Your news story should be at least 900 words, and like a good piece of journalism, it should be somewhat descriptive yet stick to the point. Make sure you explain CCD accurately with proven facts and eliminate unnecessary details and opinions. Quotes from beekeepers do not have to be fact-checked, but make sure they are accurate. For instance, if a beekeeper believes his hives have collapsed because the squirrels ate them, it is probably not true but you have related what he believes, which is a tenet of good journalism. A good place to find apiarists is on the Master Beekeeper list of the Eastern Apicultural Society website. When conducting interviews, keep careful notes in worksheet form in which you list the person's name (verify spelling), date of the interview, phone number or contact info for follow-up questions, the questions you asked and the answers you received.