News writing exercises as found online. READ THESE DIRECTIONS CLOSELY. Any resemblance to incidents and/or persons living or dead is purely coincidental. THESE ARE NOT real stories or events.

REMEMBER – check earlier writing tips and examples, write the story conversationally, and think about telling the relevant who, what when where why, how and ‘so what’. The story as read should be :20 long

You will do your story at the time on the prompter that the words come up “This just in”

So you would see:

ANCHOR 1 (or Anchor 2 if you’re anchor 2)

This just in ...... (DELIVER YOUR STORY)

(space on the prompter would be here, followed by)

ANCHOR 1: (or Anchor 2 if you’re anchor 2) – meaning at this point you would read two stories back to back – yours, plus one in the prompter. If you are Anchor 1, your story will be the first story you read –if you are Anchor 2 your story will be the last story you read.

STORY 1 –(to be written by Harrison, Infinity, Brant, Terrell) (this does not imply you are Anchor 1 – you won’t know in advance)

COMMERCE POLICE GAVE YOU THIS INFORMATION...

.... Mr. Burton Waller and his wife, Laura, were driving to their home in Commerce this morning, after shopping in Greenville. Mr and Mrs Dallas were in the front of their Toyota Tundra pick-up. Their three children were traveling in the back - Paul, aged nine; Rachel, aged seven; and Miriam, aged three. They live at 1204 West Tyson Street.

Driving past the Odd Fellows cemetery on Hwy. 24, they met a truck traveling in the opposite direction. This was a semi-trailer belonging to Pacific Earthmoving Inc, that was carrying a 12-ton bulldozer. The truck was driven by Mr. Lewis Kili, who is from Honey Grove in Fannin County. The pick-up ran out of control and collided head-on with the semi-trailer.

Police and ambulance were sent for. Mr. and Mrs. Waller and their two elder children died instantly. Miriam was taken to hospital with serious injuries and at last report was comatose and in critical condition. The pick-up was a write-off. The semi-trailer suffered only minor damage. Mr Kili was also taken to hospital and treated for shock, but was later allowed to go home.

Police have interviewed Mr Kili. They say they are unlikely to charge him with any offence.

Mr. Waller was an employee of Texas A&M University-Commerce and Mrs. Waller worked at Key Printing and Office supply on MLK Blvd.

STORY 2 (to be written by BJ, Allie, Jared, Elizabeth)(this does not imply you are Anchor 2 – you won’t know in advance)

COMMERCE POLICE GAVE YOU THIS INFORMATION...

The victim of shooting last night at the Fandango Bar & Grill on Wilson Street in downtown Commerce died this morning. Two men in the bar got into an argument. When the two started shoving each other, the bartender threw them out. For several minutes, people in the bar said they could hear the men still arguing on the street outside. Then there was the sound of a shot being fired. A few patrons rushed outside to see what had happened, and one of the men who had been arguing lay on the ground in a pool of blood. He'd been shot in the head. The victim appeared to be in his mid 30s, and was dressed in an expensive-looking suit and tie. The shooter was nowhere to be seen. The shooting occurred around 10:45 p.m.

Police officer Kerry Pinkham tells you the man was rushed to St. Mary's Hospital after the shooting. He says homicide detectives on the scene interviewed bar patrons about what happened but so far, no one seems to know much. "That's not surprising," she adds. "The Fandango is a known hangout for drug dealers and users, and people aren't likely to talk." Pinkham says detectives don't yet have a motive for the shooting, but she speculates that the two might have been arguing over a drug deal.

The victim is Magnus Carlson, press secretary for Commerce mayor Alfred E. ‘Wimpy’ Poindexter. Age 35.

REMEMBER...

Each person writes only one story. Write the one you’re assigned to.

Send the story in your VIDEO PROJECTS folder of your Google Drive AS NOTED ON THE COURSE OUTLINE, then also BRING A COPY for yourself and another for the Director when you read Tuesday. IF YOU ARE LATE TO CLASS TUESDAY, YOU WILL MISS THE CHANCE TO DO YOUR NEWS ANCHOR performance project.