Dougherty - Resume

Curriculum Vit æ

Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

M e dia C are er

Editor, Publisher, Art Director, Writer, Reporter, Photographer, Page Designer, Graphic Artist, Marketer Media Companies/Publications: Journal Exchange Company, Colorez!Arizona; Territorial Newspapers, Tucson Weekly, Inside Tucson Business, azbiz.com, Daily Territorial; Pines Media, Shore Progress (Ocean Pines, Md.); Valdez (Alaska) Star; Cooke Communications, Key West Citizen, keysnews.com; Avery Journal (Newland, N.C.); Web Hosting Magazine (Washington, D.C.); Chesapeake Strategic Marketing Group, Maryland Times-Press, Ocean Pines Independent, Maryland Beachcomber; Underbridge Enterprises, Scáthán; Evening Herald (Shenandoah, Pa.); Citizen Standard (Valley View, Pa.)

Technic al Prof icienc y

Workflow Specialist, Multi-platform Server/Client Schemes, Print/Internet Strategies Software Proficiency: Adobe Creative Suites 4,3,2,1 (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Flash); Microsoft Windows Servers & Clients (Including Windows 7); Apple OSX Servers & Clients; Adobe InCopy; Adobe Version Cue; QuarkXpress; Microsoft Expressions Studio; Video & Sound Editing Solutions

Bu sine s s Skills

Award s

Per sonal Intere st s

Educ ation

Manager, Consultant, Researcher, Instructor, Marketer Areas of Experience: Workflow & Technology Consultant; Design Consultant; Business Model Research & Implementation; Educational Course Designer & Instructor; Management; Hiring & Discharging; Advertising Sales; Office Procedures; Accounting

National & State Accolades From Press Associations/Service Organizations Won as Individual: Feature Writing, Avery Journal, Scáthán; News Writing, Avery Journal, Scáthán; Publication Design, Colorez!Arizona, Inside Tucson Business, Key West Citizen; Page Design, Tucson Weekly, Inside Tucson Business, Scáthán; Illustration, Inside Tucson Business, Citizen Standard, Photography, Avery Journal, Citizen Standard. Won by Publications During Tenure: Public Service, Tucson Weekly, Scáthán, Evening Herald; Specialty Publication, Tucson Weekly, Inside Tucson Business, Key West Citizen, Scáthán; Publication & Page Design, Tucson Weekly, Inside Tucson Business; General News Coverage, Avery Journal, Scáthán (The judge wrote, “Reading Scáthán makes me realize how much we have ‘dumbed down’ our daily papers.”); Website, tucsonweekly.com, keysnews.com; Photography & Use of Photography, Tucson Weekly, Inside Tucson Business, Avery Journal, Citizen Standard; Advertising Excellence, Tucson Weekly, Inside Tucson Business, Scáthán (Newspaper of the Year); Two Consecutive “Sweepstake” Awards Acknowledging the Citizen Standard as the Best Newspaper Its Size in Pennsylvania

Avid Outdoorsman & Sustainable Living Enthusiast Major Activities: Hiking; Camping; Off-Road Driving; Reading; Photography; Gardening; Organic & Niche Farming

Continuing Education Courses, Penn State University, Cardinal Brennan High School

Curriculum Vit æ

Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

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Curriculum Vit æ

Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

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Curriculum Vit æ

Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

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Curriculum Vit æ

Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

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Curriculum Vit æ

Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

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Curriculum Vit æ

Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

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Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

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Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

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Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

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Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

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13” 11” 9” 7” 5” 3”

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*Totals include some smaller snow accumulations not shown

Source: National Weather Service

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Jan. 17 — Williamsport

1.4”

14.3”

Jan. 17 — Harrisburg

Jan. 14 — Williamsport

Jan. 12 — Williamsport 1.5”

Jan. 12 — Harrisburg 4.5”

Jan. 8 — Williamport 2.5”

Jan. 8 — Harrisburg 1.4”

Jan. 7 — Williamsport 1.3”

Jan. 6 — Williamsport .5”

Jan. 4 — Williamsport 13”

Jan. 4 — Harrisburg 6.8”

Jan. 3 — Williamsport .7”

