal plan. This multimedia option would require a good camera, time and someone who knows how to format and edit video film.

For another multimedia option, I would also like to create an audio of some of the interviews I did with the different sources. It would be an interactive feature that would give viewers a chance to hear part of the interviews and get answers to questions that didn't make it into my final news article.

Multimedia that I was actually able to incorporate is a link to the University Residences and Dining Services website. This website gives viewers more information on the meal plan as well as a graphic chart that shows the available dining plan choices. I also took a few pictures to accompany my article and I wrote captions for all to see.

Photographs by: Holly Dunfee
Communications 422 reporter

Coca-Cola Co. advertisements are on display in various campus dining locations.

Photograph By: Holly Dunfee
Communications 422 reporter
Left to right: Pactrick Ionno, the Ohio Union food and beverage director and Roger Garlan, the Ohio Union executive chef, pose for a photograph in the grand hallway of the new Ohio Union.

Final Project

Photograph By: Holly Dunfee
Communications 422 reporter

Patrick Ionno, the Ohio Union food and beverage director takes a moment to grab a Coke in the Union Market, a new dining option on Ohio State's campus.

Final Project

Photograph by : Holly Dunfee
Communications 422 reporter

Left to Right: Fatimah Hashi an Ohio Union employee checks out customer Alicia Palmer who pays using the meal plan swipe system.

Ethical Issues

The careers of journalists have been based on reporting the truth and the facts, while maintaining objectivity about each story. It is important to not have a bias when reporting the facts to the public. With the "ProPublica's nonprofit's news gathering pays off for partners," story featured in the New York Times, it deals with different ethical issues. One issue that stood out to me, was how the reporter of the New Orleans medical story had her own opinion on the matter. In the story it say that Sheri Fink wanted to change what she sees as a dysfunctional medical system. Since she was reporting on the story, her opinion should not be known. It presents a bias for the readers and viewers of the story. Because of this it is important for the consumers of the media to read trust worthy news from places that check their facts. In the first story about David Gregory refusing to check his facts is concerning because there may be misinformation presented. In the ProPublica story, it said, "The goal is not about getting credit.The goal is greeting the story before the eyes of the people who can most benefit from it." While I see the point, I have to agree with the NYU journalism professor Jay Rosen who believes programs should offer an online fact check each week of exaggeration and lies. It is the job of journalist to uncover the truth and it seems ironic that there would be people such as David Gregory refusing to check the facts and get the truth out to the public. It is interesting to me that in the story "Reporter and Players wear the same colors," the same ethical issue of fact checking seems to be taking place, "newspapers struggling to plug the gaps in their newsrooms have been turning to outside organizations to supply articles, raising questions about their ability to vouch for the material they print." This is a concerning ethical issue for all media organizations and is makes the job of journalist even more important, so they deliver accurate stories to the media. One the administration standpoint it is concerning because they have to deal with where their limited resources are best applied. Should they have more people to "fact check" or do they continue as is and try and keep there organization afloat. Ehtical issues are everywhere and journalist and their media organizations need to cooperate and work together, but journalism rules should not be thrown out the window.

Multimedia

One of the articles I chose to analyze for multimedia was The New York Times article, "U.S. Tries Luring Taliban Foot Soldiers Back to Society." The article by Elisabeth Bumiller was a very interesting story about an ex-Taliban member who was let back into society to live freely after an established agreement. The article was well written an included a video and pictures. The pictures were important because they gave an added element to the story and grabbed the readers attention as the first thing at the top of the page. The shot is of the ex-Taliban member being led by U.S. forces. The picture is very intriguing and can make readers want to read the story. The video was very gripping, and I felt that it gave great insight into the story and helped to show that while we are at war, peace can still be found. I felt that the NY Times did a good job of incorporating the video, because it really made the story come to life and gave readers a better understanding, which in the end is the ultimate goal. If I had the time and the resources, I feel that incorporating a video would be a good idea, because it could really help bring my story to life.

