[Vision2020] Media Watch

[Mushroom]

Here's a way for the Daily News to give its readers a
Holiday Season gift that would last:

Start providing some details from the public records.

After years of completely shucking off news of police and
fire activity, the paper now has a column headlined "Police
Records." Try these informative items, presented in their
entirety from yesterday's paper:

"Shoplifting was reported in the 2100 block of Pullman
Road,"

and my favorite:

"A traffic accident occurred on U.S. Highway 95."

I'll bet that traffic accident occurred at Winnemucca,
Nevada, when a truck hauling sheep ran into a nativity
scene. Well, maybe not, but who knows?

I don't THINK "police records" is meant to be humorous. I
think it's meant to let readers know what's going on. But
unless something changes and some detail is provided, the
headline might was well read "Something Happened" and each
item can simply say "Something Happened."

Background here: The details on police and fire and COURT
activity are public records. The Lewiston Morning Trib
publishes detailed reports on those matters for Lewiston,
the Spokesman Review publishes detailed reports on those
matters for Spokane, and the Spokesman Review even publishes
detailed reports on those matters for Coeur d'Alene.

Happy Holidays,

Don Coombs