WUI (Writing under the influence)

If there is one thing we expect from local newspapers it is covering of local news. For a few months now, the Forest Grove News-Times has been covering every single -- no matter how miniscule and inconsequential -- development regarding the proposed plan to build a Wal*Mart store in Cornelius. In fact, in its latest issue, the News-Time has a first-page article about the Cornelius Planning Commission approving the last of four applications Wal*Mart was required to submit. It was a good article. So was the article about a house fire, and the one about the annual community meeting as well as the one about shooting in Cornelius. On the editorial pages there were, as usual, a lame latter to editor from Walt Wentz who, this time, was venting against Wal*Mart, two very lame guest columns: one about how children in our schools are better off because of a new tobacco-free rule even though they are set for a total failure because there is no corresponding rule that would require advance math and science; the other about how IRS is bad because it doesn't hand out the Earned Income Credit money without verification that recipients are really eligible (the audacity of the author is really impressive.)

But there was one thing missing. There was no mention of a very important event that took place in Cornelius almost two weeks ago. Why? Is it possible that any objective description of the event would engender strong resentment from the majority of the readers of the News-Times and possibly cause some of them to take some action? It must be so. It must be so because the editor of the News-Times, lied to me when he promised he would look into this subject and even meet with me to discuss it further. Now, after almost two weeks, he has a good excuse not to cover the story because it's not news anymore. But as much as Wal*Mart's plans to build a new store in Cornelius has been "news" for the past few months, the (negative) impact of illegal immigration on our area has also been news. Yet, the editor has been derelict in his duty to cover it.