Our contest recognizes everything from spot news coverage to investigations to the Rookie of the Year. Photography and videography, opinion writing, design, sports reporting, media innovation and general excellence are all among the categories available for entering. There’s outdoors reporting, election reporting, headlines, COVID-19 pandemic coverage, and public affairs programs. Reviews, features and columns. Public affairs programs, documentaries, and best use of social media.

Our contest recognizes the best work from journalists in all media in Idaho, along with the work of journalism students and PR folks. 

Look over the categories at our website, www.idahopressclub.org, look back at the fine work you’ve done in this incredibly challenging year, and enter the contest. We’ll look forward to celebrating with you in the spring; we are crossing our fingers for an in-person awards banquet, tentatively set for April 30, 2022.

Also in the works right now: Our Training Committee is looking into offering a high-quality, online training session for our members on stress, trauma and self-care for journalists, something our entire board agrees is much-needed in this stressful era in newsrooms around the state. Stay tuned for more info soon.

And the deadline for our Don Watkins Memorial Scholarship for college students, and our Don Watkins Mid-Career Scholarship for any of us, is Feb. 15. Details are on our website; the mid-career scholarship provides $500 to use for any training or project that will improve the working press in Idaho. This could include going to a conference you have wanted to attend or funding toward travel on that enterprise story you have been working on for months. The only catch: You must share what you learn with Press Club members through a discussion at a conference or an article in an upcoming edition of the Communicator. Any Press Club member is eligible for this scholarship.

The student scholarship, for up to $1,500, is for graduates of Idaho high schools who have completed at least one year of college and wish to pursue a career in journalism or communications. Full-time students majoring in journalism or working for a college or professional media outlet are also eligible to apply.

Kudos to all Idaho journalists for the important work you do. It matters!

By Betsy Z. Russell

When Idaho Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin called a “press conference” at an eastern Idaho elementary school on Oct. 14, she promised in her announcement to “set the record straight regarding the litigation in which the Lt. Governor’s office has recently been engaged.”

That would be the Idaho Press Club’s public records lawsuit against her, on behalf of four different Idaho reporters from three different news outlets, which McGeachin not only lost, but for which she was fined $750 for “bad faith” violations of the Idaho Public Records Act and ordered to pay the Press Club’s attorney fees and costs.

At the eastern Idaho event, McGeachin took no questions from the press. Instead, she railed against media coverage of her unsuccessful fight against releasing public records regarding her education task force. She was joined by Coeur d’Alene attorney Art Macomber, who has announced he’s running for Idaho Attorney General; Macomber assailed the current Idaho Attorney General for “bad lawyering” in the records case, though McGeachin hired outside attorney Colton Boyles of Sandpoint to represent her.

McGeachin also blamed the Attorney General’s office for her court loss, and held up a printout of a June 7 email between the AG’s office and her office, claiming the email was proof that the whole thing was the Attorney General’s fault, as she had consulted with his office prior to hiring her outside counsel.

“The Attorney General’s office notified us that they would no longer defend their position because of the composition of the task force, which had been publicly known for more than one month,” McGeachin said. “And I have the email right here in my hand to indicate that. The Attorney General’s office welcomed us to seek a second opinion from outside counsel. Subsequent legal counsel followed the previous arguments laid out by the Attorney General’s office. If you have questions on this advice, I’ll refer them to the Attorney General’s office.”

So I filed a public records request for that email. And that’s not exactly what the email says. Instead, it shows that a deputy attorney general suggested the only public records exemption under Idaho law that might apply to the records requested by Idaho Capital Sun reporter Audrey Dutton was one regarding substituting initials for a minor’s full name. Aside from that, the office advised McGeachin to “produce the full spreadsheet to Ms. Dutton as soon as possible and no later than the end of the business day tomorrow. If you disagree with our advice, you may wish to seek a second opinion from other counsel.”

