The Washington Newspaper, July 2021

TWN Forty years!

THE WASHINGTON NEWSPAPER

Publisher pleads with Trudeau’s mom for help at Point Roberts!

July 2021

Page 3

Journal of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association

Anti-SLAPP law protects against suits

Cal Bratt calls it a career at Lynden Tribune

LYNDEN — On June 30, Cal Bratt retired after four decades in the newspaper business.

Ironically, he wasn’t the first Bratt to see his name in the local paper.

“My mother and two youngest brothers were featured in a story that I still have, focused on a recipe she would share,” Bratt recalled recently. The time was March 1969. “I was always aware of the Tribune.

Everyone got the Tribune, and everyone read it.”

By always, Bratt means once the family moved from the Midwest to Lynden when he was 13.

“In the back of my mind, I always figured journalism would be my job,” he said. “I always loved working with words, reading, and following current events.”

Bratt has always had a way with words, his wife Melinda said.

“He’s a very good writer, he’s just so really good with words,” said Melinda Bratt, Cal’s wife since 1979. “He’s a very good listener, too. Always tried to be fair in treatment of

Cal Bratt last month ended a 40 year run as an employee of the Lynden Tribune. Bratt joined the staff first working part-time and then full-time in 1980. the article and the person.”

Not just fair, Bratt was “always kind of there, wherever there was,” said Gary Vis, executive director of the Lynden Chamber of Commerce.

“Openings, closings, times of joy, times of sorrow, special events and mundane meetings.

Cal was there to do his best to get the word out to the community about what was going on, and when, and the facts as best they were known,” Vis said. “Cal is up in the legendary status, no-last-name needed range. He’s ‘Cal from the Trib.’

I have spent more time with him as either the only other fellow (City Council) meeting attendee, or when I was on the

Cal Bratt early in his career Lynden Tribune. other side of the table. He was quite often the only person in attendance.”

Vis explained that Bratt

with daughter Rachel at the didn’t just report on Lynden, that he has been and will continue to be “a part of the See BRATT, Page 5

On July 25, a new law took effect in Washington to defend against lawsuits aimed at chilling First Amendment rights.

The bill protects people from “Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation” known as SLAPP suits. The classic SLAPP scenario is a libel lawsuit filed against the press, designed not to obtain legitimate relief but to chill the publishers’ and reporters’ free speech rights. Washington is the 34th state along with Washington D.C. with a law that provides effective anti-SLAPP protections.

Anti-SLAPP laws are designed to enable targets of these abusive lawsuits to secure early dismissals, with expensive discovery blocked and reasonable attorneys’ fees awarded by court order when the case is dismissed.

The new law applies to any lawsuit targeting the “exercise of the right of freedom of speech or of the press, the right to assemble or petition, or the right of association, guaranteed by the United States Constitution or Washington state Constitution, on a matter of public concern.”

In addition, the law includes a reminder that the law should be “broadly construed” to protect these important constitutional rights, and also that “consideration must be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law . . . among states that enact it.”

Washington adopted the law using the Uniform Public See SLAPP, Page 2

SLAPP: Effort wins wide legislator support

Continued from Page 1

papers and Bruce Johnson Expression Protection of Davis Wright Tremaine Act (UPEPA). UPEPA testified in support of the is one of many uniform proposed law. Thompson state laws proposed by the and Johnson were both Uniform Law Commisstrong behind the scenes sion. The ULC provides advocates for the law, states with non-partisan, meeting with legislators well-conceived and welland convincing them of drafted legislation that the law’s merits. brings clarity and stability Also active was Lane to critical areas of state Shetterly, an Oregon statutory law. The ULC lawyer and former legislavoted to approve UPEPA, tor who chairs the ULC a model anti-SLAPP law, committee responsible for in July 2020. coordinating UPEPA enState Sen. Jamie Peder- actments across the United sen, the Seattle Democrat States. who chairs the Senate Law In the end the bill and Justice Committee, is had solid support from one of the state’s Uniform Republican legislators as Law Commissioners and well. The prime sponsor he is strongly commitof SSB 5009 was Sen. ted to the benefits of the Mike Padden, a Spokane uniform law process.

