Columns

It was decades ago, but I still remember Jim Hightower’s public affairs reporting class at Western Kentucky University.

The school had a top-rated journalism program and its teachers — and many of its students — took the subject matter seriously.

We learned about open records and open meetings law – generally called Sunshine Laws, because they help shed light on the actions and dealings of our government officials.

Well, here we go again, kind reader, — caught up in the net of nefariousness woven by the big oil companies and their Wall Street speculator/bail-out beneficiary, allies — in a constantly escalating upwards ride in the gasoline price balloon.

Remember last time, when all the wise talking heads “explained” to us dummkopfs how the price rise was all simply an aspect of the free enterprise system, governed by the law of supply and demand?

Recently, a well-liked and fairly well-known Roane Countian committed suicide.

The person was found in her vehicle in the parking lot where she worked.

One area newspaper ran a news story. We simply ran the obituary.

Who was right?

Who knows.

How and when to cover suicide — someone’s last act of desperation — is one of the most debated topics in journalism.

Many news outlets believe it is a private affair. To minimize the pain and suffering to survivors, they simply run an obituary.

By Gerald Largen
We were more than a little surprised last Friday to find ourself occupying a front page, above-the-fold location in that day’s Roane County News lead article about the “Crowded field” in the Property Assessor’s race.