The Explorer Reports (A Little Late) On Oro Valley vs. "LOVE" Blog

The Explorer wrote in their Feb 6 issue that the town agreed to release the outside legal opinion I had requested concerning our "issue" of Oro Valley vs. our "LOVE" Blog.

(Please scroll down to read OV neighborTerry Dudas' letter to The Explorer on this issue.)

We would like to correct one statement in the article. The Explorer article states:

"Town legal officials investigated, and Segal received written inquiry in early December from the office of Town Clerk Kathi Cuvelier, asking him to register letorovalleyexcel.org as a political action committee." (note--article had ".org"--not ".com" which is correct.)

The letter I received from Ms. Cuvelier dated, Dec. 10 stated: "----this is to advise that your organization MUST FILE a statement of Organization as a Political Committee." (my caps)

I'm sure you will agree, there is quite of difference in being "ASKED" to do something, and being told you "MUST" do something.

Read the Explorer article here.

http://www.explorernews.com/article/show/21375

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Explorer Feb 6

Inattention to blog story is clearly censorship

Most readers of The Explorer expect to be informed about significant news stories in their community. That expectation is the hook for your readership and the tool you use selling advertising space which keeps you in business.

So where were you on one of the biggest stories to hit Oro Valley in a long time — the attempt to squelch letorovalleyexcel.com., a blog run by Oro Valley resident, Art Segal? This important story was picked up all over the state, but, oh no, for some reason, not in the Oro Valley circulation area. Gee, I have to wonder why. Could it have anything to do with the upcoming Oro Valley town council election?

What kind of news organization are you, anyway? Formerly, readers could expect timely stories on events that would hit their pocketbooks, property rights, life styles and freedoms; business public relations releases and hype just came with the package. Am I to suppose now that with new management, The Explorer has become nothing more than an expanded mouthpiece of the redundant quarterly, Oro Valley Vista? And, please, don’t try to fob off the responsibility of this story’s coverage on Emil Franzi and his excellent, but tardy observation piece, “OV Ham handed etc.,” Jan. 30.

There was a glaring editorial news hole in The Explorer for more than a week, and in my view, it is all too obvious as to the reason why. Censorship.

Terry Dudas
Oro Valley