editor colorado
Aspen community mourns passing of Asher. PAGE 5
Official publication of the Colorado Press Association / coloradopressassociation.com / Vol. LXXXV, No. 7
July 2014
CU at the College of Media College of Media, Communication and Information to open fall 2015 Staff report
Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition President Steve Zansberg, left, and attorney Tom Kelley, right, present the Jean Otto Friend of Freedom Award to Denver Post Chairman William Dean Singleton.
‘At every turn Dean fought’ Post’s Singleton honored for work as government watchdog
By Jeffrey A. Roberts CFOIC Executive Director William Dean Singleton’s sustained and significant record of fighting for open government in Colorado earned him the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition’s Jean Otto Friend of Freedom Award in June. The CFOIC honored Singleton, chairman of The
Denver Post and retired chairman of MediaNews Group Inc., at a luncheon at the History Colorado Center in Denver. Gov. John Hickenlooper was the featured speaker. “Over the course of his career as the president and publisher of The Denver Post and other papers across the state, Dean Singleton never hesitated to challenge government secrecy SINGLETON on Page 7
Glen Asakawa, the Denver Post
Throughout his career, Singleton has been a tireless advocate for the public’s right to know.
The University of Colorado Board of Regents recently approved a new College of Media, Communication and Information. It is scheduled to open on the Boulder campus in fall 2015. The vote occurred in late June at the Tivoli Center at the University of Colorado Denver, and marks the first time a new college or school has been created at CU-Boulder in more than 50 years and moves forward the reorganization of the Department of Communication and the Program in Journalism and Mass Communication into one college, according to a news release. “The new college will deliver groundbreaking teaching and research that will ensure our students’ success by providing them with the expertise and versatility they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving communication landscape,” said University of Colorado Boulder Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano in the release. “This marks a transformative period for media education across the nation, and CU-Boulder’s College of Media, Communication and Information places the campus at the vital center of these exciting changes.” The next step in development of the college should come in September, when the Regents are to be asked to formally approve departments of advertising, public relations and media design; communication; critical media practices; journalism; information science; and media studies. CU on Page 4
High court ruling benefits open-records suit winners CFOIC’s Zansberg hails decision as ‘a victory for public’s right of access’ By Jeffrey A. Roberts CFOIC Executive Director The Colorado Supreme Court recently upheld the right of those
who win open-records lawsuits to be reimbursed for court costs and attorneys’ fees, even if they gain access to only some of the records they claimed were improperly withheld. The June 30th 5-2 ruling in Colorado Republican Party v. Benefield affirmed a 2011 Colorado Court of Appeals decision in favor of the state GOP. A district court had denied the party’s request for
attorneys’ fees as a partial victor in a Colorado Open Records Act lawsuit involving a survey sent to constituents by several Democratic state representatives. “The court correctly construed CORA as mandating that any person who prevails in obtaining access to any public records that were not properly withheld is entitled to recover his or her attorney’s fees,”
said First Amendment attorney Steve Zansberg, president of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition. “It is a victory for the public’s right of access because it means citizens need not risk their personal fortunes to exercise their right to inspect the public’s records.” The case goes back to 2006, when the Colorado GOP asked then-Rep. Debbie Benefield, D-Arvada, and
other current and former Democratic state representatives for the results of a constituent survey. The Republicans eventually obtained nearly 60 percent of 1,584 survey responses, but a Denver District Court judge ruled that the remainder were not subject to release under CORA. Because the GOP did not win RECORDS on Page 8
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colorado editor
July 2014
Colorado Newspapers
colorado editor ISSN #162-0010 USPS # 0122-940 Vol. LXXXV, Issue 7 July 2014 Colorado Editor is the official publication of the Colorado Press Association and is published monthly at 1336 Glenarm Place. Denver, CO 80204-2115 p: 303-571-5117 f: 303-571-1803 coloradopressassociation.com
Subscription rate: $10 per year, $1 single copy Staff Jerry Raehal Chief Executive Officer jraehal@colopress.net Brian Clark Design Editor Board of Directors OFFICERS Chair Bryce Jacobson The Tribune bjacobson@greeleytribune.com President Terri House The Pagosa Springs SUN terri@pagosasun.com Vice President Keith Cerny Alamosa Valley Courier krcemail56@gmail.com Treasurer Bart Smith The Tribune bsmith@greeleytribune.com Secretary Laurena Mayne Davis The Daily Sentinel laurena.davis@gjsentinel.com DIRECTORS Matt Lubich The Johnstown Breeze mlubich@johnstownbreeze.com Don Lindley The Durango Herald dlindley@durangoherald.com Larry Ryckman The Denver Post lryckman@denverpost.com Joe Hight The Gazette joe.hight@gazette.com Beecher Threatt Ouray County Plaindealer beecher@ouraynews.com Lisa Schlichtman Steamboat Pilot & Today lschlichtman@steamboattoday.com Periodical postage paid at Denver, CO 80202. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Colorado Editor 1336 Glenarm Place Denver, CO 80204-2115
In the News Philipps going to New York Times Two months after winning the Pulitzer Prize, Dave Philipps has left the Colorado Springs Gazette to join the New York Times staff. “I applaud Dave, 36, for reaching what I consider to the pinnacle destination in our profession,” Bill Vorgin penned in a column about Phiipps leaving. “He deserves it as much as any reporter I’ve ever known.” Philipps arrived at the Gazette after stints of doing construction work and as a “ski bum, er ski instructor,” Vorgin wrote. Philipps’ stint with the Gazette included covering a variety of topics, as well as a runner up in 2010 Pulitzer for the “Casulaties of War” series, which he also penned a book from, and this year’s Pulitzer for the three-day series “Other than Honorable.”