National Weather Service official recorded snowfalls

1”

Hugh A. Dougherty

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Enter your current real estate tax bill

$

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Enter your assessed property value $

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Current real estate millage expressed as a percentage

Millage

x

Enter the amount you pay per mill

75 New real estate millage tax

$ This is your assessed property value

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$ This is what you pay per mill taxed

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$ New tax bill

The Tri-Valley School Board Tentatively Approved a

10 MILL Real Estate Tax Increase To:

SUSQUEHANNA RIVER

NORTH STREET

Compute Your Tax Worksheet

After being struck on the TINA'S right rear by SANDWICH the train, Garcia's car SHOP spun clockwise and the front right of the vehicle struck the cement base of the crossing signal which was knocked over.

TRAIN

Balance the Budget Create a Capital Reserve Fund for Future Use Renovate the High School Building

Point of Impact

The train stopped 3/4 mile from point of impact

North Street from Market Street is a steep hill heading towards the railroad crossing

118 Feet

300 Feet

TRI-VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL

WEST STREET

HEBRON CHURCH

Source: Tri-Valley School District

Hugh Dougherty

NOLL, CARTER WITNESS ACCIDENT

MARKET STREET

Hugh A. Dougherty

Accident scene as described by those who testified

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Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

Photography

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Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

Adver tising De sig n s

Curriculum Vit æ

Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

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Curriculum Vit æ

Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

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Curriculum Vit æ

Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

Adver tising De sig n s

Curriculum Vit æ

Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

The Mollies’ Jailer Published in Scáthán

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“Imagine the scene: In walks the executioner. Campbell—a man more than six feet tall— turns, places his hand on the wall, and says, ‘Here’s my mark of innocence.’”

magine being dragged through a three-foot-thick arched doorway with a solid iron outer door and an inner door with bars spaced so close together that an open hand wouldn’t fit between them. Your hands and feet are shackled, so guards pull you down a narrow corridor into a long, dark room lined with black iron doors on both sides and a vaulted ceiling. A door is opened, and you are kicked inside - your body bruised by striking the cold concrete. The only light in the cell comes from a narrow opening at the juncture of wall and ceiling opposite the door. Such was the introduction of the inmates to the Carbon County jail in the anthracite coal region of Pennsylvania. Today, the site of the infamous Molly Maguire executions is a museum and open to the public. Visitors walk through the cell block where Alec Campbell and seven other Mollies were hanged. They walk past the cell—Number 17—Campbell was held. They walk down corridors, past other cells, and along narrow passageways. Psychics, and others with a sixth sense, say troubled spirits lurk. “I wanted to preserve a piece of history. It’s a landmark,” said Thomas McBride, the man who bought the old jail in August 1994. Perhaps the most famous part of the jail is that cell of infamy,

Cell 17, where a faint, mysterious hand print can still be seen on the wall today. The print has survived cleaning, painting, even chipping. Legend is that Campbell placed it there on June 12, 1877, as a testament to his innocence. “Imagine the scene: In walks the executioner. Campbell—a man more than six feet tall—turns, places his hand on the wall, and says, ‘Here’s my mark of innocence.’” Campbell was executed in the cell block alongside three other men accused of being Molly Maguries and convicted of murder. Six others were executed in Pottsville, Pa., during what became known as Pennsylvania’s Day of the Rope.

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uring the days when coal was king, coal barons and mine bosses controlled almost every aspect of life in the anthracite coal region. Most men worked in the mines, on the railroad, or in other mine-related jobs. As miners organized in an attempt to improve working conditions, there was violence. A group called the Molly Maguires was blamed by the press and mine owners for most of the random acts of violence. As the violence escalated, calculated assassinations were blamed on the Mollies. Molly trials became public

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spectacles in which circumstantial evidence, hearsay and innuendo were used to send dozens of men to prison and 20 men to the gallows.

