Day 1:

     The two quotes from the two tenants cannot be used in the article.  The first tenant basically accuses the little boy of starting the fire.  By using this quote, this is might be falsely accusing someone.  If the person is innocent, the paper could be sued for libel.  The second quote from the other tenant talks about how the woman was beaten by her husband.  Just from this quote, you can't confirm that this is actually true.  Again, the paper could be sued for libel and would be damaging to the husband's character.
    After this, the reporters will need to talk to police, firefighters, and other witnesses.  They'll need to find out all of the information they can about the fire, how it started, and what's going to happen now.  Find out what the police are doing to find out who or what started the fire.  The reporter's will also have to talk to the dispatcher about the call from the woman who reported the fire.  Find out everything she said about it.  I don't think that including the part about the boy throwing something for reporters to worry about until the police say something.  If they report something untrue, it could look bad on the publication and could be libel worthy.
    We can't name any suspects until they are convicted.

Pulitzer Prize

  The Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting went to the Chicago Sun-Times for their series on the shootings in Chicago.

The writers really delve into the story and background.  They get a full sense of this Chicago community and how people are dealing with these shootings.  They gave readers a full comprehension of the neighborhoods and what they look like.  In the “Two years after murder, family still waiting for justice,” it talks about how the families are dealing with their losses and how greatly these tragedies have affected them.  Angel’s cousin and best friend have named children after him and how his brother looks to him for guidance in football.

            In the “’No-snitch’ code keeps shooters on the streets” story, the writer chronicles recent killings and then posts the question why police haven’t caught any of these killers yet and goes into discussion about the ‘no-snitch’ code.  The writer describes how victims die still refusing to tell police who they were murdered by.  It’s a very powerful story and keeps the reader fully interested in the story.  To combat this problem, there was a law passed to arrest anyone carrying a loaded gun in public.  People are being sent to prison and keeping more of these murderers off of the streets. “An ongoing wiretap recorded gang-bangers warning fellow gang members that the Valadez law could land them in prison for packing a gun.”  With this new law, the gang members are becoming more worried about getting caught and are being more careful.

            This story continues in the next article, “Police: Even while dying, teen won’t talk.”  “Unfortunately it’s almost a culture among the drug dealers and gang members, that code of silence, that ‘don’t snitch’ mentality that they not only have when they’re witnesses, but also when they’re the victims,” Riccio said.  This is such a disturbing statement and story and sends a powerful message about the culture of this community.  The writer discusses such extreme cases such as a girl being stabbed, doused with gasoline, and set on fire by her boyfriend.  The girl confessed to who killed her shortly before she died and the police were able to arrest and give her boyfriend a life sentence.  But in this Chicago community, this type of snitching is forbidden.

            This series deserved a Pulitzer because of the in-depth reporting and examining the reporter had to do to get this powerful set of stories. The writers examined every aspect of these communities and killings and the culture behind them.  They put themselves in the police’s, victims’, and killers’ shoes.  With this, they are able to get all sides of the issues.