The second article I choose to analyze for multimedia was from the Washington Post.The article "FDA considers endorsement of drug that some call a Viagra for women," was interesting, but not worth the effort to get to. When first visiting the site, I had to re-enter my e-mail address multiple times. This article was featured on the front page, but surprisingly had no multimedia. The story seemed interesting, but when first viewing it, there was a huge advertisement blocking the view. When I finally got to the article, I realized that it featured no multimedia. At the least, they should of had a picture of the potential pink pills. The article stretched over many pages and had no video to give a summary. I feel that many readers would have stopped reading because it was too much trouble to get to, with nothing to look at.

The last article I choose to analyze for multimedia was a past article from the New York Times. The article was on the earthquake in Chile. While this article is older, the multimedia usage was plentiful.
The news article, 'Frantic Rescue Efforts in Chile as Troops Seek to Keep Order,' published by The New York Times Feb. 28,2010, incorporated many different media types. The print story was brought to life by multimedia including maps documenting the Chile Earthquake, A slide show of the aftermath, an interactive feature( where readers can submit their own photographs documenting the damage), a video broadcast and audio accounts.
The three media examples I choose to analyze for my assignment are audio accounts,a video broadcast and maps documenting the Chile Earthquake.

I feel that the audio accounts are a very effective way of getting the survivors word out to the public. You can almost feel their pain and anguish as you hear their voices recount the situation. However, as a visual learner I feel that the visual aspect is missing. I personally want not only to hear them, but to see their faces. In my opinion this is why the video broadcast may be the most effective way in delivering the news. The video gives a broadcast style news report, letting viewers hear personal accounts and see the devastation. The maps were also a nice visual tool that accompanied the print story. The maps allowed readers to view the Chile Earthquake from a topographical standpoint. The maps named major cities and gave detailed summaries of the places affected and their damage reports. I really liked the fact that it explained the plate shift which causes earthquakes. It was also nice to see and understand more information about the tsunami. If applicable, I definitely feel that incorporating audio, video, or maps into the final feature/ news story would be a good choice.

class edit

Slug:

Short Hed:

Long Hed:

original

Ohio is among the nation’s worst states to do business based on its taxes, workforce and living conditions, according to a recent survey of more than 650 CEOs.

Ohio ranked 44th in Chief Executive magazine’s annual ranking of the states, which is up one spot from last year. The state received a grade of “C-“ in taxation and regulation, a “B” in workforce quality, and a “B-“ in living environment.

State tax officials blamed the weak assessment on Ohio’s reputation as a “high tax state,” which it is taking steps to shed.

“Perception has yet to catch up to reality in Ohio,” said John Kohlstrand, spokesman for Ohio Department of Taxation.

Since 2005, the Buckeye State has been working to lower taxes while creating a more attractive tax system for business. Local property taxes on equipment and a state tax on corporation profits have been eliminated and replaced with a new commercial activity tax based on the location of a business’ customers. That means when businesses establish new facilities or hire more workers, “they don’t pay additional CAT,” Kohlstrand said.

Marshall Cooper, CEO of Greenwich, Conn.-based Chief Executive Group, shared four comments from surveyed CEOs with operations in Ohio. Three mentioned a need for an improvement in the tax situation one said “get rid of the CAT.”

But Ohio’s overall grades among the CEOs with business operations in the state were slightly higher than the national rankings. Local CEOs gave Ohio a “C+” in taxes, a “B+” in workforce quality, and a “B+” in living environment, Cooper said.

The state’s most recent rankings in the Chief Executive survey represent a dramatic downgrade among the CEOs, who placed Ohio at No. 20 in 2005. The 24-spot decline was second only to Illinois falling 29 spots in the same period.

Despite its weak ranking in the Chief Executive survey, Ohio is home to 23 Fortune 500 companies, including four based in Columbus: Nationwide, American Electric Power, Limited Brands and Big Lots. At least one company on that list, and one that is not, recently announced plans that should result in more than 1,000 local new hires.

Huntington Bancshares last week said it will add 500 jobs in the next five years and keep its headquarters Downtown for 20 more years. Nationwide earlier this month said it plans to fill 600 job openings in Ohio.

Still, Ohio’s unemployment rate remains above the national rate. The jobless rate in Ohio was 11 percent in March. April figures are due out next week. The national unemployment rate was 9.9 percent in April and 9.7 percent in March, according to federal data.

