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Show BB SOUTHERN UTAH NEWS TUESDAY FEBRUARY 9, 1933 Opinion Speaks In the United States, the courts decide whether a person is guilty or innocent. It's not fair for any of us to condemn a person on gossip, innuendo or a sensational newspaper story. I have a real problem writh calling some papers, "news" papers, when they don't take the time to check their facts. If facts bear out a sensational story, then have at it print the story and inform your readers. But don't you dare print a sensational couple of paragraphs based on an anonymous caller's suggestions. Before press time last week, I received an anonymous call asking whether I'd heard about the investigation of Police Chief Bill Blasdell. The caller told me that Blasdell was being investigated for voyeurism and that I could confirm the fact by calling Sheriff Maxwell Jackson. The caller hung up. My first thought was that any Police Chief is in a vulnerable position. While the position is one of power, it's also a job that is going to be scrutinized very closely. The bottom line is when you're Police Chief, you're probably not going to be making a lot of friends, due to the nature of the job. You are investigating people, you are arres ting people-yo- u are basically doing a pretty unpopular job. The first thing I did after my hot tip was look up "voyeurism" in the dictionary I didn't have a clue as to what it meant. Next I checked on whether there was an investigation going on. A call confirmed that there was. I debated whether or not I should write anything in the SUN about the situation. I decided against for one major reason. I could point to anyone out in the street and charge that he assaulted me, or that he looked in my window. The police would have to investigate. It does not mean a person is guilty of a crime, just because he she is being investigated. Now let me go back to something I alluded to earlier. What is a newspaper's responsibility toward informing its readers? Should a paper confine reporting only to facts, or should I print the gossip or my view about what's going on around town? I hate to break it to you all, but if I only printed the gossip I hear around here, most of us would be in trouble! My second anonymous tip came Monday night. It was quite late and the call sounded like it came from a bar. The hot tip was repeated, in a quite jovial manner and again, no name was given. Now I appreciate news tips, because I don't always hear everything that's going on. I prefer that the informant identify themselves to me. If due to a sensitive situation they feel they don't want their name in print, then that's all right and I won't reveal my source. The caller said that he had phoned the Spectrum with the "hot tip" also. It goes without saying that the Spectrum loves bad news and sensational stuff about Kanab. It seems they enjoy portraying our area to be one of poor values and amoral people, but I wasn't worried. Good journalism dictates that you don't just take an anonymous caller's tip, write a skeleton story and practically ruin a man's life based on it. Someone obviously wanted Bill Blasdell to look bad. None of this has anything to do with whether Bill Blasdell is innocent or guilty-whe- n you print a sensational piece on the front page of your paper, you've created doubt of the person's character in everyone's nwvv.v.w '"380 S.U.N. Deadlines are Thursday At 5 p.m. What is your opinion? This newspaper welcomes opinions from its readers concerning any subject. Anything of a libelous nature or defamation of character will not be considered for publication. Letters must be signed and include your full name, address and telephone number. Thank you for your interest. Dear Dixie and Dennis, May we use the columns of your newspaper to express our sadness and disappointment at the resignation of Kanab Chief of Police Bill Blasdell. We are even more sad and disappointed at the manner in which this straw that broke the camels back that brought about his resignation was handled, and for the innuendos, gossip and falsehoods that were used. We have lived neighbors to Bill and his family for many years. Wecouldntaskforbetter neighbors and we have and still do appreciate and love them. We sincerely hope we will be close neighbors for many more years. We have found Bill to be a moral, honest, CftlOft CORN Tft T ON tTOW N N EWt PA PE ft The Southern Utah News (ISSN No. 0049-165is published every Tuesday at 26 N. Main St., Kanab, Utah 84741. The SUNews serves Kane County, Utah, and the Arizona Strip. Address comm unicat ions to 26 N. Main St, Kanab, Utah 84741 , or Fax 801 telephone Advertising rates available upon request. Second Class postage paid at Kanab, Utah 84741 . Newsstand price 50$ per copy. Yearly subscription rates to Kane County addresses and Fredonia and Moccasin, Arizona, $22; others $30 (out of U.S. $40). TheSUNews reserves the right to edit or reject any advertisement or submitted items. 9) 0, 44-2926. hard-workin- g, good community and church person and cannot feel good about the tactics that have emerged iu recent weeks to bring about his resignation. We sincerely hope that this type action will not continue in minds. it will tear our The SUN will confine its news reporting to only the facts anyway. If it does and we will all community apart about the Blasdell situation. And please, before you stand as judge and jury to any man, make sure you do the same. All Letters to the Editor See LETTERS, Page 5 Dennis and Dixie Brunner Publishers and Editor Production Staff Ruth Koontz Rick Ensle Postmaster Send change of address cards to - 26 N. Main St, Kanab, Ut 84741 Barbara Pyies Feature Writer Myrna Cox Orderville News Richard Negus Kanab News Barb Kimball Fredonia News |