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oday, the Mollies are almost folk heroes throughout the region. Books chronicle the events from 1862 to 1879 - the heyday of the Mollies. Mock trials, tours and special events bring people from across the country. In Jim Thorpe, Pa., at the Old Carbon County Jail, McBride has set out to preserve that building’s place in Molly legend. He also wants to preserve a piece of prison history and show how prisoners lived a century ago. The building served Carbon County for 125 years as an active lockup. In August 1994, the county commissioners put the old building up for sale pending the opening of a new jail outside town. The old jail is on Broadway in the county seat. Next door are beautifully decorated Victorian houses. “I was quite surprised when

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Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

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“Men were hanged here. Men were executed here. We didn’t want to sensationalize that. We didn’t want to exploit that.”

The Mollies’ Jailer, continued it went for sale. I felt the county should have maintained it as a museum,” McBride said, recalling how he felt when he read the news in a local paper the day after the commissioners meeting. If the county wasn’t going to preserve it, he would. He polled his family— and all were in agreement. McBride raised the $160,000 asking price. The bid was approved at the next commissioners meeting. “We got it, now what are we going to do with it,” McBride said. There were ongoing expenditures for electricity, heat and taxes to think about—and “it wasn’t the cleanest place.” The purchase agreement was signed in August 1994, but because the jail was still in use pending completion of the new facility, McBride didn’t take possession until January 1995. “I guess they (the commissioners) were glad to get rid of the white elephant,” McBride said. “They knew the maintenance cost. I didn’t. This is more emotion than logic.”

apartment from the building’s dedication until the 1970s. As many as 50 prisoners at a time were in residence. A door in the basement served as entrance and exit for the prisoners. Standing in this doorway, McBride noted that some people describe a feeling of uneasiness as they pass. “One described it as torture,” he said. More than 100 people, McBride says, have come to him unprompted and said they have experienced uneasy feelings at various locations in the building. In one cell in the “dungeon,” people describe a feeling of “get out of here” when entering. McBride hasn’t had any kind of supernatural experience, but admits, “I’m beginning to believe that there is a sense.” Legend has it that one prisoner in Cell 17, during the 1970s, was so terrified that he awoke screaming. “They’re (the executed Mollies) coming to get me.” He was the last one to occupy the cell, which stood unoccupied when McBride became the jail keeper.

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he jail was built in 1871. The original design called for 29 cells in the main cell block and 16 other cells in what is called the “dungeon.” The warden lived in the front part of the prison. The quarters were lavish, with large, spacious rooms and 13-foot ceilings. Wardens and their families— many with children—lived in the

ince taking possession, McBride has become somewhat of an expert on the Mollies. “I admit I wasn’t a student until I bought the jail.” Now, he can cite trial transcripts or quote from any one of the many Molly books. As a student, he has formed his own opinions. “I’m beginning to suspect that they were set up. There were people

who wanted to eliminate the AOH (Ancient Order of Hibernians),” McBride said in an interview— sitting under the spot in the cell block where the gallows was located. McBride, a native of Carbon County, had relocated to Florida, where he was in the real estate business. When children came along, he and his wife moved back to Carbon County and opened a small Irish shop called the Treasure Shop. His intention was to retire, but being “warden” of the old jail is now a fulltime occupation. “Some time I want to get back to my retirement,” he said. The jail is maintained by a nonprofit corporation. McBride said his main concern now is financial stability for the museum. Volunteers serve as tour guides. Last year more than 10,000 visitors toured the jail—its first year as a museum. McBride expects more this year. He said people are genuinely interested in the jail, and it has had a lot of publicity since opening as a museum. McBride is sensitive to its history. He turned away “Good Morning America” when the national ABC morning magazine wanted to produce a Halloween special at the site. “Men were hanged here. Men were executed here. We didn’t want to sensationalize that. We don’t want to exploit that,” he said. •

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Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

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News Analysis: TDA Actions, Public or Private Published in the Avery Journal Editor’s Note: Newspapers offer news analysis to provide insight into the motivations behind a particular news story. The decision to write a news analysis is based on the overall importance of the story. News analysis is not opinion, but rather a mechanism to get at the heart of a story.

“These people might be tourists, but they’re still working men.”

