Hiatus?

Sally's taking back her life for the next couple of months and I'm inclined to do the same. I'll post as often as the news is there and you're all welcome to post anytime as well, but there won't be daily posts for the next couple of months.

Meantime, take this pat on the back: Randy was re-elected and Pat Martyn joins the council in January. The recall councilors showed their true colors and we maintained our integrity (even when they gave us repeated reasons to stoop to their level). We've learned a lot and made some new friends, and we've kept Doug in his place for another couple of years. We'll let you know when the victory party is.

In the meantime, be well and check back now and then. And, don't forget to be involved--let them know we continue to watch and that we expect responsible representation.

A happy high-five and THANK YOU!

All they ever really wanted.

As we fully expected, of course, the deadline for Doug and Phil to serve Sally properly and get on with the suits has passed. No service, no suits, no day in court. No opportunity for people to see their councilors defend themselves in public. And, if I remember correctly, that's all they ever wanted. At least they said that was all they really wanted.

By the way, no further word yet on the extra 28 days that Judge Reed supposedly gave Huffman to finish the case. We'll keep you posted.

Wonder if April will testify to that?

The news April gave me is this. She was told by Judge Reed that he is extending their filing on me for another 28 days. She's going to go find out what it's about. I'll call Mike tomorrow after work. I'm not worried. Morten told April that they only filed it to scare me and have me fold in. They didn't think I was smart enough.

from an email from Sally

I'm lost for a title for this one .......... you choose!

I've been hesitant to post this, because it feels a bit like voyerism. But, the race is won and I'm still scratching my head over this. It was the only comment posted on his website, it's seven years old, and it sounds kind of, uh, personal. Why did he post it on his campaign website? Note that even "Cindy" suggests these comments should be shared "quietly." Wonder if she knows it's been posted for the world to see?

6/15/01

Mort,

The program at the luncheon seemed so scripted that I didn’t find an appropriate moment to interrupt, then it was too late. I really felt badly in that I did prepare remarks that I think the staff should have heard from an arts person. But to follow the humorous and raucous tribute of the Troika and Slick was too much for this serious stuff. Perhaps it is better to share these thoughts quietly.

I intended to start by asking if any one knew of Ansel Adams or Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane. And then Hockney, which I would suspect few would recognize, yet many may have seen the student work inspired by him. I think Hockney provides the perfect paradigm to describe your career in arts education and athletics.

I would have explained to everyone that Hockney investigated Picasso’s pictorial ideas known as cubism. Picasso essentially attacked Renaissance concepts of space, “looking through the window” school of realism. Cubism is about seeing from multiple perspectives, the way in which our eyes take in multiple and shifting view. Hockney calls this the “flicker and scanning of binocular vision,” which with the camera can capture space, time, and movement.

Some may see the students’ photo collages as lightweight investigations or fanciful trickery. Yes, some may appear that way, bug Hockney affirms that “vision is like hearing, it is selective, you decide what’s important.” To me this is the paradigm that represents what you have brought to students over 31 years—-the ability to see from multiple perspectives and to capture space, time, and movement. You have inspired, befriended, taught almost 5000 students in ceramics, graphic design, photography, and year book. (My first inept calculations produced the modest number of 29,000 – glad I’m not teaching math. After 31 years it probably seems the number could be that large).

As a Lincoln parent I can say with great appreciation that you have inspired my son in ways that will affect him the rest of his life. You have opened his mind to the wonders of photography, but you have also created awareness about life skills such as team work, organization, cooperation no matter what direction he takes in life.

As a student teacher at Lincoln 13 years ago, I had the good fortune to work with an outstanding department—Crosier, Speros, and Morten. You all are part of a generation of arts teachers who passionately believe that the arts make a difference in the lives of their students; that content knowledge gives shape to vision and creates meaning; and that the experience of studio work can build self esteem and appreciation of others.

As a colleague these past 12 years, you have always been ready with a smile and a pat on the back. You are the calming force in our sometimes dysfunctional department. I say dysfunctional only in that we are a small department of both visual and performing arts and sometimes get stretched to the point of fragmentation. You Mort have always seemed to be the voice of reason.

An finally a tribute I heard from a senior humanities student as our class discussed your retirement. She said “Mort taught me to see.” Some of our faculty may think this is a small thing, but those of us in the arts know this is a wonderful tribute and a gift that all arts teachers should hope to impart to their students.

Man Ray in his book on modern photography (1957) said: “Of course there will always be those who look only at technique, who ask ‘how?’ while others of a more curious nature will ask ‘why?’ Personally I have always preferred inspiration to information.” You Doug have been both informational and inspirational as a teacher, a colleague, and a friend to many of us at Lincoln! Thank you and congratulations on your retirement!

Most Sincerely,

Cindy

ST HELENS RE-ELECTS RANDY AND OUSTS CHARLES FOR PAT!

