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The Quad-City Times/Dispatch-Argus has hired a statehouse reporter to work in our Des Moines Bureau. Maya Marchel Hoff headshot We are excited for Maya Marchel-Hoff to begin Monday, Dec. 9.
Maya will leave her position as an Election Reporting Fellow for the USA Today in Lincoln, Nebraska. While there, she reported on the "blue dot" of the state's 2nd Congressional District in the Omaha area during presidential election. She has done internships with Marketplace D.
C. Bureau, Star Tribune, The Minnesota Daily and Twin Cities Business Magazine. She also has worked as a legislative and congressional intern in Minnesota.
She has a BA in Journalism and Political Science from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. People are also reading..
. She will work out of Des Moines, joining our partners from The Gazette in Cedar Rapids, Erin Murphy and Tom Barton. Political Focus Group will continue into 2025 Martin, Tom MUG.
jpg The Political Focus Group will continue into 2025. Look for their next responses Sunday, Dec. 22.
There's value in finding out what local people think about what's happening in Washington D.C. and the focus group so far expressed themselves without the hyperbole and hostility that exists nationally.
After responding to the December question, the group will answer a question twice a month in 2025. I'm also creating a rotation for each of them to write columns. Each week a different focus group member will submit a column.
The focus group members who have agreed to continue include Matt Mooney, Jonathan Talbot, Paula del Fabro, Tim Wynes, Jessica Hurd, Mathew Townsley, Eugene Mattecheck, David Cumberbatch and Laura Meloy. Kaelyn Hagens has decided not to continue. Looking for more focus group members With one of the members deciding not to continue, I'm left with nine members of the Political Focus Group.
I'd like to have 12. In particular I'm looking for young conservatives or independents, but will consider all applicants. I'm looking for thoughtful, independent thinkers.
To serve on this group means you'll answer questions in about 150 words via email twice per month about national politics and come to the Quad-City Times office once per quarter for group discussions. I'm not looking for political leaders or office holders. Volunteers need to live in the greater Quad-Cities, be of voting age and have opinions on political developments.
To apply, email me the following information: Name: Age: City/town of residence: Political party: Presidential votes in: - 2024 primary: - 2024 general election: - 2020 general election: - 2016 general election: Education: Occupation: Contact information: (include phone and email) In 200 words or fewer tell me why you want to be on the Political Focus Group and why you would be a good contributor. Email your responses to me at [email protected] and be sure to put "Political Focus Group" in the subject line of the email.
Sooner is better than later. Staff has been out in the community Olivia Allen The Quad-City Times news staff members are often helping students learn about journalism. Education Reporter Olivia Allen led the writing workshop for Love Girls Magazine Friday at its annual conference at the Figge Art Museum in downtown Davenport.
Fifty-seven students attended the day's activities from local junior high/high schools. This year’s prompt was “Love Letters to Ourselves.” The students heard an example from Allen and Just Jennifer the Poet, a local spoken word artist, before writing their letters.
Many read their letters aloud after the workshop. On Saturday evening, Olivia participated in Love Girls Magazine's annual “Women on Fire” event at Augustana College’s Wallenberg Hall. Guests heard stories from Love Girls Magazine board members and other affiliate speakers following the theme “Letters to our Younger Selves.
” Olivia serves on the magazine's advisory board. Elsewhere, Quad-City Times/Dispatch-Argus Reporter Sarah Watson was one of the speakers at the 2024 Iowa High School Press Association Fall Conference Oct. 24 at the University of Iowa.
Sarah Watson Sarah had about 100 high school students in her session about about writing engaging ledes (opening sentences), adding context and how to get the most out of interviews. Sarah's was one of 52 breakout sessions. The fall conference had more than 750 students from 42 schools.
In a separate visit to the University of Iowa, I spoke to students in Assistant Professor Ty Rushing's political journalism class Oct. 29. We discussed covering politics, and I also talked about the importance of community journalism.
My thanks to Ty for giving me the invite. While there I also stopped at the Daily Iowan and spoke with Executive Editor Jami Martin-Trainor and others from the staff. Reporter Sarah Watson Marchel Hoff Tom Martin is executive editor of the Quad-City Times/Dispatch-Argus.
Contact him at [email protected] . Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!.
