Earlier this month, The Salem News added a new face to its award-winning team of photojournalists.
Liz Curtis is a North Shore native, graduating from Danvers High School before attending Tufts and Columbia universities. Over the past several years, she has traveled and photographed in South America, Australia, New Zealand and Asia and has worked as an intern with famed National Geographic phtoographer Steve McCurry.
We’re lucky to have her. Feel free to say hi if you see her working at a local event.
Hundreds of news stories, briefs, editorials, letters to the editor and photographs appear in the six issues of The Salem News every week. Here are some stories and photos you may have missed:
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Holly and Ryan Travis of Salem met years ago at Spooky World and share a unique bond -- relishing the chance to scare the heck out of people. Photo by Ken Yuszkus
– The race for mayor of Beverly is heating up. Check out last week’s profiles of incumbent William Scanlon and challenger John Burke.
– Homelessness was in the news Wednesday, with a report on the increasing number of homeless students in Danvers hotels and a look at how the Salem Mission is helping two of its clients get back on their feet.
Hundreds of news stories, briefs, editorials, letters to the editor and photographs appear in the six issues of The Salem News every week. Here are some gems you may have missed:
The photo of the week: Iris Apfel, at the PEM. Photo by Ken Yuszkus.
– An off-duty Peabody firefighter was on the scene to help rescuers pull an elderly couple from the Essex River Saturday afternoon.
– Look more closely the next time you’re watching one of those TV medical dramas. You might see equipment from a Peabody-based firm in the background.
– A letter from the wife of Beverly police Chief Mark Ray looks to be the most commented-on item of the week’s editorial pages, with 130 comments as of this writing. That’s not counting those we had to remove; the city’s mayoral race is heated, to say the least.
– It’s not too often we here on the North Shore get to rub elbows with a true fashion icon. Reporter Cate Lecuyer was able to do just that, however, talking to Iris Apfel, the “Rare Bird of Fashion,” in advance of her exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum.
– As the football season nears the midway point, sportswriter Matt Williams named a handful of surprise stars on the local gridiron.
And finally, congratulations to Krista McLellan of Hamilton, who was named this year’s Mrs. Essex County at the Topsfield Fair.
Mrs. Essex County, Krista McLellan. Photo by Ken Yuszkus.
The Salem News will host a candidates debate in Peabody next week. The event, to be held in City Hall, will feature candidates for mayor, the School Committee and city councilor at-large, and will run from 7 to 9 p.m.
If you have a question you would like the candidates to answer, e-mail it to dolson@salemnews.com, and it may be included in the debate. Questions specific to Peabody have the best chance of being asked.
In a guest column on salemnews.com today, Bloomberg News editor-in-chief Matthew Winkler reminds us of the promises of the early days of the Obama administration:
“Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in government,” Barack Obama wrote in a letter to all agency and department heads on his second day as president. “Transparency promotes accountability” because “information maintained by the federal government is a national asset,’’ he said. “My administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in government.”
Well, it wasn’t until Bloomberg went to court that the Federal Reserve was told it needed to hand over details of the taxpayer-funded $2 trillion bank rescue plan. That deserves repeating: Taxpayer-funded, $2 trillion.
Winkler writes:
Since its creation in 1913, the Fed has been the watchdog over our money. Instead of informing us as it should, the Fed is running interference for the banks that borrowed our money and insists to a federal judge that the public shouldn’t worry about what the Fed does with our billions of dollars. The Fed is saying we can’t handle the truth.
The law doesn’t allow the government to get away with secrecy based on a mere claim that some sort of damage would result. Trust in the official line isn’t enough. This we learned during the Watergate scandal, which prompted sunshine laws.
The Fed, of course, is considering an appeal, which would involve Solicitor General Elena Kagan, who reports to the president through U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. We agree with Winkler that it’s time for the Obama administration to live up to its promise of a new era of openness in government.
The Salem News guide to autumn activities, North Shore in Fall, will publish Oct. 15
Much like our popular summer guide, the glossy magazine will include information on local concerts, plays, musicals, harvest festivals, author visits, comedy fundraisers, museum exhibits and Halloween events, just to name a few.
We’re looking for help giving our readers a packed calendar. If your nonprofit or community group has an event this fall and you would like a free listing in our fall calendar, please send the information to fallguide@salemnews.com.
It’s time to take advantage of one of the best deals of the summer — the semi-annual Newspapers in Education book sale.
On Saturday, the back room at The Salem News in Beverly will be filled with thousands of used books of all kinds. Prices range from 50 cents to $3, and all the proceeds go to the NIE program, which supplies free newspapers to elementary and high schools on the North Shore.
The sale runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 32 Dunham Road.
Covering the North Shore is a rewarding endeavor, and most days the most dangerous part of the job is merging on to Route 128.
So it’s humbling to be reminded that in other parts of the world, American and foreign journalists are risking their lives every day. The latest proof came today, with news that New York Times reporter David Rohde escaped from Taliban custody after seven months in captivity.
Rohde, who had been kidnapped with his driver and a local reporter, Tahir Ludin, scaled the wall of the compound where he was being held, eventually finding a Pakistani scout who led him to a nearby army base. Today, Rohde and Ludin were flown to the American Bagram military base in Afghanistan. The driver, Asadullah Mangall, did not escape.
As an odd aside: Rohde and I worked together briefly — as dishwashers in the same North Conway, N.H., restaurant during our high school years. It truly is a small world.
The Salem News is offering a free seminar later this month on taking great photographs.
The seminar is geared toward beginning- and intermediate-level amateur photographers who want to learn how to take better candid photographs and shoot under different conditions — outside in the snow or on the water, or sporting events, cookouts, dance recitals.
The session will be led by The Salem News’ award-winning photojournalists and will include tips on how to submit your photo for publication in the paper.
Participants are encouraged to bring their own cameras, as staffers will be available for one-on-one attention at the end of the seminar.
The seminar will be held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 30 at The Salem News offices at 32 Dunham Road. To register, please e-mail Robyn Day at rday@salemnews.com or call 978-338-2504. Space is limited to the first 20 registrants.
Earlier this month, The Salem News added a new face to its award-winning team of photojournalists.
