Pit bull exhaustion, economic shouting, video

The story of Chewie, Rita and the other six pit bulls seized from a dog-fighting operation has had legs. Perhaps too many, judging from the bad jokes and rolled eyes at this morning’s meeting.

The latest, of course, is that the “Great Eight” will head to St. Louis today to live at a rescue center instead of being euthanized.

Editors and reporters, no doubt, are as happy as about the outcome as the advocates and caretakers at SCRAPS. But general sentiment suggested that these dogs have had their day on the news pages.

One unanswered question: How does a dog live out its days at a refuge center? But despite reporter Jim Camden’s offer to arrange for a greeting party in St. Louis, we probably won’t produce that.

Screaming or raised voice headline?
Editor Steve Smith thought the lead, six-column A1 headline about the Washington jobless rate jump looked a little heavy for the news. There had been discussion at yesterday’s 4:30 meeting about avoiding a “screaming” headline but making sure it at least had a raised voice, city editors said.

The B1 centerpiece on Meals on Wheels programs dealing with higher food and gasoline costs could have been A1, Smith noted.

Deputy city editor David Wasson thought our front-page centerpiece offering was equally strong. It concerned a family grieving after their 10-year-old son’s death in a drunken driving accident. “A perfect example of over-report, under-write,” Wasson said, citing a journalistic catchphrase. Reporter Meghann M. Cuniff had struggled to find an angle she liked for the story, but by continuing to report turned out a solid piece, he said.

‘A master storyteller’

Video Journal has this new offering from photojournalist Dan Pelle, which accompanies a story appearing in Thursday’s Valley Voice.

Multimedia director Colin Mulvany noted that Pelle gets better and better with each piece he does.

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