Writing samples

Posted on October 5, 2012 by tmitsoff — No Comments ↓

The vast majority of my career was spent as a newspaper reporter and editor. I’ve had more than 1,000 articles and columns published. Below are links to some of the ones I’m most proud of. In particular I point your attention to one under the Editorial heading, “Make no mistake, we are at war.” It was written within hours of the September 11, 2011 attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, and was published in more than two dozen publications across the country.

Many of the links on this page open in new windows, and take you to pages from my old website design, where the writing samples still reside.

Examples of my work

Column:

NKY Provides State GOP’s Pulse

Written November 7, 2004

Appeared in The Sunday Challenger (Northern Kentucky) and on ChallengerNKY.com.

Bunning’s Burning Questions

Written October 24, 2004

Appeared in The Sunday Challenger (Northern Kentucky) and on ChallengerNKY.com.

It’s Tough to Know When It’s Time to Go

Written August 8, 2004

Appeared in The Sunday Challenger (Northern Kentucky) and on ChallengerNKY.com.

Time for NKY to Step Out of the Shadows

Written June 15, 2004

Appeared in The Sunday Challenger (Northern Kentucky) and on ChallengerNKY.com.

Dollar signs driving cloning race

Written December 29, 2002

Appeared in the Dixie County (Florida) Advocate, Tinytown Gazette (Cohasset, Mass.), The Palladium Times (Oswego, N.Y.), Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, Fairborn (Ohio) Daily Herald, Xenia (Ohio) Daily Gazette and the Sandy (Oregon) Profile.

Internet changing more than usual

Written December 22, 2002

War games preceding the main event

Written December 8, 2002

Face it: fiction becoming reality

Written November 30, 2002

Appeared in the Dixie County (Florida) Advocate, Chicago Voxitatis, Tinytown Gazette (Cohasset, Mass.), The Palladium Times (Oswego, N.Y.), Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, Fairborn (Ohio) Daily Herald, Xenia (Ohio) Daily Gazette and the Sandy (Oregon) Profile.

Be thankful for your loved ones

Written November 24, 2002

Smallpox: How real is the threat?

Written October 6, 2002

Appeared in the Dixie County (Florida) Advocate, Chicago Voxitatis, Tinytown Gazette (Cohasset, Mass.), Northern Light (Conway, N.H.), The Palladium Times (Oswego, N.Y.), Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, Fairborn (Ohio) Daily Herald, Xenia (Ohio) Daily Gazette and the Sandy (Oregon) Profile.

Like father, like son for George Bushes?

Written July 20, 2002

Appeared in the Dixie County (Florida) Advocate, Tinytown Gazette (Cohasset, Mass.), Northern Light (Conway, N.H.), The Palladium Times (Oswego, N.Y.), Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, Fairborn (Ohio) Daily Herald, Xenia (Ohio) Daily Gazette and the Sandy (Oregon) Profile.

Baseball fans should brace for the worst — again

Written July 6, 2002

Playing paddy cake with Saddam’s stepson

Written July 6, 2002

Pledge of Allegiance ruling outrageous on many fronts

Written June 27, 2002

Britney Spears shows how celebrity works

Written June 23, 2002

Reverence for presidents is gone

Written June 16, 2002

Looking for Mr. Goodmovie

Written June 9, 2002

We were too smug about our invulnerability

Written June 2, 2002

Thongs for kids a bad idea

Written May 26, 2002

Appeared in the Dixie County (Florida) Advocate, Tinytown Gazette (Cohasset, Mass.), Northern Light (Conway, N.H.), Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, Fairborn (Ohio) Daily Herald, Xenia (Ohio) Daily Gazette and the Sandy (Oregon) Profile.

We have a right to know — to a point

Written May 19, 2002

Live TV has created indelible memories

Written May 12, 2002

Star Wars ticket lines a tribute to George Lucas’ creative genius

Written May 4, 2002

He faced adversity and defeated it

Written April 28, 2002

Are we really winning the war?

