Monthly Archives: May 2009

That hole in their story, again

Posted on May 27, 2009 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell According to the May 21, 2009 Detroit Free Press, five lawyers involved with last year’s Kwamegate text message scandal have been charged with violating the lawyers’ canon of ethics and some may even have committed crimes in a coverup. … Continue reading →

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Making money at the Times

Posted on May 25, 2009 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell Thanks to Clark Hoyt’s New York Times Public Editor column of May 24, 2009, I now know how the other half makes out. Hoyt informs us that in a typical year, “star columnist” Thomas Friedman collects 75 … Continue reading →

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Will Gannett cut Monday and Tuesday?

Posted on May 22, 2009 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell The Detroit Free Press and Detroit News could drop Monday and Tuesday editions online and in print. Lots of uncertainty here. But I’m told high muck-a-mucks at Gannett could be mulling whether to chop the Monday and … Continue reading →

Posted in Beginnings | 2 Comments

Stockholm in Detroit

Posted on May 22, 2009 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell A longtime Detroit Free Press employee and Newspaper Guild member who was a loyal striker in the 1990s, who used to refer to johnny-come-lately Free Press owner Gannett as “evil,” recently told me Gannett is “not so … Continue reading →

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Free Press dumps 25 editorial staffers

Posted on May 21, 2009 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell Some longtime Free Press staffers are already gone as of today, I’m told.           These would be the non-union workers without contracts guaranteeing layoffs based on seniority: Laura Varon Brown, Sharon Wilmore, Alice Pepper, Sandy Aceval and Nate Trela. … Continue reading →

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Detroit papers to lay off 100 +

Posted on May 21, 2009 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell Earlier this year, some 100 production workers were laid off at the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News, both owned or operated by Gannett. Now it’s the turn of editorial employees. Between 100 and 150 editorial workers … Continue reading →

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The censor from Franklin

Posted on May 17, 2009 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell Who the bleep is Mitch Albom? Oh, I know, he’s the highly-paid Detroit Free Press sports guru who writes opinions about everything under the sun. Kind of like me, except for the sports and being highly-paid. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Joel's J School, Sundays with Mitch | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Who’s the thug?

Posted on May 15, 2009 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell Was I promoting “thuggish” behavior by arguing that Detroit should run Matty Moroun out of a city park, part of which he seized illegally alongside his Ambassador Bridge? I’ve suggested sending a city work crew with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Beginnings | 2 Comments

Playing Matty’s game

Posted on May 14, 2009 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell That fence that popped up last weekend at Detroit’s Riverside Park extension was not, as some thought, the doing of billionaire Ambassador Bridge owner Manuel “Matty” Moroun. Apologies to Matty. The latest fence was the handiwork of … Continue reading →

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More of Matty’s hijinks?

Posted on May 9, 2009 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell I couldn’t march with the anti-Matty brigade today in support of the 23rd Street Bait Shop and Riverside Park, but a JOTR correspondent sent me a report on what marchers saw at the park extension, part of … Continue reading →

Posted in Me & Matty | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment