15 Comments
User's avatar
Rosemary Siipola's avatar

These four are taking their marching orders from the new set of “good old boys”. No surprises here. Performative antics to keep their base riled up. Show up and let them know they’re being watched. Give them a bit of their own medicine.

Expand full comment
Claire's avatar

Who needs TDN when we have Andre? Brilliant investigative journalism!

Expand full comment
Andre Stepankowsky's avatar

Susan: thank you for the compliment, but the fact is, I can’t possibly serve the function of a daily newspaper by myself. It’s a tragedy how Lee Enterprises has emasculated that newspaper, which used to be one of the best in the country for its size. We will have to work together to try and bring it back someday.

Expand full comment
Claire's avatar

I wrote to the current editor, Penny Rosenberg, to ask if TDN does any investigative journalism or just feeds us fluff about candles, smelt runs, theatre events, etc. There is not much journalism going on at TDN now. I agree with you, Andre. Let me know how I can help bring high journalistic value back to our local paper.

Expand full comment
Andre Stepankowsky's avatar

Did Penney ever get back to you?

Expand full comment
Claire's avatar

I sent the email to her late yesterday afternoon so she probably hasn’t read it yet. I’ll give her a couple of days to respond but I’m not holding my breath.

Expand full comment
Claire's avatar

Andre, this is Penny’s reply to my email.

Yes, I have a very capable team. We are aware of the newly composed council, but I do appreciate you reaching out.

Expand full comment
John Gotshall's avatar

I believe your comments are right on, and I appreciate your bringing it to the light of day.

Expand full comment
KEN O'HOLLAREN's avatar

Thanks again for the coverage. Sen. Talley by the way was a co-worker of mine at the Port of Longview after his work as a butcher- again while he was a senator. He was at that time Chairman of the Joint Legislative Transportation Committee, adding to his value as a port employee.

Expand full comment
Andre Stepankowsky's avatar

Don was a real advocate of the people and a real character. The most “home grown” politician I’ve ever known.

Expand full comment
KEN O'HOLLAREN's avatar

For sure - You’d appreciate two issues that really fired him up- one was the siting of Evergreen State College in Olympia ( it was chartered to be in SW Washington and Olympia sufficed for that). The other was how Oregon interests ran the Columbia River Bridge to Astoria and into the side of a cliff on the Washington side - instead of a US 101 route from Ilwaco.

Expand full comment
Andre Stepankowsky's avatar

I had heard the Evergreen story before but not the bridge story. A great piece of history. Don would make a great posthumous history story.

Expand full comment
Hal Luhn's avatar

Andre, you are so needed for this great community. Thank you for all you do and represent. I'm so sad to see TDN existing to extract money only from the citizens.

Expand full comment
Andre Stepankowsky's avatar

Thanks Hal.

Expand full comment
Edward L. Phillips's avatar

These efforts are purely performative, and aimed at a particular political base. The current practice of using assertion without evidence is common among conservative activists. We see it also in national politics among Republicans. Somewhere ,some cause and effect have to be introduced as evidence of something. Otherwise, it is just noise and impedes actual work. It is just a waste of resources.

ed

Expand full comment