Written April 21, 2002

It’s time for a simpler way to pay taxes

Written April 14, 2002

Appeared in the Tinytown Gazette (Cohasset, Mass.), Northfield (Minn.) News, Northern Light (Conway, N.H.), Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, Fairborn (Ohio) Daily Herald and the Xenia (Ohio) Daily Gazette.

Domestic violence is never a laughing matter

Written April 7, 2002

Appeared in the Tinytown Gazette (Cohasset, Mass.), Northfield (Minn.) News, Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, Fairborn (Ohio) Daily Herald and the Xenia (Ohio) Daily Gazette.

Enron, Arthur Andersen are corporate bad apples

Written March 30, 2002

Appeared in the Fairhope (Alabama) Courier, The American Reporter, Media Monitors Network (Brea, California), Northern Light (Conway, N.H.), the Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, Central Michigan Life and Park Cities / Northside (Texas) People Newspapers

Even if she gets well, Andrea Yates is in for life

Written March 23, 2002

Appeared in The American Reporter, Media Monitors Network (Brea, California), Berkeley (California) Daily Planet, The (Peachtree Corners, Ga.) Weekly, Northern Light (Conway, N.H.), Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, Daily Courier (Connellsville, Pa.), and Park Cities / Northside (Texas) People Newspapers.

Blunder reveals immigration service’s dangerous weaknesses

Written March 16, 2002

Appeared in The American Reporter, Media Monitors Network (Brea, California), The (Peachtree Corners, Ga.) Weekly, Northfield (Minn.) News, Northern Light (Conway, N.H.), Up & Coming (Fayetteville, N.C.), Central Michigan Life, and the Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current.

Animator Chuck Jones had a life well-lived by any measure

Written Feb. 23, 2002

Appeared in The American Reporter, Media Monitors Network (Brea, California), Hernando (Florida) Today, The (Peachtree Corners, Ga.) Weekly, Rangeley (Maine) Highlander, Northern Light (Conway, N.H.), Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, Central Michigan Life, Richmond.com, and the Crewe-Burkeville (Virginia) Journal.

Figure skating reduced to entertainment, not sport

Written Feb. 16, 2002

Appeared in The American Reporter, Media Monitors Network (Brea, California), Berkeley (California) Daily Planet, Dixie County (Florida) Advocate, The (Peachtree Corners, Ga.) Weekly, Northern Light (Conway, N.H.), The Evening Times (Little Falls, N.Y.), Billings County Pioneer (Beach, N.D.), Central Michigan Life and Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current.

Where on Earth is Osama bin Laden?

Written Feb. 9, 2002

Appeared in The American Reporter, Media Monitors Network (Brea, California), The Baltimore (Maryland) Chronicle, Northern Light (Conway, N.H.), Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, Daily Courier (Connellsville, Pa.), The McKenzie (Tennessee) Banner, Park Cities / Northside (Texas) People Newspapers, Richmond.com (Va.)and Afgha.com.

It’s not too late to resolve to change in 2002

Written Feb. 2, 2002

Appeared in The American Reporter, Media Monitors Network (Brea, California), Pasadena (California) Star-News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune (West Covina, Ca.), Whittier (California) Daily News, Town Times (Durham, Connecticut), Tri-County News (Heron Lake, Minn.), The Prairie Star (Great Falls, Montana), Northern Light (Conway, N.H.), Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, the Pottsville (Pennsylvania) Republican, The McKenzie (Tennessee) Banner, Park Cities / Northside (Texas) People Newspapers and Richmond.com (Va.)

Baseball needs salary cap to restore competitive balance

Written Jan. 26, 2002

Appeared in The American Reporter, Media Monitors Network (Brea, California), La Prensa San Diego, Central Michigan LIFE, Northern Light (Conway, N.H.), Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, The Daily and Sunday Review (Towanda, Pa.), The Cannon (Texas) News, and the Whitesboro (Texas) News-Record.