MetroWest adds staff writer Jeremy Johnson has joined the staff of MetroWest Newspapers as a general assignment reporter primarily covering Fort Lupton and southern Weld County for the Fort Lupton Press. A Pennsylvania native, Johnson has 10 years experience covering city, county and state government, oil and gas exploration, hydraulic fracturing, economic impact and environmental conservation. He won Keystone Awards in 2013 and 2014 from the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association, including second place for his work on the Zachary Proper murder case, which attracted national attention. His goal is to “provide the most comprehensive and detailed reporting possible on topics that matter most.” Johnson graduated from Metro State University of Denver in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in political science. He interned for the Denver Business Journal and lived in Denver for 13 years before returning to his hometown. He and wife Annie have a 2-year-old daughter, Cecilia.
CSU senior interns at Mountain Mail Allison Dyer Bluemel, a senior at Colorado State University-Fort Collins in the fall, is currently interning at The Mountain Mail. She is majoring in journalism and technical communications, and minoring in German; she is also taking online courses during the summer. Bluemel previously interned at Greeley Tribune in Greeley. Born in Conifer, she moved to Salida at age 5, attending school there until high school, when she earned a scholarship to Kent Boarding School in Kent, Conn. Mountain Mail reporter James Redmond encouraged her to major in journalism rather than music. Bluemel is interested in covering education, politics and perhaps economics, and would like to work at The Coloradoan in the future.
What’s new in Colorado news? The Colorado Editor wants to hear from you. We’re on the lookout for news about your staff, publications and businesses for our all-new columns and features in the Colorado Editor – your monthly membership newspaper from Colorado Press Association. Send us your “breaking news” on: • New Hires • Promotions • People Moving On • Anniversaries • Retirements • Contest or Staff Awards & Honors • New Building or Equipment Projects or Updates • Meetings, Seminars and Training • Community Projects • College-Related News and Events • Industry news that affects you • And any other personal news your staff members might want to share Send your news items of 150 words or fewer (photo also welcome) to Cheryl Ghrist – cghrist@colopress.net – using subject line “Colorado Editor News.”
New interns at Gunnison
Mountain Mail marks 135 years
Two Western State Colorado University students are interning this summer at Gunnison Country Times. Sarah Dore, of Leadville, is completing final credits for a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in photography. Dore’s favorite subjects are people – capturing them at events, in portraits and at weddings in her spare time, saying people “always have a story to tell.” She plans on staying in Gunnison. Tyler Gates, of Antioch, Calif., will be a senior communications major in the fall. Gates turned to writing after considering other majors, and is drawn to hard news, politics and investigative work, noting “I like the gatekeeping aspect, being a watch dog and always being up to date with current events.” After graduating, he’s interested in working for a small-town newspaper.
The Mountain Mail in Salida is celebrating 135 years of documenting the life of its community. It began as a small publication in Cleora, just east of Salida, amid the expansion work of the Denver & Rio Grande and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroads. When the former won the right to expand through the growing mountain area, the city of South Arkansas (now Salida) was formed. The city welcomed the newspaper to its midst, and The Salida Mail began as a daily on June 5, 1880. Five years later, the owners cut back to twice-weekly publication. In its first 12 years, the newspaper would go through three name changes, six owners and three print schedules. Publisher John M. O’Connell bought the Mail in 1915, using the United Press wire service to bring in national news. Competitors included The Salida Record (June 1882; renamed the Chaffee County Record, 1883), and the daily Salida MailBulletin (1933), which merged with the Mail in 1939 to become the Salida Daily Mail. Another merger in 1948 brought in the Chaffee County Record. George Oyler bought the newspaper in 1951, renaming it The Mountain Mail in 1956. Former Colorado Springs Tribune group editor (until 1974 when the group went out of business) Merle Baranczyk became editor and publisher of the Mail – making it a local-news focused tabloid in 1977, and with his wife Mary buying it the following year, forming the Arkansas Valley Publishing Co. Today the group runs six publications in the area, as Baranczyk said, offering “news that’s vetted, accurate and balanced. That’s what sets newspapers apart,” from onlineonly news sources.
Herald Democrat wins court ruling District Judge Wayne Patton awarded the Herald Democrat $63,915.70 in attorney fees plus court costs of $309.06 in its Colorado Open Meeting Law suit against Lake County commissioners. Patton ruled in the newspaper’s favor March 24, a decision the commissioners appealed. The suit involved the release of tapes of commission meetings on two dates in February. The newspaper was to have received the tapes May 13, but the judge issued a stay of execution on that order. The Herald Democrat then filed a motion for reconsideration of the stay, which the judge denied, saying “what took place during the defendant’s unannounced meetings was testified to in open court and extensively reported in the local newspaper.”
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July 2014
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10 Questions with: Lisa Schlichtman By Cheryl Ghrist Contributing Editor
doing professional photography? Photography is a skill I have developed over time. Working in a weekly newspaper environment at the start of my career sent me through a crash course in photography because most of the time I had to shoot all of my own story assignments. Photography remains a personal hobby, and it’s exciting for me to have the opportunity to work with so many talented photographers here at The Steamboat Pilot & Today. I hope to pick up some tips and improve my skills, which mainly are focused on capturing images of my family and the beautiful Colorado landscape that now surrounds me although I can still be counted on to take a photo or two for the newspaper if needed.
This issue, “10 Questions” checked in with Lisa Schlichtman, editor of The Steamboat Pilot & Today, and former editor and publisher of the Monett Times and Cassville Democrat in southwest Missouri. 1) You’re currently editor of The Steamboat Pilot & Today, and before that you were co-publisher and editor of two newspapers and a couple of magazines in Missouri. How has your career change felt, going from wearing several big newspaper hats at the same time to a new adventure in Colorado? My move to Steamboat after an almost 20-year journalism career in southwest Missouri was a bold step, and now after 10 months on the job, I have no doubt it was a step in the right direction. Leaving behind the role of publisher to take over as editor of a progressive, seven-daya-week newspaper was a welcome change and allows me to focus all of my attention back on news and content – an opportunity I welcome and truly enjoy.