Republican. The Senate As a result, even before vote was 48-0. the legislative session The new law fills a gap began, Sen. Pedersen in Washington State law started the ball rolling with after the Washington Sua prefiled bill in December preme Court struck down 2020, and scheduled an an anti-SLAPP law in early committee hearing 2015. That law was found where Rowland Thompto be inconsistent with son of Allied Daily News- Washington’s Civil Rules.

Officers: Caralyn Bess, President; Steve Powell, First Vice President; Michelle Nedved, Second Vice President; Patrick Grubb, Past President.

Trustees: Roger Harnack, Scott Hunter, Teresa Myers, Rudi Alcott, Sean Flaherty, Eric LaFontaine and Donna Etchey.

THE WASHINGTON NEWSPAPER is the offical publication of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association. It is published monthly by WNPA, PO Box 389, Port Townsend, WA 98368.

Fred Obee: Executive Director: 360-344-2938 Email: fredobee@wnpa.com Janay Collins, Member Services Director: 360-344-2938. Email: ads@wnpa.com 2 The Washington Newspaper July 2021

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Businesses reopen across the state, but where can they find employees?

By Caralyn Bess Well, we are almost half way through the second year of the pandemic and finally, fully open for business… HOORAY!! Now to see how many businesses actually make it through this. And, while we are fully open, with few restrictions after 15 long months, business owners, like us, still face many challenges…inBess ventory, distribution, open positions and declining revenue. Yes, some categories of business have done very well, but many, mostly retail and restaurants, which is what fuels a newspaper’s advertising coffers, continue to struggle.

If you set aside all of the other factors, including the generational differences I wrote about last month, the biggest challenge affecting businesses right now is the inability to fill positions. They have been staffed at 50 percent levels for so long, to now open at 100% requires that all positions be filled, hence the rub. They cannot find people. Washington State has

opted not to sign on to eliminate the additional unemployment stipend.

And when that is combined with the expense savings from not having to pay for childcare etc., people opt not to work.

Take the Columbia Basin Herald for example. We haven’t had full time sales people for well over six months now, partly because of perceptions that newspapers are dying and the work is hard but mostly because they can stay home and make enough from unemployment, especially with the additional stipend. On the carrier side, the down routes are killing us.

My colleagues in Idaho and Montana have been struggling with filling positions, too. In some cases, they have had to pull people from all other areas of the company to step in and help get the papers delivered. However, both of their governors opted to eliminate the stipend. Montana’s ended mid-June and Idaho’s the 25th of June. Both have already noticed a difference and are actually getting candidates to apply and carriers interested in contracting routes again. They need to demonstrate to the unemployment office more than they are looking for work, but to actually go

back to work. It appears we will not see that happen here in Washington which means we have at minimum, another two or so months of this.

Again, I don’t profess to have immediate answers. My intent is to get us thinking, talking and exploring ways to help each other and help the businesses in our respective communities address this unprecedented challenge that is having a significant impact on our business and many of the businesses in our communities. In Grant County, community leaders have come together to discuss this and work on ways to overcome these challenges.

I’m very interested to hear from any of you who are doing likewise and have identified ways to recruit (and retain) employees. I’m also interested in hearing any ideas on how to improve the contracted route situations since that appears to be rampant in all of the newspapers I’ve talked to.

Reach out to me anytime… cbess@columbiabasinherald.com or call me at 509-765-4561.

Cheers to a bright future.

Caralyn Bess is the publisher of the Columbia Basin Herald and this year’s WNPA president.

WNPA board nominations due

Each year, WNPA accepts nominations for the WNPA board from the membership.

Board members and officers are elected by the membership each October during the regular business meeting of the association at the annual convention.

If you would like to nominate someone, or if you are interested in serving yourself and helping shape WNPA’s future, please contact the WNPA office by Aug. 6, 2021.