Cloning regulations, limitations may be this century’s great debate

Written Jan. 19, 2002

Appeared in The American Reporter, Media Monitors Network (Brea, California), The Mountaineer Progress (Phelan / Wrightwood / Pinon Hills, Ca.), Dixie County (Florida) Advocate, Murray State News (Murray, Ky.), The Todd County Standard (Elkton, Ky.), The Review Messenger (Sebeka, Minnesota), Winston County Journal (Louisville, Miss.), The Concordian (Concordia, Mo.), The Daily Record (Dunn, N.C.), Northern Light (Conway, N.H.), Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, NashvilleDigest.com (Tennessee), Central Michigan Life and The Angleton (Texas) Times.

Airline security guards getting mixed messages

Written Jan. 11, 2002

Appeared in The American Reporter, Media Monitors Network (Brea, California), Pensacola (Florida) Gulf-Herald, The (Peachtree Corners, Ga.) Weekly, The Baltimore (Maryland) Chronicle, The Evening Times (Little Falls, N.Y.), Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, Daily Courier (Connellsville, Pa.), Standard-Speaker (Hazleton, Pa.), Columbia (S.C.) Star and The Angleton (Texas) Times.

Understanding the looming postal rate increase

Written Jan. 5, 2002

Appeared in The American Reporter, Media Monitors Network (Brea, California), La Prensa San Diego, (Fayette County, Ga.) Daily Citizen, The (Peachtree Corners, Ga.) Weekly, Southern Illinoisan (Carbondale, Ill.), Stafford (Kansas) Courier, The Todd County Standard (Elkton, Ky.), The Baltimore (Maryland) Chronicle, Tinytown Gazette (Cohasset, Massachusetts), The View (Belleville, Michigan), Albert Lea (Minnesota) Tribune, The Cass County Democrat-Missourian (Harrisonville, Mo.), Circle (Montana) Banner, Ranger-Review (Glendive, Montana), Northern Light (Conway, N.H.), The Two River Times (Monmouth County, New Jersey), Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, Daily Courier (Connellsville, Pa.), Times News (Lehighton, Pa.), The Angleton (Texas) Times, Park Cities / Northside (Texas) People Newspapers, Round Rock (Texas) Leader, Whitesboro (Texas) News-Record, Thecitizen.com, Mountain Times (Timburon, N.M.), Republican Journal(Darlington, Wisconsin).

TIME made the right call to bypass bin Laden for ‘honor’

Written Dec. 24, 2001

Appeared in the Media Monitors Network (Brea, California), Silicon Valley Business Ink (San Jose, California), Hernando (Florida) Today, The (Peachtree Corners, Ga.) Weekly, Lincoln (Illinois) Daily News, Coon Rapids (Iowa) Enterprise, Northern Express Weekly (Northern Michigan), Elko (Nevada) Daily Free Press, The Two River Times (Monmouth County, New Jersey) Stilwell (Oklahoma) Democrat Journal Gilmer (Texas) Mirror, the Park Cities / Northside (Texas) People Newspapers and Camas-Washougal Post Record(Camas, Washington).

When times are tough, it’s time to count your blessings

Written Dec. 17, 2001

Appeared in the Peninsula Clarion (Kenai, Alaska), Media Monitors Network (Brea, California), Colorado Springs Business Journal, The Elburn (Illinois) Herald, Louisville.com (Louisville, Ky.), Grant County Herald (Elbow Lake, Minn.), Fallon County Times (Baker, Montana), Northern Light (Conway, N.H.), Harrison News-Herald (Cadiz, Ohio), Wooster (Ohio) Daily Record, Daily Courier (Connellsville, Pa.), Camas-Washougal Post Record (Camas, Washington) and Northwest News(community newspapers serving Northshore and Lower Snoqualmie areas of Washington State).

Remember those hanging chads?

