YDR Insider

York Daily Record staffers Lauren Boyer, Chris Dunn, John Hilton, Rebecca LeFever and Brandie Kessler have spent time over the past week helping the New Haven Register, a sister paper to the YDR, cover the school shooting. Editor Jim McClure also spent a week in Newtown, and Managing Editor Randy Parker just returned from several days there.

They were among about 30 journalists from Digital First Media newsrooms to help the Register staff in its coverage. A large contingent from New York-based Thunderdome, DFM’s national and international content hub, also made extensive contributions to the coverage.

Boyer, Dunn and Hilton have written about their work and the reception they’ve received — and connections they’ve made — in Newtown.

Their personal and emotional thoughts are collected here.

Other YDR staffers, as well as reporters from other Digital First Media news outlets, are also writing about their experiences.

• Adam Poulisse of the Berkshire Eagle writes that he will never take his family for granted again.
• Frank Otto of the Pottstown Mercury writes about a journalist’s role in covering such a tragedy.
• Jenny DeHuff of the Times-Herald writes about why Sandy Hook will always stay with her.
• YDR editor Jim McClure, in “A billion acts of kindness,” writes in part: “…if we accept for a minute that on occasion we do contribute at least a bit to the woes of others, we can see that we can do something to fix those problems. If, say, 75 million Americans would try a little harder one time a month to reach out to those in need, we’d increase the reservoir of kindness by at least a billion. Concentrate those efforts toward young people and people with mental illnesses, and there would be even more rewards.”
• Markell DeLoatch, chief photographer at the Chambersburg Public Opinion, shares a story about how a particular photo he took affected him.
• Danielle Lynch of the Delco Daily Times writes about how she felt that an act of violence had occurred at a time of peace.

Also of interest

– Check out the New Haven Register’s special section about Newtown.
– For comprehensive, ongoing coverage of the Newtown shootings, bookmark: Nhregister.com.
– For bios and photos of Newtown shooting victims, visit New Haven Register’s  ‘Tragedy at Sandy Hook.’
– Read messages from families of Columbine to residents of Newtown, courtesy of the Denver Post.

Also:

– Randy Parker: Why York journalists are covering the shooting in Newtown, Conn.

– Jim McClure: York County can – and must – connect with grieving Connecticut community.

– Read other YDR Insider posts that touch in full or in part on Newtown.

– Red Lion elementary school principal forgives machete attacker.

– Archived from 2001: Special package on Red Lion school shooting, 2003: Finding their way out: Red Lion school shooting still haunts some.

*Edited, 1/2/13