[env-trinity] Eureka Times Standard- Hoopa Tribe shuts down Two Rivers Tribune over controversial articles

[Tom Stokely]

Hoopa Tribe shuts down Two Rivers Tribune over controversial articles; tribal newspaper staff rallying supporters for council meeting

Donna Tam and Kaci Poor/The Times-Standard
Posted: 07/02/2011 02:30:09 AM PDT

Click photo to enlarge

http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_18397673 
The Hoopa Valley Tribal Council chairman shut down the tribe's newspaper through a memo sent Friday afternoon, citing financial issues and disagreement over controversial articles.
The Two Rivers Tribune, the tribe's newspaper for nearly 20 years, is a weekly newspaper distributed throughout Eastern Humboldt. According to the publication, it is the last Native-owned newspaper in California.
According to a copy of the memo sent to the Times-Standard, Tribal Chairman Leonard Masten directed that the newspaper be closed immediately. He said the tribe was losing money by subsidizing the paper, but also pointed to recent controversial articles focused on marijuana issues and an interview with Bruce “Jason” Stallings-Hunsucker, a man wanted for his alleged involvement in the shooting death of a well-respected Willow Creek resident.
”For the past three years, this department has cost the tribe over $189,000 from (Bureau of Indian Affairs) compact funds. This is not acceptable,” the memo reads. “In addition to the financial troubles, the council and the chairman's office was very disappointed in the recent articles that were published in the paper. We have received numerous calls on insensitivity and lack of compassion for those families that have gone through such a tragedy. The chairman's office has taken a strong stance against drugs, and the paper has articles promoting drugs. This is not in the best interest of the tribe. I have discussed this issue (with) the Tribal Council and it has been decided that you will shut your department down until you developed a plan to correct your deficiencies.”
A call to Masten late Friday was not immediately returned.
Interim Managing Editor Allie Hostler said the memo, which is dated Thursday but was received by the paper around 1:30 p.m. Friday, came as a shock. She disputed the financial issues, citing her audit of the paper's financial records. Furthermore, she said, she's concerned about what this will mean for the paper's advertising contracts, which are active for another six months.
”It's just really disturbing that one man who didn't like our articles can basically take two decades worth of hard work on our part, and just close it,” Hostler said.
The paper was receiving complaints and threats earlier in the week over the Hunsucker article. The paper's staff also wrote an editorial urging Hunsucker to turn himself in.
Vice Chairman Byron Nelson Jr. said he “was a little surprised” about Masten's decision to shut down the paper.
He said Masten had discussed his concerns about the paper at Thursday's council meeting but that he hadn't said for sure that he would close it down.
”There were a couple stories in the past issue that were upsetting him,” Nelson said. “It wasn't my understanding that he was going to shut it down.”
Nelson was once the managing editor of the Two Rivers Tribune. He took over the then monthly newsletter, the Hoopa People, and turned it into a weekly. He said he hasn't personally had a problem with the paper, but is aware that some members of the community have expressed concerns to the chairman.
”The frustration is that there are stories that are more crucial than trying to be an investigative tool trying to take on controversial issues,” Nelson said.
Nelson said he doesn't think that the paper will remain closed, but he does believe that the council will likely elect an editorial board to determine which stories are fit for print.
”It's not exactly like a paper on the outside,” Nelson said. “It's a tribal paper, and there are a lot of politics involved.”
Hostler said the newspaper's Internet access was disconnected shortly before the end of the business day, but she was able to get it reinstated. She plans to publish the paper on Tuesday and is trying to rally local supporters to attend a council meeting at 9 a.m. at the tribal office in Hoopa on Tuesday.
”I don't mean any disrespect to the Times-Standard or the North Coast Journal -- unfortunately they're not able to put the time and energy and effort into the community and the nitty-gritty stories out here. We're it,” Hostler said. “At this point, I feel like we've proven ourselves. We've come a long way.”
Donna Tam can be reached at 441-0532 or dtam at times-standard.com. Kaci Poor can be reached at 441-0514 orkpoor at times-standard.com.
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