Texas again finished first in the Chief Executive rankings, followed by North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The worst state was California, with New York, Michigan, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Illinois and Connecticut the others that finished below Ohio, according to the survey of 651 CEOs conducted in late January.

EDITED VERSION

SLUG: OHIO BAD BUSINESS STATE?

SHORT HEADLINE: OHIO AMOUNG WORST BUSINESS STATES, ACCORDING TO SURVEY

LONG HEAD: OHIO RANKES AMOUNG WORST BUSINESS STATES, ACCORDING TO SURVEY

Ohio is among the nation’s worst states to do business based on its taxes, workforce and living conditions, according to a recent survey of more than 650 CEOs.

Ohio ranked 44th in Chief Executive magazine’s annual ranking of the states, which is up one spot from last year. The state received a grade of “C-" in taxation and regulation, a “B” in workforce quality, and a “B-" in living environment.

State tax officials blamed the weak assessment on Ohio’s reputation as a “high tax state,” which it is taking steps to shed.(ACCORDING TO WHOM?)

“Perception has yet to catch up to reality in Ohio,” said John Kohlstrand, spokesman for Ohio Department of Taxation.

Since 2005, the Buckeye State has been working to lower taxes while creating a more attractive tax system for business. Local property taxes on equipment and a state tax on corporation profits have been eliminated and replaced with a new commercial activity tax based on the location of a business’ customers. That means when businesses establish new facilities or hire more workers, “they don’t pay additional CAT,” Kohlstrand said.

(WHAT IS CAT?)

Final Project Outline

For my final project in Comm 422, I plan to write a news article on the meal plan system at Ohio State. While the meal plan is designed to be convenient for freshmen and student who live on campus, it actually seems to be a huge cost. In order to “opt- out” of the plan, there is a $500 fee each quarter. Why is this? I plan on finding how and why the swipe plan works/ does not work. Also, why was the plan implemented in the first place? I have heard many complaints with the current system, so is campus dining planning on designing a new plan in the near future? How will the plan change with the switch to semesters? I plan to interview Tim Keegstra, the director of campus dining. From there I will see where the interview takes me. I plan to meet with Mr. Keegstra early next week. I also plan to interview Mark Newton, the head chef at OSU. To me the swipe plan seems like a rip-off, but I want to get the facts to tell a true and accurate story.

*Social Media*

-Facebook was linked to many different OSU pages. When I searched "meal plan" there was a page linked to University Housing which had names of employees. This is a potential source builder. It tells what University Housing does and some of the employees who work their and contact information. Also when you search on Facebook, it is linked to the bing search engine which could prove to be helpful for facts and figures. It seems there are endless possibilities with social media, but you just have to be careful.

Holly Marie Dunfee

Dan Caterinicchia

Obama Addresses Oil Spill

President Obama addresses Gulf Coast Oil Spill

President Obama addresses Gulf Coast Oil Spill, BP Responsible



Speaking in Lousianna, May 5, 2010, United States President Obama addresses the public on the hazardous oil spill along the Gulf of Mexico, saying that the government will to whatever it takes to clean up the oil.

“We are dealing with a massive, potentially unprecedented environmental disaster,” said Obama. "The oil that is still leaking from the well could seriously damage the economy and the environment of our Gulf states."

The oil spill was caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, which was carrying out work on behalf of BP. After an explosion the rig sank. Eleven workers are still missing.

Obama says the focus now is to prevent further damage and efforts are being made to stop the leak.


“From day one we have prepared for the worst, while we have hoped for the best,” said Obama.


According to Obama, BP is being held responsible for this leak and will be paying for the damages.

Broadcast Script

Good afternoon, this is your communications 422 update, and I am your host, Holly Dunfee.


Stranded airline passengers around the globe are now calling airports and hotel rooms "home" due to flight cancellations caused by the volcano eruption in Iceland.

The volcano is continuing to spew ash over a large portion of the European continent.

According to the International Air Transport Association, some airways in Austria, Sweden and Finland have started to re-open and allow flights, but millions of passengers worldwide continue to remain stuck... due to the on-going cancellations.

