News and information to help journalists serve the public and stay safe.
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Health scams. Protest arrests. Civil rights violations. The common denominator for many journalists pursuing those stories these days is
PACER
, a government website that provides case and docket information from U.S. federal courts.
“PACER is a goldmine of information,” Hughes said. “If you know what to look for.”
Key advice from Hughes:
Main searches
: You can search by defendant name, by U.S. attorney name, or defense lawyer. “In many ways the prosecutor is the glue that keeps everything together.” Department of Justice press releases about arrests list the names of prosecutors handling the case.
Search warrants
: Use key phrases and asterisks as wildcards to broaden your search. For example, email search warrants can be obtained by entering a search term in PACER such as: USA v. *.com.
Probation monitoring
: Whenever a sentence includes a probation period, set a reminder to check documents as the end of the probationary period approaches. Prosecutors file notices to the court indicating how the sentenced party performed during probation.
Check a docket schedule before a long weekend
: Arrests can occur late on a Friday in order to keep a defendant in detention in hopes of obtaining cooperation.
Check PACER periodically
: Following an arrest, check regularly during the first week for detention hearings and other appearances. On the terrorism beat, search for documents by terrorism prosecutors. For the current protests, check for charges daily.
For additional information, you can contact Hughes
here
. He regularly works with journalists and said he maintains confidences on sensitive or competitive stories. Journalists who already have a PACER account can also get help from PACER
here
.
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In our scroll and skim culture, dynamic visuals can make the difference in whether a reader engages with a story. But not every story can attract a graphic design professional’s time in the newsroom, especially in the continuing pandemic news cycle. If you’re a reporter, editor, social media manager now handling (or who wants to handle) quick-turn graphics, get a head start with our hacks for designing visuals when it’s not usually part of your job.
Beth Francesco
, the National Press Club Journalism Institute’s senior director, will share best practices, tools you have at your disposal from home, and exercises for creating visuals regardless of your hands-on design experience.
Registration is open
.
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Who do you help succeed? Make a list of everyone you’ve recruited, mentored and promoted in the last 12 months in your organization. Do they all look like you? Do they usually agree with you? Who will you help succeed next, so that in 12 months you will have diversified the decision-makers and amplified a range of voices to
strengthen your journalism
? The work is just beginning.
Advice from
Jill Geisler
, Bill Plante Chair in Leadership & Media Integrity, Loyola University Chicago, Freedom Forum Fellow in Women’s Leadership
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The National Press Club Journalism Institute is spotlighting
the next generation of journalists
, students graduating from college or Master’s programs this spring into
a challenging job market
, in hopes they’ll meet future bosses and colleagues here who will reach out and support them in building journalism’s future together.
School
:
American University
Location
:
Washington, D.C.
Newsroom internships
: Voice of America, NPR
What's been your best moment in journalism?
Del Valle
:
The first time I heard a story I helped produce on-air at “Weekend All Things Considered” was an all-time high for me. The story focused on
COVID-19 back in its earliest days in Wuhan
, and I worked to find voices from the city itself instead of relying on a reporter in China to relay the story. I went to graduate school specifically with the goal of interning at NPR, so hearing the fruits of my labor in such a tangible way was my most rewarding moment thus far.
What's the wackiest story you've worked on?
Del Valle
:
During my time at “Weekend All Things Considered,” the “Love is Blind” hype was in full bloom. Then, coronavirus hit. Something about the show became resonant immediately. Dating from a distance was no longer just for TV – everyone was doing it. We talked to Cameron Hamilton and Lauren Speed, two contestants from the show who ended up getting married, about their advice for dating in the current moment. Needless to say,
being able to participate
in the pop culture hype was a beacon of light during the pandemic.
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Health officials
continue to recommend
wearing face masks when in public to protect against the spread of COVID-19. As journalists head into the summer heat to cover protests and cities reopening, consider the following tips.
- Always wash your hands before putting on or taking off your mask. When you can’t, use hand sanitizer.
- Once on, refrain from touching the mask until you are home — even if you’re walking to or from an assignment. Pro tip: Remove the mask using its ties so that you avoid touching the front.
- After the mask is off, consider it contaminated and ready to wash. Most reusable cloth masks are fine to stick with the regular laundry. A warm or hot water cycle in addition to the dryer could help kill viruses.
- Don’t share a mask with a family member or roommate.
With rising temperatures and the friction caused from fabric face coverings, you may notice an
increase in acne
. Don’t worry — try these three things:
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This newsletter is written & edited by the National Press Club Journalism Institute staff: Beth Francesco, Holly Butcher Grant, Jim Kuhnhenn, and Julie Moos.
Send us your questions and suggestions
for topics to cover.
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