Quake!:
As usual, the research community responds. At least two places to go, so far, for help with covering the earthquake:

• IRE: Resources for covering California earthquake.
  
• Earthquake resources from Al Tompkins at Poynter.
  (Added later:)
  
• Doc Searls has posted useful links and commentary on the quake, too.
  
• Links from Jonathan Dube (Cyberjournalist)
  

Public Library databases, again:
Gary Price keeps reminding us, and I've linked to similar resources in Florida. But it's worth harping, over and over, that you can get access to great databases through many local public libraries. Here's another example, in Knoxville. Access to NewsLibrary! ReferenceUSA! But you have to have a library card. These things are like gold, these days.....