Why The Zero Could Be the Next Paper to Go the Way of the PI

March 17, 2009

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Certainly there will always be cross over in the beliefs and mores of the Liberatti and the local rag functionaries, but this should be a cautionary tale for the Oregonian. Stories like this as told by a 5th Listener should explain why people don’t like the Zero much anymore:

Hi Victoria,

On Sunday morning, about 8:30 AM, I drove from Beaverton to downtown, on my way to Sellwood. Downtown was closed off for the morning, and all of the bridges except the Fremont were closed. I was re-routed to OHSU, and from there a policeman sent me over the hill toward the Burnside Bridge . That bridge was also guarded and blocked by a policeman. He was very nice, and re-directed me to the Fremont Bridge . A simple ½ hour drive took over an hour and a half. What was the city thinking when it decided to close every bridge but one?

It seems to me that the planning for traffic for the Shamrock Run lacked forethought. Suppose I was on my way to Sellwood for an emergency? Why was this year any different than past years when cars and runners passed by each other without incident? Why isn’t the Shamrock Run, or any other run routed like the cars were up and around OHSU (lots less traffic, very pretty and safer). When there is going to be road work, ODOT puts up signs ahead of time warning of closures; shouldn’t this have been done for the race.

I called the news room of the Oregonian as I was driving from one road block to the next to tell them what was going on because I thought it might make a good story. I told the man who answered the phone ( I wish I had asked for his name) that a traffic jam of vehicles was being re-routed all around the hills of Portland to one bridge. As soon as I told him what was happening, he was very rude to me. He said, “If we had our way, the whole downtown would be closed every weekend” He followed that with, “what makes you think we would care about this?” I asked him how people like me would get to the other side of the river. He told me to take Max. I told him I had nothing against taking Max from time to time, but many times it isn’t possible, and often it is time prohibitive. He told me that I was the only one who was complaining, and if I read the paper I would have known about the closures. I told him I subscribe to the paper, but that there was nothing saying that all but one bridge would be closed. He was very disrespectful, and I tried very hard to talk to him. He just wanted to argue, and wanted to tell me how I should live my life.

I thought that the Oregonian is neutral and covers all points of view. Ha Ha! If my experience is any indication of how the employees think, then I guess I am wrong. This only proves once more that we no longer have a paper we can count on for news.

I’m glad you are still on air fighting for what is right.

Tell ’em where you saw it. Http://www.victoriataft.com