Drenched But Not Defeated
Two weeks ago News Gems applauded the work of The Des Moines Register as it covered the tornados that pummeled the Midwest. Today I want to give a special shout out to their fellow Iowans at The Cedar Rapids Gazette who are still putting out a newspaper and Web site despite the floods that devastated their city and ruined many staff members' homes. Like the New Orleans Times-Picayune and Biloxi Sun Herald after Hurricane Katrina, The Gazette has excelled under trying circumstances at giving its readers a comprehensive mix of stories, photos, videos, graphics and community bulletin boards. Erika Binegar's "A Different Downtown Scene" is an example of the detailed reporting that The Gazette continues to produce. Notice how she uses sight, sound and smell to describe the scene:
On Saturday, plastic bags lay piled on sidewalks, drenched scraps of wood inside spouting bubbles of condensation. Piles of foundation and discarded lumber lay along the road and in Dumpsters. Pistachios tumbled out of a bag, split open on the street.
Shards of glass sparkled in the sunlight, near sludge-covered file cabinets and toilets on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Third Street SE. An overwhelming smell of rotting garbage, sewage and gasoline floated in the breeze.
Generators thundered, powering pumps that sloshed cloudy water onto the street. Debris crunched under the wheels of construction vehicles, and semi-trailer trucks beeped as they reversed into traffic.
Outside Theatre Cedar Rapids, 102 Third St. SE, a mini mountain of black tulle, red lace and pink satin costumes lay crumpled, covered in sludge and beyond repair.
I also like The Gazette's "Random Acts of Kindness" bulletin board, which lets readers share stories about volunteer efforts that are sustaining the city. Is there other disaster coverage that you recommend? Leave us a comment if you'd like to make a suggestion.
www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080622/NEWS/152701406 and www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?NoCache=1&Dato=20080615&Kategori=NEWS&Lopenr=225362214&Ref=AR