Tag Archives: York

#Boyer101 invades Martin Library for the Youth Empowerment Summit

On Thursday, I had a special treat.

Some of my last group learning about journalism, and why it's fun and everyone should do it, obviously.

Some of my last group learning about journalism, and why it’s fun and everyone should do it, obviously.

I had the pleasure of speaking with two groups of  young people at Martin Library for the annual Youth Empowerment Summit.

Sponsored by the Harley-Davidson Foundation, the event connects students from the York Homeschool Association and 12 school districts with local professionals and artisans.

I got to speak about journalism, which is pretty rad.

I thought about bringing the NewsVroom van, but ultimately decided against it. I can’t parallel park my own car, let alone a gigantic creeper van. Continue reading

A month of music: A lack thereof and a LIVE concert

The stage of the Strand all decked out for Think Loud's after party on Feb. 28. Later in the night, the curtains opened and Live played with a backdrop of empty seats.

The stage of the Strand all decked out for Think Loud’s after party on Feb. 28. Later in the night, the curtains opened and Live played with a backdrop of empty seats.

The past couple weeks, for me, have been about music.

First, there was the lack thereof.

Last week, we broke this story about Harley-Davidson removing radios from its plants as a matter of safety and productivity protocol.

I know what you’re thinking. (Some people even emailed me to share their two cents.)

“Why is this a story?” 

“What are you going to write about next? The contents of Harley’s vending machines? The employees’ bathroom breaks?”

Truthfully, this isn’t really a story about Harley at all. Continue reading

NewsVrooming with the Girl Scouts at Dover Area Community Library

So, last night was super fun.

I joined co-workers Brittany Wilson and Sarah Chain to kickoff the NewsVroom’s yearlong initiative of visiting York County libraries.

We traveled to Dover Area Community Library, where I had the opportunity to present my ideaLab project to Girl Scout Troop #20195.

Before a mock press conference, I discussed basic apps (QuickVoice, iMovie, Notability, 360Pano, etc.) and I got to play this video of this old man with his funny cane.

The best part: One of the girls recommended I go set up my “office” at Chuck-E-Cheese.

Loves it.

Here are some photos from the event:

newsvroomdrive

I had to drive the NewsVroom van, because — let’s be honest — everyone else was scared to.

Continue reading

Two happy stories and a Penn State victory to wrap up this Thanksgiving weekend

This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for Penn State’s win in overtime against Wisconsin … and these awesome seats!

If you’re looking for a warm fuzzy story this Thanksgiving weekend, I have two.

The first belongs to our Thanksgiving package where we highlighted what Yorkers cherish this holiday. (Hint: It’s difficult to fit this theme for the Money & More section.  Most people, I hope, won’t say, “I cherish money.”)

I met Amanda Danuski through through Twitter and wrote this story about her cherishing the ability to start a new job while coping with osteogenesis imperfecta, a brittle bone disease.

Today, a story I wrote about Chandra Illarza appeared on the front of the Sunday News . The York city woman recently quit her job and purchased a house to shelter homeless men.n Continue reading

Happy Thanksgiving: The many poses of my free grocery store turkey

A turkey journalist on deadline.

There comes a time in every woman’s life where she must come to grips with the retail gimmicks associated with different holidays.

For me, today was the day. Continue reading

Boyer prepares to weather the storm: A list of pro tips for journalists covering Sandy

After I performed the list of tasks below, I wrote this blog while consuming a Grey Goose and orange juice. Gotta load up on Vitamin C before the storm, kids!

Hurricane Sandy is on her way. As a resident of Pennsylvania, I’m following along with the traditional inclement weather protocol of panicking while purchasing bread and milk like it’s the end of the world.

As a journalist, this preparation includes a few extra things.

1. First, I fed the Boyermobile. It was hungry.

Here I am at Rutter’s on Pennsylvania Avenue filling my car with gas and wearing my jammies just because Cost: $48. But it’s necessary.  I’ll probably be out-and-about tomorrow, and if there’s no power I can charge my devices in the car.

2. I stocked up on supplies. Need to keep my glucose up.

Pro tip: Runts, Sour Patch Kids and assorted licorice thingies are crucial to the operation.

3. I loaded up my psychedelic orange gym bag with clothes and deodorant in case I’m stranded somewhere awkward tomorrow and can’t catch a boat to Walmart.

There may or may not be toilet paper in this bag. You can never be too careful.

As you can see, I’m all ready for Sandy. I’m also halfway through my vodka and orange.

I’m going to finish that and get to bed.

Signing off, folks.

Takeaway points from White Rose Thunder: A photo essay

I spent the day Thursday at White Rose Thunder, a four-day motorcycle event at the York Expo Center.

I had a blast.

Why am I covering this, you ask?

Because I’m the manufacturing reporter. I get to cover Harley-Davidson’s York plant, which also means learning about various biker-y things that come my way.

When I took this job more than a year ago, I knew virtually nothing about motorcycles. To be honest, I still don’t know a whole lot, but I’m learning.

So, in honor of learning, here’s a list of takeaway points from White Rose Thunder captured with my iPhone 4S: Continue reading

If you tell them, they will come: Visit to Panera ‘office hours’ in York yields hyperlocal business column

Meet Jeanne Walton, a cool lacrosse mom and eighth grade science teacher who stopped by Panera to visit me Tuesday.

OK.

So it’s not a mall teeming with cockroaches or a trip to check out kinky gadgets in the adult store.

But I did end up with a column every sports mom or dad can relate to today when Jeanne Walton stopped by to see me at Panera in West Manchester Township.

The story goes a little something like this:

Kid plays sport.

Kid does really well at sport and qualifies for national tournament.

Parents rejoice — until they see the price tag.

Continue reading

Mapping social reactions to the York Galleria mall cockroach infestation: I’m multi-platform, yo.

This is the closed food court, caution tape and all. My editor, Cathy Hirko, noticed I’m getting a little artsy fartsy with my iPhone photos.

The other day, I posted about Gathering Point, this neat tool you can use to make social maps that update in realtime to complement stories.

On Tuesday, I had the perfect opportunity to see it in action: A cockroach infestation that closed the food court at the York Galleria mall.

On a side note, that day, I pretty much almost crashed my car on Rt. 30.

En route to the mall, I had my notepad pinned against the steering wheel while I took notes from Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Samantha Krepps. Continue reading

To tweet or not to tweet? That time I went to Excitement Video and Toys for work.

The only photo I tweeted out from Excitement Video and Toys’ Ladies Night on Thursday. It’s a shoe. There is nothing dirty about shoes.

Once upon a time, there was a business reporter who got assigned to go to Excitement Video and Toys for work.

Yes, work.

“It’s an economy story,” she convinced herself, as she nervously perused the displays of kinky gadgets not suitable to describe to her 58-year-old mother — let alone an entire county of print subscribers.

The goal: to tastefully write about how the erotic novel ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ was affecting sales of … um … products. Continue reading