Well, there's this:

(link...)

Larry said he won't run for school board. Amazing.

As I recall, us, Jake (Shopper), Focus, WATE and another person I didn't recognize, as well as Scott Moore were there or represented. Note that one media outlet that wants you to pay for its online news was not there.

It's not the least bit unusual for news outlets to skip news conferences from candidates talking about their races. They tend to be pretty minimal for news value. If something newsworthy happens, the person will almost always make themselves available later.

It's just allocating resources effectively. The fact that any news outlet, print or broadcast, didn't attend Larry's event is not much of a comment on the organization.

For those of us who follow politics (not a large group) it is a really interesting story. In the big picture of what constitutes news today it's not huge.

Is the fact that he sent out the campaign press conference announcement on County Commission letterhead news?

Valid question, Randy.

It was probably wrong. I say probably only because I don't know the specifics of the rule. But I suspect it was.

Is that news? It's pretty minor...not like a lot of resources were used-and there is certainly no use for personal or political gain, since he is exiting politics for now.

Tony Hernandez has just posted a telephone-video on the KNS website.

I am shocked at this turn of events -- Smith dropping out. He's been a community leader in North Knox forever. Larry has been an easy target for me and others, but in his own way he's had the best interests of the community at heart ...

The really good ones can obscure self-promotion. Larry never mastered that and consequently most everything he's done has seemed to be about Larry. But even I can't put that spin on today's decision.

Relax folks, don't have turn a joke about KNS not being there into a formal FBI inquiry about whether they should have been there or not. I know Gerald is out of town and Tony is filling in.

(Although the vid he shot was not from the event nor does it look like it was shot in the same room, but again, it's not a big deal.)

That said, it is a big deal that he pulled out. I disagree that it's "minor" news. He was a legitimate candidate and his absence could make for a distinct difference on the school board. And as Sandra said - like him or not - he very well-known in that district and a lot of people in that district would like to know about it.

Pam and Mike are both right. You can write a good basic story on what happens at a news conference without attending.

You can't pick up the context or another angle that you get from being there.

But mostly political race news conferences are not that newsy. You cover one and the other side calls a news conference the next day and you feel obligated to cover that.

In this case it was legitimate news, but not a huge deal. I agree with Mike Donila (who until yesterday had never been to Litton's. Never. How can you be a journalist in this market without eating at Litton's?) that the long term impact of what this can mean to the makeup of the school board and the current administration can be significant, but at this stage that is still mostly an insider story.

Sandra's last paragraph was spot on.

What's real news is that Scott (Scoobie!) Moore was there. I can't wait to read his story. It will certainly put the rest of you to shame.

It is a far, far better thing that I do than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known...