When I took Journalism 101:

1. The opinion/editorial page was never found on the front page and used as “straight news.”

2. The editor-in-chief did his/her job by using the dreaded red pen when “hard” news contained opinion and/or author editorializing.

I think I first noticed this National Enquirer-type reporting by the Whidbey News-Times a few months back — a story written about a car accident. The writer and editor thought it was important that the public know that the owner of the vehicle had religious material spill on the road? And that it was Mormon religious material? The “type” of material mattered in what way?

But last night’s paper with Mac McDowell and John McCain on the front page … with a headline about who owns more homes? And these two are being compared in a front page story, because why? Are you kidding me?

Maybe economic cutbacks have left the News-Times with a shortage of red pens? Or maybe someone could tap your editor on the shoulder, he must be napping.

Dawn Glavick

Oak Harbor