Researchers and roosters:
Two notable stories in the St. Petersburg Times: A Note for Daddy is the story of a little boy who sent a balloon into the air for his father, and a reporter and news researcher who tracked it. A nice nod to researcher Caryn Baird who gets prominent mention in the story. (This was posted on the NewsLib listserv a couple days ago.)
And: In Mopsy and Rockadoodle Two Poynter's Dr. Ink says The Times' Kelly Benham can write a chicken story as well as her mentor Rick Bragg. Here's her story about Rockadoodle and a little girl.