McGeachin subsequently obtained her private counsel, and argued that the records were exempt from disclosure under a slew of unrelated public records exemptions. 4th District Judge Steven Hippler wrote in his Aug. 26 ruling in the case that McGeachin’s attempts at withholding the documents from public view were baseless and frivolous and that some of the exemptions she cited — including one specific to hunting and fishing licenses — were so irrelevant that it appeared the lieutenant governor “may have blindly selected them at random.”

Jordan Watters, chief of staff for the lieutenant governor, wrote in his response to my request that emails between the two offices were “protected by attorney-client privilege and are therefore exempt from disclosure,” but did release the one email that McGeachin specifically cited and held up at her public event, which would typically waive that privilege. “Other than the single email referenced above, no other emails between the office of the Lt. Governor and that of the Attorney General have been or will be released by this office,” he wrote.

Here is the email that was released:

From: Kolts, Rachel
Sent: Monday, June 7, 2021 1:12 PM
To: Jordan Watters
Cc: Snook, Andrew; Julie Weaver
Subject: Ms. Dutton’s public record request –CONFIDENTIAL/PRIVILEGED
Attachments: 2021-06-07_Ltr from Olson re public records request.pdf

Follow Up Flag: Follow up

Flag Status: Completed

Hi Jordan, I received your voicemail but have not had the opportunity to return your call. I also received the attached letter this morning.

As it currently stands, the only exemption within the Public Records Act that would likely survive a challenge would be the one provided for in Idaho Code section 74-106(4)(h), allowing for a minor’s name to be redacted to show only the minor’s initials and not the minor’s full name. It is unlikely that the legislative exemption we previously discussed with you could survive a challenge if relied upon. The factors indicating that it could be available are no longer applicable. Specifically, the analysis we provided earlier was prior to the Task Force being named and convened. Based on what we now understand to be the construction and makeup of the Task Force, it does not appear to meet the criteria of the legislative exemption.

We recommend that your office review the full spreadsheet for any redactions pursuant to 74-106(4)(h) and produce the full spreadsheet to Ms. Dutton as soon as possible and no later than the end of the business day tomorrow. If you disagree with our advice, you may wish to seek a second opinion from other counsel.

Rachel L. Kolts
Deputy Attorney General Contracts & Administrative Law Division
Office of the Attorney General”

That email, by the way, was sent six weeks before the Press Club filed its lawsuit.

Betsy Russell is the Boise bureau chief for the Idaho Press, and is the president of the Idaho Press Club.

J Bates is one of the newest members of the Idaho Press Club board.  He is the News Director for Idaho News 6, covering the Treasure Valley on KIVI and the Magic Valley on KSAW.  Born in Rexburg, he has worked at every station in Boise, as well as at stations in Pocatello and Salt Lake City.  His first job was in Cadillac, Michigan.  He became Idaho News 6’s News Director in 2018.
 
Interviewed by Joan Cartan-Hansen
 
Where did you go to college?
 
Weber State University for undergrad; Gonzaga University for a Master’s
 
What made you decide to go into television journalism?
 
I was working in radio and television paid better. I loved sports, the camera kind of liked me and someone called in sick.  True story.
 
One of your jobs has been as a digital director.  What does a digital director do?
 
I oversaw the editorial process on our digital platforms including social, website, mobile apps and streaming.
 
What is the best part about being a news director?
 
When someone comes into my office and  says, “I have an idea.”
 
What is the hardest part about being a news director?
 
Remembering to eat lunch.  Kidding, kind of. It’s how quickly your schedule can fill up from what you want to do, with what you have to do when someone walks in and says, “I have an idea.”
 
Where do you think local news will be in 20 years?
 
I think it will be more firmly planted in the pillars of good journalism but on platforms that haven’t even been considered yet. Staffed by people who see it as a cause and not a career.
 
Why did you join the Idaho Press Club board?
 
I take pride in being a leader on where journalism could end up, so I wanted to share my enthusiasm with the state and not just my newsroom.  I am a professor trapped in a News Director’s body and see this as an opportunity to raise the level of journalism in the state.
 