This is the final call for nominations as stipulated in the WNPA bylaws.

Grubb asks Trudeau’s mom to free Point Roberts Dear Margaret, This is Pat Grubb in Point Roberts calling.

Do you remember how, when you were a student at Simon Fraser University, you and five of your friends would pile into a convertible VW Beetle and drive down here to drink beer and dance at The Breakers tavern on holiday weekend Sundays? Those were the days, listening to Loverboy, Doug and the Slugs, Trooper, Long John Baldry and even Chubby Checker.

Some of us liked it so much that we even moved here when we got older. I know, weird.

After B.C. got rid of its blue laws in 1986, things got tough.

No more crowds on Sundays, no big bands, nothing. But I tell you, those times seem

can’t be sure, that their recent big hit, Living in a Ghost Town, was written about Point Roberts.

And though times have been really, really hard, they’re about to get a whole lot worse.

The owner of the only grocery store in town has announced she’s closing it down. Seems she’s losing $30,000 a month without the Canadians coming down to their cabins. We’ll be moving from a ghost town into a food desert.

Point Roberts, a sliver of the USA that hangs Why am I writing? One just below the US-Canada border, has suffered word. Justin. more than most under the pandemic border He seems like a nice closure. kid. Has a nice family. I’m great compared to how things we’re living in a ghost town. sometimes curious about who picks out his clothes, though. have been since the border was Maggie, is it ok that I call (Hey, did you ever meet closed and trapped all of us you Maggie? Maggie, do you below the 49th parallel with remember Mick, Ronnie, Keith the Maharishi during your hardly any way out. It’s like and What’s his Face? We think, Studio 54 days?)

I’m wondering if you could do something for Point Roberts, for old time’s sake.

We’ve been writing Justin about our plight but our people think his people aren’t giving him our letters.

We really, really, really need him to open up our little border here. Over 85 percent of us are fully vaccinated and only four of us ever caught Covid-19.

And they didn’t catch it here.

Do you think you could ring Justin up and go all Mom on him? He’d listen to you.

Afterwards, you could come down to the Point and I could show you around. See the now-closed Breakers. Have a beer across the street at the Reef. We’d even give you and whoever comes with you

your second dose of vaccine, Moderna or Pfizer, your choice.

We offer you our deepest appreciation, in advance.

On behalf of the beleaguered (and soon to be very hungry) residents of Point Roberts, I remain, Patrick Grubb Publisher All Points Bulletin, Point Roberts, WA PS. I didn’t major in Sociology like you did, I took a minor at SFU. I wonder if we ever saw each other at the Breakers?

Pat Grubb is the publisher of The Northern Light in Blaine and the All Points Bulletin in Point Roberts.

WITH OVER 60 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, WE KNOW JOURNALISM. From public records to protecting journalists, from defamation claims to business needs, large and small Washington publishers turn to us.

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The Washington Newspaper July 2021 3

As events restart, think of Impact Ads As we slowly emerge from our pandemic cocoon, the opportunity to get business rolling again will be everywhere.

That means events will restart and people will want to travel – but how will the public know who is once again welcoming travelers? The answer is a WNPA Impact Ad. Selling statewide or regional 2x2 or 2x4 Impact Ads is a big part of what helps fund your Washington Newspaper Publishers Association, and it’s a great option for advertisers seeking an affordable regional ad opportunity.

And for the next few months, you can get an extra $50 direct from WNPA for selling an ad.

Who has money for ads? Governments do!

They collect a tax on hotel and motel rooms and hand money out to cities and counties to promote themselves. Impact ads are a perfect match for this program.

If you have not already, you should ask your city and county governments (each has separate funds) for a report on where the hotel-motel tax money is going.

In most cases, nonprofit organizations that receive this money are

supposed to spend it in outside markets that will draw people to your town.

Although most events have been limited, some are slowly returning. If anything, people will be itching to get out this summer.

WNPA ads are a perfect match for boosting community events because you can choose to advertise regionally or statewide.

