By Judi Curry
Anyone who has been reading my articles for the past six months should know that I spend a week a month in North Dakota – Fargo, because that is where the airport is, and Blanchard, because that is where my friend the Cowboy resides.
On a recent Saturday before the election it was necessary to go to a farm equipment store for some replacement parts for Cowboy’s tractor. While he was dealing with the owner, I was browsing the counters and came across the “Hillsboro Banner” newspaper of Friday, October 24, 2014. And found the perfect solution to the newspaper problem we have here in San Diego.
I was made aware of this solution when I looked over the sample ballot that Cowboy was getting ready to fill out for mailing, for there, on the ballot, was this item:
And in the Hillsboro Banner was a long editorial entitled: “Banner remains Traill’s only locally owned paper.”
It goes on to say that “this week’s issue will be the most widely read edition of the newspaper in its 135 year history. Voters headed to the polls will be asked to pick either the Hillsboro Banner or the Traill County Tribune to serve as the county’s office newspaper for the next four years!”
Can you imagine voting for the “Official Newspaper of San Diego County” for the next four years. I wonder who would be the contenders?
The San Diego Free Press
The OB Rag
The Reader
The Daily Transcript
The Beacon
City Beat
The Voice of San Diego
Oh, sorry, forgot one – the Union/Tribune.
Or maybe a few others not listed.
What a trip that would be not even to have the U/T around during election times. I think North Dakota might know something we should be looking into.
Imagine, an official county newspaper! Of course poor Doug would have to find something else to read in the morning – imagine what joy there would be in having that first cup of coffee and reading the San Diego Free Press!
What do you think?
Judi Curry
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So what does it mean to be an official county newspaper? Certainly it does not mean that that would be the only newspaper that could be published in the county. That would be censorship.
From the Editorial Page itself: ” Voters headed to the polls Nov. 4 will be asked to pick either the Hillsboro Banner or the Traill County Tribune to serve as the county’s official newspaper for the next four years.
We’re asking voters to consider voting for us.
So what does being the official county paper mean and who the heck are these people spamming mailboxes this morning?
Being the official county newspaper means printing the county’s official notices.
That’s it.
The printed notices are paid to the official newspaper using the county’s tax dollars — money that is currently routed to an ownership not living in Traill County.
We believe people’s local tax dollars should be kept local, redistributed to our neighbors and area businesses to help keep the economy in Traill County healthy and growing.”
Sorry to be serious here, but by this definition the Transcript is already SD county’s “official” newspaper. And, btw, in order to be a newsPAPER, it hasta be published on paper. So, SDFP, OBRag, and VoSD aren’t eligible.
My vote goes to the best of the best: San Diego Free Press. I mean, where else would I learn that peeing in one’s garden is a good thing? I’ll be reading that article next.
Good People. Don’t forget Indian Voices and our indigenous readers.
Aho.
Rose Davis
Publisher
Indian Voices
Let’s put it right under the OBRag. (Gotta remember – I write for both the SDFP and the Rag!)
Thanks Rose!
The San Diego Daily Transcripts is the official newspaper of the City of San Diego for Public Notices.
San Diego Daily Transcript – Public Notices
San Diego City Charter Article VII
“City Charter Section 113.- Official Advertising.
All official advertising of The City of San Diego shall be done by contract. In June of each odd numbered year the Purchasing Agent must publish a notice in a daily newspaper of said City for ten days calling for proposals to do all the advertising of said City.
The bidder must be the responsible publisher of a newspaper in said City having a bona fide daily circulation and which has been regularly published in said City for at least two years immediately preceding his bid. The award of said advertising shall in all cases be made to the lowest responsible bidder. The newspaper to which the award of advertising is made shall be known and designated as the “City Official Newspaper.” “Official advertising,” within the meaning of this section shall include only such advertising as shall be required to be published by law.”