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THE WASHINGTON NEWSPAPER September 2017

Services for Wallie Funk Sept. 23 in Anacortes Page 3

Journal of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association

Mail bill stalled in Congress NNA pushing hard for law’s passage

Convention registration deadline extended

Registration for WNPA’s fall convention at the Red Lion Hotel in Olympia Oct. 12 -14 has been extended by one week to Sept. 15. If you have not registered but plan to come, go to wnpa.com and register. The 2017 convention program is a strong one. Les Zaitz, formerly an investigative reporter for the Oregonian and now the owner of the weekly Malheur Enterprise, will lead off the convention as the Keynote Speaker. Zaitz, a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, is a fierce advocate for community newspapers. Since buying the Enter-

This pumpkin patch photo is among the entires in this year’s Better Newspaper Contest. It was taken by Rachel Ciampi of the Kent Reporter. uniquely poised to serve as prise, he has found himself in a had marshalled the support of journalists everywhere. more than billboards for local number of challenging posiIn an essay this year, Zaitz information. They have an options. First, a big national story broke in his backyard - occupa- said the community press needs portunity to pull segments of a to step up to the challenge of community together, focusing tion of the Malheur Wildlife them on an issue of importance, Center by followers of Ammon creating a national conversation. whether it’s how to drive down Bundy, a rancher and critic of “At the moment, we’re belocal poverty or replace a danfederal land management. having nationally as two people gerously aging school. Later, the state of Oregon in a conversation talking past “The need is significant for started a suit against him after solution-aimed conversations, he filed a public records request each other. Neither side hears about a crime in his circulation the other. Volume substitutes for to get people talking.” reason,” Zaitz wrote. Also on the agenda is Tom area. Ultimately, the suit was “Community journalists are dismissed, but not before Zaitz See CONVENTION, Page 2

Slate of officers proposed for WNPA

A slate of officers for WNPA’s Board of Directors will be presented to the membership for approval at the association’s annual convention Oct. 12-14 at the Red Lion Hotel in Olympia. The slate is: Sandy Stokes, Olympia News Bureau, President; Michael Wagar, Nisqually Valley News, First Vice President; and

Donna Etchey, Sound Publishing, Second Vice President. The slate was selected by a nominating committee, composed of the three most recent Presidents of WNPA, as detailed in the bylaws. Other candidates may be nominated by the submission of the candidate’s name by at least

10 regular members of the association. Deadline for doing that is Oct. 1. Filling out the board in the trustee positions are Tom Mullen, Shelton-Mason County Journal; Patrick Grubb, Northen Light; Eric LaFontaine, Sound Publishing; and Scott Hunter, The Star, Grand Coulee.

By Matthew Paxton IV President National Newspaper Association Most people get mail every day, Monday through Saturday. But what happens when the mail comes later than we expect? We found out a few years ago, when the Postmaster General had to take away overnight FirstClass and Periodicals mail from most of the nation. That caused a problem for a lot of consumers and businesses. Now, we may be facing a new slowdown, if something isn’t done by Congress very soon. Who needs the mail, some people ask? We have the Internet now. But a lot happens in the mail, and a lot goes wrong when it is late. To begin with, mail is the backbone for about $1.3 trillion in jobs, products and services. And then there is the personal impact. People send in their credit card payments at the last minute when cash is tight. The payment reaches the credit card company late, and credit scores take a beating. That causes loans for cars and houses to get more expensive. Many people count on the mail for medicines. A missed dosage can mean a trip to the

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