Monday, October 26, 2009

Math

1. Last year, the school spent $8,300 for office equipment. This year, it will spend 5 percent less. How much will it spend this year? 7,885

2. The spelling and grammar tejjst was taken by 217 students. Thirty-seven failed. What percent passed? 82.9 percent

3. One out of 12 students at WSU are in the Greek system. What percent are in Greek system? 8.3 percent

4. Bruce Springsteen was born on Sept. 23, 1949. How old will he be in May 2016? 66

5a. The former assistant manager was demoted to sales clerk. His pay was cut from $12 to $8. What was the percent decrease? 33.3 percent

5b. The sales clerk was promoted to assistant manager. Her pay increased from $8 to $12. What was the percent increase? 50 percent

6. Last year, your property tax bill was $1,152. This year, it rose to $1,275. What’s the percent increase? 10.7 percent

7. Joe Smith wants to build a 2,500-square-foot house for him. The builder tells him it will cost $110 a square foot to build. How much will the house cost? 275,000

8. You and your four roommates have ordered a 16-slice pizza. Because you skipped lunch, it is agreed that you should have a 1/4 share of the total. The roommates divide the remainder equally. How much does each one get? 3

9. The Poynter Institute’s budget for computer programs jumped from $5,500 to $7,300. By what percent did it increase? 32.7 %  

10. Checkers at a grocery store earn the following salaries: $10,000, $12,500, $5,890, $16,453, $14,000. The median salary is: 12500

Political Story

Outline:
Lede with statistics – directly into the story
Facts about insurance rate
Quotes
More facts - costs
Healthcare plans and local impact
Closing.

An astonishing 29.2 percent of Whitman County residents do not have current health insurance according to a recent Washington state census, making health care one of the most important issues facing voters this November.
Whitman County has the second highest uninsured rate in the state of Washington and is almost double that of the national average which stands just below 30 percent. This raises the question, would universal health care work here, locally?
“I think it has a chance to work,” said Brian Bell, a member of the Young Democrats student organization. “The cost of insurance today is so extortionate its no wonder that almost 30 percent of people are uninsured.”
With the cost of insurance ever rising, and the economy fighting its way out of a slump, health care just isn’t affordable for many local citizens.
Average income has dropped to just over $35,000, almost $20,000 less than the statewide average. Many local citizens face the tough decision between buying insurance and putting food on the table.
Dennis McConnell is a member of the Pullman Kiwanis Club and is co-owner of the Pullman Gladish Community Center and considers himself a member of the middle class.
“Its tough to come up with the money to keep yourself covered, but when it comes to health I don’t want to take any chances,” McConnell said. “I have friends who haven’t been as lucky and aren’t covered,” he said. “Its just not right.”
President Obama has received significant public attention for his health care bill, and residents of Whitman County are well aware of what his plan means. The issue facing voters next month is choosing the candidates that best represent their beliefs.
Obama hopes his bill will lower the cost of health care and will make plans more secure and stable. It is similar to health care systems in place in countries such as Canada, England and Spain but has its own regulations and stipulations. Despite Obama’s best efforts, some people are not quite as enthusiastic about the plan.
District nine candidate Susan Fagan clearly states her opposition to the universal health care program on her website saying she does not support a government-run program.
Fagan’s opposition Pat Hailey sings a similar tune, saying she does not support the liberal agenda of representatives in Seattle.
“When I decide who I’m voting for it will come down to who wants to help fix our health care system,” says junior Brian Mitchell. “Both district nine candidates seem opposed to Obama’s bill, but they have their own ideas as well.”
Whether its Obama’s bill or a candidate’s new individual idea on the issue, health care will most definitely be in the minds of the voters and at the forefront of November’s election.
Contacts

Brian Bell – 206 718 7576
Dennis McConnell 509 432 5534
Brian Mitchell – 425 275 2254

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Re-write

Outline:
Lede
Alcohol statistics here on campus…
Examples?
Run down of basic law
Learning your rights
Examples
The kicker – quote from Thomas.


More than 800 people received alcohol referrals and 175 people were arrested in 2008 alone according to the WSU Police Department 2009-2010 Annual Security/Fire Report.

Current state law sites that a police officer must prove that the person in question is exhibiting the signs of consumption to charge him or her with possession. This includes having the smell of alcohol on the breath, being in close proximity to a container or showing visible signs of a lack of coordination.

Whether or not people agree with the current laws, it is crucial to understand them and know individual rights believes Ben Thomas, the associate director of WSU student legal services.

Last year Thomas hosted a program to teach students their basic rights when confronted by an officer. A lawyer and a police officer also shared their side of the story.

“The idea of the program was to help not only decrease the number of incidents on campus, but to inform students of their basic rights,” Thomas said. “The only thing that state law requires of those under question for an MIP is for them to produce valid identification.”

Thomas discussed how the program didn’t stop with MIP’s. The officer talked about protocol on everything from drug-related arrests to simple traffic violations. The audience was involved with the presentation and asked questions, whether they be about legal issues or police protocol.

Senior Jeff Wilson was in attendance last year. Wilson received a supplying to minors citation his junior year and was able to consult the lawyer about possible courses of action.

