Add Another One to the Hit List Tony!
As reported at Craig Smith's Blog, Travis Armstrong continued the Soprano's theme this week with a drive by on the Goleta Chamber of Commerce and their CEO Kristen Amyx. It looks as though former News-Presser Bill Macfadyen made the list too. With promises of examining the Chamber's financial outlays in the last election, TKA seems to think he can incite a recall of the Goleta council majority. I'm no fan of the Chamber's PAC relationship in the last Goleta election -- but there certainly seems to be a conflict of interest here on Armstrong's part. He should disclose why he is attacking them and his conversation with Amyx which was reported by Craig Smith and confirmed to me by a citizen stringer....
Be careful with pulling your subscription, not only will you get a mean phone call but plenty of nasty ink.
Be careful with pulling your subscription, not only will you get a mean phone call but plenty of nasty ink.
Labels: Goleta Chamber of Commerce, Santa Barbara News-Press
posted by Sara De la Guerra | 6/16/2007 02:58:00 AM
Our Community Guidelines ask that you use the Blogger/Open ID login or the
more private Name/URL option when making comments. Comments using "Anonymous" will not be published. For more info, see choosing an identity.
18 Comments:
Travis Armstrong threatens, "Speaking of the chamber, in future columns, I'll examine the chamber's financial outlay in the last Goleta City Council election and whether the chamber's exuberance in victory and its pro-development agenda risks sparking a recall movement of the council majority."
Armstrong ranted against Jack Hauxhurst, but now wants him back?
In all respected daily papers in the U.S., Armstrong's "examination" is left to qualified investigative news reporters, where sources are systematically interviewed and quoted.
In the shadowy world of Wendy McCaw's News-Press, columnists with biased "agendas" like Dr. Laura, Armstrong and the COLAB guy (on News-Press radio) do the "examining."
Steepleton-of-Ventura's job is to follow on the news pages by supporting the animal, anti-housing and "Marty-is-responsible-for-gangs" agenda of McCaw's opinion page.
Gone is detailed coverage of whole areas like UCSB, Goleta, Montecito and and Carpinteria. That's what happens when an owner forces out most of her reporters.
No wonder, like many others, the Goleta Chamber dropped its subscription. The News-Press has little influence left in Goleta. Most of us in Goleta get our wire stories for free on the internet, without killing trees for newsprint or filling landfills by pushing bottled water.
If you want to keep the Chamber's subscription, Travis Armstrong, tell your boss to do a better job of covering Goleta, instead of attacking and bullying us.
So Wendy and Travis have picked a fight with Goleta, eh?
Attacking everyone else in town, including ministers, isn't dumb enough?
The News-Press has ignored Goleta since last summer so why shouldn't Goleta ignore the News-Press?
What's next -- Barry Cappello and David Millstein sending threatening "cease and desist" letters demanding that Goletans like the Chamber not cancel their subscriptions?
Maybe Wendy will order another lawsuit before heading to Europe for the summer? "Doncha think, Nipperpooh, our suits against Jerry Roberts, the union, the Independent and the AJR reporter aren't enough, honeybuns?"
Crazy is as crazy does.
Sarah, most of us don't read the paper any more. Without your post most of us would not know about Travis latest rant. So don't. We don't care. Travis Armstrong is too much of a bummer. Move on to something else, pleaes, something smarter and sharper than the News-Mess.
Travis fancies himself the new Nikita Kruschev:
"If you don't like us. don't accept our invitations, and don't invite us to come to see you. Whether you like it or not. history is on our side. We will bury you!"
--- Moscow, Nov. 17, 1956
WELL........much as I despise everything TKA/News-Press, I must say I find it hard to find any sympathy for Kristen Amyx---she and "her" Chamber have, in the past year, used fear, distortion, dishonesty and personal attacks to put Goleta on the fast track to environmental and political disaster.
8:02- but it isn't about finding sympathy or not for these folks, its about how insanely low this whole deal is getting
7:52 - unfortunately, many still are reading the NP & likely aren't blog readers so won't know about these threats- it is important to keep blogging this information in hopes it reaches more people who need to know
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
1:15 pm -- chose to keep your post from going on as it made me feel uncomfortable...sorry about that!
The News-Press Publishers are also the publishers of the Goleta Valley Voice. While that paper has lost a lot of its substance since it was purchased from Jim Farr, it still is a basically decent paper.
What is missing from the Valley Voice? ---> TKA!
TKA is the toxin that poisons the wells. I am wondering if the News-Press publishers actually endorse everything that he says/does. Certainly they keep him employed-FOR NOW-but I am beginning to wonder if perhaps there is a reason for that which goes beyond his poisonous venom.
Does he know something embarrassing? Would it be too much face-loss to cut his cord?
