Streets are being cleared, reporters are filing stories, and now
we’ll wait as reports filter on on the hardest hit areas near the coast.

 

It’s been 10 hours, and I expect to be here five more tonight as
we work to get a comprehensive paper and Web material for our
customers. I’m not alone; folks are putting countless hours to do what
they do best: cover a breaking story. It’s a huge geographic area, and
our newsmen and women are swarming to gather the facts, provide news
and numbers for people concerned about their friends and family,
helping gather information on everything from how to get a giant fallen
tree out of your yard to where is nearest clinic with power to will my
kids’ schools be open on Monday.

 

It’s sad to think that in a few years you won’t have these
newspaper professionals doing the legwork that broadcast and Internet
aggregation services won’t do…that is, get out into the field, work
with people, nag the government for explanations, come to the help of
the poor and rich alike when a calamity occurs. Not sound bites. Not
opinions and innuendo. Just hard facts and information.We’ll cover this
disaster for weeks.

 

So much for my soapbox.

 

This is the end of the Storm Diary. Ike has moved on, and so will I. Thanks for reading.