And most importantly, does the “J” stand for something?
 
It’s actually just J.  It’s was my father’s middle name, his father’s first name and his father’s middle name.  The assumption is somewhere around 1890 someone in the line wasn’t able to write “John” which is also a common name in our family tree.
 
Is there anything else you’d like your fellow Press Club members to know?
 
My sense of humor can be VERY dry.
 
Joan Cartan-Hansen is a producer/reporter/writer/host with Idaho Public Television and the treasurer of the Idaho Press Club.

COEUR D’ALENE PRESS

The Press recently created a new position, regional design editor, and filled it with Grant Purdum. Grant has worked for a number of newspapers across the West, most recently for Gannett as a designer based in Spokane. He’s a Washington State University grad.

Nine-year veteran Press education reporter and feature writer Devin Weeks left to work in the communications department at Kootenai Health, the regional hospital with 3,600 employees. Devin was replaced by Hannah Neff, who had been a copy editor at The Press for one year.

IDAHO BUSINESS REVIEW

Alx Stevens is the new managing editor at the Idaho Business Review. Former managing editor Sharon Fisher became a digital nomad in October, then left Idaho Business Review and is freelancing for journalism and corporate clients as she travels the world.

IDAHO STATESMAN

Rachel Spacek joined the Statesman in May to cover local governments in western Ada County and Canyon County, plus the Latino community. She previously worked at the Idaho Press. Sally Krutzig joined the Statesman in May to cover growth and development. She previously worked at the Post Register.

Becca Savransky joined the Statesman in June as an education reporter through a partnership with Report for America. The position is funded by philanthropy. She previously worked at SeattlePI.

Kyle Land joined the Statesman in July to cover the city of Boise, after previously working at the Albuquerque Journal in New Mexico. Kevin Fixler joined the Statesman in June as an investigative reporter. He most recently worked at the Santa Rosa (California) Press Democrat. Paul Schwedelson joined the Statesman in September as a local government and breaking news reporter. He previously worked at the Idaho Press. Gustavo Sagrero joined the Statesman in September as a sports clerk and news intern. He also works at Boise State Public Radio.

Bryan Clark joined the Statesman in October as an opinion writer. He previously worked at the Post Register in Idaho Falls. Nicole Blanchard was promoted in June to investigative reporter. She still covers outdoor recreation and the environment.

Hayley Harding left in April for a job at the Detroit News. She previously covered the city of Boise.

Nicole Foy left in July for a job at the Austin (Texas) American-Statesman. She previously was an investigative reporter and covered the Latino community.

KIVI 6/KNIN Fox 9/KSAW TV

Obaiy Hashem, producer for Fox 9, has left to work on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Jake Brasil has left KSAW in Twin Falls to work as PIO for the Boys and Girls Club in the Magic Valley.

Rachel Garceau has left Good Morning Idaho, which airs on both KIVI and KSAW, to become the PIO for Central District Health.

Evelyn Avitia, a University of Idaho graduate, started Oct. 18 as a multimedia journalist for KSAW in Twin Falls. Isabella Bright, a graduate from USC’s Annenberg School of Journalism, started on Nov. 1 as a multimedia journalist for KSAW in Twin Falls.
 

IDAHO PRESSTeddy Feinberg was named managing editor in June; he previously was news editor at the Bakersfield Californian. Feinberg was selected after a national search. He replaces Holly Beech, who worked at the Press for a decade before leaving for a position with the Idaho Office for Refugees.

Laura Guido joined the Press as city editor in September. She most recently worked as a reporter, editor and designer at the Woodinville Weekly, and previously worked for the Whidbey News-Times and the Columbia Basin Herald. Digital Editor Madison Guernsey joined the Press in May. He was with the Idaho State Journal for six years and also worked for the Lewiston Tribune.  New reporters at the Idaho Press include Alexandra Duggan, who started in October; she is a University of Idaho graduate and a Meridian native. Reporter Erin Banks Rusby joined the staff in June; she holds a master’s degree in journalism from the University of California-Berkeley and formerly freelanced for publications including the Idaho Business Review.

