LEAD WRITING AND PRIORIZING The following eight items are rough reporter notes of news stories. Use the information in these reports to write news leads emphasizing relevant information and following the inverted pyramid / 5W + H style of journalism. Your writing must be free of grammatical and spelling errors and must follow all the conventions outlined in the CP Stylebook. Priorize these stories in the order you would present them in your newspaper. State your reasons for the order you have chosen.
1. The call came in at 7:03 pm last night. I responded and was on the scene by :22. At the corner of 10th and Victoria I saw a man down pinned under a motorcycle and a 4 wheel drive jeep with the grill and a fron fender caved in. I ascertained that the cyclist was Joe Brown, 41-22nd st. He was unconscious and as far as I know is still in a coma. The jeep was driven by Harry Smith, 8 Cedar Bay. I smelled liquor on his breath so I took him down to the station for a breath-alayzer. Sure enough he hit about .18. He admitted running a red light. We'll probably charge him later today. We're kinda waiting to see what happens to Brown. If he dies, it's criminal negligence. (Sgt. Peter Gunn, Brandon PD)2. 8:30 pm, Safeway, 10th & Victoria. two thieves escaped with $3869.00 cash after robbing an assistant manager one-half hour before closing time, said Brandon Police Chief Lee Clark. The men wearing ski masks were armed with knives. Both were wearing Denim pants and jackets and appeared to be in their early twenties. No-one was injured. Police were slow in responding because of an accident which occurred earlier near the store. The suspects made use of the confusion to escape in the crowd.
3. It was an early spring and the snow melted and ran-off about two weeks earlier this year than average. That means farmers will be able to seed a week to three weeks earlier than usual. ElroyHanson, spokesman for the Canadian wheat board says the early planting time is a mixed blessing. Because of the ideal weather conditions, some farmers may be tempted to seed more acrage than usual, he says, and that will drive the price of wheat down even further.
4. The Toronto Maple Leafs opened their second round Stanley Cup Playoff series against the visiting Edmonton Oilers last night with an unconvincing 1-0 victory. Edmonton had 42 shots to the Leafs 17. Only incredibly unlucky shooting by the Oilers kept the game from being a blow-out. The lone goal was scored at 19:07 of the third period by Leafs' defenseman Randy Carlysle. Pokey Reddick got the shut out.
5. Brandon Chamber of Commerce president Don Pottinger asys that lower grain prices especially the lower initial price paid by the Canadian Wheat Board will affect those Brandon businesses which depend on sales to the farm community for a major portion of thier revenue. "It's going to be a lean year , " Pottinger says, "Farmers will tighten their belts quickly and firmly." Grain prices dropped an average of 19% last year.
6. Brandon mayor, Reg Atkinson blames the provincial government for City Council's decision to pebble rather that repave Richmond Avenue this year. The Avenue is a major artery, Atkinson says, and the provincial government Department of Highways should foot the bill, at least half. Since the DOT refused to provide any funds this year, the city had no choice but to adopt the cheaper pebbling procedure.
7. Last night Brandon general hospital director Jack Chapman announced that two more floors at BGH would be closed for three months during the summer. 44 nurses and nurses aids will be affected. Chapman hopes that lay-offs won't be necessary because many nurses take vacation time in summer and some may voluntarily take leave of absence. Chapman says patient care won't be affected since people are generally healthier during the summer. Who's he trying to to kid.
8. CKBU news has learned that Video Store operator Hilary Clinton who is being tried in the Provincial Court this week for disseminating obscene movies was fined $5000.00 for the same offence in an Ontario town a year ago. Defense witnesses including two prominent film critics are expected to be called today. The trial is in its third day. Crown attournies rested their case yesterday after calling 10 witnesses including members of the Manitoba Film Classification Board who testified that the video tapes in question would not be permitted in commercial theatres in Manitoba.
