Ken Doctor's 'Newsonomics,' a Fitz & Jen Book Review Bollinger Named 'Aberdeen American News' Publisher While Leone on Medical Leave Remembering Subscribers in Mill Valley -- By Painting Stripes in Front of Their Houses 'Times-Picayune' Presses Still Spinning for Super Bowl Victory Edition Media General Also Paying High Price To Spread Out Debt Missouri's Only Gay Newspaper Comes Back From Dead, But as Magazine Minneapolis 'Star Tribune' Achieves Record Web Month Union, Management Set Tuesday Meeting on 'Newsday' Financial Status 'N.Y. Times' Ombudsman: I'd Transfer Jerusalem Bureau Chief With Son in Israeli Army Tribune Co. D.C. Deputy Named 'Wall St. Journal' National Politics Editor | This week's top stories Mediaweek: Top Headlines

AUBURN, Maine A reporter for the Sun Journal suffered a fractured back while rolling down a hill inside a car-sized inflatable ball during a media preview of the ride at Lost Valley ski area.

Rebekah Metzler and photographer Lincoln Benedict were strapped inside the plastic sphere known as "the Zorb" Thursday afternoon when it bounced off a hay-encased post and went airborne before landing hard a couple of seconds later.

Metzler drove back to the newspaper's office in Lewiston before being taken to Central Maine Medical, where she remained Friday.

The Zorb was scheduled to make its public debut at Lost Valley this weekend. Diane Moreau, co-owner of Lost Valley, told the newspaper she has begun an investigation into the incident and was considering additional safety measures.