It was a sad day for me when The Update closed its doors. Why? Because Tim Dustrude allowed articles, comments, and opinions from all sides of an issue, without regard for his own beliefs. This is what true journalism should be. The Journal of the San Juan Islands is quite satisfactory at posting news and opinions on opposite sides of issues and is now the only source for our community to get most of the information they need to make good voting decisions.

Ask why this doesn’t happen in the San Juan Islander. Ask why editor Sharon Kivisto refuses to publish news releases, stories, and letters to the editor for days, sometimes weeks. Recently she waited 2+ weeks to print a press release from SJI Fire & Rescue, presumedly until she got pushback for publishing a reply from the SJC PHD to a letter that was nowhere to be found. Oops. Ask why she held that back … waiting until a response was ready to publish? Because she prioritizes her own opinions above actual news? Ask why you see very few letters to the editor, comments, or opinions that are contrary to her beliefs. Ask who funds her business. Ask who donates directly to her so that she can buy a new car (she herself told people that is how she will spend the donations).

It is positively shameful: a supposed “journalist” who uses her medium as a blog to disperse her views and the views of those who finance her business.

Mary Lindley

San Juan