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he Avery Tourist Development Authority has been the focal point for most of the county-based political positioning in recent months. At its regular meeting on Thursday, Oct. 5, its membership was the major topic of conversation— overshadowing the decisions to spend portions of its remaining money on community groups such as the Avery Arts Council. Prior to the TDA meeting at the Tartan Restaurant in Linville, TDA treasurer Dave Peters was not reappointed as a board member representing the county lodging association. At last month’s meeting, it was announced that the county commissioners had decided not to reappoint certain members and to change the representation of other members, including Peters. The board as a whole suggested removing Peters from his role as the lodging association representative and reappointing him as a representative from the Chamber

of Commerce. The TDA is the spending arm of a hotel room occupancy tax. The 3-percent room tax was eliminated by the county commissioners in the spring. The reasons stated at the time varied from a lack of ability to spend the funds generated on communitybased projects to disdain for the Chamber of Commerce—one of the recipients of money from the TDA—to sympathy for tourists who had to pay the tax. At the regular meeting last Thursday, TDA member Jim Hughes voiced his opposition to the tax, saying, “It’s about time people in this country realize that there is no such thing as a free lunch. “These people might be tourists, but they’re still working men,” Hughes said. Hughes has made his opposition to the tax known since its inception in 1997. His Pixie Inn in Linville, and every other lodging and camping facility in the county, had to report occupancy to the county finance office during the three years that the tax was collected. Even though the tax was repealed, the TDA still has money to disperse, so it remains as an active board. And it has been very active in the months since the tax was repealed. The activity, though, has revolved around what the TDA will be in the future and who

will be on its board. The TDA was created in 1997 by an act of the North Carolina legislature. The law was written specifically for Avery County. Basically, it charges the county commissioners with filling a ninemember board and establishes guidelines for reappointment. It’s the state law and the established guidelines that have given rise to confusion and accusations of law-breaking. This newspaper’s publisher, Glenn Grizzard, has been a vocal critic of the actions of the TDA board. The state law charged the Avery County commissioners to, by local ordinance, people the TDA board. They did that in 1997 when Dan Vance was chairman of the commissioners. One commissioner would sit on the board. Four people would represent the lodging association. Two people would represent the chamber of commerce. The other two members of the board would be members of the public chosen by the commissioners. Each board with representation was given the authority to name its own members when the original membership came up for reappointment. Terms were set at three and four years initially—to create a staggered replacement— and then four years after that. This year marks the first time

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Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

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The reason for a lack of public interest may be genuine. The public may simply not be interested in a board that has no source of revenue and exists only to disperse its remaining funds. Or they may be intimidated by the venue for meetings.

TDA Actions, continued there is a need to reappoint members of the board. The county commissioners named their members and proceeded to name the members representing the other organizations—seemingly in violation of their own ordinance. They chose Troy Clark to fill Peters slot from the lodging association and moved Peters over to represent the chamber. Hughes was reappointed to his spot as a lodging association representative as was Jim Heaton as one of the members from the public. Diane Martin from the chamber was not considered for reappointment. The chamber of commerce, Peters, Grizzard and others challenged the action verbally. They said the commissioners’ actions were in violation both of their own ordinance and of the state law. Clark, who is a county commissioner, said that the commissioners were not violating the law. He went so far as to agree—albeit not verbally— when asked if the action of the current commissioners’ board was discussed with county attorney Doug Hall. Prior to the Thursday TDA meeting, Peters forced a vote during the lodging association meeting to name its members. The lodging association named the commissioners’ picks after a little discussion and a little confusion as to who was actually meeting. The lodging association

meets immediately prior to the TDA meeting, and usually one meeting runs into the other. Now it’s the chamber’s turn to name its member. The members will do so at an upcoming board meeting. If they name anyone other than Peters, there is sure to be a fight that may not be resolved outside the courtroom. Whether or not the chamber has the resources or the desire to challenge the commissioners and TDA in court remains to be seen. Newspapers can sue in the public interest, but Grizzard has already ruled that out as an option for the Avery Journal. With the state attorney general prepared to offer an opinion as to the legality of the commissioners’ actions, it would seem that the matter is back in the commissioners’ hands. And every interested party is waiting to see what happens. Peters himself may not be interested in remaining on the TDA in any capacity. After the lodging association meeting, he left the Tartan, saying that he could not remain because he did not represent any body and therefore was not a member of the TDA. The TDA opened its session with five of its nine members present. That number was enough to conduct business, but that fact was not noted until midway through the meeting. The TDA conducts itself in