Reporter Carolyn Komatsoulis joined the Press in May; a Boston University graduate, she most recently reported for the Columbus Telegram/Schuyler Sun in Columbus, Nebraska and previously worked for the Berkshire Eagle and Voice of America.

Former reporter Erin Sheridan left the Press in June and now works for Interfaith Sanctuary. Former reporter Paul Schwedelson departed in September to join the Idaho Statesman; former reporter Rachel Spacek departed in May to do the same.
BOISE WEEKLY

Jeanne Huff, community engagement editor for the Idaho Press, has been promoted into a dual role where she now also serves as editor of the Boise Weekly. The Weekly (and the Idaho Press features staff) has also welcomed new reporter Bowen West, who comes from Missoula. 

KTVB TV

Jessica Hagan took the helm as President and General Manager, coming from KING5, KTVB’s sister station in Seattle, where she most recently served as Director of Sales. Katija Stjepovic came to KTVB for her first full-time reporting role from KSTU in Salt Lake.

Tyson White, chief photographer, left for opportunities outside of news. Natalee Allen was promoted from Executive Producer to Assistant News Director. Shirah Matsuzawa was promoted from MSJ/reporter to Weekend Anchor/Producer. (MSJ stands for multi-skilled journalist.)

Joey Pretchl, MSJ/reporter, took a position as a communication specialist with an Oregon school district. Zoran Tesic transferred from Tegna’s Memphis station to take the chief photographer position. Tristan Lewis joined KTVB as an MSJ/reporter coming from the Tegna station in Bryan, TX after spending time at Local News 8.

Logan Smith joined as an editor for Wake Up Idaho but will soon be moving to a visual producer role for The 208. Melissa Mione transferred from the production team at KTVB to a newscast producer. John Mark Krum also transferred from production to a news editor.

Jeremy Stiles moved from a broadcast producer to a full-time digital producer. Tyson Miller, broadcast/digital producer, left KTVB for an opportunity outside of the business. Tami Tremblay, Saturday Morning News anchor/reporter, left KTVB to spend more time with family.

Chase Biefeldt, MSJ/reporter, moved back home to report at WBIR in Knoxville, Tennessee. Andrew Baertlein began his journalism career as a MSJ/reporter after graduating from the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University. Melissa Stoner hung up her marketing director hat to pursue other opportunities.

Brielle Anderson, producer, left the news business. Lucas Gebhart, producer, left for the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce. Brenda Rodriguez came to KTVB as a MSJ/reporter and Saturday Morning news anchor/producer from Redwood News and has also begun local reporting in Spanish.

Katie Yeatts came to KTVB from Chicago for a producer job. She previously worked for Big Ten Network and Marquee Sports Network. Morgan Romero returned to KTVB as an anchor/investigative reporter after several years in Portland at KGW.

Mark Johnson announced he will be retiring in December. Brian Holmes will continue on The 208 at 5 p.m. and begin also anchoring the News at 10 at that time.

Doug Petcash will be moving to the News at Noon, continuing Viewpoint, and anchoring the News at 6 as soon as KTVB finds the perfect Wake Up Idaho anchor to join Maggie and Larry. Celina Van Hyning will be making a move our sister station in Spokane to produce for KREM morning news and their digital platforms.

Darren Damon left KTVB for a position at Bilbao & Co. Bridger Cowan just joined the Wake Up Idaho team as an editor. Paul Boehlke will be leaving for the Idaho Farm Bureau. Ky Tucker will be returning to Boise for a producer role from KING5 in Seattle.

IDAHO MOUNTAIN EXPRESS

The Mountain Express is currently recruiting for a general assignment reporter, a full-time position in the resort community of Sun Valley. For details, see idahopressclub.org under the “Jobs” tab.