Here’s how it works: • You sell the ad to a local organization to bolster tourism.

• You charge your client for the full cost of the ad, and send an insertion order to WNPA. WNPA then invoices you for half the cost of the ad, splitting the revenue on the ad sale. The advertising sales person gets their regular commission on the sale and $50 direct from WNPA. • WNPA uses our share of the money to provide your legal hotline, professional services, Legislative Day, the Better Newspaper Contest and the annual convention.

• We keep the price to the client affordable by asking all member newspapers to publish the ads sold by other newspapers for free.

Potential customers include festivals, fairs,

resorts, real estate offices, state agencies, statewide or regional political candidates – anyone who desires a cost effective regional or statewide campaign.

Because member newspapers publish these ads for free, we can only

promise that they will run as black and white ads. If you include a color version, many papers will use it instead, but there is no guarantee of this.

The ads are small – just two columns wide by either two or four

inches tall. One column by four or eight inches are also OK. They need to be produced in two different widths, to accommodate different column widths.

So talk with local chambers or festival organiz-

ers or others who receive hotel-motel tax money from local governments, and let’s start planning our comeback.

Questions? Call Member Services Director Janay Collins at 360-344-2938 or email ads@wnpa.com.

Earn $50 plus your usual commission by selling WNPA ImpactAds • ImpactAds are 8 column inches max.

• They run in WNPA papers statewide or by region.

• Great for events, real estate, recruitment, festivals, fairs, golf courses, wine tours, casinos, car shows, whale watching boats, tourism activities.

• Sell as a stand alone ad buy, or as an upsell for an ad you are selling locally.

• Sell any time. Commission is paid when the ad runs.

• Full price of the ad is split between your paper & WNPA. • See wnpa.com under Advertise Statewide for full details.

Questions? Call 360-344-2938 or email ads@wnpa.com

The map above shows the regions for Impact Ads. Sell the whole state, or choose a region.

4 The Washington Newspaper July 2021

BRATT: Retiring in Lynden after 40 years

Continued from Page 1 multiple threads of people that comes together to make up the fabric of Lynden.”

“He was an excellent reporter not just because of his skills, but because he cared about the people and about the community those people were a part of,” Vis said.

A student at Lynden Christian, Bratt spent his senior year on the campus newspaper, the HiLite. Hi Lite Adviser Fred Ypma called Bratt “one of the success stories in journalism.”

“All these years and hundreds of stories later, Cal has followed the classic journalistic questions of who, what, when, where, how and why to write interesting informative stories that we have enjoyed reading,” Ypma said.

At Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Bratt minored in mass

communication and spent three years on the university’s newspaper staff.

Working on a second bachelor’s degree, this one from Western Washington University in journalism, Bratt started part-time at the Westside Record-Journal in Ferndale, sister paper of the Tribune. He covered city council and sports, and by June 1980 was full-time at the Tribune, in the sports department.

On June 11, 1980, the Tribune announced its new staffers, which included Bratt and current Publisher Mike Lewis, then 22 and a recent communications graduate from Washington State University. Last week, Lewis said that going from working with Bratt to guiding the Tribune newspaper, he learned that Bratt’s reliability and dependability have been “unmatched as far as I am concerned.”

“It’s such a rarity that someone stays so long in their working climate,” Lewis said. “I think it’s very admirable. His service to the community is incredible. Even after 40 years he’s passionate about community journalism. It’s my hope that once he takes a breath, he’ll again want to see his byline in the Lynden Tribune.”

A decade into his career, Bratt began to consider a new direction, one in religious publishing, Bratt resigned his position as Tribune editor and went to Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he earned a Diploma in Christian Studies.

“The reality was that my family was anchored in Lynden, and I wasn’t crazy about uprooting them for me to go chasing after some dream elsewhere,” Bratt said. “And I needed work now to

support them.”

So, he became editor of the Ferndale Record where he worked from 1991-1995.

Bratt then quit the newspaper business again and worked for his church, Third Christian Reformed of Lynden, for one year.