a very informal manner. While it is not unheard of for a public board to meet at a nonpublic facility, it is worth noting that the TDA meets at a restaurant closely linked to one of its own members and a vocal opponent to the very tax that it was charged to administer. Its meetings are rarely attended by people from the public. Usually those who attend are seeking money from the TDA. Within the last three months, no one addressing concerns outside the media and chamber has attended. The reason for a lack of public interest may be genuine. The public may simply not be interested in a board that has no source of revenue and exists only to disperse its remaining funds. Or they may be intimidated by the venue for meetings. The public may not realize that as a public board, the TDA meetings must be open to the public regardless of where they are held. After the November elections and a new board of county commissioners are seated, it is possible to reinstate the room tax without further action for the state legislature—at least in the opinion of some legal authorities questioned by this newspaper. It may also be possible by commissioner resolution to dissolve the current TDA board and name a new board. Again, this is in the opinion of legal

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Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

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In the end, it won’t matter who’s right or wrong — or who is abiding by the law and who isn’t — it’s who can afford the litigation.

TDA Actions, continued authorities—including those familiar with writing law and familiar with the law written specifically for Avery County creating the TDA. However, in the absence of any action by the state legislature, anything the board does, just like action from the current board, could be challenged in court. In the end, it won’t matter who’s right or wrong—or who is abiding by the law and who isn’t—it’s who can afford the litigation. Regardless, it will drain money away from the purpose of the TDA—and that is to promote Avery County. Hughes made another point at last Thursday’s meeting. He stated that it was possible to promote Avery County without a room tax to pay for it. This is very true. Hughes offered no insight into exactly what that promotion would be and how it would be funded. Given that those who opposed the tax and helped repeal the tax are now in control of the TDA, it will be interesting to see what plans they propose and implement to fulfill the purpose of the TDA, that is, to promote Avery County. •

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Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

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Testimony About Addiction From an Addict Pain Leads to Abuse of Oxycodone Published in the Avery Journal

B “What worries me is that there are so many young people who don’t realize what they’re getting themselves into. When you start, you don’t know what you’re doing. You want more, more, more. You don’t have any kind of life. You can’t do anything except find your next fix.”

ill is recovering from an addiction to oxycodone. He drives to a methadone clinic in Asheville three times a week for treatment. He’ll be making the trek and taking the medication for months to come. His name really isn’t Bill—not even close. He does live in Avery County, though. He’s lived here his whole life. He works here. His family is here. His girlfriend is here. He’s going to get married here. His friends are here, too. Bill came to the offices of the Avery Journal to tell his story. His hope is that, by doing so, he can help others. He wants to deter people from becoming addicts, and he wants to persuade people he knows who are addicts to seek treatment. He was sought out by reporters at the Avery Journal. The newspaper has been covering the oxycodone story for months. The police have been reported on. The medical community has been reported on. It was decided to give a human face to a situation that has been called a crisis by experts. Bill agrees that it’s a crisis. He also doesn’t understand exactly how it happened here. He knows how he became addicted, but he doesn’t know exactly why. Experts also are perplexed as to the why behind the story. What

everyone knows, though, is that they have to deal with it. Bill has been clean since February. He has been in treatment since December 1999. He thanks his family, his girlfriend and his friends for being there and helping him. He also attributes his success to prayer. Journalists make a tough call every time someone is given anonymity. There’s no formula to go by. It isn’t enough for someone simply to say “This is off the record” or “I don’t want my name used.” Essentially, telling something to a reporter on the job is telling it in public. When covering a story like Bill’s, journalists wrestle with its reception. Will it be believed? Does Bill’s identity need to be protected? What value is there is telling his story? How can it be told without being sensational? Bill’s identity is being protected because the value of his words is more important than knowing who he is. He’s a real person. He lives in the community, and he works in the community.

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ill, a young-looking man in his 30s, came to the newspaper offices and sat for an hour or so with its editor.

