Weekly Web Work, 6-22 through 6-26

The King of Pop:

In '03 Indy visit, fans went wild for MJ. A day after Jackson, 50, died, I put together this retrospective of his visit to Indianapolis in May-June 2003. I had covered one of his two visits and not only chronicled the reaction by mall shoppers, but took his picture.




One of the great perks of my job is that I can see a story and go "get it" with a lot of freedom. On Wednesday, I spotted a Tweeted story from the Merrillville, Ind. Post-Tribune and decided to call the owner of a vandalized fireworks store, producing this story. I also wrote another Biz Buzz recap focusing on the 2012 Super Bowl.




At 5:30 a.m. Tuesday I received an e-mail from an Indy resident who flies a lot. That led me to be one of the first reporters nationally to discover that Clear, the security bypass operator, had shut down. I wrote: "With just a few hours' notice, the company that managed the Clear Pass system at major U.S. airports, including Indianapolis International, has shuttered the program. Travelers got word late Monday through e-mails -- and in a statement on the Web site FlyClear.com -- states: "Clear Lanes Are No Longer Available."

I posted three updates and three Twitters to my audience of 220.

I also wrote about grieving workers back at Ind. Convention Center site; "Fatality won't delay end-of-2010 $275M expansion project." The story.

I started off Monday with a story that carried the Web for most of the day, as Indianapolis-based Finish Line bucked a general downward trend on Wall Street after it announced it was shedding its Man Alive division.

6-26-09 Fresh Start and Mid-Day Update.
6-25-09 Fresh Start and Mid-Day Update.
6-24-09 Fresh Start and Mid-Day Update.
6-23-09 Fresh Start and Mid-Day Update.
6-22-09 FS and MD.

Twitters for the week:


RT @PostTrib: Mayor Rudy Clay wants Michael Jackson's funeral to take place in Gary. www.post-trib.com
on Twitter

http://bit.ly/rAAaY Last #MJ #MichaelJackson story I'm posting ... In '03 Indy visit, fans went wild for MJ
on Twitter

#MichaelJackson -- here's the pic I took http://www.twitpic.com/8f0jm
on Twitter

#MichaelJackson so close -- maybe 5 feet -- and there weren't any other press there; I felt like I could shake his hand, or snap his pic.
on Twitter

Got to be part of the #MichaelJackson hoopla 6/9/03, during stakeout in #indy. Circle Center mall shoppers swarmed him ...
on Twitter

http://tinyurl.com/kqp9d9 Newly updated: The Bob Rohrman lawsuit, now with picture of the couple. Top-viewed story on IndyStar.com today.
on Twitter

Lafayette car dealer Bob Rohrman is ROOOHHHRRRin today -- suing plastic surgeon he said stole his wife! http://bit.ly/195UNy
on Twitter

Not so great -- Bloomington company laying off 200 today ... http://tinyurl.com/nt5b2w
on Twitter

I've posted an uplifting scoop - the CEO of profitable Indy lab handed out $2M in bonuses to 300 workers today http://tinyurl.com/kmqojn
on Twitter

Morning Twitterers ... Cool study out today on Big pharma #Lilly impact on #Indy ... http://bit.ly/AeJtk

Hat tip to @PostTrib. Had to call fireworks owner myself about the loss of his fireworks mascot ... Headless in Hobart http://bit.ly/M8GfB
on Twitter

RT @mitchdf: #Indy e-mail firm #ExactTarget finalist for big Microsoft award- http://bit.ly/14R8AT
on Twitter

Biz Buzz is on the air now ... http://www.indystar.com/article/20090624/BUSINESS/306240002/
on Twitter

http://tinyurl.com/kvfdnw 9:45 AM on IndyStar.com/Business -- live Web Cast interview with Indy 2012 Super Bowl leader Mark Miles
on Twitter

Star Business Fresh Start: Best Marriott in the country? It's in #Indy & Indy hospitals trying out new CPR methods http://bit.ly/u4o6s
on Twitter

Star's @dleehoss has scoop on Silicon Valley firm moving HQ to Indy ... http://bit.ly/BE56N
on Twitter

RT @JohnKetz: Check out Smaller Indiana's Bigger Ideas conference today at the Athenaeum. http://bit.ly/14U0ml
on Twitter

Just spoke to Angel Hunt, lane attendant with CLEAR at Indy Airport. 20+ folks there out of a job, no severance
on Twitter

Grieving workers are back at Ind. Convention Center site; fatality won't delay end-of-2010 $275M expansion project http://bit.ly/BFRCY
on Twitter

http://bit.ly/HK6fo Star Biz Mid-Day report: 45 franchisees sought for #baskinrobbins franchises #Indy ... Zoo to close in E-Central Ind.