8) Juggling the work at multiple publications must be stressful at times. What are your two favorite (summer and winter) things to do in your spare time? When I’m not working, I love to run along the Yampa Valley Core Trail. It’s the perfect way for me to unwind and de-stress. I also just bought a “Hiking the ‘Boat” book, and I have grand plans to tackle one hike a weekend. In the winter I enjoy skiing, especially on bluebird days (bright, sunny days after a night of snowfall), and I have just begun acquiring a taste for crosscountry skiing.
2) You’re coming up on a year at Steamboat. Of what are you most proud so far? I am very proud that I have been able to retain the core of the talented team of award-winning newspaper journalists that I inherited when I arrived at The Steamboat Pilot & Today. Over the past 10 months, I’ve also had the opportunity to hire a few new staff members and promote several others into new positions of leadership. The net result is a re-energized, digital-first newsroom dedicated to engaging our readers and providing them with the breaking news and insightful articles they depend on daily. I also recently worked with our creative team to relaunch our Explore Steamboat brand with a redesigned website and Friday print edition as well as coordinating content among all our platforms, including newspaper, websites, magazine and TV. Explore Steamboat serves as the information and social hub for arts and entertainment, outdoor recreation, lifestyle and business here in our extraordinary mountain town. 3) A look at the websites of the Missouri newspapers you worked with shows attention to everything from local and state to national and international news. Does this speak of your philosophy of service to your readers? As a daily newspaper, it’s our responsibility to provide our readers with the news that makes a difference in their lives, including state and national news, but our primary focus is local news – the true franchise of any community newspaper. I use the word “community” to describe the
9) Office with a view? Neat desk or not? What would we see there?
Lisa Schlichtman and her husband, Mike, shortly after Lisa accepted to job of editor at The Steamboat Pilot & Today. newspapers I’ve guided, because it’s essential that we provide the news our readers can’t get anywhere else, and we must constantly monitor the pulse of the communities we serve to ensure we’re providing the news and information they need. We also must remain vigilant in our coverage of local government, continuing to fulfill our vital watchdog role, especially in regards to open meetings and records law – a battle this newspaper has been waging recently with our local DA’s office. 4) When you were hired at Pilot & Today, (former) general manager Scott Stanford noted your history of community involvement. What are you doing in the Steamboat area these days? In my role as editor, I believe it’s extremely important to be active and volunteer in the community where I work and live. As a result, a good portion of my workweek is spent outside the office interacting with various community leaders and organizations. I am a member
of the Rotary Club of Steamboat Springs, and I also serve on the advisory council for the Yampa Valley Autism Program. I am currently completing a yearlong Leadership Steamboat class through the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association. As part of that class, I have become involved in a Yampa Valley Gives initiative aimed at increasing online giving in support of local nonprofits in conjunction with the statewide ColoradoGives program.
broadcast to an emphasis in magazines. During my college days, I was a reporter for The Maneater, the campus newspaper, and for the Columbia Missourian, the J School’s daily newspaper, and it was at those two publications that my passion for newspapers took hold.
5) You went to the University of Missouri-Columbia for your journalism degree. Was that your goal as a teenager? Were you on the high school newspaper? And what is The Maneater?
My internship at the hospital was a paid position and allowed me to work with a woman in the Columbia community whom I considered to be a mentor. I enjoyed the experience but realized I much preferred reporting and writing for newspapers than pitching them stories.
I am a very proud graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, and it was a goal of mine from a very early age to pursue a career in writing. I began with a dream of becoming the next Jane Pauley but quickly realized I missed in-depth reporting and writing so I switched from
6) You did an internship with Columbia Regional Hospital’s Public Relations Department. Did you ever consider going the PR path?
7) You and your family members travel to a lot of beautiful places, and you take a lot of wonderful photos, some away, some closer to your Colorado home. Ever thought of
I have a lovely, spacious office with a big window that offers views of Lincoln Avenue and a small mountain in the distance. I have lots of framed family photos on display, an old L.C. Smith and Corona typewriter sitting above my computer and some mementos from my newspaper career back in Missouri. 10) What’s the next big thing in each of your coverage areas that’s on your radar? After a year of producing indepth news stories and features for our Sunday edition, our news team took a step back, re-evaluated our approach and decided the opportunity to produce long-form investigative news stories and packages was worth the effort. Looking ahead, our reporters have rededicated themselves to producing four to five Sunday features a year in addition to their regular beat assignments. We also are in the process of restructuring our social media strategy to further engage our readers through more video and interactive online features that complement and enhance our print content. I firmly believe that if we aren’t making strides forward in this industry to embrace new technology and challenge ourselves to find new ways to engage with our readers, we quickly will be left behind.