YAHOOOOOO!!!

St. Helens voters got at least two things right! Congratulations to Randy Peterson and Pat Martyn!

I'd have posted sooner but I've been on the phone doing the "we won, we won" dance with friends!

BY THE WAY, the boyz didn't refile against Sally. She's catching up on sleep and her personal life until January and will make new recall announcements then!

I'm calling them out!

Isn't that what you say when you want some one to show up for a fight?!

I'm calling out Doug and Phil--bring it. If you want your day in court, your chance to "tell your side of the story," then by all means, do it. Amend your court papers, file properly, serve the malicious Ms. Gump and let's get on with it.

I, for one, am dying to hear YOUR side of the story.

I'll hold my breath until Tuesday, November 4th at 5:00 p.m., when your papers are due in court, and then I'll just have to assume that you couldn't come up with any facts to dispute the recall statements or just weren't interested in putting any effort behind your words. Worst of all, guys, I'll know this was a game. So will all of your constituents.

So, prove me wrong. St. Helens is waiting.

To the Publisher and Editor of The Chronicle

Please discontinue my subscription to your paper.

When I moved to this area four years ago, I started a subscription to the paper I considered “local” to my home in Columbia City. Yours. In those four years, I’ve read the paper cover to cover, week after week, and while picking up some bits and pieces of the news, I’ve primarily used the paper as a piece to practice my proofreading and spell-checking. (Did you know there’s a feature on computers these days that does much of that for you??)

During the past three months I’ve been heavily involved in the recall effort against St. Helens City Councilors Doug Morten and Phil Barlow, as have many residents of the St. Helens area—whether they were for or against the issue.

Your paper was given the first opportunity to run with the story, courtesy of Sally Gump’s personal friendship with one of your writers. Imagine my dismay and confusion to find that the South County Spotlight broke the story, and then, in form with a “news” paper, followed it throughout. This, despite repeated efforts to offer information first to your staff.

There are two things that should have triggered my decision to cancel my subscription, early on:

First, the St. Helens City Council's decision to switch back to the Chronicle as their paper of record after the South County Spotlight ran an interview with Mayor Randy Peterson in which he criticized the actions and behavior of the current council. This article was followed shortly afterward with an interview with Councilor Doug Morten. Even reporting, I think. The Council, however, at the urging of Councilor Phil Barlow, voted to change paper of record almost immediately following the interview with Peterson.

That decision might have been a simple change of heart among councilors, perhaps even to bring the paper of record distinction back to the town paper, IF the Chronicle had even once printed a story after that time that was not pro-council. It left many of us at City Hall shaking our heads and commenting on the power of a few councilors as opposed to the historic power of the press.

And, second, the day that Sally Gump told me she had all but been tossed out of the Chronicle because management there didn’t want her and her recall buddies in the building. This came in response to another attempt by Sally to give your reporter a heads up regarding the recall. And, predictably, nothing of the recall efforts made the Chronicle columns until Phil and Doug filed their SLAPP suits against Sally. The Chronicle in its infinite wisdom ran a glorifying article about the poor, put upon councilors as well as the indignant replies of the councilors to Sally’s attempt to recall them. (Keep those councilors happy and stay in business, I guess, huh? Damned be the news.)

Still, I wanted to believe you were truly good to your name and would report the news. So, I've watched the papers for weeks; I’ve never ceased to be amazed at what the Chronicle considers newsworthy and, oddly enough, what it chooses to ignore. Absolutely no word of the lawsuit coming to court made the paper the week it occurred. (I am anxious to see if the topic will ever appear in print again if left to you.) The only concession to actual coverage of the court scene was my letter, which appeared in the letters to the editor section two days after the court date. My assumption here is that if you print a letter to the editor in direct opposition to the councilors, you have "reported" on the topic without putting yourselves in the line of fire, so to speak.

I studied journalism in school. I read avidly. I know the definition of “news.” You have missed the boat more than once on this front; you are NOT publishing a newspaper according to the acknowledged definition of the word. Control of the press is the often the first sad sign of the demise of democracy and freedom. Many locals may not recognize your part in that, but I do. It is clear that the councilors of St. Helens, led by Phil Barlow, Doug Morten, and Keith Locke, have control of what you print, whether by their actions or your acceptance of their control.

My fondest hope is that you will pick up a dictionary or an old textbook and refresh your memory as to the purpose and, indeed, the responsibility of a newspaper. The councilors already have their propaganda rag, the city’s "news"letter, the Gazette (and it is proofed and edited about as well as yours). Citizens don’t need another councilor ego piece, especially one disguised as a newspaper.

I’ve had enough. I’ll find my proofreading exercises elsewhere. Please cancel my subscription.

Good luck.

Kim Bauer
Columbia City