Bill was very candid—not at all rehearsed. He wasn’t exactly at ease during the conversation, but he obviously wanted to tell his story. He in fact needed to tell his story. “What worries me is that there are so many young people who don’t realize what they’re getting themselves into,” Bill said. “When you start, you don’t know what you’re doing. You want more, more, more. You don’t have any kind of life. You can’t do anything except find your next fix.” He started using oxycodone two years ago. He knew about the pills three years ago. He also knows that the drug is more of a problem now than it was two and three years ago. Bill started taking the pills seeking relief for pain. He started taking about 20 milligrams, which cost roughly $20. When he went to the methadone clinic, he was taking 200 milligrams a day, costing $200. He was injecting the pills intravenously—shooting up.

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Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

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“It controls you. It takes over and becomes your whole life. You go to bed thinking about it. When you wake up, the first thing you do is think about it. It’s not a life. It’s a terrible life. It’s living a lie every day.”

Testimony About Addiction, continued When he couldn’t find oxycodone, he sought out other opiates—including heroin. “It helped a lot at the time. I didn’t really know what I was getting into. I really hadn’t experimented with opiates. All I did was over-the-counter drugs and stuff like that.” He also experimented with marijuana and alcohol, but he doesn’t see a direct correlation between his addiction and use of those drugs. At first it was a problem finding the oxycodone. “More than now,” he said. Soon after he started, 20 milligrams wasn’t enough. He started taking more. “At first, 20 milligrams would keep me feeling fine all day.” Six months after starting, he realized there was a problem. “I thought I could just quit. It didn’t work that way.” When he tried to quit or when a supply of the pills wasn’t available, he suffered from severe pain. He was sick. He would throw up. He would sweat and get chills. He couldn’t sleep. “I wanted to die. “It controls you. It takes over and becomes your whole life. You go to bed thinking about it. When you wake up, the first thing you do is think about it. It’s not a life. It’s a terrible life. It’s living a lie every day.” His brother and his girlfriend knew he had a problem. Bill pleaded with them not to tell his

parents. Some friends knew, too. Bill promised these people that he would quit. He didn’t. He said he couldn’t. He would stop for two or three days, but then go back to the pills. “It’s not like quitting other things. When you quit drinking, every day you feel a little better. Every day, I felt a little worse. I couldn’t get out of bed. Everything hurt. I needed it.” So he continued. He knew he was an addict. He went to work. He paid for the pills selling things, with his salary, by other means. He described how addicts get the pills. There’s a trading system. Someone gets some. They sell to each other. In that way, addicts get to know each other. Bill said he sees people he knows who are addicted on the street all the time. He’s out of it completely, though. “All my tests come back negative. I can’t have this in my life,” he said. He’s tested for drugs as part of his treatment at the clinic in Asheville. “I’ve been clean.”

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n December—Dec. 15, exactly— he went to Asheville. While he’s thankful to his family, he said that regardless of their reaction and concern, he knew he had to do it. He knew he was at a point where he needed to get off

oxycodone. “I knew for a year that I needed to get off - to get off without my mother knowing. I knew that going to Asheville was my last grasp. I didn’t have any choice.” That decision meant that he had to tell is parents, too. He started going every day. That’s the way the treatment works. At first, it’s seven days. Then six after a few weeks, then three after three months. As long as Bill doesn’t test positive for drugs, he will continue to receive methadone. He takes the methadone when he feels the need. He leaves for Asheville on the days he has to go very early. “It’s not easy to drive an hour and 20 minutes like that.” He has to get back in time to go to work. There are two clinics in Asheville. Bill switched from one to the other because the second one opened an hour earlier. “It’s a hard thing to do. Just talking doesn’t help. When you need oxy, there is no substitute other than methadone. The methadone will bring you out of that world. “You can get better if you will make up your mind that you’re finished. You need some kind of help. I had my mother and my father and my girlfriend. It was hard for my girlfriend. She stood by me, though. It’s not happening overnight, but I’m off it.”

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Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

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“Law enforcement and the medical community are doing the best they can. It’s like every other drug. If there are people who want it, they can get it.”