“I gradually came back on part-time, realizing I missed writing about my community,” he said.

In spring 1998, Bratt again had an opportunity to be Tribune editor and “jumped at it with eagerness.”

Twenty-three years later, Bratt stares retirement straight in the eyes, and offers it a gentle smile.

“I believe deeply in community-based journalism,” Bratt said.

“I know lots has changed in our profession and the news industry, and the world, and I think it is mostly for the worst. It makes us weaker communities.

“We should strive to represent our communi-

ties in all the ups and downs, the ins and out of our community life together, the details, the events, the triumphs, the difficult issues we struggle with, the interest-

ing human interest stories to be told, economy, schools, politics,” he said.

“This is all what makes us what we are, and newspapers should be in the middle of it.”

Helm takes over as editor at the Tribune Bill Helm replaces Cal Bratt at the Lynden Tribune as editor.

Helm previously was a staff photographer at the Prescott Daily Courier and went from there to the Los Angeles Times.

Most recently, he was a reporter and editor for Verde Valley Newspapers in Arizona.

In a farewell column in Arizona, Helm thanked the readers he served there and summed up his approach to journalism.

“Get it right, be honest, treat each story and the newsmakers with respect, but hold

Helm them accountable to the truth and make sure that transparency is sincere and not just the catchphrase du jour,” Helm wrote.

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The Washington Newspaper July 2021 5

JOB BOARD REPORTER The Sunnyside Sun, a weekly paper with 120 years of hometown reporting tradition, is seeking a full-time reporter to immediately fill this vital role in our newsroom.

Email your resume to info@sunnysidesun. com, or contact Job Wise, general manager, 509-837-4500. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.

com, or The Chronicle, P.O. Box 553, Omak, WA, 98841. No phone calls, please.

REPORTER The Daily World in Aberdeen, Washington, is looking for a general assignment reporter.

We’re looking for someone who can write clear stories about complex matters, and who will find and tell stories about real people, businesses and life on the Washington coast.

REPORTER/ We value enterprise and PHOTOGRAPHER reporters who dig.

Join our newsroom This job requires team! The Chronicle someone who: is seeking a passionate • Has an educational and energetic reporter/ photographer to join our background that prepares him/her for journalism; newsroom team.

• Is able to juggle daily As a reporter at The Chronicle, the candidate and in-depth assignments without extensive will be responsible for oversight. delivering fresh and • Is able to plan interesting news to our audience. Duties include and meet department productivity keeping up with local expectations. happenings, covering • This position requires a wide variety of the use of a personal stories, conducting and vehicle, a valid driver’s scheduling interviews license, and proof of and photographing and current insurance. writing articles to be This is a full-time published online and in position that includes print.Keeping up with strict deadlines is a must. excellent benefits: medical, dental, life Candidate should insurance, 401k, paid possess a passion for vacation, sick, and writing comprehensive holidays. EOE. No calls, news and feature please. stories; strong timeTo apply, please management skills; excellent communication e-mail to careers@ soundpublishing.com and research skills; and be sure to include knowledge of AP style GR Aberdeen in the guides, computer subject line; (1) a proficiency (Microsoft resume including at Office, Adobe least three professional Photoshop, Adobe references; (2) three or InDesign); and a degree in journalism or relevant more non-returnable relevant work samples field work experience.

EOE. Hourly wage, plus in PDF or Text format (and/or a link to them); benefits. Send writing and (3) a cover letter and photo portfolio to tmyers@omakchronicle. addressing the specific 6 The Washington Newspaper July 2021

job requirements we’ve outlined. Please also include your salary requirements.

Sound Publishing is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and recognizes that the key to our success lies in the abilities, diversity, and vision of our employees. Sound Publishing, Inc. strongly supports diversity in the workplace. Go to our website soundpublishing. com to learn more!

AEROSPACE REPORTER Puget Sound Business Journal is looking for a top-notch reporter to cover Boeing and the aerospace industry in Seattle and the surrounding region.

