Monthly Archives: December 2009

‘Deadline Now’ and the Ambassador

On December 18, 2009, WGTE-TV in Toledo aired a program called “Deadline Now” hosted by journalist Jack Lessenberry. The topic was the quest for a bridge, or rather, bridges, over the Detroit River. Guests were Gregg Ward, vice president of … Continue reading

Posted in Adventures on the Rouge, Me & Matty | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The greatest profession

By Joel Thurtell What if you’re an elite newspaper and your lunch is being eaten by the very supermarket tabloids that normally bring a sneer of loathing to your collective editorial face? The very kinds of sources that sell damaging … Continue reading

Posted in Joel's J School | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Gift idea: ‘Seydou’s Christmas Tree’

In his book, Seydou’s Christmas Tree, journalist, novelist and JOTR writer Joel Thurtell recalls how he and his wife learned the meaning of Christmas as Peace Corps volunteers living on the parched savanna of Togo, West Africa. Thanks to a young … Continue reading

Posted in Hardalee Press | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

UTR named Michigan Notable Book

Up the Rouge! Paddling Detroit’s Hidden River by Joel Thurtell and Patricia Beck has won a Michigan Notable Book Award for 2010. A panel of judges picked 20 books about Michigan topics and Up the Rouge!, published by Wayne State University Press, … Continue reading

Posted in Adventures on the Rouge | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Saving newspapers: A modest proposal

By Joel Thurtell [paypal-donation] I could make a fortune with this idea, except I got it from The New York Times. I’d have to kick something back to them, probably. For once, it might be worth it. It’s amazingly simple, … Continue reading

Posted in From My Files, future of newspapers, Joel's J School | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Cronies of the Rouge

By Joel Thurtell I was tromping alongside the Rouge River in Detroit last spring with Sally Petrella, public outreach coordinator for the nonprofit Friends of the Rouge. We were looking for junk cars that people have dumped in the river. … Continue reading

Posted in Adventures on the Rouge, Bad government | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

A newspaper vanishes

By Joel Thurtell [paypal-donation] I never saw a copy of the short-lived Detroit Daily Pres I gather it was distributed in some parts of the Detroit area. Maybe because I was in Canada most of last summer, I was slow … Continue reading

Posted in future of newspapers, Joel's J School | Leave a comment

Moilin’ in the deadline sun

By Bud Yardline JOTR Sports Writer [paypal-donation] Ain’t that Luke Warm a cool hand with a column? Only one problem from this side of the press room: He may be a college prof, but he’s still full of you know … Continue reading

Posted in Joel's J School | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment