Niches and Newsrooms

By Finn Mennuti Foothill College journalism class When one thinks of the word "journalism," generally an image straight out of the movie, "Spotlight," comes to mind: a bustling newsroom, full of uniquely focused departments that each are engaged in researching and writing within the focus of their niche, all adhering to the strictest regulations of …

Songs of a Man’s Life

My long memory makes it easy to recall that this student and I were discussing terminology about transgender people after our regular, Thursday class period on Sept. 28, 2017 when he noted aloud how much he enjoyed pursuing LGBT stories. “When I write them,” he said of such stories, “I’m learning about LGBT people and …

Council Leads the Way to LED

Note: This story was reported and written in 2017. By Ashley Loaeza PLEASANT HILL -- The Pleasant Hill City Council has approved the purchase and installation of an LED sign at City Hall. During their Nov. 20 meeting, councilmembers authorized the city manager to enter into a contract with Sunny Neon Signs to install the …

Why is Concord not a Sanctuary City?

Learning AP style is tough but necessary in college journalism. While on deadline, this student called my attention to the AP stylebook entry that discouraged use of the term, undocumented immigrants. I was unaware of this, but was certain that I had already read the phrase countless times in news stories. So I suggested to …

The Castro — Prepared for the Worst?

Note: This story was reported and written in 2017. By Jessica Delatorre      Last year, headlines spanned worldwide of the Orlando shooting in which Omar Mateen opened fire in a gay nightclub in Florida, killing 49 people. The Castro neighborhood is popular for its prideful LGBT scene which can be a target for a similar …

Parlez vous francais? And, what about Arabic?

Note:  This story was reported and written in 2017. By Jessica Delatorre MONTEREY – The City Council’s pre-Thanksgiving Day meeting featured the honoring of two military students from the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. Many in attendance wore camouflage clothing in support of the students. They were honored for mastering Arabic and French. One …

The Doyenne of Ukulele Design

By Maci Lee Martell San Francisco is known for its wealth of creative souls. Most artists in the city dream of seeing their paintings on display in an upscale gallery, or playing indie rock music for a sold-out crowd at The Fillmore. But Toni Maloon is not like most artists. For 61-year-old Maloon, creative pursuits …

An Unofficial Mayor of The Fillmore

By Lance Tisuela Vas Kiniris is a charismatic, unreserved product of the San Francisco Bay Area, with a passion for progress and immersion. He serves as director of the Fillmore Merchants Association and secretary of the San Francisco Council of District Merchants Associations. “I tend to look forward all the time, I’m not one to …

Local Reporters Race Flames to Chase Story

A reporter interviewing other reporters is one of the most difficult genres to tackle. This student reporter dug deep when questioning her contemporaries as well as veteran journalists. By Maci Lee Martell On a seemingly normal Sunday night, Paul Gullixson was sound asleep in his Rincon Valley home, along with the majority of Sonoma County. …

Upper Haight Transit Improvement and Pedestrian Realm Project

Note: This story was reported and written in 2017. By Nicole Newman Beginning 2018, the Upper Haight and Ashbury area will undergo a transformation from Haight and Stanyan to Haight and Buchanan while the Upper Haight Transit Improvement and Pedestrian Realm Project will focus on improving roads and pedestrian traffic and adding stoplights. Developed in 2016 by San …