Testimony About Addiction, continued

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ill came forward because he wanted to tell others that there is treatment and he wanted to tell others to start it and he wanted to tell others that there is a need to do something about it. When the question of why it’s a problem was brought up, it wasn’t answered. The why is perplexing. One of the causes Bill sees, though, is a lack of recreation for younger people. Casually speculating, Bill wondered whether a movie theater or a putt putt course might help. And, it might have helped him. He drank, he tried dope. He doesn’t know exactly why. He knew other people who did it long before he tried. He said he has good parents and had a good home life. The one question that remains is why. For Bill, the solution to the problem is letting people know what it’s like. “Law enforcement and the medical community are doing the best they can. It’s like every other drug. If there are people who want it, they can get it. It takes understanding. The more people know about this drug, the less demand there will be for it. “If I knew what it would be like, maybe I wouldn’t have gotten into it. I don’t know. All I know is that I wish I never saw even one of those pills.” •

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Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

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Part 2: Alaska Is a Land of Wonders ...Driving There Is Half the Adventure Freelance Article Published in The Next Page, Harrisburg, Pa.

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Luckily for us, Alaska proved too much a giant, too barren, too frozen, too wild and too awe-inspiring to be tamed.

he United States’ Last Frontier was called a giant barren, frozen, wild wasteland when it was acquired in the 19th Century. It didn’t take long for its value to be realized. Late in the 1890s, gold was discovered in neighboring Yukon and euphoria spread around the world. There were other gold rush stampedes in Alaska, and elsewhere, before. None had the impact of the Klondike find. Historians have written volumes about Klondike’s significance. The gold rush came at the right time and in the right place. It was the Gay Nineties and mankind had just passed through a century of industrialization and mechanization. People thought that there weren’t many unexplored, unconquered lands left on the globe. With this mindset, tens of thousands mortgaged their lives and headed north on one last hurrah that would close out the gilded age. Luckily for us, Alaska proved too much a giant, too barren, too frozen, too wild and too aweinspiring to be tamed. Just like a century ago, getting to Alaska with meaningful experiences is half the battle and half the fun. It took a world war, threat of invasion and an engineering masterpiece to open a roadway into the great North. To get there, the trek begins some

1,500 miles to the southeast in Canada’s British Columbia.

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awson Creek began as a typical prairie town. That all changed in 1942 when it was decided to carve a path to Fairbanks, Alaska, at any cost. Just like in the 1890s, tens of thousands committed to the task. Somewhat like the gold-hungry pioneers, the U.S. Army came, built and withdrew. What they left isn’t exactly tame—it does challenge and does offer obstacles. It’s the Alaska Highway. Today, Dawson Creek, Mile “0,” has all the amenities of a “passthrough” town. All the chain hotels and motels have franchises so there’s no shortage of rooms. For a rustic, pioneering experience, book ahead at the Alaska Hotel. Even if you don’t stay the night, check out the saloon. The atmosphere comes from a mixture of locals and travelers, and is fairly typical of what you’ll find along the highway and in Alaska. It’s a good introduction. The emporium’s slogan is “55 paces south of the Mile ‘0’ post.” Entertainment is offered most nights during the travel season— there’s always something going on. Be prepared, after a night of revel-rousing, to stagger more than 55 paces back to your bed. If you’re lucky (and survived the previous night’s intake of

libation), dawn is the perfect time to hit the road. A few miles outside town, the highway makes a straight run toward the horizon. This is the lazy-drive part of the highway. The terrain dips slightly and way off in the distance it swoops back up. The Rocky Mountains aren’t visible yet, but they are there, waiting. The traveler passes through several small towns. North of Fort Saint John, the terrain becomes noticeably hillier. Prairie farms give way to woodland. Travel stops become more infrequent. The Alaska Highway is well maintained (by Pennsylvania standards). It’s still obligatory to provision appropriately. Make sure your spare tire is in working order and you have the tools to perform field repair if necessary. You should also pack camping gear, first-aid kit and food, just in case. Stop to fill up the gas tank at every opportunity. Be sure to ask the attendant what the road conditions farther north are like. They’re the best source of information. Traveling the highway is relatively safe. However, highway banditry has been reported. The best advice is the same advice brow-beaten by parochial school nuns, “Keep your wits about you.” Always stop to assist stranded motorists or others who seem in

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Curriculum Vit æ

Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

Writing Sample s

Until you’ve seen this glacier-fed mountain lake, you never would have guessed that water could be so blue. It shows off its depth and its foreboding, fidget waters with spectacular grandeur.

