Mentorship in Journalism: The Core Mission of Chiron Return

You're familiar with my radio program, my 'covid' coverage and chronology, and my other reporting. The prime mission of Chiron Return is the training of journalists through real time reporting.

Mentorship is one-to-one teaching and conveying of skills through real time, fully engaged activity. It’s not theoretical training. It’s about learning from a more experienced person through direct involvement.

Dear Friend and Reader:

Last week, in response to my coverage of American Spring and the SUNY New Paltz mass arrests, investigative reporter and author Jon Rappoport wrote:

“You should be teaching journalism to the young. Seriously — the ones who can read and write.”

I wrote back and said that teaching young journalists is the core mission of Chiron Return. I asked: can you write some more? Rappoport, now in his 80s and a veteran of television, print journalism and books, replied:

“Eric Francis is a JOURNALIST. He knows how to cover a story in real time, as it's happening, and he knows how to write the piece that puts the reader's mind into the story. He's a natural investigator (probably from birth) and he's distilled his skills over many years. If I were the editor of a newspaper, I would send him to the biggest events of the day unfolding in the moment — knowing he would deliver the goods every time. And I would pay him handsomely. If by some feat of magic he was the page one writer for The New York Times, we would be living in a different country right now. A far better country.”

Coincidentally, in response to my coverage of American Spring and the SUNY New Paltz arrests, Dr. Mark Bailey (investigator for the Dr. Sam Bailey channel) wrote:

“I believe the world would be in much better shape if every journalist reported like you and Rappoport. Keep it up, man.”

Riot police prepareto attack hippies holding hands around a tree at SUNY New Paltz, May 2, 2024. Photo by Eric Francis Coppolino.

Photojournalism: Getting Up From One’s Desk

Indeed, I am here to help make the world a better place, through better journalism and properly trained reporters. Our core training is photojournalism, which involves reporting from the scene of an event, documenting it in photos, and then writing about the experience.

Good writing SHOWS. It does not merely TELL. Photojournalism is showing the story with direct evidence and actualities.

Today, too much of what passes for journalism happens exclusively on the internet. The result is pallid, stuffy writing that looks mostly at itself. Photojournalism turns its eyes onto the world, goes to the scene, and listens with its ears, learning about the human condition.

Hazmat workers outside Bliss Residence Hall at SUNY New Paltz in January 1992. The supervisor is wearing Level C; the workers are wearing Level B (self-contained air, exposed tanks) demonstrating the level of toxicitity. Photo by Eric Francis Coppolino for Student Leader News Service (SLNS).

While the world was fretting over ‘covid’, I was busy teaching young people how to research, report and edit a daily news feed, compile a chronology and break original stories.

That became Covid19 News and the one and only Covid Chronology. We sustained a daily effort for 1,185 days and continue to develop and perfect the chronology. That was what I would call making good use of a crisis. Others involved learned photographic skills and deep-reporting. We also provide working press credentials to our accredited photojournalists.

There are two ways to help support our mission.

When you subscribe to this Substack, you help cover the very basic costs of Chiron Return. To do that, upgrade to paid or founding member.

When you make a larger donation, you help us supply equipment to young journalists, cover travel costs and reporting expenses, pay stipends, and cover more significant organizational costs such as rent and insurance. If you want to donate in crypto, please contact me for the best address for the currency you want to transact. Click the coin to donate.

If you are considering being a major donor, leave a message at (845) 481-5616. My personal cell is (845) 337-5095.

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Much good journalism happens on the fly, in cheap motel rooms. This is in New Paltz, New York circa 2007. Photo by Danielle Voirin.

Here is what our readers and supporters have said about Chiron Return’s reporting recently:

“Eric, you and your team should win a Pulitzer for this brilliant work. I hope the story you just broke has legs like crazy and that Bustin is busted, along with the rest of the scammers perpetrating the crime against humanity that is Christian Drosten's PCR test." — Susan C Roberts 

"Eric, thanks for compiling the COVID news and commentary. I hadn't noticed it for a while but have found it again and it is like a lighthouse in a sea of nonsense. I have been following Tom Cowan et al, but good information is scattered all over the place, and hard to pin down.” — Zachary 

"Planet Waves is one of the first places I go to learn what is actually happening in the Covid world. Eric Francis Coppolino's incredible investigative work helps me to know I am not going coo coo bananas. I feel very grateful for Planet Waves' courage in reporting what is happening. Thank you, thank you." — Natalie Levin

"PW/PWFM offers consistently cohesive information presented in a calm and methodical manner, and always counterbalanced with inspiring creative content. This enables the listener to stay afloat throughout these deeply concerning times. Having been with PW for many years now, I have utter faith, trust and respect for Eric and his team, and although the truth can often make us fret, Planet Waves remains a beacon of hope and guidance even in the darkest and most trying moments." — Karen Barnes

"You already know my opinion but I will state it publicly, PW is keeping me sane and stable in times when I could have felt the opposite. I am endlessly stunned by the amount of excellent work that you and your team have accomplished since April 2020. Thank you." — Debra Samuels

"Great job Eric, I'm so glad someone is covering the rest of the Covid story. I am thinking someday we will all have to live in a small band of un altered humans on the outskirts of humanity." — Kel Dip

"Thank you Eric for Planet Waves and your posts here. I trust your research and your honest sensible approach, and have shared PW with friends. There are very few places to find Covid info that I go to for the truth.”

"I commend your dedication and focus to bringing light to this matter. You have the patience of a Saint. I know it takes alot of work and research to do what you have accomplished. You also have taken the time to respond to opposing opinions. Bravo!” — Shiela Cody

"I visit almost daily. This is where I go to read the truth.” — Susan Dollenmaier

"Working with the team has been of great benefit to me personally. It’s kept my understanding sharp, it’s been exciting, it’s given me a sense of community in a hostile and stupid world. It’s helped my confidence in myself.” — Ro Dann

You and your team are doing an incredible service for humanity. Speaking truth in a time of great deception is never easy but you just keep doing it. Thank you!!! — Lisa 

“Excellent coverage.” — Tracy Jane Green

"You and your team helped me to open my eyes and start taking responsibility for what I'm consenting to. Without your confrontation to face the innertia and passivity in addressing my own health, I would not have read as many books on virology, immunity and vaccines. I also began addressing existing health concerns I've avoided." — Aiko Takemura

"I definitely appreciate your efforts to bring us intelligent and accurate information.” — Becky Webb

"Eric's keen sense, trained eye, great team, wide view, non-patri owned independent thinking, real fact checking, honesty + humor make PW an excellent go to for perspective. And Lanvi's art is also a precious phenomena. — Davida Luminabes

"I am enormously grateful for your even handed deep research . You have full resonance with integrity and truth." — Marcia Glas-Hochstettler

"I'm glad for your deep investigations and coverage. The greatest value I've gotten out of your work are the primary sources of science-based research and differing perspectives, most available in video or writings in their own words. It's good to know where I can go for the ‘other' side of the story when I can find the time."  — Margaet Wade