Moving across the globe to our local Columbus area, Warmer weather IS on the way according to Columbus' meteorologist Chris Bradley. Temperatures could reach the mid
80s by the end of this week.

For today, it's partly cloudy skies with a chance of thunderstorms after midnight.

While today's weather may be dull and gloomy, there is good news for the health of man's best friend.

According to the Columbus Dispatch, The Ohio State University Veterinary Clinic is offering free eye examinations for service canines. Veterinarians will be checking for cataracts, glaucoma, retinal detachments and other associated eye problems.
This program sponsored in part by the American College of Veterinary (opt-toe-mologists) will help to diagnose and treat any vision problems found in service dogs.

Service canines are not the only animals getting attention in the Columbus area.

On the entertainment front, The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium will open the new Polar Frontier this coming Thursday. According to the Columbus Zoo, The exhibit, will feature twin polar bears from the Artic Ocean. I am happy to see the new exhibit and believe The Polar Frontier will be a great addition to the Columbus area, while helping to boost the local economy as new tourist attraction.

That’s all for your communications 422 afternoon update. I’m your host Holly Dunfee. Thanks for listening.

Holly Marie Dunfee
Dan Caterinicchia




Washingtonians Fear Job Loss
Washington residents fear job security
Conducted survey shows Washington State residents have concerns for job security


According to a survey conducted on behalf of Everest College, nearly one-third of Washington citizens have concerns about job security.

When asked about the high unemployment rate affecting the state and the country, 29 percent of Washington workers say they are concerned about losing their job.

Meanwhile, 36 percent of the survey respondents say they are considering returning to school.

The survey indicated that most workers are not likely to change careers even if nothing stood in their way.

At the same time, 26 percent of Washington residents indicate they would be very likely to chance careers if nothing stood in their way.

According to Wendy Cullen, Vice President of employer development for Everest College, the lack of workplace confidence is understandable considering Washington was hit hard by the failing economy.

Event Story

The event I would like to cover for my news story is OSU siblings weekend. It will be held this coming weekend on April 30 - May 2, 2010. I would like to speak with the coordinators of this event, find out the history~when it was started etc. I would like to find out background information, and get numbers of attendees. I want to interview brothers and sisters that attend to find out if they enjoyed the attractions.

Profile Critique

The article I chose to critique was an article in The Columbus Dispatch on Beka Weaver and her blind horse Stormy. While I applaud The Dispatch for their news judgement ( because this is the person I wanted to cover for my profile...until I found out about the article,) I felt there were many things that could have been done better or differently. First of all, The Dispatch reported there were 30 competitors in the Extreme Cowboy Race, but I think this number may be wrong. I question the accuracy of the number. Also it says that the Equine Affair draws 100,000 people to the Ohio Expo center. However...this data isn't cited. I felt that the article overall was very touching, however there were no other sources besides Weaver quoted in the story. I think it would have been appropriate to have a friend or family member to quote. Also the article talks about the disease that caused Stormy to go blind, however I feel that it should also have referenced the disease by its common name "moon blindness." The article would have been better if it had a negative "to be sure" thought. Even though many people Weaver is doing a great thing, there are still those that disagree. Some feel the horse should have been humanly euthanized because of his condition. I feel that the reporter should have talked to the veterinarian in order to get a medical standpoint on the condition. The kicker of the story was very nice, however it was kind-of confusing if one is not familiar with the Extreme Cowboy Race. The reporter could have made it slightly more clear.

Profile Critique

Here is the link to the article I have chose to critique.

This is for class exercise

Holly Marie Dunfee

Dan Caterinicchia


OSU Student among nominees for College Sports Editor of the Year

Ohio State University student Zack Meisel among nominees for College Sports Editor of the Year


Zack Meisel, an Ohio State University student is one of the five nominations for the 2010 College Sports Editor of the Year award.


“It is truly an honor,” said Meisel.

The College Sports Editor of the Year is an important award given to student newspaper associations for the best sports editor. Along with prestigious title, a $5,000 grand prize is given to the winner.

According to Meisel he has been working as the sports editor for The Lantern, the Ohio State Student Newspaper since Sept. 2009.