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colorado editor
July 2014
Much to do for CFOIC
Widgets and ad choices
Hotline just one way we can help you Nearly a year has gone by since the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition started to remake itself into an active, leading voice for open government in the state. Our timing could not have been better. Since last summer, there has been no shortage of FOI-related material to write and talk about. Just a few topics: the Arvada City Council’s use of secret ballots; state legislation capping research-andretrieval fees for records; the Jeffrey A. U.S. Interior Roberts Secretary barring local reporters CFOIC Executive from an open Director meeting in Moffat County; the threat of jail time in Colorado for a Fox News reporter who wouldn’t reveal confidential sources; and Colorado Springs’ misuse of attorney-client privilege to avoid disclosure of information on a power plant fire. The CFOIC regularly collects news stories and editorials on subjects like these from throughout Colorado. We link to them on our website’s news feed, and we try to generate a buzz about them on social media. (My Google Alerts don’t pick up everything so please send me stories you post that address government transparency issues in any way.) We also report and write original articles on our blog, producing more than 80 so far. Much of this information is included in newsletters emailed to journalists and interested citizens across the state. Fostering an ongoing
The CFOIC is committed to helping journalists and engaged citizens answer questions about the Colorado Open Records Act, the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act and the Open Meetings Law.” conversation about access to public information in Colorado is an important part of our nonprofit’s mission. The FOI hotline is another important part. The CFOIC is committed to helping journalists and engaged citizens answer questions about the Colorado Open Records Act, the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act and the Open Meetings Law. For journalists in particular, the CFOIC is set up to be a point of contact for members of the Colorado Press Association and the Colorado Broadcasters Association. For CPA members, general questions about the laws, or tips on how to use them, should be directed to me as CFOIC’s executive director. I am not a lawyer and do not provide legal advice – my background is mostly in journalism as a former editor and reporter at The Denver Post – but I often am able to help with routine inquiries, and I continue to develop experience and expertise in how these laws operate. If I’m not sure how to respond, know that my backup knowledge base couldn’t be deeper – the attorneys at Levine Sullivan Koch & Schulz who specialize in media and First Amendment law. One of these attorneys, as you probably already know, is CFOIC President Steve Zansberg. Another is Tom Kelley, who served as CFOIC president for 17 years and remains an active
member of the board. Zansberg, Kelley and other members of their firm volunteer considerable amounts of time to CFOIC initiatives. They also are recruiting and training lawyers from other firms, specifically to help me serve the non-journalists and organizations that come to us with FOI-related questions and problems. As we move forward, look for more resources on CFOIC’s website that might help you answer questions without making a call or sending an email. There’s a lot of helpful information already posted at coloradofoic.org/new-resources/, as well as a growing catalogue of online public data. Also look for more webinars, seminars and forums like our Sunshine Week panel at KUSATV on getting public records and challenging closure of meetings. A video of that practical discussion, which featured Zansberg and several veteran investigative journalists, is still on our website if you haven’t seen it: coloradofoic.org/sunshineweek-panel-get-hands-publicrecords/. So go ahead – ask questions, send suggestions, join the conversation. Contact Jeff at jroberts@ coloradofoic.org or 303-571-5117, Ext. 13. Follow CFOIC on Twitter @ CoFOIC. Like Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition on Facebook.
Let’s say you’re because he’s in the widget considering the purchase room – but you’re not of a new widget. completely sure. His Your current widget favorite sayings seem to is working okay, but be “We make life good,” you know that there “Making goodness for 50 have been some new years,” and “Goodness is innovations lately and really good.” He doesn’t you’d like to see what’s have a booth. He just available. So you go to a wanders around saying John meeting which features seemingly profound – but Foust widget manufacturers. empty – words. You notice a couple of things when you walk 4. The lady with lots into the room: (1) A lot of people of information. Her banner has a are vying for your attention and clearly defined benefit statement. (2) They seem to fall into four Her company literature describes general categories. Let’s take a the ways her widget can solve look at what you encounter in that specific problems for prospective crowded room: customers. And she shows a 1. The guy with the loud, genuine interest in each customer plaid sport coat, white shoes who stops to talk. She’s the and a big cigar. His approach is opposite of the other three people. big, bold and obnoxious, just like She’s not trying to out-shout the his outfit. It’s his strategy to make competition, she’s not trying to you look at him before you notice grab anyone’s attention with razzle anyone else. Yesiree, Bub. He’ll dazzle, and she’s not making shout and jump up and down on vague product statements. She his display table until you give communicates concise, relevant him your attention. And if you information about her line of happen to glance at someone else widgets. while he’s talking, he’ll slap you Which widget person would on the back and claim that his you rather talk to? The shouter, widget is the best in the history the dazzler, the vague sloganeer or of widgetry. The banner over his the person who understands what booth reads, “For all your widget you need from a widget? needs.” His favorite words are Each of these four people “unbelievable” and “fantastic.” He represents a particular style of has exclamation marks on his tie. advertising. There are ads that shout to get your attention, ads 2. The lady making balloon that are artsy and off topic, ads animals. Instead of talking about with meaningless words – and ads widgets, she’s tries to dazzle you which focus on the interests of with glamour and artistry. “Now specific target audiences. Which that I have your attention, let me style has credibility? Which style make another balloon animal. works? The answer is obvious. How about a rhinoceros? That will really impress you. Our widgets? John Foust has conducted Oh, they are top-notch. But let’s training programs for thousands not talk about that. Let’s focus on of newspaper advertising my creativity. Stand here in front professionals. Many ad of my booth for a while, and I’ll departments are using his training make a pelican on roller skates.” videos to save time and get quick results from in-house training. 3. The guy making deep philosophical statements. He Email for information: john@ must be talking about widgets, johnfoust.com
College will open in 2015
CU from Page 1
Plans for the new college have been underway since the Board of Regents’ charge in 2011 to create a journalism program with innovative and interdisciplinary approaches to propel CU-Boulder to national leadership in media education. The process has included input from faculty, students and staff, as well as alumni and industry. “The University of Colorado is positioned to be on the forefront of our industry with an innovative program that will produce not only working filmmakers, but a new generation well-versed in nonfiction storytelling,” said Oscar-winning
documentarian Daniel Junge. The college is projected to open with about 1,750 students and will be funded from existing resources. “The proposed new college meshes perfectly with our industry’s need for tech-savvy journalists who can produce engaging digital work while maintaining the traditional standards of credible and ethical journalism,” said Andrew Pergam, video strategist at The McClatchy Company, a major newspaper and Internet publisher. More information about the new college is available at http://www.colorado.edu/ cmci/.
