My information is that one of the current employees was arrested, but later released, with no charges pending. I was told of his arrest by CHP last night at 6:30 pm, confirmed by the jail as arrested at 7:00 pm, and yet the press release issued jointly by CHP and Cal Trans just after 3:00 pm, doesn’t list him as being arrested or as a suspect. I also find it interesting that the only media to carry this information is bigsurkate and the Cambrian, who called me. All the major news networks are reporting, almost word for word, the statements issued in the joint press release. NONE, of our local media seem to be doing any independent investigation at all! I am extremely dismayed to discover that the Herald and KSBW, at least, are just reporting what they are told to report. So much for independent, investigative journalism. PLUS, in my humble opinion, it is biased. Where do we go for honest, and in depth reporting, if we can’t count on our biggest newspaper and local television station? Please don’t say bigsurkate. I can only cover the South Coast, sometimes the North Coast, and I haven’t had time to train my volunteer.
This has been a day of lessons for me. Many people prefer to condemn without knowing the facts. Local media prefer to just publish press releases, rather than do their homework, no one notices except those who have access to the inside story. We wonder why our economy and democracy are in jeopardy? A true democracy does not work without an informed constituency, and it hard for the public to stay informed if the media just publish what they are told to publish. Shame, is all I can say.
I heard that it was the yard and Caltrans people in Cambria.. That was the KSBY news report just before 7am. Apparently the yard got lots of calls from people thinking they were involved. This was confusing, time consuming and embarrassing for them. The whole situation is demoralizing for Caltrans who are usually our heros maintaining wild ol’ Hwy. 1. Thank you for reporting what much be daunting to deal with.
The Herald… surprised? A good friend and fellow journalist wrote a letter to the editor of the Herald a couple of years back on the role and responsibility of newspapers as a source of unbiased truth. Sometime later ( it looks like at least it plagued him for about six months), he responded in a full page rebuttal of this role, giving an excuse that ‘people choose to read what they want to’. The old saying is that a newspapers job is to sell newspapers. If people want the truth, they have to stop feeding on junk food papers and gossip and remember honor and truth, and hold each other to it. Thanks Kate for being such a strong voice and such an awsome woman. You Rock!
It is for this very reason I prefer to watch news from other countries when it comes to finding out what is going on in America. They only publish what they are told they can say. And they all say the same thing. Not at all like what the rest of the world is hearing. And local news is the least informative. They just want to sell papers and do not spend the time or money in getting to the real truth of the story.
Freedom of the press? Maybe once upon a time. But not any longer. And even though I won’t say it at your request, I look to you for the truth in this particular story sweet sister. Because you do care and you dive into the facts. Thank you.