"It was an easy way for me to get an idea of what I was up against," Wilson said. "Once I got some basic advice I was able to take the next step and prepare myself for court."

Many people are so uninformed that they believe it is required by law to take a breathalyzer when asked to do so says Thomas.

“I always assumed you had to do exactly what the officer tells you,” said Erik Dargitz, a junior at WSU. “I didn’t realize how hard it can be for the cop to prove anything.”

Dargitz has managed to keep a clean sheet over the years, but others haven’t been so lucky.

“I got an MIC [minor in consumption] last year in Idaho when our designated driver got pulled over for a broken taillight,” said James Whelan, who was a sophomore at the time. “I got nervous and admitted to having a few beers and the next thing I know I’m paying a $500 fine.”

For those who don’t want to end up like Whelan, Thomas said the best thing to do is just know your rights.

“If people knew what they were up against, most of the time they would be able to avoid trouble,” he said. “Just hand the officer your ID, shut up and you’ll be fine.”

Contacts:

Ben Thomas

253 332 2609

James Whelan

425 941 8598

Erik Dargitz

360 739 3681

Jeff Wilson

425 443 8956


Monday, October 19, 2009

Legislature Thingy

1. List two of the bill's sponsors. Murray and McDermot and others
2. Who sponsored companion bill 1727? Pedersen and Walsh among others
3. On what date did Gov. Gregoire sign the bill? May 18
4. How many pages in the original bill? 
5. In the Senate Bill Report, find the names of two people who testified in support of the bill and two who opposed the bill.
6. Based on the report's synopsis of public testimony, list one argument in support of the bill and one argument in opposition.
7. Find the fiscal note for the bill. Look at the most current estimate of cost.
a. What are the estimated receipts from 2009 to 2011?
b. What are the estimated expenditures during the same period?

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Whitman County Agenda

Whitman County Agenda

 

a. According to the agenda, what meeting will be held on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 2 p.m.? Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee meeting.

 

3. Review the minutes from the Sept. 21, 2009, meeting. Find the H1N1 report.

 

                            a. How many confirmed cases in Whitman County? 4

                            b. How many doses of vaccine will be available in Washington state? 600,000

                            c. How many in Whitman County? 360

                            d. What is Dr. Moody’s suggestion on how to distribute? Use community centers and give                                 doses to those that are considered high risk patients. 

e. Write a lede based on this information.

- Whitman county has four confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus throughout the region and announced that they received 360 doses of vaccine, which will likely be withheld until more vaccine is available. 

 

 

Monday, October 12, 2009

Census

I. State and local

1. What’s the population of Whitman County? 41,664
2. Percent white? 86.6%
3. Percent with bachelor’s degree? 44.0%
4. Median household income? $36,538
5. Persons below poverty? 26.7%


II. Drilling down into Census data: Housing

1. Find the annual construction costs for building permits for Pullman from 2004 to 2008. Report it for each individual year. 2004: 21,793,767
2005: 40,062,508
2006: 34,549,367
2007: 31,922,839
2008:14,007,013


2. What’s the most current construction cost for 2009? (Obviously the annual report isn’t yet available so look for the most recent month.)
August 2009 - 7,170,166

3. Write a lede based on this information
- The amount of money spent on construction in the city of Pullman decreased by over 55 percent from 2007 to 2008 and showed no signs of recovery as of August 2009.

III. Federal grants and insurance

Who needs government? Well, Whitman County certainly received some federal help last year. But we want to know how much.

1. How much did Whitman County farmers receive in Crop Insurance?  134,236,720
2. How much did Whitman County receive in grants? 122,982,596
3. Name three of the grants. 
-AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH-BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH GRANT
- PLANT AND ANIMAL DISEASE, PEST CONTROL AND ANIMAL CARE GRANT
-WILDLIFE SERVICES GRANT

IV. Health Care in Whitman County

 

1. Which two counties have the highest percent of uninsured people? San Juan and Whitman 

2. What’s the percentage in Whitman County? 29.2 percent


V. Population

 

1. Type “Whitman County population” into Google Uncle Sam. Which federal or state agency comes up first in the Google list? The Office of Financial Management

 

2. On the profile page, click on “Population, Change, Marriages and Divorce.”

 

a. What’s the total population change in Whitman County from 2000 to 2007, according to OFM? 1960

b. What’s the natural increase? 1,324

c. Explain the difference between “total change” and “natural change.” Total change is the exact number that the population increased from 2000-2007 while natural change does not include people moving away, migration, just people being born and dying. 

 

3. Based on this projection, how many people will live in Whitman County in 2025? 46,786


VI. Spokane City Council Agenda

 

1. What’s the number of the ordinance that would create a new alcohol-impact area? ORD C34475

2. What will the ordinance do? Write a lede based on the City Council’s approval of this ordinance.

- A Spokane ordinance will place restrictions on liquor licenses of those with off-premises sale licenses.  

 


Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Libel

1. “Up until the day he died, he was a brilliant writer. But the drugs made him a thief, a pimp and a liar,” said friend Karen Smith, who was with Johnson at the time of his death.
-This is not libel because it is not published, and is a persons thought. Libel is written.