The website for CU’s College of Media, Communication and Information is up and running.
colorado editor
July 2014
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From the CEO
A month without reading newspapers For the last decade, Most notably, I missed a I have been on the sense of community. production end of our Without reading a industry, either as a newspaper, I felt lost. I publisher, general manager, didn’t know what was going editor or as a reporter. on. I would see an event Upon starting at taking place and wonder. the Colorado Press I would search the web or Association, I conducted an hope TV or radio would experiment: I didn’t read have something. Jerry a hometown paper for a Sometimes, I could get Raehal month. news from other sources, I admit, it’s an but the newspaper was CPA/SYNC 2 unorthodox for the CPA’s the one-stop shop that CEO CEO to do such a thing. provided greater detail the But after 10-plus years other sources lacked. of reading multiple papers each day, I also missed the intimate I wanted a new perspective on what feel newspapers create with the I valued from newspapers — a view community. not from the production end, but In recent years as publisher simply as a reader. and editor, I became more and In short, I wanted to see what I more focused on investigative and would miss. watchdog journalism, which was And miss it, I did. the right thing to do.
But that’s not what I missed the most. Instead, I longed to read about my neighbors — the stories about their accomplishments and struggles. During my month hiatus, I was reminded that newspapers do more than provide the “who, what, when, where, why, how and what next” for their respective communities. We provide community — in a fashion that is second to none. That’s our past, I believe it is our future.
A brief intro Newspapers have long been an important aspect of my life. They helped me learn about capitalism, as my brother paid me less to deliver his Greeley Tribune route than what he made (helped me
fully understand carrier contracts when I became a publisher). I learned about deadlines working for my high school paper, the Greeley Central Highlight, which at the time was the only paper in a four-state area that produced weekly. They helped me learn about government backlash to questions, and still standing up for what’s right. I met my wife, Jamie, thanks to a roommate wanted ad she placed. After our interview, she called and told me I could move in, but she also wanted to make it clear that she would never date me. That’s when I knew she wanted me. Four months later, she made her move … though for some reason, most people don’t believe she is the one who initiated the relationship. Perhaps it’s because she’s smoking
hot, and I’m smoking not. Random side note: The Denver Nuggets are actually in our wedding vows — she agreed to love me even if I was ignoring her because a game was on (though, at this point, our wedding vows should be about the Broncos instead). Beyond those vows, Jamie has been an important part of our newspaper work life, which has included stops in Wyoming, Oregon and Colorado. She’s been supportive but also my most active critic. By doing so, she has pushed me to be better and better — the Nuggets could use such love. Finally, I’m thrilled to be with CPA and SYNC2 Media. We are facing challenges and important decisions that will set our course, which makes these times so exciting. I look forward to working with you as we travel this road together.
Obituary
Friends, relatives mourn death of Aspen’s Asher Rick Carroll The Aspen Times Back in her youth, she used to peddle the Aspen Times Weekly on the streets for a quarter, usually drawing more in tips than the paper’s face value. By 2003, she had joined the newspaper as an account manager, gradually climbing up the ladder until she was named publisher, a role she relished and embraced. Gunilla Asher’s friends were many, from the bartenders at the J-Bar to the sheriff of Pitkin County. She had an affinity for tequila, conversation and socializing, and thrived on the rush that comes with closing a deal. Around 4 a.m. June 2, Asher passed away at Aspen Valley Hospital following a lengthy battle with cancer. She was 42. Asher was hospitalized the morning of June 1 as a result of liver failure that stemmed from cancer. Observers said Asher did not suffer after she was admitted to the hospital. Her husband, Mark, drove from a family reunion in Nebraska to be by her side in the final two hours leading up to her death. “I don’t know if I can add anything to say that everyone doesn’t already know,” he said. “She was brave, and every doctor that she went to and looked at her chart would say there was a mix-up. Her presence spoke volumes about her.” Asher is survived by her husband and two sons, David and Charlie, ages 5 and 6. Other survivors include her father, Charles Israel, and his wife, Sandy; sister Linda, stepsister Rachel Hahn and stepbrother Josh Goldman. She is preceded in death by her brother,
Whatever she dove into, she was just the rock. She carried herself with so much confidence and compassion. She had that ability to really have an impact on whoever was around her. She was happy and positive.” Christian Henrichon, friend of Gunilla Asher, above David, who died in a car accident in 1995, and her mother, Gunn Agell, who passed away in November. News of Asher’s death spread quickly by word-of-mouth and on social-media websites such as Facebook. A common thread spread among her well-wishers was her zest for life, toughness, fun-loving spirit, competitive nature and sense of humor. “She was always a go-getter,” her father said. “I have to say that in college she wasn’t the greatest student, but she worked hard as a bartender in college and subsequently in life.” Asher was born on March 7, 1972, in Long Island, New York. But she considered Aspen her true home. “She was a wonderful skier,” her father said. “All of the children who grew up in Aspen were great skiers, but Gunilla was as good as anybody. “And she just was very much into Aspen. She loved Aspen, she loved the people and she maintained relationships from high school and college, too,” her father said. Asher spent her formative years
in Aspen before attending high school in Washington state. She graduated from high school in 1990 and would go on to graduate from Fort Lewis College in Durango in 1994. By 2003 she would join The Aspen Times sales team, eventually being promoted to the department’s director. In November 2009, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent chemotherapy and had a double mastectomy as a preventive measure to keep the cancer from returning. But after she suffered a broken rib around New Year’s Day in 2013, she began to feel pain in other parts of her body. It prompted a visit to her oncologist, and on Feb. 19, 2013, Asher, then the paper’s general manager, learned she had Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer throughout her body. She received treatment at MD Andersen Cancer Center in Houston, the University of Colorado Cancer Center in Aurora, and Aspen Valley Hospital. Many of her friends would often take her to AVH for treatments. Among them was Aspen Times office manager
