Determination 152: Joe Richter v. Woodbury Bulletin
The Minnesota News Council voted 15-0 to uphold a complaint that a Woodbury Bulletin editorial was factually inaccurate in its portrayal of an Afton City Councilman’s conduct at a city council meeting. The News Council denied a second complaint, that the paper had a responsibility to check the accuracy of a similar letter to the editor. The vote was 9-4, with two abstentions.
Determination 151: Mari Newman v. Minnesota Daily
In May 2007, local artist Mari Newman filed a complaint about an article in the Minnesota Daily, the student newspaper of the University of Minnesota. A review of a play called “The Madwoman of Chaillot” had opened by referencing the disabled artist as a local “crazy woman.”
Determination 149: Citizens for Truth in Government v. Bemidji Pioneer
News Council denies complaint that Bemidji Pioneer was unfair in running news story about a full-page ad the same day it appeared, but upholds complaint that the story on Red Lake Reservation was unfair to those who ran the ad.
Determination 134: Judy Peterzen v. Brooklyn Center/Brooklyn Park Sun-Post
The Brooklyn Center/Brooklyn Park Sun-Post ran an article on July 24 about the Osseo school board’s evaluation of its superintendent of schools. Judy Peterzen is the chair of the school board. She complained that the article was unfair to her, that it failed to explain a neighboring school board’s policy and that it failed to summarize the board’s evaluation in detail. She also complained that her follow-up letter-to-the-editor was unfairly edited.
Determination 131: James Keating v. St. Paul Pioneer Press
James Keating was city treasurer in Grant, MN when $120,000 worth of assessment checks went missing. The Pioneer Press ran a story on November 15, 2001, when the Grant City Council instituted a deadline for finding the checks. The story stated that Keating would pick up the checks or have them delivered. It also quoted a City Council member saying that Keating was instructed to turn over deposit slips to the clerk, but he didn’t. Keating thought that the article should have explained that the acting city clerk, who was supposed to give him the checks, was an untrained temporary employee who never delivered them. The reporter did not contact Keating for that story. Another story ran on November 17th. For this story the reporter tried to contact Keating at his home, leaving a message with her pager number on his home machine. She said she thought he was out of the office looking for the checks, and so did not try to contact him there. Keating didn’t get back to the reporter, thinking it was too late.
Determination 117: Rachael Martin v. Duluth News-Tribune
Attending the hearing was the complainant, Rachael Martin, director of the Fairlawn Mansion and Museum in Superior, Wisconsin. Representing the Duluth News-Tribunewere Craig Gemoules, managing editor; Steve Aggergaard, city editor; Chuck Frederick, reporter; and Jim Heffernan, editorial page editor.
Determination 114: Becker City Administrator Joe Rudberg v. Sherburne County Citizen
Attending the hearing was the complainant, Joe Rudberg, Becker City Administrator, and Dave Hinnenkamp, Becker City Auditor with the firm of Kern, DeWenter, Viere. Representing the Sherburne County Citizen was Jake Jacobson, editor and publisher. Also attending, at the News Council’s request, was Jerry Mahoney, a municipal bond specialist recently retired from the law firm of Dorsey Whitney.
Determination 111: Dr. L. David Mech v. Star Tribune
Dr. L. David Mech identified 28 specific points of contention in an article printed by the Star Tribune. The News Council grouped these points under four general complaints. Mech complained that the story: Carried a prejudicial headline that implied he was guilty of ethical violations. Further, the framing strongly implied serious wrongdoing and set a false stage for all that followed. Second, the Star Tribune used inflammatory and prejudicial language to support unsubstantiated attacks on his character and behavior. Third, the article was based upon information from sources who were anonymous, biased or lacked the authority to judge his behavior, which made it difficult for readers to judge their reliability. Finally, the piece leveled charges against him without providing substantiation or context that would have provided balance.
Determination 103: Ellis Olkon v. Twin Cities Reader
Ellis Olkon is the lawyer-husband of Nancy Olkon, a candidate for Hennepin County Board of Commissioners in 1994. The Twin Cities Reader published a story in August 1994, just before the primary election, that characterized her tenure on the Board in the late ’70s as tumultuous and brought up her husband’s conviction (now expunged) and temporary disbarment. Mr. Olkon complains that the Reader was unfair in relying upon sources hostile to him and by not contacting him for comment on the story, although at least half of the story was about him and not about his wife, the candidate. Additionally, he claims the Reader defamed him by reporting that federal officials had accused him of having a financial interest in the Bunny Hutch, “a notorious St. Louis Park whorehouse,” and reporting that he “had” a witness testify to something in a court case, unfairly implying that he had induced false testimony. He says he was not charged with any crimes related to the Bunny Hutch. Finally Olkon felt the Reader story inaccurately characterized the results of a lawsuit the Olkons filed against Mark Andrew, another county commissioner, alleging unfair campaign practices.
Determination 99: St. Paul Port Authority v. City Pages
Attending the hearing were Mike Strand, vice president of communications and marketing for the St. Paul Port Authority and Robyn Hansen, attorney with Leonard, Street & Deinard, the Port Authority’s bond counsel, and from City Pages, Steve Perry, editor, and Monika Bauerlein, managing editor.