New info in my piece about CLEAR shutdown; Fishers travelers want their fingerprints, retina scans back! http://bit.ly/10Nt1l
on Twitter

Breaking: http://tinyurl.com/kuxh7g May home sales dip nearly 20% in Indiana, double digit in central Indiana. Upside: more good deals
on Twitter

http://tinyurl.com/llfmet Breaking: CLEAR, the #TSA-bypass security program, shut down early this AM at #IND, other major U.S. airports
on Twitter

Good morning Twitterers. My Star colleague John Russell leads off with news of bigger MedCo expansion = more jobs! http://bit.ly/Ca7lu
on Twitter

I corrected my earlier Finish Line story -- FL is exiting Man Alive, but it is giving them the business, plus $7M.
on Twitter

#FinishLine will get $7M for the 75 stores -- they'll stay open; no job losses; FL operates 685 stores nationally ... http://bit.ly/jrvon
on Twitter

Breaking: indy-based Finish Line is going to exit its "Man Alive" retail business ... says 1Q same-store sales were down 39%
on Twitter

Good reads: Purdue a farm team for ag schools: http://twurl.nl/jt7f2r & 1/3 of signsups 4 Indy job fair are +45! http://tinyurl.com/muv83s
on Twitter

Weekly Web Work, 6-15 through 6-19

I wrote a late-breaking story about an Indianapolis company, Norwood, being acquired for $162M after a bidding war. This is one of those companies we don't normally cover, and fortunately I was there to pick it up and get it online and in print, even on a Friday afternoon. On the same day, we got wind from the state about unemployment stats and produced a quick story about the jobless rate rising to 10.6 percent. Definite highlight was I conducted a Q&A with the co-founder of Tweet Photo. I wrote a short preview story Twitter app founder has Hoosier ties in advance of the publication. And here was the Twitterific Q&A, which if anything shows folks how a behind-the-scenes interview works!

On Wednesday, June 17 (pictured is the business page from that day) I had another productive day, writing 5 stories and posting two of my colleagues' stories. I also Twittered items in my morning newsletter to my followers (I was up to 188 on that day!) One of the arguments I also make is that it is better for me -- and for the Star -- to stay nimble; if possible, instead of concentrating on a single story, try to keep an eye on multiple assignments, similar to a TV producer. This way I won't be too overloaded with breaking news. And it worked on this date, too. At 1:30 p.m., I got wind (through a news release) of an Indy company winning a bid to design a new landing pad and hangar for President Obama's Marine-1 copter. As I was posting this story, my coworker Jeff Swiatek was e-mailed about a decision involving a street closure of high importance to our readers because it involved Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I contacted a DWD spokesperson and also another reporter for the Star and wrote it up, quickly. Here is City panel OKs Grand Ave. closure.

Here are the newsletters for this week:
6-15 FS and MD.
6-16 FS and MD
6-17 FS and MD
6-18 FS and MD
6-19 FS and MD.

Weekly Web Work, 6-1 through 6-5

While putting together the news items for the 6-11 Fresh Start (FS) newsletter, we received a forwarded e-mail about the death of a prominent scientist in Indianapolis. I was able to make two phone calls, confirm the passing and lead the newsletter.

I also posted a story on his passing and update it with a coworker and later put out the 6-11 MD.
I also had a scoop about a counter-claim lawsuit filed by the ex-CEO of a longtime family-owned grocer that was bought out and revamped by a privately held Florida investment company.
Both stories I Twittered (along with my newsletter).






Lots of newsy 6-5 MD and FS newsletters, paced by big news involving ex-Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson, who joined Eli Lilly as a corporate exec in what turned out to be a really surprising Friday morning announcement. Not only did I scoop everyone else on this breaking news story, I wrote a follow-up by mid-morning that included his comments via a joint phone interview that involved Peterson, John Russell and John Ketzenberger. I also live-tweeted bits for that interview (see picture) And I reported fresh stories on gas rising to $2.89 and a piece on Starbucks marketing to Indianapolis for its Iced coffee. (Whew!)



Here are the 6-4 FS and MD newsletters, on the heels of a busy news day that included another 5 posts; and the 6-3MD and FS newsletters. Busy news day again. I recapped the 4th Biz Buzz of my co-workers and wrote a fresh story on plans for the Market Square Arena site. On 6-4 I also wrote a PM scoop about Louisville's plans to steal Hoosier tourists.

Here are the 6-2 MD and FS newsletters.

Besides helping IndyStar.com coordinate the big GM bankruptcy and Chrysler news, I also posted a newsy 6-1 FS and MD report, highlighted by Chrysler. I also served as the Star's tweeter for the morning for the fifth straight workday!