Dottie Wolcott, who was often at Asher’s side, routinely visiting her at her home outside of Woody Creek and lending a hand however she could. Asher also sought alternative methods of healing. “I don’t want to die, and I want to do everything it takes,” she told the Times for an article in March 2013. “I’m embracing Western medicine and a bunch of other things — meditation, prayer, Buddhism. I’m embracing everything and the whacky stuff, too.” Her sister, Linda, said, “She mixed the East with the West because she was looking for another miracle. ... The illness caused her to open herself to another spiritual realm.” And there was also 11:11 — that was the time, whether in the morning or evening, that she asked people to think about her. It became the battle cry throughout her fight with cancer. “The more people thinking about me at the same time, ... I believe it brings a moment of healing,” she said. “I love people thinking about me. It feels like it makes me stronger.” Asher’s health began a steep decline over the past few months; she had relinquished her day-to-day duties at the Times but continued to maintain the publisher title. Near the end of April, she and her family took a trip to Isla Mujeres in Mexico, a country she visited often. “It was a great experience,” said friend Christian Henrichon, who brought along his family for the vacation. “Being Gunilla, she was going to be the life of the
party either way. She was adamant that she was going to have a great vacation because she’d been through a lot. She’d been fighting 24-7 for nearly the last year and half.” Henrichon echoed the thoughts of many mourners on Monday. “She has strength in anything, whether it was for the love for her friends, the love for her family, the love for her work, whatever,” he said. “Whatever she dove into, she was just the rock. She carried herself with so much confidence and compassion. She had that ability to really have an impact on whoever was around her. She was happy and positive.” Asher’s father noted that when he looked at her phone, he marveled at the number of contacts she had. “From business, I possibly have 50 names on my phone. She had 500 names and everybody she knew was part of her business, part of her life. The one thing she could do was manage her business and manage her people,” he said. One of Asher’s good friends was Barbara New, who recalled her wit. When New worked at the Times in production, Asher was in sales. The two often had to join forces to create display advertisements. “We used to call ourselves JAPS, not for Jewish American Princesses — we were both Jewish — but for Jiffy Ad Productions. She just had that personality.” Asher’s husband, Mark, said June 2 holds added meaning now. “Ironically today, when she passed away, was my (deceased) dad’s birthday,” he said. “That’s why we would have the big party in Nebraska. And next year, we’ll have another reunion.”
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colorado editor
July 2014
Favorite faces stand the test of time It happened again just too heavy for my taste. So, recently. I work with the SemiBold a I was working on a lot. The Ultra? Never!” redesign with the lead “How about sans serifs?” designer at that newspaper “Easy. I’ve found a new when he asked: “So…what favorite. Antenna. I really are your favorite typefaces?” like the way Antenna “Ever?” works in so many different “Ever. I mean, you do ways—and it’s because there have your favorites…don’t are more than two dozen Ed you? Henninger fonts in the family. Antenna “Yeah.” is great for display and it “So . . . ?” works well in text sizes for “Well, I can count them captions, lists, infoboxes, etc. on one hand. Five of them. It changes It’s certainly a breakaway from tired occasionally with one or two of serifs like Helvetica, Franklin Gothic, them, but most have been favorites Frutiger and Univers. With so much for a long time. use during recent years, even Myriad “So . . . tell!” is tired now.” “OK. Tops on the list is Kepler. “Sounds like you’re in love with I love Kepler, It’s elegant. Beautiful Antenna.” proportions. Gorgeous italic. And “I am. I’ve used it in some recent 168 fonts! Imagine that: A greatredesigns and it gives those papers looking typeface with 168 fonts in an entirely new feel. It’s modern the family! It’s a gift-that-keeps-onyet its proportions are true to the giving for those of us who love classic sans serif tradition. And I really typefaces.” like the choices of different weights “Wow…168 fonts.” and widths—everything from a “Yeah, but don’t get excited. I only Compressed Thin to a very wide recommend about a dozen or so. Black. I’m excited by the possibilities You really don’t need more than that Antenna offers.” for news design—even for the most “You said you think some serif choosy designers.” typefaces, like Helvetica, Franklin “Another?” and others, are ‘tired.’ Are there “Photina. I often have trouble others you recommend?” deciding which I like more: Photina “Yes. One: Akzidenz Grotesk. or Kepler. They’re both graceful Don’t be fooled by the name: and inviting serif faces. Photina is It’s neither an accident, nor is it sophisticated yet clean. Simple. Crisp. grotesque. The name translates And, like Kepler, it can be used for loosely to ‘sans serif printer’s type.’ It, both display and text if you make the like Antenna, has about two dozen right choices and treat them in the fonts in the family. It, too, works right way. Photina comes in about well in both display and text sizes. six or eight fonts, depending. I try And, again like Antenna, it has a to stay away from the bold—it’s a bit wide choice of weights and widths.
I’ve used it in several redesigns and I never tire of its Extra Bold Condensed for impact—and its Light Condensed for subheads, labels and the like.” “OK, so you said five. What’s the fifth?” “Well, those I’ve mentioned are all designed mostly as display fonts. Y’know: Headlines, subheads, labels, pullouts and that kinda thing. So, that leaves text. And that means Nimrod.” “Nimrod? Really.” “Yeah…terrible name, great face. I’ve been doing this consulting thing for 25 years now and I’ve been recommending Nimrod for all of that time. Other typefaces—Benton and Poynter, for example—have come along during that time. A few years ago, Minion was the fad and I never understood why. I put them all up against Nimrod for x-height, legibility and reading comfort. Really. I test them against Nimrod by setting the same story in the typeface-dujour and Nimrod and comparing the look. Nimrod wins…every time.” “Wow.” “Yeah . . . every time.” “So . . . about the Kepler and Photina . . .” “Yeah?” “If you had to choose between them. Absolutely had to choose.” “Yeah?” Well . . . which one would you pick?” “I think . . . uhhh . . . both.” WANT A FREE evaluation of your newspaper’s design? Just contact Ed: edh@henningerconsulting.com or 803-327-3322
The Adobe Cloud: Should I or shouldn’t I?
