August 27, 2009

Cassandra Hotaling photo courtesy of Rutland (Vt.) Herald

Firefighters from the Pittsford (Vt.) Fire Department work at removing a horse from a well in Pittsford in this photo by Cassandra Hotaling of the Rutland (Vt.) Herald. Her photo won a first-place award in the recent New England Associated Press News Executives Association awards competition. Please see headline link to story and more photos below.

By Laura Moran
Bulletin Staff

For the most part, national news and local news remain separate from each other, but every so often a story comes along that becomes both. And when that happens, it is interesting to see how small local news outlets take on a story that has become part of a major news-media storm.

The Cambridge (Mass.) Chronicle recently covered the arrest of Henry Louis “Skip” Gates Jr. The event, which seemingly began as a routine local police story, quickly escalated into a national story and controversy about race.

Gates, a prominent professor at Harvard University, was arrested at his home July 16 after a call was made to Cambridge police by Lucia Whalen, an onlooker, who said she saw two men who appeared to be breaking into Gates’ home. The arresting officer, Cambridge Police Sgt. James Crowley, arrived at the scene and saw Gates in the home. According to the police report, Crowley asked Gates to step out onto the porch because he was investigating a report of a break-in, and Gates responded by saying, “Why, because I am a black man in America?” After more accusations by Gates of racism on Crowley’s part, Gates was taken into custody. A disorderly conduct charge against Gates was later dropped.. MORE>

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