A Restraining Order for Former Calif. 'News-Press' Biz Editor?

By: Joe Strupp As if things at the Santa Barbara (Calif.) News-Press weren't complicated enough following last month's mass resignation of editors claiming meddling by the paper's owner, now comes word of a restraining order being requested by the paper against one of the editors who quit.

Former business editor Michael Todd, who joined five other editors in resigning the week of July 6, is accused of making threatening comments to a part-time photographer in June, according to court documents obtained by E&P. The photographer, Ana Elisa Fuentes, claims that Todd mentioned thoughts of hitting her with a car and joked about shooting her in two separate incidents.

"These threats concern me greatly. I am afraid of Mr. Todd," she said in a statement that was part of the request for a restraining order filed July 11. "I believe he wants to harm me. I can fathom no reason for his statements: it certainly is not in the realm of humor. It is explicit and graphic."

Todd contends that the comments were clearly done in a joking manner and could in no way be taken seriously. He also claims that the incident actually occurred in late May, not in June as the court documents contend. He points out that the restraining order was not filed until after he and the other editors quit. "The whole restraining order thing is totally and completely retaliatory," he told E&P.

The restraining order request was filed by Ampersand Publishing, the News-Press' parent company, in Santa Barbara Superior Court. A hearing on the request is set for Aug. 15. The court action seeks an order barring Todd from coming within 100 yards of Fuentes, her home, or the News-Press. It also asks that he be ordered to surrender any firearms in his possession.

In the complaint, Fuentes notes a June 15 incident in the newspaper's parking lot in which she claims Todd said, "I was going to run you over with my car, but you were talking to girls, who seemed nice, and I didn't want to hurt them." In another conversation the following day in the newsroom, Fuentes claims Todd said, "I decided If I was going to kill you, I would shoot you, with a gun, it's less messy that way. You know all the body parts on the grill of my car, just too messy."

Todd told E&P that Fuentes actually initiated the second conversation, asking in an obvious joking manner about his previous comments.

Publisher Arthur Von Wiesenberger said Fuentes brought her concerns to editors, including former Editor Jerry Roberts, shortly after the incidents occurred, but they did not follow up. He said Fuentes chose to write a letter to Von Wiesenberger and owner Wendy McCaw, who contacted the newspaper's attorney and filed the restraining order request.

"The employee felt the statement was threatening to her, that he was in possession of a gun," said Attorney David Milstein, who is representing the paper. "We have a duty to protect employees."

Roberts, who is among the editors who resigned last month in protest, said in an e-mail that he was never contacted by Fuentes about the alleged threats, but heard about them from another editor. "I immediately instructed the editor to investigate it, and followed proper company procedures for looking into such allegations," Roberts wrote to E&P.

Von Wiesenberger said Todd was suspended after the complaint by Fuentes was made, but quit as part of the mass resignation before any further action could be taken by the paper. Agnes Huff, a spokeswoman for the newspaper, said Todd admitted making the comments to newspaper executives during a discussion "and was remorseful."

The restraining order request is the latest in a month of contentious activities at the paper that began July 6 when six editors, including Roberts and Todd, joined longtime columnist Barney Brantingham and an investigative reporter in tendering their resignations in protest against McCaw, whom they clamed was interfering in newsroom decisions.

After the resignations were announced, McCaw and Von Wiesenberger claimed they were trying to improve the paper and end what they saw as bias in reporting. In the weeks since, some newsroom employees have sought union representation, asking the owners to recognize the Graphic Communications Conference of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters as their bargaining unit.

After the owners declined, several newsroom members said they would go through the proper channels to stage a certification vote. They also have launched a campaign to get readers to cancel their subscriptions in protest.

Von Wiesenberger said he believes the paper is actually improving, claiming that subscriptions are up by more than 400 in July and denying that a union is needed for editorial employees. "We recognize our employees' rights to unionize, we don't think it is the best thing for the paper or the community," he said. "I think the paper has done very well without unions."

Some employees claim that the paper is boosting circulation with severe discounts, but they offered no specifics.

Von Wiesenberger noted the recent hiring of famed radio therapist Dr. Laura Schlessinger as a columnist, replacing Brantingham. "She approached us when she heard our columnist had departed," he said about the local resident. "[Her column] is very Santa Barbara-oriented. It is wonderful to see her take this on."

In a related move, two more journalists -- a copy editor and a reporter -- tendered their resignations this week, making it a total of 11 News-Press stafers who have quit in the recent mass exodus, according to the Santa Barbara (Calif.) Independent.

Von Wiesenberger said he believes the paper had rid itself of much of the alleged bias, but declined to note specific instances of it in the past. "We are getting honest, non-biased writing, which is what the news should be," he said. Commenting on the press coverage of the paper's recent troubles, he said the biggest misconception out there is "that Ms. McCaw and management doesn't believe in free press. We are extremely adamant about a free press and honest, non-bias reporting."

He also said that running the paper is not "a popularity contest" for McCaw or himself. "We are striving to get more great writing and make the paper the best it can be."