Tag Journalism

Daily: Ashley Development pulls from projects (2007)

Angel Ackerman Leave a comment

I have special stories attached to all of my articles, but I think this one makes me proud because it could be considered a “scoop.” If I remember correctly, I heard something at a West Easton council meeting referencing a bigger project in the county seat, Easton. The news for West Easton was that this developer, Ashley Development, a known name in the Lehigh Valley, would not be moving forward as scheduled with a West Easton project because of the economy.

For some reason, perhaps because of my charm and politeness, but more likely it was because of the news entity I represented, the head of Ashley Development (Lou Pektor) returned my phone call. I confirmed information about the West Easton project but I also got information about the project in Easton and another big redevelopment, “the Dixie cup,” in Wilson borough.

Ashley Development

Ashley Development

This article is also available online via the Morning Call: http://articles.mcall.com/2007-09-29/news/3780119_1_project-majestic-tax-revenue.

Business feature: Why do people love Wegmans? (2006)

Angel Ackerman Leave a comment

This story ran on the front page of The Bethlehem News in 2006 after Wegmans had made the Forbes list of the 100 best places to work. Again. They always end up on this list. As a fan of Wegmans, I thought I’d do a feature. In ran in all of the Lehigh Valley News Group papers. I wrote the story, took the photos and did the artistic lay out. (Really how artistic can you get with so many columns and rules. I tried.)

In recent days, I’ve noticed lists circulating the internet of why Wegmans is basically a Play Place for grown-ups. I’ve noticed that most of my friends do the bulk of their shopping at Wegmans. People meet at Wegmans. They get coffee at Wegmans. They drool at the cheese at Wegmans. So, why?

For me, it’s a combination of customer service and the goods they carry. When my daughter was two, I tripped and fell in the parking lot of the Wegmans pictured in this story. I’m a clutz. It happens. I got my kid and my groceries into the car. Turned on the car. My arm was killing me. I had fallen on my elbow. The air conditioner whooshed on. I started to black out. At that exact moment, my phone rang.

I couldn’t see. I rummaged through my purse with my hand. Found it. Somehow answered it. It was my friend, Gayle. I told her what had happened and that I thought I was passing out. She called Wegmans. I managed to get out of the car. That’s when a Wegmans “Helping Hands” cart attendant found me, and a manager right behind him. They brought me and my daughter and my groceries back into the store. My in-laws came to get us. They asked if I needed anything. I said no.

My daughter asked for ice cream, but no one heard her. If they had, the staff probably would have given some to her.

wegmans wegmans2

Feature/Health: Breastfeeding (2004)

Angel Ackerman Leave a comment

I clearly remember leaving the office on my due date to visit the obstetrician. I had been 4 cm dilated and significantly effaced since my birthday, a good three weeks earlier. In the newsroom, at meetings and at interviews, my heavily pregnant self made people nervous. I asked my obstetrician when I should stop working. He looked at me and, once he recovered from the shock that I was still in the office, suggested I not return.

That was June 10. My daughter came into this world on June 23, thanks to some hearty doses of Pitocin to hurry her along. Any first-time parent will tell you, those first six-to-eight weeks are “baby boot camp,” grueling, exhausting and testing your limits. I can’t speak on second babies. I only had one.

As a good reporter, I tried to recycle some of my personal experience into copy. Plus, I learned a lot of information as a new parent that I never knew before, or perhaps thought about things I never thought about before I had a baby.

Breastfeeding was one of these topics. I felt like no one really talked about it. I was born premature and didn’t come out of the hospital for three months so my mother never breastfed. I felt lost and figured if I felt lost, so did others.

My editor allowed me to do a lengthy two-part series on breastfeeding. This is part one.

Breastfeeding, part 1

Breastfeeding, part 1

Breastfeeding, part 2

Breastfeeding, part 2

 

 

Feature: Keep on Riding (bicycle commuting, 2003)

Angel Ackerman Leave a comment

The part of being a journalist on a regular beat is the relationships you form with people. This feature on bicycle commuting featured a local business owner (Russ Padgett, Cycle Funattic in Phillipsburg, N.J.) and if I remember correctly, because it was a decade ago, the idea came from him.

