Fate of Rocky Mountain News to be announced

[Armchair_QB]

Amazing that today is the two-month mark of the last edition. Time sure did fly by. After today, we officially are off Scripps' books. We get a final check on May 8. Tonight, there is a meeting of the Guild to go over what severance package has been offered and then a vote to accept or reject. No details have been leaked.

What are your options if you reject?

[MileHigh]

Probably none, so I suspect it will be accepted.

[MileHigh]

Some information on the severance package that was presented tonight. I expect it to be ratified easily. And I suspect Michael Roberts will have more information tomorrow because this story was posted as the meeting was starting.

http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2009/04/ew_scripps_former_rocky_mounta.php

[ArnoldBabar]

Any idea on roughly how much per year of service this is going to work out to?

[MileHigh]

They didn't do it that way. It was a lump sum paid out by Scripps and the Guild did a sliding scale based on years of service, with a cap for those at 30-plus years.

But it worked out that if you worked there many decades, you didn't get as much per year of service as those who didn't work there as long.

I had five-plus years. I'm not complaining. Others who have 25, 30 years, there were some grumblings, but as one very well-respected colleague said, "I'm not happy, but I'll get over it."

For me, it's a lot more than I was counting on. It's all gravy. There was nothing in the contract that said Scripps had to pay one dime. But they did. A lot more than one dime.

I missed out on a little more because I started in January 2004 and it was based on the calendar year of your start date. And previous work at the paper (say you worked there, left, then came back) counted. As did previous work at other Scripps papers.

This does not include management, and I heard they were getting screwed. Don't know what this agreement will have on them.

The Guild approved the proposal unamiously, I just found out in an e-mail.

[Joe Williams]

Boy, get a load of the comments on that Westword story.

People find ways to hate journalists even as they're circling the bowl.

[ArnoldBabar]

I make it a policy not to read reader comments on any story involving the loss of a newspaper. That much bile is just unhealthy.

[Fenian_Bastard]

Newspaper comments sections need to die horribly and fast.

[MileHigh]

John Temple went back to the newsroom yesterday, the last day employees were on the payroll, and shot a short video.

http://www.johntemple.net/2009/04/what-empty-newsroom-can-remind-us.html

[MileHigh]

Also, it's my understanding that management will get one week for every six months of service, which is in Scripps' history and a lot better than other things I was hearing they were going to get.

[pseudo]

Newspaper comments sections need to die horribly and fast.

Yup.
Heaven knows why, but the local one just added them. After reading the "small-town hack" brickbats aimed at a good friend by some of the trolls on the hometown school's hoops message board, I'm sure those people are just thrilled about getting the opportunity to insult him on the paper's site.

My weekly's so small, we don't even have our own site. And there are times I'm thankful for that ...

[ArnoldBabar]

John Temple went back to the newsroom yesterday, the last day employees were on the payroll, and shot a short video.

http://www.johntemple.net/2009/04/what-empty-newsroom-can-remind-us.html

I remember going for my exit interview and turning in my keys. It was just beyond my comprehension that I literally couldn't come to the newsroom anymore. I drive by now, and it's so strange that I can't just go in.

[slappy4428]

John Temple went back to the newsroom yesterday, the last day employees were on the payroll, and shot a short video.

http://www.johntemple.net/2009/04/what-empty-newsroom-can-remind-us.html

I remember going for my exit interview and turning in my keys. It was just beyond my comprehension that I literally couldn't come to the newsroom anymore. I drive by now, and it's so strange that I can't just go in.

When my last paper closed, I worked as a correspondent for the "competition" the next day. And until they tore down the building and moved next door, everyonce in a while, I'd slide down the hall and look into the empty newsroom where we practiced journalism. What was left behind -- notebooks, regular books, old software, headsets... it was still and quiet.
And very depressing.

[MileHigh]

Well, today is one year since the announcement of the shuttering was announced. It's crazy how fast time has flown. It's been an ... interesting year. Lots of good. Some down times. The severance package helped, and I'm one of the few lucky ones able to piece together a decent amount of freelance/part-time work to keep things going halfway decently. Others have landed full-time gigs, in state but also out of state. But lots -- most, I suspect -- are still scrambling. COBRA still is in effect until the end of July, for now, which is good. Still, it's crazy that's it's been a year since a 150-year institution was cast away like it was.

But a year out of the newspaper business -- and I miss a lot of it. Some of it, no, I don't miss. But overall, yeah, I miss it, of putting out a daily product, the people I've encountered in 20-some years. I'm still in Denver, though I've been looking more out of state since nothing is happening here, but it's tough, as I'm sure many others have found. Still, in time, I think something good will happen. Have to keep the faith, right? But overall, I'm not down about things. It happened, you adjust and move on as best as you can.

There's a reunion on Saturday night, and it will be good to see some familiar faces. And, hopefully, to hear some good news about others landing on their feet/people doing better.

