Many historians and gearheads would argue that Henry Ford's Model T was perhaps the most important design innovation in the development of the automobile. It was chosen in 1999 by a jury of automotive journalists as the most influential car of the 20th century. Other designs which were recognized included those of the Mini, Citroën DS, Porsche 911 and, maybe not too surprisingly, the Volkswagen Beetle...

We've had another hectic week so far in the newsroom - and out in the community. Jared and I both have been working with multiple meetings, in addition to working on other stories which have come up in our need (or want)-to-do list. I myself had four regular sessions scheduled, and am halfway through as of today (Wednesday)...

In trying to think about this blog post, I have found myself taking one route to reflect on how fast-paced this week has seemed up to now, though we're halfway through. This one was not intended to be very involved, given how busy we've been just trying to gather everything we can together and strategize what stories will run and when...

Even though Eric is still gone from the office, I think Jared and I, and the rest of the newsroom, have done our best to maintain a sense of regularity in his absence. It has helped that Joe Fields has been stringing for us with his feature stories. Design-wise, his contributions have indeed helped to fill space in the paper. However, I hope he feels he's been getting good experience interacting with others in the community...

This week's post is a little more involved, as it revolves around an important milestone I've reached. As such, in light of the busy week we've all had, and with everything I've tried to synthesize here, I'm perfectly fine with this one being put out on a Friday...

As I sit here writing this with my coffee mug, I'm a little frustrated, but not too surprised, that I don't have anything I'm inspired to really delve into this week. Little, except perhaps the pace, has changed here in the office from last week. ...

Though we are now halfway into the week and things seem pretty quiet, it feels like I'm still trying to come down from a whirlwind tour between work and play. I was out of the news loop in town Friday and during the weekend because I was at Wabash's alumni reunion event, which was an awesome experience. During Big Bash, I listened to a few lectures, ate my fill of wonderful meals and had some great conversations with alumni, administrators and mentors who I keep in touch with...

First, I want to quickly relate that when I was piecing my last blog post, it slipped my mind that Memorial Day was coming. I should've known since the Indianapolis 500 was on Sunday, but I didn't make that conscious connection while writing at the time...

Last week was an interesting one here on the newsroom side of the Banner Graphic. On my part, it was a somewhat unprecedented - but welcomed - challenge as a still-green reporter continuing to learn about layout and handling items such as obituaries...

As of writing this week's post, I feel like I have covered and followed more than a week's worth of news - and we're just getting ready to finish out Wednesday. Not that you'll see me complaining. I certainly won't do so given how relatively quiet things have been around here in the past week or so, save for a few bad crashes and other more "featurey" stories which Jared has written about...

Wabash College will have its Commencement for the Class of 2019 on Sunday - which, for a lot of lucky moms, is also Mother's Day. It's a great day for them, and I will make my way up to Crawfordsville to see a few very good friends get their sheepskins...

Okay, maybe you won't catch me singing (unless you saw me in my Beetle "syncing" with friends to "Play That Funky Music" or "Highway to Hell" while at Wabash...). This past weekend did give me a good reason to be excited, though, as I was treated to a wonderful concert by the Wabash College Glee Club Saturday evening. This week is devoted to the men's choir and two professors who have been instrumental leading it...

In the bustle of the daily grind here at the paper, I recently had what could be counted as a "teachable moment" as a reporter, as well as a community member. A week ago, I got a call from someone who was at the forefront of issues which I reported in a recent article. It didn't necessarily put the individual in a positive light, and he wanted to tell me that he took exception with my detailing of what occurred...

Maybe half-an-hour after I came back from lunch Monday afternoon, I first heard from Jared that the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris was on fire as he came into the newsroom from an errand. "Someone's just told me that Notre-Dame is on fire," I remember him saying as he looked on his phone. It did not really hit me right away as to what he meant, though I knew instinctively that he was referring to one of the City of Light's most enduring architectural and religious monuments...

I do not have anything particularly original or reflective to talk about in this week's post. This is due to the amount of assignments that I have on my plate, which have made this week one of the busiest I've had in a while in terms of writing. Today is not necessarily a "free day" for me to think or comment about what's happening on here...

This week, I'm going to make a change of pace and comment on a topic that I have been starting to really think about. It has broadly to do with my alma mater; however, it specifically has to do with giving. I'm talking about charity in both the sense of giving one's time, as well as giving one's treasure to a cause. An issue I have wrestled with is how the two can be genuinely reconciled...

The long-awaited report submitted last Friday by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, which covers his nearly two-year investigation into ties between Donald Trump's campaign and Russian agents who worked to influence the 2016 election, has caused a frenzy in Washington...

Well, it's the first day of spring, and that means a lot of good things are coming. First off, it means an end to the snow, and the salt dumped all over the roads that might still be eating away at my Trailblazer's pan. The days will be getting warmer and longer, and the flowers will start to bloom soon. I will appreciate it even more when our flowerbed will deign to untangle itself...

Before I came in this morning, I had intended for this post to sort of be a reaction to some of the past week's bigger stories - both in and out of Putnam County. However, I want to try and succinctly talk more about what being a reporter for a small newspaper like the Banner Graphic is like. I don't think a lot of people grasp how complex or fast-paced getting a story or managing the newsroom can be...

At the outset of this post, I want to make another public service announcement that I will plan to start posting my blogs again on Wednesdays. I just recently completed my math class at Ivy Tech, and I (as far as I know at this point) will no longer be out of the office all Monday and Wednesday morning...