2. “Megan Fox is a man!” Headline on Weekly World News Web site
This is libel because it is a written statement that is a negative source of news for the person its about.


3. “In my opinion, Kevin is a murdering rapist.”
- Not libel because its an opinion and the person saying it states that, its not published.

Justice story

Outline:
Lede
Alcohol statistics here on campus…
Examples?
Run down of basic law
Learning your rights
Examples
The kicker – quote from Thomas.

Each year hundreds of Washington State students find themselves face to face with a police officer and in many cases students incriminate themselves and make the officers job much easier.
According to the WSU Police Department 2009-2010 Annual Security/Fire Report over 800 people received alcohol referrals and 175 people were arrested in 2008 alone.
People don’t realize how simple it is to avoid incriminating themselves when being stopped by the police
According to state law RCW 66.44.270 in order to charge someone with a minor in possession all a police officer needs to prove is that the person in question is exhibiting the signs of consumption. This includes smelling alcohol on the breath, being in close proximity to a container or showing visible signs of a lack of coordination.
Whether or not people agree with the current laws it is crucial to understand them and know individual rights.
Last year Ben Thomas, the associate director of WSU Student legal services, held a program to teach students their basic rights when being confronted by an officer of the law. A lawyer and a police officer were present to speak at the meeting sharing their side of the story.
“The idea of the program was to help not only decrease the number of incidents on campus, but to inform students of their basic rights,” Thomas said. “The only thing that state law requires of those under question for an MIP is for them to produce valid identification.”
Thomas discussed how the program didn’t stop with MIP’s, the officer talked about protocol on everything from drug related arrests to simple traffic violations. Those in attendence were given opportunities to ask any question whether it be legal advice or a question about police protocol.
Many people are so uninformed that they believe it is required by law to take a breathalyzer when asked to do so.
“I always assumed you had to do exactly what the officer tells you,” said Erik Dargitz, a junior at WSU. “I didn’t realize how hard it can be for the cop to prove anything.”
Dargitz has managed to keep a clean sheet over the years but others haven’t been so lucky.
“I got an MIC [minor in consumption] last year in Idaho when our designated driver got pulled over for a broken taillight,” said James Whelan who was a sophomore at the time. “I got nervous and admitted to having a few beers and the next thing I know I’m paying a 500 dollar fine.”
For those who don’t want to end up like Whelan, Thomas says just know your rights.
“If people knew what they were up against, most of the time they would be able to avoid trouble,” he said. “Just hand the officer your ID, shut up and you’ll be fine.”

Contacts:

Ben Thomas
253 332 2609

James Whelan
425 941 8598

Erik Dargitz
360 739 3681

Monday, October 5, 2009

Welsh

Spokane detectives named a local Catholic bishop, Lawrence Welsh, a suspect in an incident in which a Chicago prostitute was sexually assaulted.

editing peers

1. The guest speaker is Kimberly Robertello who is Clinical Assistant Professor at Washington State University. Robertello also teaches courses in human anatomy and biomechanics at WSU.
- The guest speaker is Kimberly Robertello, a clinical assistant professor at Washington State University, teachers courses in human anatomy and biomechanics at WSU.

2. The group decided to start a voter registration drive for the upcoming Nov. 03 Washington General Election. This will help qualify more students to vote. The last day to register to vote is Oct. 05. so the group has to work quickly within the next couple weeks.
-The group decided to start a voter registration drive for the Nov. 3, Washington General Election in order to help qualify more students to vote. The last day to register is Oct. 5.

3. This led to PRSSA President, Tara Wyman to say “how many people are serious about going so we can reserve hotel rooms for everyone.”
- "How many people are serious about going so we can reserved hotel rooms for everyone?" PRSSA President Tara Wyman said.

4. “Its not always the most fun thing to do on a Wednesday night but once I graduate I’m going to reap the rewards,” Parker said. “Nothing gets you farther than contacts in the field.”
-"It's not always the most fun thing to do on a Wednesday night," Parker said. "Once I graduate I'm going to reap the rewards. Nothing gets you further than contacts in the field."

5. Candidates Derrick En’Wezoh, ASWSU Representative and Jason McConnell, GPSA Representative, both wanted to share the chairman position.
- ASWSU representative Derrick En'Wezoh and GPSA representative Jason McConnell wanted to share the chairman position.

6. However, with the apparent unified front, representatives proposing to go against the grain are often intimidated.
- With the apparent unified front, representatives going against the grain are often intimidated.

7. A rush of new Homecoming ideas from Student Entertainment Board’s meeting Monday, construct bright path for Homecoming 2009 for all WSU student participants and discussed ways to improve participation level.
- A rush of new Homecoming ideas from Student Entertainment Board’s meeting Monday constructed a bright path for all WSU student participants for homecoming 2009, and discussed ways to improve participation level.

8. Director of Student Affairs, Joshua Hart highlighted the program's lack of volunteers and asked the executives to sign up to volunteer.
-Director of Student Affairs Joshua Hart highlighted the program's lack of volunteers and asked executives to sign up.