Like most news organizations, the Chinook Observer occasionally finds itself in conflict with elected officials. This is a natural byproduct of practicing our profession in a nation where the press is empowered with independent oversight of the government.

We’re currently in a bit of conflict over obtaining some 911 records relevant to an ongoing story. Washington state law is distinctly on our side, and the public’s side, so we’ll eventually prevail. It’s unfortunate that the individuals trying to shield the information are wasting our time and taxpayers’ money in a losing fight.

Such delaying tactics aren’t uncommon. One of the best tests of whether a newspaper is serious about its mission is how tenacious it is about insisting on compliance with laws that require open records and meetings. We are very serious about it. And to their credit, most governmental entities we deal with are reasonably diligent and open. In our state, there is a strong presumption that all records belong to the public, unless a specific exception has been carved out by the Legislature for a substantial purpose.

All this was brought to mind last week by a smart observation made by David Sommers, who is joining our company as publisher of the Rogue Valley Times, serving Medford, Ashland and the Jackson County community:

“A courtesy reminder to our civic leaders: Please remember, accountability is not an attack. Questions are not an inquisition. Public officials, publicly and taxpayer-funded organizations and public agencies need to understand that transparency is a virtue, not a vice. We are not out to get anyone; we do not have an agenda, except for getting to the truth on behalf of the readers and communities and mission we serve. We report news, not spin and not a version of what influential people and institutions might attempt to dictate as news. We work for the public, not public officials.”

As I recently told a newly elected officeholder, a reporter who always plays nice with public employees is no better than a cop who never writes tickets or makes arrests. We may not relish getting into fights, but avoiding them would be a dereliction of our duty to the truth and all who rely on us to tell it.

Thanks to your support, our news-gathering operation is strong. Thank you.