New political coverage portal

The Spin Control political blog has been redone and ported over into a political news portal, s-r.com/elections . Jim Camden’s blog has a new address at s-r.com/elections/2008/blog . Check out the “Changes” video (with Obama on the still frame) and stick with it to the end - all you vintage folk will get a kick out of the background music.

Doing good deeds

Neighbors are helping neighbors! People offer use of their snow blowers and shovels, some offer to drive or run errands for the elderly or otherwise unable to leave home. Check out this feature if you haven’t been there, where there are more new requests for help and lots of new offers . Zoom out to see all of them - the requests and offers are spread out in the region.

Snowed in again

Might as well cover today’s news while we’re in the building. Today’s snow coverage focused less on weather and more on community impact, said senior editor Carla Savalli.

• St. Vincent, which serves 60,000, to close : Multimedia editor Nancy Malone wondered whether the same strain from high caseload would happen to places like Salvation Army, after St. Vincent de Paul clients redistribute to other service organizations. Editors talked about possible ‘issue story’ ideas for a bigger picture on organizations’ struggle to make enough money to serve the community. In the case of St. Vincent de Paul’s, reporter Kevin Graman passed on one explanation he learned from the charity’s board president Michael Cain: The society itself is aging - There are not a lot of young people involved for the charity. Watch Colin Mulvany’s video here.

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Thin slices

• Doug Clark: It’s not easy to dig the Wovel
• Council considers Web casting
• Back in time: Dan’s Barber Shop a joy since 1957
• The governor is coming to town. How’s she getting here? “I believe she’s cross-country skiing,” said deputy city editor Dan Hansen. And according to Photo, we’re gonna “shoot the governor” - with a camera.