Alaska Highway, continued need. Remember, you’ve entered a true wilderness. Services can be miles away. Don’t be surprised if a local asks which direction you’re traveling and then asks for a ride to the next town. Use your own judgment and be cautious. If it works out, you may find a friend, or at least a knowledgeable companion who will gladly point out local features and hideaways— often with embellishment. Asking for rides is common and is often times the only means to get to a doctor appointment or food shopping. Your companion may be a grandmother or a college-age backpacker. As you pass through Fort Nelson, you’re in the Rockies. The road climbs over ridges and winds down steep inclines. It crosses rivers and passes alongside grand mountain peaks. Here’s where it can get hairy. The biggest obstacle isn’t what you would expect. It’s recreation vehicles. There are passing lanes, but don’t be surprised to get stuck behind a line of five or six behemoths chugging along at a snail’s pace. The best thing you can do is resolve to travel at the speed of the convoy and enjoy the scenery. For many miles, you straddle the border between British Columbia and Yukon. You’ll pass into Yukon and back into B.C. and then back into Yukon. On one of these dips, you’ll pass through Watson Lake. Here, you’ll find what amounts to the only tourist

trap along the entire stretch. It’s the great Northern Lights Signpost Forest. It started as a place where U.S. soldiers vented their homesickness by posting boards pointing to their home towns with the number of miles away. Since then it’s grown to point the distance from all over the globe. I don’t know for certain if Harrisburg is represented, but I’m sure it is. Heading more westerly than north, you’re firmly in Yukon at Teslin Lake. The road path cuts so close to the shore of the narrow lake that you can almost stretch your hand out the window and touch the water. And then you arrive in Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon and its largest city. Just like in Dawson Creek, you’ll find every amenity. Entertainment abounds and the Klondike Gold Rush spirit is preserved. You may almost forget where your heading with all there is to see and do. Whitehorse

makes a great camp base for exploring Yukon, and it offers a much-needed respite from the rigors of driving. Back on the highway, Destruction Bay and Kluane Lake are next. Until you’ve seen this glacier-fed mountain lake, you never would have guessed that water could be so blue. It shows off its depth and its foreboding, fidget waters with spectacular grandeur. The last stop in Yukon is Beaver Creek. Arriving along the main street, you feel relieved. Alaska is within sight. Before you pass the U.S. Border station, stop at the rest area a few yards east. It’s a park spanning the international line. It’s obligatory to snap a picture of yourself sitting on a bench strategically placed with Canada to the right and the United States to the left. You’ve made it. Welcome to Alaska. As you drive into it, you know there’s something different. The view from the highway is a vast wilderness devoid of people—The Last Frontier. In spite of the loneliness, Alaska welcomes you with the warm glow of accomplishment. But don’t get used to it. Challenging adventure has just begun. • (Part three will begin at “The Bar Far North,” the Tok Lodge, in Tok, Alaska. Delta Junction, Fairbanks, North Pole, Denali, McCarthy, Valdez, Anchorage and much more awaits.)

Curriculum Vit æ

Hugh Andrew Dougherty Passionate Journalist Disciplined in Information Delivery [email protected]

L a sting Impre s sion s

De gustibus non disputandum est. “It’s a recession when your neighbour loses his job. It’s a depression when you lose yours.” —Harry S Truman—

“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” —Benjamin Franklin— “Too much philosophy makes men mad.” —Alan Judd—

“...opening up a newspaper is the key to looking classy and smart. Never mind the bronze-plated stuff about the role of the press in a democracy—a newspaper, kiddo, is about style.” —Garrison Keillor—

A newspaper should reflect the community, not as it is, but as it might be.

“Wise men speak because they have something to say. Fools speak because they have to say something.” —Plato—

Wise men make proverbs, only fools repeat them.

Illegitimi non Carborundum

Drive slow and enjoy the scenery. Drive fast and join the scenery. —Douglas Horton—