To put this story together, we followed Russ on his commuting route, a good 15 miles, and our staff photographer literally hung out of my car like we were on The Dukes of Hazzard.

I like the way the story turned out, and I feel like it was a very timely piece for its day. Gas prices then were escalating, but not nearly to the extent we would see a few years later.

This ran in the Phillipsburg Chronicle, August 1, 2003 as a “Community Life” feature. For more information on Cycle Funattic, see their web site: http://www.cyclefunattic.com/.

Feature on bicycle commuting, section 1 of 3

Feature on bicycle commuting, section 1 of 3

Bicycle commuting, section 2 of 3

Bicycle commuting, section 2 of 3

Russ Padgett, bicycle commuting part 3

Russ Padgett, bicycle commuting part 3

News: West Easton talks trash with Waste Management, fining them 40K (2002)

Angel Ackerman Leave a comment

As a freelance reporter for the Morning Call, I loved West Easton. Small town, good bunch of elected officials who always had something to say. They could balance a mean budget. This particular saga started in the summer of 2002, when their trash hauler missed a good portion of the borough. The trash saga between Waste Management went on for months, but if we’re talking off the record, you have to admire the little town for standing up to a huge corporation.

It’s my version of a municipal soap opera.

These articles are also available online at The Morning Call.

Little West Easton considers significant fine against Waste Management

Little West Easton considers significant fine against Waste Management

Part 2: West Easton levies $40K fine

Part 2: West Easton levies $40K fine

Part 3: Waste Management asks West Easton to lower fine

Part 3: Waste Management asks West Easton to lower fine

I vowed never to be a journalist but life disagreed

Angel Ackerman Leave a comment
My first appearance in a daily, 1994

My first appearance in a daily, 1994

In 1994, I hadn’t even declared a major yet. After three years of high school journalism, I had taken a college-level journalism class and had some experience writing features for a local weekly. I accepted a job as a freelance “stringer” for the Newark Star-Ledger. I traveled across Warren County, New Jersey attending municipal and school board meetings. Then I called the editor on the desk and read him my notes.

This was before cell phones and filing by internet. (I’m a dinosaur!)

It was brutal. They always asked questions to which I never knew the answers. They paid well, but the editors often reduced me to tears. One nice editor offered me advice. Call before you leave the site. Make relationships with the people at the meeting and ask for a number where you can reach them. (I also was polite enough to ask how late  could call.)

I hated it. I vowed I never wanted to be a journalist.

Funny, how life changes…

The article in the photograph is the result of my reporting. While it’s not an official byline, it’s my first appearance in a daily newspaper.

 

Humor: Baby, just sit in the swing!

Angel Ackerman Leave a comment

My life is usually funny. When things go wrong, they don’t go average wrong. They go Charlie Chaplin style wrong. I did an entry on my writing blog about this tendency of my life because my friends are always pushing me to be the Erma Bombeck of my age. And I do love the classic Erma!

Here’s a newspaper clipping about my daughter that I think falls under humor.

 

One of my first humor pieces on motherhood

One of my first humor pieces on motherhood

Links

Angel Ackerman Leave a comment

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Professional samples available on the web

(In progress. I will add to this post until complete)

My LinkedIn Profile:

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/angel-ackerman/20/3a5/b14

NEWSPAPERS- DAILY

Article from The Morning Call, archived through the Library of Congress and visible on the Open World Leadership Center web site (2003)

Visiting Russians Learn about American Libraries

http://www.openworld.gov/article/print.php?id=27&lang=1

More about libraries:
Meuser Library in Wilson sets out to prove it’s friendly (2007)
http://articles.mcall.com/2007-12-28/news/3941239_1_family-place-library-library-director-small-community-library

Phillipsburg to get first look at library addition this month (2003)

http://articles.mcall.com/2003-03-13/news/3450303_1_county-library-entire-library-80th-anniversary

Morning Call sports feature:

Slate Belt basking in glory of two football teams (2001)

http://articles.mcall.com/2001-11-30/news/3380106_1_championship-football-games-class-2a-game-two-teams

Morning Call municipal news articles about Phillipsburg, N.J.:

Phillipsburg group fails to get answers about reassessment (2003)

http://articles.mcall.com/2003-02-12/news/3455078_1_property-reassessment-town-council-assessor

