The story was percolating for some 20 years. Reporters pursued it but not far enough. And then, Jill Rosen reports in American Journalism Review, a feisty Oregon alt-weekly made a stunning revelation on its Web site May 6. Former governor Neil Goldschmidt, when he was mayor of Portland, had had sexual relations with a girl who was only 14. A lead from a state senator, followed by intensive records searches and interviews, helped Willamette Week's Nigel Jaquiss pull the story together.
Since Willamette Week broke the story that former Oregon Governor Neil Goldschmidt had had sex over a three-year period with a girl who was only 14 at the start, Oregonians have been obsessed with the story, Blaine Harden reports on the front page of Monday's Washington Post. One of the questions people are asking, he writes, is why the state's most powerful newspaper, The Oregonian, in its first-day coverage of Goldschmidt's confession, seemed "to go so easy on him, calling his behavior an 'affair' and describing his apology as 'heartfelt.'"
Caryn Brooks, arts and culture editor at Willamette Week, has been named one of seven 2003-04 fellows of the National Arts Journalism Program at Columbia University. "In addition to pursuing coursework and other activities at Columbia, the fellows will participate jointly in a research project designed to inform news organizations, arts institutions and philanthropic organizations about important trends in the current U.S. artistic and journalistic environment," the program's release states.
Nigel Jaquiss of Willamette Week and Pete Kotz of the Cleveland Scene win special citations in the 2002 National Awards for Education Reporting. Kotz' citation was for opinion writing in the 100,000 and above division for "Welcome to Cheaptown." Jaquiss was recognized for feature writing in the under 100,000 division for his story “Anywhere, U.S.A.: Portland is in Danger of Losing the One Thing That Makes It Unique." He won a first place in this contest last year in investigative reporting.
Assistant News Editor Chris Lydgate has been chosen by the University of Michigan's Knight-Wallace Fellows program to be one of 12 journalists who will take a nine-month sabbatical to study in a field of their choice. Lydgate's specialty is emerging diseases and syndromes.
Chris Lydgate of Willamette Week, Laura Laughlin of Phoenix New Times and David Martin of Cleveland Scene win national Unity Awards in Media, competing against media powerhouses like TIME Magazine and the Wall Street Journal. Unity Awards in Media, administered by Lincoln University in Missouri, recognize "accurate exposure of issues affecting minorities and disabled persons."
Nigel Jaquiss of Willamette Week and Pete Kotz of Cleveland Scene are awarded special citations by the Education Writers Association.
Editor Mark Zusman tells E&P's Joe Strupp that going through the trash of city officials was "a straightforward and simple way to hold their feet to the fire." After all, police had used evidence found in a police officer's trash to obtain a search warrant, saying that trash is public property once it reaches the curb. The Oregonian and Seattle Times disagree on whether the stunt was warranted, and journalism ethics experts are equally divided. The Poynter Institute's Keith Woods says it "borders on abuse of the tool of journalism." Tim Gleason, dean of the School of Journalism & Communications at the University of Oregon, however, finds it "quite appropriate."
Several months ago, the Portland police, without getting a search warrant, poked through the garbage of a fellow officer that they were investigating. They did so because, they argued, trash is public once the can gets to the street. They used evidence found in the garbage to indict the officer. Testing the "garbage is public" thesis, Willamette Week searched through the trash of Portland's police chief and a couple of other public officials -- and they aren't happy.
