Oi.

Sometimes this is all just so sad.

The news this morning that Merna Sneed died, a few weeks after her husband, due to burns from the house explosion was sad.

The news yesterday that the School Board axed about 38 jobs was sad.

During the past week, Liz Brixey has asked me nearly every day what's wrong. Well...

Don't get me wrong. This isn't a post about how I'm worn out, or how I'm tired. I may seem overwhelmed, but that's a good thing.

It is so important for writers to have compassion. Our readers, especially readers affected by what we are reporting, need that compassion. The sadness is as much a part of the story as the time, date and place.

Progress Report:
Well, I've been reporting. I've been writing for our blog. Elections are this Tuesday. Then the aftermath. Then the impact of the results.

I think I am not leading as well I as I should be. Our beat has had some major holes in coverage of events in the past few articles. Reporters aren't taking enough notes, aren't following enough leads. Tanner and I found ourselves last night needing to rely on the other beat reporters' note-taking, and they didn't come through.

Shells... I took a long drive through Northeast Columbia. Not just downtown. Way way out there. That really helped. I think one of our things should be the Railroad and how what is being transported to Columbia has changed.