Q: Can we see more information on your sports pages about local athletes’ achievements and game results from, say, junior high teams?

A: We only have one sports editor, although we do have three stringers, but they’re swamped covering sports for NSU and the four high schools in our county: Tahlequah, Keys, Sequoyah and Hulbert. There’s no way we can cover all the rural schools or younger kids, but we gladly accept help from interested parents or coaches, or even athletes themselves. Touch base with Sports Editor Jeremy Short (456-8833, ext. 22, or e-mail jshort@tahlequahdailypress.com)to find out how you can help. (Be patient; he’s in and out, but he’ll get back with you.) Or you can simply e-mail sports news items to sports@tahlequahdailypress.com.

Q: Who do I talk to if I have a good idea for a story?

A: Call our managing editor, Kim Poindexter, at extension 19, or talk to our newsroom clerk, Sharry Mouss. If you have worked with a particular reporter in the past, you may also talk to him or her. If it’s “hard news” and its legitimate, we’ll be on it right away. While we can’t guarantee we’ll use every feature-type idea, we do get around to all we can. We appreciate your ideas and work hard to implement them, and remember, the more information you can provide us, the quicker we can tackle your topic.

Q: Can you tell me when an item will publish –either one I’ve submitted or one I know you or someone else is working on?

A: As stated earlier, we don’t make guarantees about publication dates, but you can normally expect to see an item published within two days of our receiving it (except for the special items detailed above). We get lots of calls from parents asking when the Students of the Month for a particular school will be published. Since we never know when we’ll receive these items from the schools, it’s best to call the school itself to determine when the item will be sent to us. Otherwise, the only thing that might delay publication of an item is if we have questions about it and no way to contact the person who submitted it. That’s why it’s always best to include a name and phone number every time to give us something to publish. The best thing you can do is watch the Press closely for a week or so after you turn something in. If you haven’t seen your item by that time, call our newsroom clerk, Sharry, to find out if there’s a problem.

Q: I look at your website, and sometimes it doesn’t seem to be updated. What gives?

A: It’s always a good idea to keep your browser current, and updating your page can make a difference. We normally update our news site between 9 and 11 a.m., with items from that day’s edition. But if other situations have arisen, the update could be a bit later. If it’s in the afternoon and you’ve still seen no change, feel free to call our newsroom.