Four readers called to complain about our coverage of election predictions by Sedona astrologer Gavin Carruthers and his class of students. Carruthers read the charts of the two presidential candidates for election day Tuesday, Nov. 4, and came to some conclusions McCain supporters found objectionable.
Anyone who tried to travel Hwy. 179 after dark yesterday knows the Arizona Department of Transportation shut down traffic to install the new 160-foot pedestrian bridge across Oak Creek. It took readers less than 24 hours to start complaining about it.
The nation's economic slide weighs heavily on the minds of most of us in the newsroom. As reporters and editors, we're always looking for ways to localize big stories like global warming and the global banking crisis.
This week, forces combined to speed up the already fast-paced environment of the newsroom. That means I huffed and stomped around, cracking the whip and generally making a nuisance of myself.
I bought a new computer from Best Buy in Prescott Valley Saturday but had to return it on Tuesday. The experience reminded me about the commercial drawbacks of living a rural, middle class lifestyle. Long rant follows.
I have a standing order for reporters to forward me any and all complimentary comments they receive from readers so I can share them with our publisher. I just finished clearing out the Susan Johnson compliments box. It took me 10 minutes.
Several Keep Sedona Beautiful supporters called today to complain about our front page interview with Jerry Frey, the former Sedona City Councilman who has asked to be appointed back to the council. One long time reader even said we should not have run the story at all.
As smoke from red, white and blue fireworks cleared, most of the 70,000 Democrats at Denver’s Invesco Field Thursday, Aug. 28, refused to leave. The four-day Democratic National Convention was ended, but nobody, it appeared, was ready to move on.
Today, the wavers of bloody fetus photos faced off at a womens' equality rally, where Sedona’s own Angela Lefevre, a child of the 1960s, gave them hell in face to face verbal combat.
The Quiddich Cup World Championship known as the Democratic National Convention gaveled into session today with hardly a yelp from party chair Howard Dean.
After my wallet and I parted company somewhere, somehow Friday night, Aug. 22, my trip to the Democratic National Convention was in trouble. How would I get into the party without an ID?
It took nearly 24 hours, but we made it into Denver about 5 p.m. MST after a night of driving Northern New Mexico that was one for the record books. It was all Chester Chicken’s fault. Here’s what happened.
With so much to do in Denver next week, I need some direction. Here's a summary of the convention schedule. Why don't you let me know what you're interested in. You can play a role in directing which stories I write. Please share your thoughts at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
When I was a kid, we lived on the edge of a small town on the Western Slope of Colorado known as Grand Junction.
The town won its name because town fathers wisely situated it at the
conjunction of two great rivers, the Colorado and the Gunnison, near
the Colorado border with Utah.
Pioneers dug a great, long ditch called the Grand Canal during the
1880s that brought water from the Colorado River to the desert for
farmers and ranchers to use.
Knowing refined manners lead to success, I could actually feel the
city of Sedona bending to my will, never quite expressed in words, that
all Sedona children should attend etiquette courses.
My 90-something friend, Aliza, agreed completely. The line of politeness must be drawn somewhere, she insisted.
I was encouraged when a notice from the city recently advertised “Poise for Pre-Teens.”
It was 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, and the Sedona Arts Festival was just getting organized.
Temperatures hovered around 38F. All the well-heeled, high-class
patrons of the arts, hell-bent for hot liquids, made a beeline for Beth
and her healthful culinary creations.
By invitation, I rambled on in a confused
way for about 15 minutes and then took questions from the
Republican Men during the group's lunch meeting Thursday, March 1.
The guys managed to pin me down on a few things.
I shared my views on liberal bias in the
media, the future of community newspapers and the merits of the
Larson Newspapers obituary policy. The Republican Men shared their
views. It was a fun and spirited discussion.
I ran into Mayor Pud Colquitt at
Steak and Stix during the Sedona Main Street fete Wednesday, Feb
21. She seemed kind of upset with me. I?m thinking
she?s mad because I mentioned in a recent editorial that she
received about $2,000 from employees of ILX Resorts during the 2006
election campaign. [Feb. 16, ?Fugue for Sedona - off track
betting comes to Sedona for bettor or worse?].
Our new county reporter, Mike Cosentino,
and I endured an agonizing 45-minute telephone call from Bell Terra
vice president Donna Michaels, Friday, Feb. 9. Michaels was unhappy
with our coverage of complaints made by some residents about the
development she represents. She had a point.
I called Marv Lincoln last week to discuss
his letter to the editor. Mr. Lincoln accused me of publishing the
worst of tabloid journalism, running stories about bloodshed and
gratuitous sex for sensational purposes. I wanted permission to
comment on his letter in my Feb. 7 editorial [News asks the hard
questions], but I also wanted to explain my perspective to him.
Mr. Lincoln had some interesting things to say. So did I.
It was my honor to present Lew Hoyt with
his Sedona Red Rock News Citizen of the Year plaque
recently. The award was a well-kept secret until his wife, Nancy,
presented him with the Jan. 24 front page story as he stood shaving
in the bathroom. She said his jaw dropped.
The 300 mourners who showed up at
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church for the funeral of Ramona
Jauregui on Saturday, Jan. 27, reached out to the Jauregui family
in their grief and offered support.
Not everyone has the chops to be a photojournalist at the
Sedona Red Rock News, but two readers who captured
wildlife and a unique snow scene did a great job this week and I
believe the world deserves a chance to view their good work on The
Editor's Desk.
I knew ILX Resorts planned to ask the
Sedona City Council to permit off track betting at Los Abrogados
Resort more than three weeks ago, but held off on the story at
Mayor Pud Colquitt's request.
Word from Maj. Donna Pratt of the local
Civil Air Patrol is that Rep. Rick Renzi tentatively scheduled
Saturday, Jan. 27 to present Sedona Red Rock High senior Max Weaver
with the Gen. Ira C. Eaker Award, one of CAP's highest national
honors.
Please forgive my absence. I've been
wandering around the newsroom with an aching head full of cement,
occaisionally hacking (not always in the literary sense).
Loading Poll...