My idea for my profile is to profile Beka Weaver. She is a horse woman from southeast, Ohio. Last week she recently competed in the Extreme Cowboy Race with her blind horse Stormy. I also want to talk to the OSU western equestrian team about their blind horse 20/20. I want to get a veterinarians perspective on Moonblindness as my other source.

Holly Marie Dunfee

Even though Emily Tramte, an Ohio State University junior grew up two miles from Lake Erie, she did not take full advantage of lake activities because of beach conditions.

“Honestly our beaches are not really well taken care of,”said Tramte.

According to Tramte, there is not a lot of money put into the up keep of the beaches.

“We will go to the beach, but we don’t swim a lot,” said Tramte.

Lantern story re-writes

Short headline : Bars not concerned about losing business to Union

Long headline: Ohio Union serves alcohol, off-campus bars not concerned about their long-term business

Lede: Even though two establishments in the new Ohio Union serve alcohol, off-campus bars are not concerned about their long-term business.

Tweet: The new Ohio Union has two establishments that serve alcohol, but off-campus bars predict no long- term affects on their business.

Tweet: Playing through problems, Tiger Woods apologizes for actions, denies drug use and claims a better person after rehab

Short headline: Tiger Woods apologizes, denies use of illegal drugs

Long headline: Tiger Woods apologizes for actions, denies use of illegal drugs during Pre Masters Conference

Holly Marie Dunfee
Dan Caterinicchia
Weather story outline

For my weather story, I have chosen to write an article on the Ohio Buckeye Tree. The buckeye is the state tree of Ohio, and if ingested, is very poisonous to livestock and humans. During the spring, the Ohio Buckeye aesculus glabra, develops yellow-green flowers and leaves. When ingested, the tree affects the central nervous system of the animal. The sprouts, leaves and nuts of the plant are reported to have caused illness or death. So far for my article I have done background research on the Ohio buckeye tree in order to get the facts. I have interviewed Dr. Ryan Rutter, a veterinarian in southeast, Ohio to find out about cases of buckeye toxicity. I plan to do a follow-up interview with him Monday evening. I have spoke with a representative from the Ohio Department of Agriculture in the division of plant industry to find out more about the buckeye tree. I am trying to contact a livestock producer to hear his story on the Ohio buckeye affecting his herd. Also, I want to know what actions are taken to prevent this from happening. For my final source and in order to get more information on weather data, I want to interview someone from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources in the division of forestry to find out how the spring weather effects the growth of the buckeye tree. I am hoping that the ODNR will know more information on the effects the buckeye tree has on livestock in the spring.

Since, I am concerned about the Buckeye Story have a strong weather tie, I am working on changing my story to toxic ornamental shrubs that grow in the spring. I have heard multiple stories about spring ornamental shrubs killing livestock and pets. I am meeting with the lab toxicologist at the ODA for a source and in order to gather more information. Once I meet with him, I will see where the interview takes the rest of the story.

Holly Marie Dunfee

Dan Caterinicchia

Senator's Crash Kills Two

U.S. Sen. under Investigation for the Death of Two in Crash

U.S. Sen. Dan Caterinicchia under Investigation for the Death of two People in Car Crash


U.S. Sen. Dan Caterinicchia, 43, is under investigation for the death of two individuals in a vehicular crash on the corner of House Street and Lane Avenue Wednesday March 31.

Caterinicchia was speeding, ran a red light and is suspected to have caused the car crash, leaving two people dead. Police say that Caterinicchia refused to cooperate at the scene.

Before election to the U.S. senate, Caterinicchia was known for his successful defense of two individuals accused of vehicular manslaughter.

His own driving record may have influenced his past political decisions.


According to police, Caterinicchia did not have a clean driving record. Caterinicchia was driving on an expired license and has received five past tickets for speeding and reckless driving.

Caterinicchia once sponsored a legislative bill that would have eliminated the point system used to penalize drivers for motor vehicle violations.

The trial date for Caterinicchia is not known at this time.

Pete and Repete, John and Gerald Beckett

Photo courtsey of John and Gerald Beckett

Pete and Repete, Gerald Beckett (top) and John Beckett (bottom), pose for a picture in 2007, during one of their many trips to Parkersburg's Grand Central Mall. The Beckett brothers still take their daily trips, despite John now being in a wheelchair.

