Johnson City Press front page critique, Wednesday, May 27

Story #1:
More Drama in Carter Courtroom
Commission rejects settlement offer; trial in sheriff’s lawsuit against county continues
By John Thompson, Elizabethton Bureau Chief

Fairly well-written story. Not a lot of back story, ann no analysis of claims made on witness stand - would property tax rates go up $30-40 a year for a $100,000 house? We don’t know if this is realistic or not. Also do not know cost of proceedings so far - something TV news has delved into a bit. Could be in earlier story, so we won't pound it too hard. Shouldn't be lead story, though. (See below)

Story #2
Feeling Grand
Opry takes notice of local school’s year end program
By Madison Mathews, Press Staff Writer

B.S. story, basically. Promotion of an elite program at a local elite school - Mountain View Elementary. Commissioners with the state’s departments of tourism and education are expected. Officials have tried to interest Grand Ole Opry to come to this show, with an Opry tribute show by kindergarten and first graders. Meh. Teachers Angie Baker and Karen Seaver ‘shocked’ to find out state officials are coming. How did the state officials find out about this elementary school show? We don’t know from the story - could the pair have notified them? We don’t know. School system officials? Who knows. Placement as center story on front page is ridiculous. Poorly-written elementary school puff piece does not belong on front page. Period. Good for the kids, though. Not dissing them. Just the story.

Story #3
Obama choice historic
Sonia Sotomayor would be first Hispanic on Supreme Court
AP

Historic. Below the fold. All we need to know about front page editor’s view of the ‘history’ on display.
Fairly balanced AP piece. Should have had top bill - Carter story is on-going, not historic.

Story #4
Police: Men trade stolen gun for pot
By Rex Barber, Press Staff Writer

Pretty much a Washington Co. Sheriff’s Department feed. Lots of quotes from police department, detailing how the arrest went down. I would think this would have some problems - undercover officers trade 1.4 pound of pot for a stolen Hi Point 9mm carbine. Then arrested for intent to resell for taking the pot officers gave them. Can you say entrapment? No mention of where gun came from - from where, and when, was it stolen? Story mentions Brown, one of the criminals, “...had not been out of prison long...” for what? We don’t know. With all the controversy about guns these days, especially those getting into the hands of criminals, where’s the info on where this gun was stolen from? Break-in at a home, or a store? Gun show? We don’t know how the Sheriff’s Department found out it was stolen. Was it through an informant? How did the informant know? C’mon Rex - these aren’t hard questions to ask. Did you ask them? Also, this story is on front page, but at the bottom. Buried on the front page - bet more people read the death notices than this story.

What I'm Listening To:

Aztec Two-Step • Aztec Two-Stop (1972)
Elektra EKS-75031

The First Aztec Two-Step self-titled album, released in 1972, is one of those that remains an enjoyable listening experience without sounded dated. A refreshing take on acoustic duo folk in the vein of Simon & Garfunkel, only less weighty (and yes, I love S&G's older albums). Others have seen comparisons to James Taylor - I think that's just the fact its a very guitar-based work. I think the more obvious comparison is to John Denver, but less - well, sappy. The guitar work in The Infidel has always appealed to me, and I've always been partial to Strangers and The Prisoner, too (the latter is very Fogelberg-like). There's a hippie ethic here, in Baking and So Easy, that's very refreshing (John Sebastian guests on harp on the latter). Produced by ex-Lovin' Spoonful member Jerry Yester. Check out the group's blog - http://aztectwo-step.blogspot.com/

Tri-Cities Job Market 'Implodes':

We knew it was coming. According to a report on TriCities.com, the local unemployment rate has jumped.

"Between January and March, more than 2,300 people were unemployed in Bristol, Tenn., and Va., East Tennessee State University economics professor Steb Hipple said Thursday. Hipple said the region’s unemployment rate hits 8.5 percent for the first quarter, almost twice last year’s rate of 4.8 percent for the same period."

Read the rest here: http://www.tricities.com

Real Clear World Interview with Richard Haass, author of War of Necessity, War of Choice: A Memoir of Two Iraq Wars:

RCW: How badly has American influence in the Middle East been damaged?

HAASS: The U.S. strategic position has worsened: Iran is much stronger, Iraq is weak and divided, Afghanistan is going in the wrong direction, and moderate Palestinians have lost ground to radical Palestinians. What we used to call the peace process is on its heels. Sunni Arab regimes are fearful of Iran, and to some extent, the Shia populations within their own countries.

The next era of Middle Eastern history – which we are already in – will be worse for the United States. The era after the Cold War – where for fifteen or so years the U.S. had no great power competitor, amassed the coalition that won the first Iraq war, and helped promote a peace process that nearly reached closure – is now over. We’re now in an era where Iran, various militias and terrorists now have a much larger share of power. We’re still the most important external actor in the region, but our position has clearly suffered.

Following the Logic

If we need to keep evidence of torture, like photographs, secret, to protect our troops, doesn't that suggest that torture isn't a great way to keep them or us safe? - Josh Marshall

Thanks, Stimulus Bill:

Smokies - +1,500 jobs

... The Great Smoky Mountains National Park will receive $64 million in federal stimulus money, with most of the funds going toward road work. The parks’s trails, cemeteries, public restrooms and other buildings also will be improved... the funds are expected to create up to 1,500 private-sector jobs, according to Ditmanson. - Knoxville News-Sentinel

http://tinyurl.com/q85qpm

ETSU Press Closing:

From Johnson City Press:

In-house Printing Press - 11 employees

http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/09/News/article.php?ID=68873