Taylor Rogers and Emily Inverso, the Daily Kent Stater reporters behind today’s article “Who is Terry Norman?“, couldn’t help but make a few jokes about All the President’s Men as they were reporting their exclusive story on the man at the center of new evidence about May 4.

“I knew it was going to be big,” Inverso said, “but it wasn’t until we were elbow deep in FBI documents that it hit us.”

Their story is the closest look at Norman since a new forensic audio analysis was released by The Plain Dealer and since U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Cleveland) opened an inquiry into the FBI’s dealings with the former pistol-wielding Kent State student. Rogers and Inverso interviewed a half-dozen sources, filed records requests and reviewed hundreds of documents for the story.

They said Janet Sima and Joe Butano were their best sources as they pursued the story. Butano is an authority on the matter, and Rogers said, “(Sima’s) story was just so interesting, and she was so willing to tell it.”

They also tried hard to find the man himself, eventually uncovering a phone number for a man with the same name who lives near the same last-known location of Norman with a woman who has Norman’s wife’s name.

“Both of our jaws dropped when he answered,” Inverso said. Unfortunately, the man wouldn’t say anything and denied being the Norman they were looking for.

To read their story and to hear and watch original recordings and videos from May 4, which feature Terry Norman, click here.

It’s going to be week 11 already.

As I start to think of all the things I’ve accomplished as Stater editor — blogs, scoops, more (and better) photos — I can’t help but think about all the things I haven’t accomplished. I hope that I’ve helped my staff become better journalists. (Whether I had anything to do with it or not, they have.) I know I’m a better journalist, and I’m looking forward to using my new knowledge starting next semester.

But there are still five weeks left in this one. That means we have to act fast if there’s anything left to be done at the Stater before 2011.

So I want to hear from you: Is there a story that’s gone uncovered? Is the Stater not useful for you because something you’d like to see isn’t in it? I’m willing to take on any project if I think it will be worthwhile, and I’m curious to hear your ideas.

E-mail me, comment here or @reply me (@BenWolford).