Crafting a solid story can hit the ‘spot’

Covering a high-profile news story can be a mighty adrenaline rush

for a reporter. It can also have its share of challenges.

This applies to a spot-news story, of course. “Spot” news, as it

is called, is so named because of its spur-of-the-moment nature. If

two cars collide on a freeway, causing major injuries, we’ll rush to

the spot of the accident to cover it.

Many of the stories on the public safety beat fall under that

category -- a structure fire in Costa Mesa or a sinking boat in

Newport Harbor would apply.

For me, covering the accident at the Balboa Island ferry’s landing

on Labor Day proved to be the kind of nut not easily cracked.

Starting the day at Corona del Mar State Beach, I began Labor Day

casually interviewing people about their last hurrah on a beach

during summer.

A call came in on the cell phone from my city editor, telling me

to get to Balboa Island quick. A driver had hit between four and

seven pedestrians (turned out to be 13) at 500 South Bay Front.

Boy, that address sounded familiar.

Driving down Bayside Drive brought me to Marine Street -- the only

road onto the island -- but the police had closed the entrance. I had

to park in a nearby shopping center, pray that my car wouldn’t be

towed and jog onto the island.

Huffing and puffing my way along Marine, I reached South Bay Front

in the 1200 block. I headed north along a sparse pedestrian path,

passing beachfront homes with people sitting on their front patios.

It was a bright, sunny day, but there a chill was in the air.

With sweat pouring down my face, I jogged into a crowd milling

around the ferry -- here was 500 South Bay Front.

Police and fire personnel were mopping up what was a scene that I

described as pandemonium.

Once there, I interviewed witnesses, tossed out a few questions at

a brief press conference with a fire spokesman and finished up the

news gathering process.

Of course, I had to get back to my car. So, I hoofed it back up to

Park Street and back down Marine.

As I walked back, a cameraman from one of the network television

stations breezed by in a golf cart driven by a few local women.

The television guys may get all the rides back to their cars, but

I put together a solidly reported story on the event. That felt good

in the end.

* PAUL CLINTON covers the environment and politics. He may be

reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at paul.clinton@latimes.com.