It's coming together well

With a looming deadline date and three articles in progress, I must admit my nerves are surfacing. However, I am thoroughly confident in my ability to complete the trio of articles in a timely manner just in time for Wednesday afternoon. The first of my writing duties involves covering the shifting restaurant market in Downtown Athens, a trend that has recently become apparent with the closing of two older Soul Food restaurants and the financial troubles of another, as well as the interesting success of new upstarts that are non-traditional and modern. Can this be attributed to the youth that clearly dominate the downtown market desiring a dining experience that reflects their interests i.e. anything new, invigorating, and distinctive? Or is this simply a result of the general population's disinterest with soul food? Perhaps there's only room for one soul food restaurant in town. I have an interview set for tomorrow morning with the Director of Marketing at the Convention and Visitor's Bureau of Athens who could likely clear up the cloudiness surrounding this change in restaurant fixtures.

Another article deals with the student debt crisis, an issue becoming more and more apparent in present-day America. The recession affected every sector of the economy including financial aid. With budget cuts bearing down on much of state funding, colleges have had to hunker down and increase tuition in order to accommodate this drastic shift. College students and graduates have never before had to come to terms with such a hindrance that obstructs future goals and expectations. I was able to chat with a couple of students on their thoughts about the student debt crisis and both shared similar sentiments voicing a concern for the state of the financial aspect of attending school and where their degree will place them in the job market which has become an extreme rat's race for newcomers. One particular source of information that would be quite helpful in analyzing student debt would be the Financial Aid office. I have contacted UGA's office and intend to speak with them. Hopefully their knowledge will lend the article an edge that I can either contrast with the student's input or coordinate it.

Within the past decade the college admissions process has taken leaps and dives in an effort to strengthen university repertoire and adapt to changing economic times. A more competitive atmosphere has invaded the system and doesn't show any signs of easing up. What may have been acceptable for applicants a decade ago is no longer acceptable now according to today's admissions standards, resulting in decreased class sizes and increased teen ambition. The two college student's I chatted with about the college admissions process spoke in fairly relative terms about their experiences, but agreed that it is becoming much more difficult for the typical high school to waltz confidently into the arms of admissions officers. I would like to hear directly from the admissions office tomorrow about their views on the competitiveness of college acceptance. I was able to speak with the Dean on this issue at a press conference this morning and I believe his responses will provide a good angle for the article.

Article Update (BREAKING NEWS!)

My first article regarding the NSA/AP surveillance scandal is not as far along as my other article. I have read a lot of background information on the subject, but as far as interviews and quotes go, I so far only have Grady Dean Cully Clark's opinion, though a student survey should hopefully provide a lot of help soon. Once all my sources come in, I'll be ready to write. The first part will highlight the backstory, explaining the scandal in brief detail before transitioning into the second part of the article, where I'll incorporate quotes in order to show the public's reaction, focusing primarily on what impact journalists think this scandal will have on the field of journalism, as well as their definition of privacy and whether or not they think what the NSA is doing is both constitutional and moral.

My second article is also two separate articles in itself. The first part will discuss UGA campus construction, such as the Rutherford Hall rebuilding and the work on the Bolton Dining Hall and possible building of a Lumpkin Street bridge. Here I'll include information and quotes gathered from Food Services Director Jeanne Fry, Director of Administrative Services and Communications Carla Dennis, and hopefully Chief Campus Architect Daniel Sniff. My second part will focus on Athens construction, specifically the new apartment buildings. I hope to display both sides of the discussion here, using quotes and information from the apartment building companies and, on the flip-side, from advocacy groups against the construction. I plan to use District 9 Commissioner Kelly Girtz and his insightful input, both opinion-wise as well as helpful legal information regarding the zoning plan to act as an informant. A weigh-in from the Downtown Development Authority would also be useful, as soon as they return my phone call. The real difficulty here is trying to not distance campus and Athens construction, as they almost are two separate stories. However, tying in the campus construction of Rutherford Hall dormitory and relating it to the new apartment buildings in Athens will hopefully serve as an appropriate way to link the two stories.

Overall, aside from a few returned emails and a returned phone call I'm still waiting on, and an in-person interview tomorrow afternoon, I think I'm ready to start writing.