In Phillipsburg, a neighborhood awaits tax ruling (2003)

http://articles.mcall.com/2003-03-05/news/3451707_1_reassessment-property-tax-tax-increase

Phillipsburg PAL serves up invitation to fundraiser (2003)

http://articles.mcall.com/2003-03-23/news/3448553_1_pal-president-green-acres-dinner

Some Morning Call municipal news articles about West Easton, Pa.:

$40,000 fine considered for missed trash pick-up (2002)

http://articles.mcall.com/2002-08-14/news/3420311_1_waste-management-trash-collection-local-hauler

West Easton, trash hauler argue over fine (2002)

http://articles.mcall.com/2002-10-08/news/3444187_1_waste-management-trash-hauler-fine

West Easton to pay trash hauler again (2003)

http://articles.mcall.com/2003-02-04/news/3456379_1_waste-management-payment-fine

West Easton delays choice on $52 tax (2007)

http://articles.mcall.com/2007-08-20/news/3757592_1_emergency-services-municipal-tax-flood-damage-year-s-tax-returns

West Easton, housing developer try to settle dispute (2007)

http://articles.mcall.com/2003-03-09/news/3450944_1_valley-housing-special-meeting-storm-water

Ashley pulls back from two projects (2007)

http://articles.mcall.com/2007-09-29/news/3780119_1_project-majestic-tax-revenue

Some Morning Call municipal news articles about Glendon, Pa.:

Glendon neighborhood sings the stray cat blues, The Morning Call (2007)

http://articles.mcall.com/2007-11-21/news/3808775_1_feral-cat-colony-neuter-and-return-cat-problem

Glendon residents worry about possible work-release program (2007)

http://articles.mcall.com/2007-10-04/news/3782619_1_work-release-counseling-program-residents

Williams eyes taking over nearly a mile of road in Glendon, The Morning Call (2008)

http://articles.mcall.com/2008-02-08/news/3983055_1_road-repairs-road-issues-mile-road

NEWSPAPERS- WEEKLY

Business article from The Bethlehem News

Crystal Signatures shares the art of glass and pride in Bethlehem (2006)

http://www.crystalsignatures.com/csi/crystal.nsf/news/Crystal-Signatures-shares-the-art-of-glass-and-pride-in-Bethlehem

BOOK REVIEWS

Hippocampus magazine:

My Battle of Algiers: A memoir by Ted Morgan (2012)

http://www.hippocampusmagazine.com/2012/04/review-my-battle-of-algiers-a-memoir-by-ted-morgan/

Becoming Jimi Hendrix by Steven Roby and Brad Schrieber (2012)

http://www.hippocampusmagazine.com/2012/07/review-becoming-jimi-hendrix-by-steven-roby-and-brad-schrieber/

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson (2012)

http://www.hippocampusmagazine.com/2012/06/review-steve-jobs-by-walter-issacson/

House of Stone by Anthony Shadid (2013)

http://www.hippocampusmagazine.com/2013/02/review-house-of-stone-by-anthony-shadid/

PUBLIC RELATIONS PLACEMENTS

“YWCA seeks volunteers to help” in the daily newspaper, the Express-Times, contributed photo by me (2008)

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf/2008/09/ywca_seeks_volunteers_to_help.html

“Sciota shopkeeper honors those who serve,” front page of the daily newspaper, the Pocono Record (2013)

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130614/NEWS/306140346

PHOTOGRAPHY

Some snapshots I took during my time at The Lehigh Valley News Group:

Bethlehem Area School District teachers head down the River (2006)

http://lehighvalleynewsgroup.mycapture.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=163911&CategoryID=16062&ListSubAlbums=0

Freemansburg 150th/Carnival (2006)

http://lehighvalleynewsgroup.mycapture.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=161595&CategoryID=16062&ListSubAlbums=0

Blueberry Festival at Burnside Plantation (2006)

http://lehighvalleynewsgroup.mycapture.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=153308&CategoryID=16062&ListSubAlbums=0

Durkee employee reunion (2006)

http://lehighvalleynewsgroup.mycapture.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=179836&CategoryID=16062&ListSubAlbums=0