I’ve written a couple of columns related to the Adobe Cloud. Still, I’m stopped several times at every speaking event by publishers wanting to know if they should upgrade. CS6 suites are available for individual purchase via electronic software download on Adobe.com. Kevin Customers Slimp must pay with a credit card and will receive an individual serial number and download. To upgrade, buyers must already have a CS5 or 5.5 license. Unless your paper needs to purchase a CS6 version of InDesign to match other users in the workflow, it really doesn’t make financial sense to purchase CS6 instead of subscribing to the Adobe Cloud. Here’s my thinking: • To purchase a full version of Creative Suite 6 Design Standard, which includes InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop and Acrobat, the cost is
$1,299. Adobe claims an upgrade is available from CS5, but after 30 minutes, I’ve still not been able to find it on the Adobe.com site. Versions before CS5 are not upgradable. • The cost of an individual license of InDesign CS6 is $699. • As of this writing, Adobe is offering a promotional price of $29.99 per month for a subscription to Adobe Cloud, which includes any software newspapers might use,
including InDesign, Photoshop, Muse, Illustrator, InCopy, Acrobat and dozens of other titles. • A subscription for an individual application, such as InDesign, is $19.99 per month. • Files from InDesign CC (Creative Cloud) can be saved so they can be opened in previous versions of InDesign. How does this all pan out? Users can subscribe to InDesign CC for three years for the price of
purchasing a copy of InDesign CS6. Three years is probably about the time you’d give in and subscribe to the Cloud anyway, if not sooner. For $30 per month, anyone with CS3 or higher versions of the Creative Suite can upgrade to Creative Cloud for the next year. So for $360, you would have access to just about everything Adobe offers for twelve months. Let’s assume the price will go up to $50 per month after a year. That adds up to $1,560 over the next three years for access to the entire Adobe Creative Cloud collection. If you purchase just Adobe InDesign (as an individual subscription) over the next three years, your cost (at $20 per month) would be about the same as purchasing InDesign CS6 today. I know it’s confusing. But I don’t get a dime from Adobe, so I have no reason to mislead you. Here’s my official advice. Take it for what it’s worth. 1. If you have Adobe CS6 and have no reason to make additional purchases (no new computers being added to the mix), then keep what you have and look into an upgrade in a year or two.
2. If you have CS5 or 5.5, consider upgrading to the $30 per month plan (for the entire CC suite) or $20 (for InDesign only), but don’t stress about it. 3. If you have CS3 or 4, go ahead and subscribe to the Creative Cloud while they are offering the $30 per month introductory pricing. 4. If you have Adobe software prior to CS3, give serious consideration to upgrading to the Creative Cloud. One of the risks of waiting too long to upgrade is that it becomes more expensive to get software when you finally have to have it. At the moment, you should be able to subscribe to the Cloud for $50 per month (normally $70 per month). If you use QuarkXPress, that’s a “whole ’nuther” issue. Let’s leave that for another column. For the moment, that should give you enough information to begin dealing with a potential upgrade. One more thing: make sure your hardware can handle a software upgrade. Most of us already have hardware that can handle Adobe Creative Cloud, but be sure to check before making a purchase.
colorado editor
July 2014
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In newsroom from Dallas (right) to Denver (left and below) and many points in between, Dean Singleton has been a fierce defender of the First Amendment. “A newspaper serves as the watchdog of all things in the community, but especially the government,” the 2014 Friend of Freedom Award winner said. “Without being that watchdog, democracy wouldn’t work.” AP (right); Karl Gehring, The Denver Post (left); Jerry Clevland, The Denver Post (below)
“(Whenever) there is an issue with making sure there is clear access to the facts, somehow I hear from Dean. This is the one place where there has never been any negotiation with Dean under any circumstances.” Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper
SINGLETON from Page 1 and to hold public officials accountable,” said CFOIC President Steve Zansberg. “Whether it was the Columbine killers’ journals or the governor’s cell phone records, at every turn Dean fought vigorously to protect the public’s right to know.” The award honors the legacy of Jean Otto, a long-time editor and reader representative at the Rocky Mountain News who founded the CFOIC in 1987 and was a tireless advocate for First Amendment and freedom-of-information rights. Singleton, 62, backed multiple open-records and access battles during his long tenure as Post publisher and chairman of Post owner MediaNews Group Inc. One particularly high-profile court fight led to the precedent-setting release in 2006 of more than 900 pages of documents seized from the homes of Columbine High killers Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, including diaries, day planners and school papers. The Colorado Supreme Court agreed with The Post’s assertion that records held by Jefferson County sheriff ’s investigators in the case were criminal-justice records and, therefore, subject to public release. Although the court left it up to the sheriff to determine which items would benefit the public by their
Craig F. Walker, The Denver Post
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, Sen. Michael Bennet and Sen. Mark Udall are among the local politicians who praised Dean Singleton for his commitment to transparency and open government.
