Lead writing #1

Leads Exercise 1

Please write a one-sentence hard news leads based on the information that follows. Your leads should be one sentence long and 25 words or less. You cannot fit all the information provided in each fact set in your lead, so one of your tasks is to determine what information belongs in the lead ... and what does not. Lead #1: Earthquake  When: Today, at 8:33 a.m. Where: Santa Clara County, in the foothills off Alum Rock Falls Road. What: a small earthquake, with a preliminary magnitude of 2.2. Who: N/A, but the source of your information is the U.S. Geological Survey. Why/How: No injuries or damage was reported. The USGS said the quake’s epicenter was about four miles deep and about nine miles northeast of San Jose City Hall. Lead #2: Highway Closed  When: Yesterday. Where: Santa Clara County, just west of Saratoga at Pierce Road. What: Highway 9 was closed for almost nine hours, from 7:30 a.m. to about 4 p.m., by the California Department of Transportation. A California Highway Patrol spokeswoman provided this information. Why/How: Several trees had fallen across the roadway overnight, apparently because of wind and rain. Caltrans crews closed the road so they could clear the trees from the road. Who: N/A