News writing
When I got started in the media business, I dreamed of one day being a beat writer for a Major League Baseball team. While that journey has veered off in a different direction, it is important to maintain the craft of writing, as every audience is simply looking for great, untold content that provides "water-cooler" tidbits that will impress their friends. Here are a few stories I'm proud of:
30 Years Later: A look at the California Condor
Some claimed that the species would find a way to survive on its own, some looked at it as natural selection — but a group of scientists weren’t willing to leave it to chance, or give up hope.
And hope is winning. After more than three decades of nurturing the population at zoos up and down the California coast, the condor population is growing significantly — back in the wild.
As of December 2018, there are 488 California condors, with 312 free-flying, including 188 in California, 88 in Arizona/Northern Utah and 36 in Baja.
And on this splendid summer day at Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge, the picture of how human care has aided in the California condor thriving once again was on full display. READ MORE HERE
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Testing our patience: Essential vs. non-essential
It’s hard to be told that you are not a priority, that you don’t fit into the essential portion of the entirely subjective tiered system that has been put into place in Santa Barbara County. It’s given new meaning to “take two Tylenol, and call me in the morning.”
Unfortunately, nothing changes with that call. Is it the fault of the doctor on the other end of that phone line? No, other than the bedside manner that should be commonplace, pandemic or no pandemic.
Is it the fault of Santa Barbara County? Not necessarily, they can only request what they can request, even if they should be far more aggressive in protecting us.
But the optics continue to call into question who is really getting these tests. READ MORE HERE
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Zeroes & Heroes: The numbers don't lie
Maybe it’s ultimately reflective of a school that can’t seem to balance its budget or properly market itself to make sure enrollment doesn’t dip, but the Santa Barbara City College men’s basketball program is a local laughing stock — and that’s highly unfortunate.
And while losing by an average of 24.6 points per game this season is eye-opening, it should come as no shock considering the last 30 years under head coach Morris Hodges.
In sports, it’s great to have “nice guys,” and Hodges definitely falls into this category.
He’s sincerely a good man.
But mediocrity isn’t accepted — in sports, in business, in life. READ MORE HERE
Tee time for "two"
PINEHURST, N.C. – As fans filed through the gates of Pinehurst No. 2 on Saturday morning, the sun glistening and temperatures steadily climbing, the newly-minted tee sheets showed a single player set to open the round at 9:22 a.m. With a virtual unknown atop the day's pairings, it would have been excused if most patrons simply hit the merchandise tent or sprinted to their favorite spot on the course. Yet, when Nicholas Lindheim stepped up to the first tee with his longtime friend and caddie Carter Hennessey in tow, the stands around the tee box were full. It brought a smile to Lindheim's face – he'd made it to the weekend in his first major start. He walked over to the announcer prior to his introduction, stuck his hand out and said, "I've got a twosome." READ MORE HERE
The perfect distraction
Her smile will melt your heart instantaneously. Her giggle is infectious; you can’t help but bust out a bit yourself. Her bouncy red hair and innocent, big eyes command your attention. Two-year-old Lusi Joy Lyle is a showstopper – destined to break the hearts of many. And her pops is well aware of the trouble he is in a little more than a decade from now, but Jarrod Lyle already has a game plan.
“I will be there with the shotgun when her boyfriend brings her home,” Lyle quipped, not entirely tongue in cheek. Jarrod has plenty to be protective of, as his bundle of joy isn’t simply his daughter – she’s also the reason he says he is still alive. READ MORE HERE
Succeeding through heartache
It’s the night of Oct. 8, 2011, and Brooks Koepka is on the verge of capturing his first collegiate victory.
The Florida State senior had just carded a 2-under 70 to take a three-shot lead heading into the final round at The Brickyard Collegiate in Macon, Ga. As he does on a daily basis, Koepka checked in with his mother, Denise Jakows, at his childhood home in West Palm Beach, Fla. They talk for a couple of minutes about Brooks’ round, but the son senses something is off. “What’s wrong, Mom?” Denise brushes his concern aside, knowing that Brooks has the biggest day of his career ahead of him. Little did he know, his life was about to change forever -- on and off the course. READ MORE HERE
Copywriting
Working for Jeunesse Global, we had the unique challenge of producing content that was region-specific, as Jeunesse is an active business in more than 140 countries, featuring 32 different languages. Here are some samples of our blogs that we created in order to engage our multiple audiences (shown in English only). A link to the full blog is here.
Product: Kickstarting your metabolism
Whatever your health goals, Zen Project 8 is for you! Our all-inclusive system helps you transform your body with regular exercise and the right nutrition. But when it comes to slimming down, there is one word that gets thrown around more than a beach ball at graduation: Metabolism. As important as diet and exercise are, when you eat and workout can have a drastic effect on how well you burn calories. So, if you want to shave off a few extra pounds, here are a few simple ways to keep your metabolism running in high gear. READ MORE HERE
PR: Jeunesse wins 17 Communicator Awards
We are thrilled to announce Jeunesse® is the winner of 17 awards in the 23rd annual Communicator Awards, an international awards program that honors excellence in marketing and communications. Our creative and communications work in print, video, social media and packaging was recognized with two Gold Awards of Excellence and 15 Silver Awards of Distinction. READ MORE HERE
Education: Using Jeunesse's mobile app
We’ve previously suggested five ways to manage your business with Jmobile, and now we’re excited to bring you this list of the most essential parts of Joffice designed to help you. Visit these four places in Joffice to access materials provided by our award-winning marketing department for you to download, distribute and share with ease and at your convenience! READ MORE HERE