Iowa Newspaper Association

DEADLINE IS TODAY! The 2024 Woodward Writing Workshop continues the interactive format designed to provide participants with multiple contacts with their professional coaches. The program will build your interviewing, writing and story development skills. We continue the workshop tradition of one-on-one conferences with a writing coach Sign up TODAY for your chance to build relationships with experienced professionals and journalists facing similar challenges! https://lnkd.in/gDfsvRHu

Our convention team endured the tough task of tasting desserts for the 2025 INA Convention and Awards Ceremony. Save the date - February 6, 2025 - to join hundreds of your peers from across the state. Come for the training and awards, stay for the dessert. ?? ??

INTERNSHIP IMPACT - Rachel Bare "In my nine weeks at the The Spencer Daily Reporter, I wrote a total of 31 stories. Originally, I had expected to write feature articles for special sections, but my expectations were quickly shattered. The historic June 22 flood is mentioned, or is the subject of, 21 of those stories. By these numbers, it is obvious that the flood impacted my internship, but what is astounding is the impact the flood had on the wider community. Overnight, my town was thrust into unimaginable chaos, and I was likewise thrust into reporting on matters bigger than I had anticipated. Interviewing our city officials mere hours after the flood or highlighting the kindness and generosity of my peers in cleanup efforts showed me how deeply strong this community can be and how valuable journalism is. Not only will I use my newfound journalistic skills moving forward in English and speech activities, but I will forever remember the stories I had the privilege of sharing." - Rachel, 16, junior at Spencer High School This summer position was made possible in part by The Iowa Newspaper Foundation's paid internship program, one of its core initiatives to help young people experience real-world media.

INTERNSHIP IMPACT - Bri Brands "My time at The N'West Iowa REVIEW has been the most valuable summer of my life. I began the summer returning from a semester abroad and unsure of how I was going to make Iowa feel like home again, especially northwest Iowa, but working here taught me the value of finding excitement in everything. I've always loved telling stories and now I can truly say there is a story to tell everywhere I look. I've been telling everyone who asks that this internship was a golden opportunity - so few of my peers can say they were offered a paid, full-time internship with two years of college still left. I was able to offer articles on the catastrophic flooding in our region and the aftermath that followed, talk with countless local businesses and personalities, and learn more about northwest Iowa and the world of journalism while doing it. I am excited to return to the University of Iowa for the next two years and use these past three months as a stepping stone to what I can only hope is a successful career in journalism." - Bri This summer position was made possible in part by The Iowa Newspaper Foundation's paid internship program, one of its core initiatives to help young people experience real-world media. (Brands, right, interviews archaeologist Dale Hennings and Sioux County naturalist Emily Ostrander for a story on Blood Run National Historic Landmark.)

INTERNSHIP IMPACT - Lizbeth Garcia Tellez Lizbeth was an invaluable asset to the T-R in the short time she spent here, and provided a window into what the future of our newspaper should look like in one of Iowa's most diverse communities. As a Marshalltown native who intends to return here after she graduates from UNI, Liz already had firsthand experience with our local businesses, and with her bilingual skillset, she helped us launch a weekly Spanish language feature that was well received among those who speak the language, those who don't and those who now want to learn it. She also assisted us with several smaller sales projects and had a chance to build relationships while expanding our outreach with our Hispanic population. I am confident she will succeed in whatever she decides to do and am honored to have had the opportunity to work with her for a few months. - Robert Maharry, Managing Editor Times-Republican, Marshalltown Garcia Tellez's summer position was made possible in part by The Iowa Newspaper Foundation's paid internship program, one of its core initiatives to help young people experience real-world media

If you are an Iowa newspaper employee who has experienced a personal loss of property or belongings due to the recent flooding or tornadoes across the state, you are eligible to apply for up to $500 in monetary aid from the Iowa Newspaper Foundation Disaster Relief Fund. To apply for funds, fill out the Relief Application Form at https://lnkd.in/g5uB4mPX and have your supervisor or publisher sign off to confirm your personal property loss. Deadline to apply is July 26, 2024.

Congratulations to this fine group of community journalists for completing the 13th class of Mores Media Fellowship: Brandon Hurley, The Ames Tribune and Iowa City Press-Citizen Rhonda James, TIMES REPUBLICAN MARSHALLTOWN NEWSPAPER Tami Schechinger, Harlan Newspapers Sarah Diehn, Des Moines Business Record Nathan Countryman, Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun Megan Gloss, Telegraph Herald, Dubuque Trevor Babcock, Carroll Times Herald and Jefferson Herald Erin M. Gentz, Eldridge - North Scott Press We are grateful to Steve and Alan Mores for funding this program. To date, it has provided leadership development for more than 80 individuals here in Iowa.

Congratulations to our INA Executive Director Debbie Anselm who was honored by the Quad Cities Regional Business Journal in its 2024 Women of Influence awards last week. Your dedication to community service is outstanding! #servantleader #community #journalism

The Iowa Newspaper Association would like to extend our thoughts and condolences to the communities impacted by the storms that passed through Iowa Tuesday, especially our fellow member newspaper, the Greenfield Adair County Free Press. Find more information about the impact of the tornado in Greenfield here.

In her only veto of the session, Gov. Kim Reynolds has rejected a bill intended to increase penalties for violating open-meetings laws, saying it could cause confusion by changing the definition of what counts as a meeting.