We’re looking for someone with solid news chops to cover one of the industries that drives the economic growth and health of this region. Boeing is the big, national employer, of course, and we cover it closely. But the bread and butter of the beat is the sizable industry of vendors, manufacturers and other entrepreneurial ventures located here because of Boeing.

A Business Journal reporter is competitive, collaborative and curious. He or she is expected to file short daily stories, in-depth pieces and projectoriented journalism for our digital and print editions. Scoops matter.

A lot.

Our reporters are expected to: • Own every important story on their beats • Use networking events, social media platforms and other community-building

outlets to expand and fortify their source base and audience • Work collaboratively with other newsroom staffers to maximize impact and accessibility of stories reported; • Meet or exceed goals related to audience engagement.

Clean, accurate copy is a must, as is the ability to collaborate with other reporters, because growth coverage crosses many of our industries and beats.

You must have: • Ability to break news and to identify newsworthy events and sources • Strong writing,

TURN ON THE LIGHT…

analytical and investigative interviewing skills • Ability to relate comfortably to a wide range of people, in person and online and to develop sources and an audience • Proven experience building, maintaining and engaging an active audience • Comfortable with constant change • Knowledge of business, and/or the Washington business community, a plus • Fast learner • Ability to work independently under deadline pressure and prioritize tasks

appropriately Experience 5-7 years of journalism experience with a proven ability to break news and tell compelling stories.

Education Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.

To apply, send a resume and cover letter that outlines why you’re right for this job to Editor Ryan Lambert, rlambert@bizjournals. com REPORTER The Astorian, one of the Pacific Northwest’s best small newspapers, has a rare opportunity for a creative journalist Continued on Page 7

…OUR TRANSPARENT GOVERNMENT BELONGS TO YOU.

DON’T LOSE IT!

Keys to government Accountability Responsibility Accessibility

Washington’s Open Public Meetings and Public Records Acts Preserve your rights to government actions that affect you.

Learn about Open Government – When Records Requests are Denied…

http://washingtoncog.org/dealing-denial

In partnership with Contact us with your open-government questions

360-344-2938 • wnpa.com

JOB BOARD What happens to your archives when newspapers consolidate?

Sometimes the selling publisher will retain ownership, sometimes the archives are passed on to the new owners. In either case, it is important that all parties agree and understand what is going to happen with the bound, loose or microfilm archives.

Historical stakeholders will continue your stewardship!

There’s no downside to scanning your newspaper's archive but there is a singular hurdle so daunting that most publishers simply cannot foresee any way to overcome it – cost. Luckily, there are organizations determined to help. ArchiveInABox works with historical societies and museums who can provide funding to digitize and index small-town newspapers, while publisher retains all ownership and rights.

ArchiveInABox can help you: Carry on Stewardship Mission Maintain Ownership of Copyrights Digitize Archives for Community Access

ArchiveInABox.com 7 The Washington Newspaper July 2021

Continued from Page 6 with a passion for the arts, strong editing and writing skills and an eye for design.

Coast Weekend is a weekly arts and entertainment magazine focusing on art, music, food, culture, history, books and the outdoors.

It is distributed widely in the community and inserted in The Astorian and Chinook Observer newspapers.

It is published every Thursday, focusing on the North Coast of Oregon and the Long Beach Peninsula in southwest Washington.

The Coast Weekend editor is responsible for every aspect of its publication: editing, writing, coordinating coverage by freelancers and overseeing design.

He or she will also direct a weekly feature called Weekend Break and participate in producing Our Coast, an award-winning annual magazine with circulation throughout the Pacific Northwest.

We are looking for an enthusiastic newsroom leader who is detailminded, deadlinedriven, organized and can write and produce sparkling story packages.

We are a digital first newsroom and the successful applicant will have demonstrated well developed multimedia and social media skills.

This full-time position works 37.5 hour work weeks and allows the flexibility to work from both home or the office.

Upload resume, cover letter and work samples at eomediagroup.com/ careers/