[huntsie]

Best to you and your brethren, Mile High. Hope some good stories come out of your reunion. We're trying to reinvent our product a bit in my town, bringing in a computer system and technology that is more blog based and immediate. I hope it works, but I'm not optimistic. I sit close to the front counter where customers come in to pay for/bitch about their subscriptions, place ads etc. There are fewer of them all the time, and they all have grey hair. 

[Mizzougrad96]

I'd be curious to know which sports staffers have found full-time gigs.

I know about Brooks, Forbis, Krieger, Legwold, Ringolsby...

[MileHigh]

Aaron Lopez works full time for the Nuggets. One of our former clerks just landed a full-time gig in northwest Colorado. A desker is leaving Monday for a small paper in western Massachusetts. A former sports desker and Internet guy when we shuttered has a full-time gig in Texas.

[MileHigh]

I'd be curious to know which sports staffers have found full-time gigs.

I know about Brooks, Forbis, Krieger, Legwold, Ringolsby...

What's Tracy doing full time?

[Mizzougrad96]

I thought he was at Fox Sports. My bad if he's not.

[MileHigh]

You might be right. I know he still has his Web site and he was on Fox last year, but don't know if he's doing that again this year.

[Mizzougrad96]

You might be right. I know he still has his Web site and he was on Fox last year, but don't know if he's doing that again this year.

I mean this as a compliment to Tracy, but he's the last person from that staff who I'm worried about.

[Drip]

Well, today is one year since the announcement of the shuttering was announced. It's crazy how fast time has flown. It's been an ... interesting year. Lots of good. Some down times. The severance package helped, and I'm one of the few lucky ones able to piece together a decent amount of freelance/part-time work to keep things going halfway decently. Others have landed full-time gigs, in state but also out of state. But lots -- most, I suspect -- are still scrambling. COBRA still is in effect until the end of July, for now, which is good. Still, it's crazy that's it's been a year since a 150-year institution was cast away like it was.

But a year out of the newspaper business -- and I miss a lot of it. Some of it, no, I don't miss. But overall, yeah, I miss it, of putting out a daily product, the people I've encountered in 20-some years. I'm still in Denver, though I've been looking more out of state since nothing is happening here, but it's tough, as I'm sure many others have found. Still, in time, I think something good will happen. Have to keep the faith, right? But overall, I'm not down about things. It happened, you adjust and move on as best as you can.

There's a reunion on Saturday night, and it will be good to see some familiar faces. And, hopefully, to hear some good news about others landing on their feet/people doing better.

Mile, we've talked on PM. Nothing but the best for you. I've been ships that have closed and merged. Been on ships that should've done both. I know this is an adjustment but hopefully, you are honing your skills into doing something differently.
  One thing that I've learned is that this - at some point - will be referred to as the good old days by some.
  Keep your head up and may God continue to bless you and yours.

[Ace]

Well, today is one year since the announcement of the shuttering was announced. It's crazy how fast time has flown. It's been an ... interesting year. Lots of good. Some down times. The severance package helped, and I'm one of the few lucky ones able to piece together a decent amount of freelance/part-time work to keep things going halfway decently. Others have landed full-time gigs, in state but also out of state. But lots -- most, I suspect -- are still scrambling. COBRA still is in effect until the end of July, for now, which is good. Still, it's crazy that's it's been a year since a 150-year institution was cast away like it was.

But a year out of the newspaper business -- and I miss a lot of it. Some of it, no, I don't miss. But overall, yeah, I miss it, of putting out a daily product, the people I've encountered in 20-some years. I'm still in Denver, though I've been looking more out of state since nothing is happening here, but it's tough, as I'm sure many others have found. Still, in time, I think something good will happen. Have to keep the faith, right? But overall, I'm not down about things. It happened, you adjust and move on as best as you can.

There's a reunion on Saturday night, and it will be good to see some familiar faces. And, hopefully, to hear some good news about others landing on their feet/people doing better.

Mile, we've talked on PM. Nothing but the best for you. I've been ships that have closed and merged. Been on ships that should've done both. I know this is an adjustment but hopefully, you are honing your skills into doing something differently.
  One thing that I've learned is that this - at some point - will be referred to as the good old days by some.
  Keep your head up and may God continue to bless you and yours.

I'm glad your ship came in, Drip.

[steveu]

The Post is now a great paper, but it's criminal it took you guys shutting down to do it. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Mile... when the RMN was around, you guys kicked MAJOR ass. All of you will always be in my thoughts, from you to Tracy to BG.

[Sans_Serif_Font]

Saw Tracy a few weeks back enjoying the Wyoming-Colorado State game in Fort C.

OK, I doubt he was "enjoying it," per se, but he was there, and looked well, no doubt gearing up to head to Tucson one more time.