Friday, February 06, 2009

Swept Out of the Building


The News-Press body count continues to grow and grow. I've learned that yesterday, sportswriter Brittany Page was let go. She had been hired by Scott Steepleton when he was associate editor. She had been a temporary employee.

Last Friday, Steepleton's secretary Kathy Pauls was given the heave-ho. She was actually on her way to catch the bus home and was called back only to be told that she was being terminated.

No word on whether the paper gave her bus fare.

* * *

Today is the second anniversary of the firing of the six News-Press reporters who unfurled a banner on the Anapamu Street pedestrian crossing urging people to cancel their subscriptions to the newspaper. That firing was later ruled illegal by an administrative law judge. The News-Press has appealed that ruling to the National Labor Relations Board.

This morning at 8:30, members of the Teamsters, which represents the paper's newsroom employees, will be back out on the bridge and once again unfurling a banner. Check back here later in the morning for pictures of the overpass demonstration.

* * *

First it was Heather Locklear, then Gary Collins. Now, will actor Adam Arkin's wife become the latest "celebrity" to come to Santa Barbara on vacation and leave on probation?

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Had fun yesterday as the guest of Spencer and Adam on the KJEE morning show. Their studio looks like a college dorm room except with expensive electronic equipment. A lot of expensive electronic equipment. (See, picture from yesterday.)

Must admit, I was a little embarrassed not to have done better at the "quiz show" game. I must be listening to the wrong music and seeing the wrong movies.

* * *

Although Rob Kuznia is going to work for Hispanic Business Magazine he will still be a contributing writer for Noozhawk on enterprise stories, most likely focused on K-12 (that's kindergarten through 12th grade) education. This according to Noozhawk publisher Bill Macfadyen. Bill also writes to say that Lara Cooper, formerly of the late and lamented Goleta Valley Voice, has joined Sonia Fernandez on the Noozhawk daily news reporting team. Lara's first day on the job was Wednesday.

* * *

It may not have been the most highly read post on Edhat, but the one with the most comments and, seemingly, the most heated debate is the one attached to the Noozhawk article about the City Council voting in favor of granting city employees a 5% raise.

Never have so many, begrudged so few, who get so little.
© 2009 by Craig Smith and www.craigsmithsblog.com