Photo courtesy of Gerald and John Beckett

Left to right: Gerald and John Beckett pose for a picture in Parkersburg's central park during the summer of 1974. The Beckett brothers have been dressing alike for over 50 years.

Dan Cat Article Critique

Here is a thought... maybe you should incorporate more multimedia into your published articles because it took me a very long time to find an article with multimedia in it. The article I choose to analyze was Holiday fliers told to expect long lines. The article was published Nov.12, 2007, so it is a fairly outdated article. I believe the lede was well written, but it was 36 words long, over the '35 words or less' rule. I hope you told your editor about that one! I feel the article was in general well written, however, I would have never read to the bottom if it wasn't for a class assignment. The seventh paragraph could have used some rewording,"But - as usual - all it will take is some bad weather to seriously gum up commercial aviation traffic." I probably could have came up with a better choice of words than "seriously gum up." I really can't tell if this was a bad quote or just bad wording?
The media incorporated in the article was a picture taken by Mike Derer. The picture did a good job of supporting the article even though it was a year older than the article. It showed long lines at the airport and showed a lot of diversity in the people. There was even a mother tending to her child.

Broadcast Script

An 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck Chile early Saturday morning, shaking the capital of Santiago [San-T-ahg-o], bringing down buildings and setting off tsunami warnings along the pacific coast. The quake has killed more than 708 and delivered a heavy blow to one of Latin Americas most stable economies. Officials say it will take days to assess the complete damage.

Moving across the globe to our local Columbus area, warmer weather IS on the way according to Columbus’ meteorologist Chris Bradley. Temperatures could reach the high 50s by early next week.

Unfortunately for today… cloudy skies will hover over central Ohio with temperatures around a chilly 25 degrees, and a chance…of snow flurries.

Today’s weather isn’t the only thing chilly in the Columbus area. On the entertainment front, twin Polar Bears arrived last Friday at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. According to 10TV News, the pair are the first residents of the zoo’s new Polar Frontier, which is scheduled to open this coming spring.

That’s all for your communications 421 morning update. I’m your host Holly Dunfee. Thanks for listening.

Examples in news, incorporating different media

The news article, 'Frantic Rescue Efforts in Chile as Troops Seek to Keep Order,' published by The New York Times Feb. 28,2010, incorporated many different media types. The print story was brought to life by multimedia including maps documenting the Chile Earthquake, A slide show of the aftermath, an interactive feature( where readers can submit their own photographs documenting the damage), a video broadcast and audio accounts.
The three media examples I choose to analyze for my assignment are audio accounts,a video broadcast and maps documenting the Chile Earthquake.

I feel that the audio accounts are a very effective way of getting the survivors word out to the public. You can almost feel their pain and anguish as you hear their voices recount the situation. However, as a visual learner I feel that the visual aspect is missing. I personally want not only to hear them, but to see their faces. In my opinion this is why the video broadcast may be the most effective way in delivering the news. The video gives a broadcast style news report, letting viewers hear personal accounts and see the devastation. The maps were also a nice visual tool that accompanied the print story. The maps allowed readers to view the Chile Earthquake from a topographical standpoint. The maps named major cities and gave detailed summaries of the places affected and their damage reports. I really liked the fact that it explained the plate shift which causes earthquakes. It was also nice to see and understand more information about the tsunami. If applicable, I definitely feel that incorporating audio, video, or maps into the final feature/ news story would be a good choice.

My article in The Lantern

Here is a link to my article in The Lantern. It is about waste pulping systems in the new Ohio Union. Feel free to check it out!

Flordia Gators Tim Tebow makes an emotional apology to fans after loss against Ole Miss

University of Floridas quarterback Tim [T-bow] gave an emotional apology to fans this morning after he Gators undefeated streak was broken, in a 30-31 loss to opposing team Ole Miss.
[T-bow] said, "We were hoping for an undefeated season that was my goal.”
[T-bow]
This was the Gators first loss of the season. The next test of [T-Bows] pledge will be Saturday against Louisiana State University.