There was a period some time ago during an election campaign (not the last one) when the Valley Voice actually ran (unsigned) News-Press (think TKA) editorials. But that was short and has not happened recently (I believe).
So I am puzzled about this. The Valley Voice is reasonably pro-establishment-Goleta. It asks questions, but it doesn't put harsh poisonous tips on its Q's. The mayor has a column and so do others.
I need to know. I want to know. Inquiring minds would like to know. There must be a "deep-throat" out their who can shed some light on this.
Q: Are the News-Press publishers (no friends of mine BTW) as much in control of this SBNP Editorial poison purveyor as we assume?
I'm boB
YeS.. but,all has not been revealed. "Fasten your seat belts. It's going to be a bumpy.. er summer".
To conduct business in Santa Barbara, mustn't one have a valid business license issued by the city?
Perhaps McCaw's business license could be denied, or revoked if she has one now, based on her noncompliance with the Labor Code per the NLRB ruling, noncompliance with libel law in the Roberts matter, and noncompliance with the First Amendment in the Paterno matter.
If any other business was operating outside of the labor code, the Constitution, and libel law, they would be liable to lose their license to operate/make money/and pay taxes within the city.
If Armstrong is still on probation, and he's threatening to "ruin" people while on probation, his probation officer might be interested in the evidence of the threat. Threatening behavior while on probation may violate the terms of his probation, and if McCaw leaves him in charge while she's yachting, then perhaps her business license could be denied based on evidence the person in charge of the business is threatening people while on probation.
If McCaw's puffed-up circulation figures, based upon dropping bundles of unordered newspapers at schools and institutions, are in some way noncompliant with the tax code, the IRS may be interested. If the IRS is questioning her compliance with tax law, that might be a basis for revoking her business license as well. There may also be some legal precedent with regard to using child porn victims as a political football, which might put teeth into any effort to revoke her business license.
A combination of factors, and not just one, might pile high enough for revocation. She would undoubtedly continue to operate in defiance of the revocation - blaming it on bias at City Hall - and/or she might appeal the the revocation while continuing to operate.
But if she is running a business without a license, that fact might solidify into one more additive factor in the other legal suits. As in, not only did you violate your fired reporters' rights, Roberts' rights, Paterno's rights/dump bundles of papers at schools and tell the IRS they were paid subscribers/make threats while on probation/use child porn victims for an agenda, but you are also operating without a license.
Could such a situation move forward efforts to compel her to sell the paper to someone else? Could it be one more straw that helps to break the camel's back?
Kristen Amyx seems to be another pro-developer/anti-residents player.
They all deserves the scrutiny that Travis is serving up. It's an invitation for them to step up and explain the choices they make that effect the communities.
Thanks Travis!!!!!
Since it wasn't in the SBNP, and since it occurred before these blogs took off, and since so much "stuff" was going down at the same time. I feel somewhat embarrassed to admit that I do not know what resulted from TKA's DUI trial.
Was there a conviction? If so what was the sentence? And yes, what about probation? This is all public information I assume. And rather than sleazy tawdry inuendo, it is fact. So what are the facts?
Just the facts, Ma'am, just the facts!
Hmmm! Should have asked that Friday!
I'm boB
Hey, boB, even though Travis is writing publicly to make hay about his DUI sentence, no one knows what it was, since Wendy McCaw killed the sentencing story.
Her unethical interference with that news -- even though his sentence is now a big part of Travis' public chatter -- is a reason that Jerry Roberts and the other respected journalists walked out.
11:47: Are you saying Scott Steepleton isn't a "respected journalist"?
Thanks for responding 11:47 pm Anon!
Someone must know what happened re TKA's case! And I would like to see it described. I want to know!
I certainly know that the killing of that story was a big part of what led to the meltdown a year ago. But now I am saying, hey, what did happen.
This has to be public information. I cannot imagine that a dinky little routine drunk guy boo-boo (sorry TKA-you're right-I am referring to both you and your boo-boo) could be in some sealed vault awaiting the next millenium.
So does anyone know?
And BTW, are you the same Anon who cleverly responded to me earlier with a "YeS"? ;)
I'm boB
Dear big fat fan of travis (you must be the only one!) There are many people who support the Chamber showing leadership when the Council would not. We live in Goleta and we care. It's too bad that Travis is resorting to these tactics. He used to be a basically decent guy.
Travis's "tactic" is to draw attention and raise questions about leaders in this town. Are they doing a fair job of serving the community? Who are they beholden to?
Leaders like Mayor Blum should welcome the criticism as it opens the door for them to explain their philosophies and decisions. Instead, they tend to resort to boycotting and whining. The people lose.
Post a Comment
<< Home