JOUR 3101

By Maia Irvin  A learning experience that has been a bit stressful and sometimes discouraging. That's how I would describe writing labs in class so far.  I don't think that I've ever been this stressed about writing. Writing accurately under a time constraint is difficult. I feel like I give up some of the accuracies I normally wouldn't in a non-timed situation just because I'm giving more focus to time than I normally would. I wouldn't say that the stress from labs is bad or that I hate it though. I honestly think that it fuels my drive to work harder, and the time constraint will make me a better writer, I just need to get used to it. The feeling that I have the hardest time coping with when it comes to labs is discouragement. The past couple of labs I've left feeling relatively okay about my writing, but once my writing is actually graded, I realize just how many errors I made that I didn't notice or even think about the first time around. It's di

By Maia Irvin  On Sunday, news broke that  The New York Times gained access to and analyzed President Donald Trump's long-hidden tax returns, multiple news sources reported.  The Washington Post reported that the Times found Trump paid $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017, and he paid no federal income taxes in 10 of the previous 15 years, according to the Times.  The report from the Times revealed that Trump was able to pay so little in federal income taxes because his businesses reported significant losses, according to the Post.  The Times also reported that Trump filed many tax write-offs citing business expenses for questionable costs. One of the write-offs was $2.2 million for his Seven Springs estate, which he classified as an investment property even though the Trump Organization website described it as a "retreat for the Trump family," according to the Times.  On Sunday, Trump stated the report was, "totally fake news," according to CBS News

By Maia Irvin  Protesters in Louisville and other major cities across the U.S. took to the streets Wednesday and Thursday nights in response to a grand jury's decision to not prosecute police officers for killing Breonna Taylor, news sources reported. On Wednesday night, protests in Louisville began peacefully but turned violent with garbage can fires, vehicle damage, and store theft, AP News reported. Two officers were also shot and injured by a gunman who has been charged, according to AP News.  AP News also reported that police showed up in riot gear and blocked roads in Louisville on Thursday night. Officers also blocked the exits of a church that protesters were utilizing to avoid arrest for violating the city curfew, according to AP News.  USA Today reported that there were many protests that sprung up in several U.S. cities on Wednesday night with a few becoming heated. Thirteen people were arrested in Portland after police declared a riot and protesters threw Molotov cockt

By Maia Irvin  In the Longform podcast featuring Wesley Lowery , Lowery offered insights on what it's like to be a reporter on the ground especially during protests. Lowery brought up that it's easy for journalists to become distracted by what he called, "noise" meaning live-streams or press conferences. It's important for journalists to focus on the reason why they're at the scene, talk to people and ask questions so they don't miss out on vital information.  He also said that it's necessary to be asking the right questions because journalism depends on the questions that are asked as well as the questions that aren't asked. Reporting requires journalists to ask smart questions. Another piece of advice he offered was to avoid just waiting for bad things to happen. An essential component of reporting on the scene is being proactive and reaching out to people for information.  One last topic he brought up was that "not all statements are equal.

By Maia Irvin  The government made efforts to pay tribute to late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg including honoring her as the first woman to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol on Friday, news sources reported.  According to CNN , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Monday that Ginsburg's casket will be placed in the National Statuary Hall on Friday making her the first woman in U.S. history to lie in state in the Capitol.  This honor is reserved for the most distinguished government officials and military officers, CNN reported.  In addition to Friday's historic event, a private interment at Arlington National Cemetery is scheduled for next week, CNN reported.  The Washington Post reported that Ginsburg's casket was placed under the Supreme Court's portico Wednesday morning and will remain there until Friday to allow for two days of public viewing. By early morning Wednesday, a dozen people from across the country were waiting outside the court to pay their respects, acco