disclosure, the decision firmly established the public’s right to see evidence seized by search warrant. In another precedent-setting case earlier in the decade, The Post sued the developer of the former Stapleton International Airport property, arguing that the nonprofit corporation’s records were subject to the Colorado Open Records Act because it functioned as an agency of the city and county of Denver. The Colorado Court of Appeals agreed, ruling that governments are not allowed to sidestep the openrecords law by delegating work to private entities. In 2011, The Post found itself on the losing side of another long, vigorous court battle over an
open-government issue – this time, the cell phone records of former Gov. Bill Ritter. The Post had sued Ritter in 2008 for an itemized list of calls Ritter made to discuss public business using his privately funded cell phone. In a 4-2 decision, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled the list was not a public record, setting a “bad precedent for transparency in government,” according to Post Editor Greg Moore. Also during Singleton’s tenure, The Post fought for access to the autopsy report of JonBenét Ramsey and search warrant affidavits for John and Patsy Ramsey’s home. It successfully sued (with the Associated Press) to unseal the indictment of Aaron Thompson in
the case of his missing daughter, Aarone Thompson, and to unseal the arrest warrant affidavit for former Denver Bronco Perrish Cox, who eventually was found not guilty of sexual assault charges in Douglas County. The Post also has been at the forefront of fights for access to numerous criminal proceedings, including the Oklahoma City bombing trials, sex assault allegations against Kobe Bryant and the Aurora movie theater shooting. The newspaper recently was part of a consortium (which included the CFOIC) that persuaded a judge to unseal transcripts in the case against death-row inmate Sir Mario Owens. “A newspaper serves as the watchdog of all things in the community, but especially the government,” Singleton said as he accepted the award. “Without being that watchdog, democracy wouldn’t work.” Whenever “there is an issue with making sure there is clear access to the facts, somehow I hear from Dean,” said Hickenlooper, addressing the luncheon. “… This is the one place where there has never been any negotiation with Dean under any circumstances.” In a video message, Sen. Mark Udall said he was pleased to help honor Singleton, whom he called “a champion of transparency and
accountability.” “Dean understands that despite the First Amendment’s guarantee of a free press, meeting the promise of our Bill of Rights isn’t easy – it takes hard work, determination and grit,” Udall said. Singleton, he added, has “made a career of supporting publications that shine light on government and how it affects Coloradans. “ In a letter, Sen. Michael Bennet said the award is a fitting tribute to Singleton’s “extraordinary commitment to transparency, open government and the principles and values that characterize Colorado and the West.” Previous recipients of Jean Otto Friend of Freedom Award have been: James Manspeaker, former clerk of U.S. District Court in Denver; Joyce Meskis, owner of Tattered Cover bookstores; Jean Gray, former publisher of the Haxtun-Fleming Herald; Karen Salaz, former public information officer for the State Court Administrator’s Office (now 19th Judicial District administrator); Jeff Thomas and Pam Zubeck, then of The Gazette in Colorado Springs; and the Ballantine Family, owners of The Durango Herald. Follow CFOIC on Twitter @ CoFOIC. Like Colorado Freedom of Information on Facebook.
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colorado editor
July 2014
CPA Marketplace MANAGING EDITOR Valley Publishing seeks a full-time managing editor for six small weekly publications in beautiful southern Colorado. Primary duties include pagination/layout of weekly newspapers and special editions, as well as copy editing, supervision of reporters and coverage of events, activities, meetings, etc. in Monte Vista, Colo. Send resume, letter of interest, salary requirements and clips to Valley Publishing Inc., P.O. Box 607, Monte Vista, CO 81144 or email to:jfa@amigo.net (attn: Jennifer).
will plan news coverage, coordinate the work of part-time staff, cover stories and features, take photos, design and lay out pages, post to web pages and facebook. Journalism degree or some newspaper experience preferred. Competitive pay, about four hours from Denver. Apply to steve.haynes@nwkansas.com and k.davis@nwkansas.com. The Oberlin Herald/Nor’West Newspapers, Oberlin, Kan. (785) 475-2206. EOE m/f/h/v
REPORTER The Mountain Mail, a five day a week community newspaper in Salida, is looking for a reporter. Beats include city, courts and police. Candidates should carry a degree in journalism or equivalent work experience. Please email resume, cover letter and clips to Paul Goetz, managing editor at pgoetz@themountainmail.com. REPORTER/NEWS EDITOR For award-winning weekly on High Plains. Are you up to the challenge of continuing a strong tradition? Can you do it all? Do you want to learn the news business? This person
MANAGING EDITOR For small daily on High Plains, 3½ hours east of Denver on I-70. Are you ready to step up? This person will lead a full-time staff of three, plus part-timers, plan and track news coverage, co-ordinate photo and stories, design and lay out pages, cover some meetings and write some stories, deal with public and online/facebook pages, generally run the newsroom. Journalism degree preferred, at least two years’ newspaper experience. This is a good paper, hoping to get better. Apply to Sharon Friedlander, publisher, sfriedlander@nwkansas.com, and Steve Haynes steve.haynes@ nwkansas.com. Colby Free Press/ Nor’West Newspapers, Colby, Kan. (785) 462-3963. EOE m/f/h/v
Court rules on costs, fees RECORDS from Page 1
the case in its entirety, the district court judge also denied the Republican Party’s motion to be paid, as CORA permits, costs and attorneys’ fees as the “prevailing applicant.” The Supreme Court, however, ruled that CORA, when properly construed, mandates the awarding of costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees to “any person who applies for and receives an order from the district court requiring a (records) custodian to permit inspection of a public record, as provided by the statute.” The justices left it up to the district court to determine how much the Colorado GOP should be paid. “This is a win for the people, pure and simple,” said Jerry Raehal, CEO of the Colorado Press Association. “Citizens should not have to pay legal costs for records that rightly belong to them. The alternative was for citizens to pay their own legal fees to access
Doggone good news The Colorado Editor wants to hear from you. We’re on the lookout for news about your staff, publications and businesses for our all-new columns and features in the Colorado Editor – your monthly membership newspaper from Colorado Press Association. Send us your “breaking news” on:
This is a win for the people, pure and simple. Citizens should not have to pay legal costs for records that rightly belong to them.” Jerry Raehal, CEO of the Colorado Press Association
records that belong to them while their taxpayer dollars were being used to stop them. This ruling rights that wrong.” Supreme Court Chief Justice Nancy Rice and Justice Gregory Hobbs dissented, arguing that the court’s decision puts governments in Colorado in an “untenable” position. “The majority’s holding forces the government to litigate over court costs and attorney fees any time it improperly denies access to a single record, regardless of how many records were requested and properly denied,” Rice wrote. “Thus, under the majority’s
analysis, an applicant who is denied one document out of thousands is automatically entitled to court costs and reasonable attorney fees.” That, she added, “is antithetical to the legislature’s clear intent to protect the government while also ensuring access to public records.” In January, the Colorado Court of Appeals issued a ruling similar to the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of citizen elections monitor Marilyn Marks, who won the right to inspect one voted ballot from the 2010 general election in Chaffee County.
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