What was so newsworthy about the “Historic St. Clair Home Gets a Facelift” story about an Oligino-Laux project that merited a prime spot on the front page of the Indy? The answer can be found in the “Business of the Week” sponsored content on page 12: “Oligino Laux Construction: Making Dreams a Reality.”
I get that the Indy is free local newspaper that’s totally dependent on ad revenues to cover its costs, let alone make a profit. I get that the Indy long ago ceded its editorial functions to its columnists rather than take a stand that might displease its advertisers. The result may be a mixed bag in terms of accuracy, but at least readers get exposed to a diverse set of opinions on local issues, and the Indy gets to claim a degree of editorial independence. You’ll lose even that if readers think the Indy is a pay-to-play paper.
Chris Quilter, Laguna Beach
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Bravo, Chris Quilter. To use a popular term this week, The Indy is an acolyte to the developers and real estate interests that pay for its existence. The examples are too numerous to list. I suggest we read and contribute to The Pilot more often.
As someone who self-designed a ground up project and was recently approved on our first DRB hearing I would welcome a comprehensive overview of all the contractors that work in Laguna. It helps a great deal to discover a contractor I knew nothing about and this articulate does serve a purpose. In addition, I’m not a professional and don’t live in Laguna yet so if any one has a recommendation for a builder, now is the time…
Kiku Terasaki: I read the Pilot, but I don’t think giving up on the Indy is a good idea. Its dilemma is not unusual among free community papers and not easy to fix. Yet here we are expressing our opinions, which is something to be valued. I find the editor open-minded and approachable, and almost certainly underpaid and understaffed. So let’s pitch her some ideas for columns and stories by and about interesting people and issues that won’t trigger the usual high dudgeon — or the medium dudgeon in my letter. I may have a few ideas, once I finish writing some intros for Lagunatics, which opens at the Forum on Friday, March 10. There: I got in a free plug.