Written Nov. 3, 2001

Appeared in the Media Monitors Network (Brea, California), The Washington (D.C.) Times, The (Peachtree Corners, Ga.) Weekly, Northern Express Weekly (Northern Michigan), Northern Light (Conway, N.H.), Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, Fairborn (Ohio) Daily Herald, the Xenia (Ohio) Daily Gazette, Daily Courier (Connellsville, Pa.), Mountain Times (Timburon, N.M.), and the Coquille Valley Sentinel(Coquille, Oregon).

For hygiene or for terror?

Written Oct. 26, 2001

Appeared in the Media Monitors Network (Brea, California), Silicon Valley Business Ink (San Jose, California), Rabbit Creek Journal (Clipper Mills, California), Hernando (Florida) Today, Pensacola (Florida) Gulf-Herald, Northern Light (Conway, N.H.), Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, Fairborn (Ohio) Daily Herald, Fairborn, Xenia (Ohio) Daily Gazette and the Daily Courier (Connellsville, Pa.)

Parents: This could happen to you

Written Oct. 3, 2001

Appeared in the Media Monitors Network (Brea, California), Pensacola (Florida) Gulf-Herald, Pioneer/Enterprise Group (Michigan), Velva (North Dakota) Area Voice, Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, Fairborn (Ohio) Daily Herald, Xenia (Ohio) Daily Gazette, McKenzie River Reflections (Oregon) and the Intermountain Commercial Record (Salt Lake City, Utah).

Few may be qualified for OSU job

Written as bylined column

Appeared in Beavercreek (Ohio) Daily News, November 19, 1987. Was judged by Associated Press as top sports column in Ohio for 1987 appearing in publications under 20,000 circulation.

Editorial:

Geese: Shape up or ship out

Written April 9, 2002

Appeared in the Northfield (Minnesota) News.

Be prepared for a long, difficult war

Written Sept. 16, 2001

Appeared in the Anchorage (Alaska) Press, Arizona Reporter, Media Monitors Network (Brea, California), Albion Monitor (Sebastopol, California), The Gulf-Herald (Pensacola, Florida), Maui’s Free Press (Maui, Hawaii), River Cities Reader (Davenport, Iowa), Business First (Louisville, Ky.), Bossier Press-Tribune (Bossier City, Louisiana), Tinytown Gazette (Cohasset, Massachusetts), Northern Light (Conway, N.H.), Ocean County (New Jersey) Journal, Mountain Times (Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico), Little Falls (New York) Evening Times, Benson County (North Dakota) Farmers Press, Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, Fairborn (Ohio) Daily Herald, The Sun Journal (Stark County, Ohio), Xenia (Ohio) Daily Gazette and the Federal Hill Gazette (Providence, R.I.).

Make no mistake, we are at war

Written Sept. 11, 2001

Appeared in the Butler County (Alabama) News, Fairhope (Alabama) Courier, Arizona Reporter, El Observador (San Jose, California), Media Monitors Network (Brea, California), San Diego Headline News, Albion Monitor (Sebastopol, California), Thomaston (Connecticut) Express, Basta Pinoy! (Boca Raton, Fla.), The Gulf-Herald (Pensacola, Florida), Dixie County (Florida) Advocate, The (Peachtree Corners, Ga.) Weekly, Lahaina News (Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii), Latah Eagle (Moscow, Idaho), Lincoln (Illinois) DailyNews.com, Daily Review Atlas (Monmouth, Illinois), Bossier Press-Tribune (Bossier City, Louisiana), Cape Cod (Massachusetts) Today, Southbridge (Massachusetts) Evening News, Larson Newspapers of the Minneapolis-St. Paul (Minnesota) suburbs, Victoria (Minnesota) Gazette, Ranger-Review (Glendive, Montana), Arlington (Nebraska) Citizen, York (Nebraska) News-Times, Beavercreek (Ohio) News-Current, Fairborn (Ohio) Daily Herald, Huber Heights (Ohio) Courier, Tipp City (Ohio) Herald, the Xenia (Ohio) Daily Gazette, The Providence, Ky. Journal-Enterprise, and the Warwick (Rhode Island) Beacon.