Thanks to modern technology, we've come a long way in just the last few decades. Gone are the days of getting the news a couple of days after it happened. Newspapers were printed overnight, so huge things could happen and many people would be oblivious until the next morning's paper. People in rural areas may not find out the news for a week or more after it happened. A lot of people relied on word-of-mouth to get their news; this method was also problematic, as this could be extremely inaccurate. Thanks to technology, it is easy to get the news as it happens. Just log on to a computer or a smartphone and get real-time updates from the major news media outlets. However, these sites are not unbiased, and there are several other places you can get news as it happens. Likewise, the major news outlets don't cover anything in your local area unless it is a huge catastrophe.

Social Media

Social media is a great way to get news updates and information on local happenings. If you log on to social media at any given time and check your local news media outlet's wall, you will see stories. If you look beyond the story to the user-added comments, you will likely glean information that the newspaper or television station hasn't released. Be aware, though, that this is like the old "grapevine" system of second-hand news. Most of the time, these comments are truth, but it is always important to verify what you see.

Local Contributor Sites

Many areas now have websites set up that allow local citizens to post news updates, with stories and pictures. This helps to get small local stories out to a larger audience in a shorter amount of time. It also takes a huge burden off local media outlets that only do one daily printing of the newspaper or a couple of daily news broadcasts on television. Again, make sure you verify what you read before you count it as fact. But most of these news sources are legitimate.

Local Law Enforcement Website

Many people don't realize that they can go to the local law enforcement agency's website for news updates on major local happenings that involve crime. Arrests, drug busts, burglaries and other crimes are usually released as a press release by your local police department or sheriff's office. And this information is nearly always 100% accurate, so these sites should be your first choice for news updates on local crime.