AP writer fails AP English

Davidson College has been all over the news today, including NPR's Morning Edition.

Google News has the headlines, and a link to "185 News Articles" on the subject, so there is lots of press.

What is annoying is that most news outlets are just either running the AP piece, or taking the AP piece and adding their own bits and pieces to it. Now this, in and of itself, is not that annoying. What is annoying is that the AP leads with Raleigh, NC-, and expounding articles have been adding "Davidson College, located in Raleigh, North Carolina..." to their copy.

Davidson College is, this should not be hard to grasp, located in the town of Davidson, North Carolina. As someone who has had to drive from Davidson to Raleigh, I can tell you that Raleigh is not even close.

The nearest major city is Charlotte. Even if the Raleigh bureau is where the AP writer is based, there is an AP office in Charlotte. Indicating Charlotte in the article heading would be forgivable as it is only about 30 miles/45 minutes away by Interstate. But Raleigh?

Elizabeth Dunbar, I am calling you out. Even in Raleigh, and your proximity to UNC and Duke, you should bloody well know where Davidson College is located.

NPR, not surprising, gets the story right:

Davidson College, a liberal arts school near Charlotte, N.C., is adjusting its need-based financial aid programs to eliminate student loans. Instead, the school plans to pump up its endowment and offer students who need financial help more grants and jobs.