Remember the man who stole a truck to drive victims of the Las Vegas shooting to the hospital? San Diegan Taylor Winston is among the panelists who will discuss how they’ve been treated by the media at this year’s Grade the Media event.

Sponsored by the San Diego chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, report cards will be handed out on the Point Loma Nazarene University campus on February 28. These panelists were the subject of big news stories this past year and this is their chance to talk about what it was like to be in the spotlight. Moderated by Claire Trageser of KPBS, the panel includes:

Taylor Winston – The Iraq war veteran from Ocean Beach who put his life on the line during the Las Vegas mass shooting.

Tony Manolatos – A PR consultant working for several high-profile clients, including the San Diego school system, the campaign against community choice aggregation and Councilman Chris Cate following his decision to share a confidential memo.

David Alvarez – This San Diego City Councilman spent 2017 wrestling with such issues as local governments’ hepatitis A response, homelessness, and vacation-rental regulations.

Dulce Garcia – A Dreamer and immigration attorney who has sued President Donald Trump.

Where: Colt Hall on the campus of Point Loma Nazarene University, 3900 Lomaland Drive, San Diego

When: Wednesday, February 28, 2018. Mixer at 6 p.m., panel at 6:30 p.m. 

Admission: Free; light refreshments provided. Please RSVP here.

For related news before the event and live tweets during the discussion, follow @GradeTheMedia on Twitter. Join in the conversation that night using the hashtag #spjgtm. 

Writers symposium tickets available

The San Diego Pro Chapter of SPJ is helping bring author and columnist (and basketball legend) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to San Diego on Feb. 22 as part of the 23rd annual Writer’s Symposium By The Sea at Point Loma Nazarene University. Since retiring from basketball, Abdul-Jabbar’s commentaries on social issues have appeared in Time magazine, the Washington Post and the New York Times. He released two books in 2017, “Becoming Kareem” (for young readers) and “Coach Wooden and Me: Our 50-Year Friendship On and Off the Court.” He has written several books for young readers, including mysteries, science fiction and a collection of historical essays called Black Profiles in Courage.

Our local chapter has participated in bringing great writers to the Symposium for many years. The Symposium runs Feb. 19-23.

In addition to Abdul-Jabbar, Symposium speakers include novelist Jane Smiley, NPR podcaster Krista Tippett, mind/body expert Deepak Chopra, and filmmakers Justin Skeesuck and Patrick Gray. There is also a workshop for veterans, focusing on writing about conflict, with NPR’s Kelly McEvers.

Student discounts are available. Tickets are at  https://www.pointloma. edu/events/writers-symposium- sea.

For more information, contact Symposium assistant Randy Meza at randymeza@pointloma.edu or 619-849-2695.

Whether you’re a journalist or a news consumer, chances are you’ve heard the term “fake news.” Fake news is more than a label, it’s a problem journalists across the country are confronting when trying to gain the trust of their audience. As journalists, how do we combat these accusations while not dismissing our audience? Does research show any promising results when it comes to journalists correcting misinformation?

Join the San Diego chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists for a discussion with:

Matt Hall, opinion director at The San Diego Union-Tribune

Rachel Laing, principal of Laing Strategic Communications

Rachel Moran, researcher and doctoral student at USC Annenberg

When: Tuesday, November 14th from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Where: The San Diego Central Library in the Shiley Special Events Suite 330 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101

This event is free and open to the public. RSVP here.