NEWS & EVENTS (BenOrtiz.com): CCC/Truman/Uptown NEWS ArchivesThe Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma has selected me from a competitive pool of North American candidates for a trip and journalism-educator training at Columbia University in Manhattan for June 2010.
See the announcement at The Dart Center web site.
See Truman's Uptown Exchange student newspaper in PDF format.
SPRING 2010: Special SGA Election Issue
SPRING 2010: April
SPRING 2010: March
SPRING 2010: February
FALL 2009: December
FALL 2009: November
FALL 2009: October
SPRING 2009: May
SPRING 2009: April
SPRING 2009: March
FALL 2008: December
FALL 2008: November
FALL 2008: October
SPRING 2008 #4
SPRING 2008 #3
SPRING 2008 #2
SPRING 2008 #1
FALL 2007
SPRING 2007 #2
SPRING 2007 #1
FALL 2006
News Reporting & Writing and Truman's Uptown Exchange student newspaper at Truman College welcome you to chat with professional journalists on a variety of topics, including how to pursue stories for publication and broadcast. Join high-caliber reporters visiting our school to share with the next generation of journalists-in-training.
Café Magazine editor-in-chief Alejandro Riera (above) speaks on March 18th about the magazine biz and magazine-style journalism.
SCHEDULE
Discussions take place in Room #2961 of Truman College (1145 W. Wilson, Uptown, Chicago), at 11:40 a.m.
THURSDAY 3/4 — Since 1990, GREG KOT has been chief music critic at the Chicago Tribune, where he comprehensively covers popular music and reports on music-related social, political, and business issues. In addition to radio-show and book projects, Kot has article credits in Rolling Stone, Details, Vibe, and many other publications. He will talk about A&E writing, blogging, and broadcasting.
THURSDAY 3/11 — Publisher of Gay Chicago Magazine, CRAIG GERNHARDT speaks about the biz and new media of journalism, including his work as an on-the-ground neighborhood journalist-blogger in Rogers Park.
THURSDAY 3/18 — A seasoned, award-winning writer with numerous credits in local Hispanic media, ALEJANDRO RIERA joined ¡Éxito!, the Chicago Tribune’s Spanish-language weekly, as a full-time reporter in 1995 and later was involved in its transition into Hoy, a daily newspaper. Now leading Café Latino Lifestyle Magazine, Riera visits Truman to talk about Latino media, the magazine business, and new media developments.
THURSDAY 3/25 — LORRAINE SWANSON is the publisher and sole creator of LakeEffectNews.com, an online community newspaper serving Chicago's Far North Side neighborhoods. Swanson is a veteran community news journalist and the former editor of Chicago Journal News-Star. She has worked for the storied Lerner Newspaper chain, Pioneer Press, and Daily Herald. Swanson is committed to covering local stories often overlooked by the city's major dailies.
TUESDAY 4/6 — Truman Communications faculty ROBERT HUGHES has had a distinguished teaching career notable also for his publishing of a book-length memoir and regular contributions to the Chicago Tribune, WBEZ's "848," and the "My Turn" section of Newsweek. Hughes will talk about how he started writing and how he now teaches students to become perspective writers.
TUESDAY 4/20 — Staff writer for the Chicago Reader, BEN JORAVSKY has written about neighborhood news for decades and currently pens a column called "The Works" every week about the machinery of Chicago politics. Author of four books, including Hoop Dreams, Joravsky will talk about writing for an alternative weekly and investigating your city.
THURSDAY 5/6 — Award-winning investigative reporter and Medill School of Journalism graduate JEFF KELLY LOWENSTEIN writes as a staffer for the Chicago Reporter and will talk to students about developing the instincts of an investigative reporter.
TUESDAY 5/11 — MARK GUARINO has covered everything from breaking news to politics to the world’s greatest bands. He is currently a staff writer for The Christian Science Monitor, covering the Midwest as well as national news and analysis. He’s also a freelancer for several publications and a prolific playwright. His full-length play, All the Fame of Lofty Deeds a collaboration with the Welsh-born punk musician and painter Jon Langford, received its world premiere by the House Theater of Chicago in November 2009.
Truman and Uptown received various mentions in the news recently, for having one of the worst elevated-train stations, one of the worst alleys near campus, and an all-around dangerous neighborhood.
FULL STORIES at "Dangerous neighborhoods: Nursing homes admit mentally ill felons," Chicago Breaking News Center, November 30, 2009
and
"'Blood Alley' Still A Problem In Uptown," Lake Effect News, December 1, 2009
and
"'5 CTA stations the city could do without ," A.V. Club Chicago, December 1, 2009
"...the City Colleges continues to operate behind a wall, rather than be upfront with its constituents."
FULL STORIES at "Transparency at City Colleges? Not so much," Chi-Town Daily News, August 19, 2009
and
"Where’s Wayne?," Chi-Town Daily News, August 19, 2009
"...some civic minded fellow posted a video of a street brawl involving 30 or 40 thugs. Shortly after news of the mini-riot made the rounds, three men were shot in the 1200 block of W. Leland, just a few blocks west of there. More shootings have since been reported."
FULL STORY at "Fear and loathing in the 46th ward," Chicago Now, August 19, 2009
"While On Campus was on vacation, the City Colleges of Chicago shuffled presidents at half its campuses and moved around at least a dozen high-level administrators as well."
FULL STORY at "Musical chairs at City Colleges," Chi-Town Daily News, August 17, 2009
"Why should this simmering scandal concern you? Possibly because the City Colleges of Chicago are supported in part by your federal, state and local taxes. Chicagoans are subject to a property tax levy, which can be found on their annual real estate bills, that is used to support an unaccountable college district that too often functions as a glorified patronage playground."
FULL STORY at "Wayne’s World: Non-stop Partying on the Taxpayer’s Dime," Chicago Daily Observer, August 14, 2009
"Under orders from then-Chancellor Wayne Watson, the PBS television station at City Colleges of Chicago used its budget to produce free videos of powerful politicians and friends of the chancellor, an internal college e-mail shows. ... Bernetta Bush, the district's ethics officer, confirmed the state's Office of the Executive Inspector General had opened an investigation."
FULL STORY at "Exclusive: WYCC political videos spark investigation, lawsuit," Chi-Town Daily News, August 3, 2009
Here's the FY2010 City Colleges Budget and an official press release.
One CTA rider commented on the Wilson el'-stop that "It is a urine-soaked, dangerous, disgusting mess of a station. There is no accessibility for the handicapped and [it is] surrounded by vacant and abandoned CTA-owned storefronts. The sad part is, it is the station that connects to Truman College, so you would think the city would want it to be safe."
FULL STORY at "And the crustiest CTA station is ... ," ChicagoNow.com, July 28, 2009
"City Colleges budget grows, but district braces for state funding cuts," Chi-Town Daily News, July 9, 2009
"State budget deal may avert City Colleges layoffs," Chi-Town Daily News, July 16, 2009
"Layoffs at City Colleges as district responds to state cuts," Chi-Town Daily News, July 24, 2009