Another Alternative–Filtering and Opinionating

'JPEG file sent to Don Sorchych' Photography by Nathan J King

By Nathan J King
Cave Creek, Ariz.

There was a carpeted cat tree in the front of the office building adjacent to the Cannon camera on the other side of the door, fixed into the blinds focusing outside, surveying the parking-lot of the Circle K to the west of the building.

Standing inside of this cascading paper penitentiary of  a newsroom, I stood over encumbered with modern electronics draped upon my exoskeleton, waiting to freelance a co-op McCain story that I had covered with Travis Duprey of Person Politics earlier that week.

A woman steps around the breeze way; I remembered her from a year prior when I stepped into the office initially, looking to pick up where staff contributor Curtis Riggs had left off. They had no work for me then, and even less now as I would come find.

Her name was Shari Jo, and she was married publisher Don Sorchych of Sonoran News, a conservative paper based in Cave Creek. And I know what you may be thinking at this point, but I was once told by a contemporary, “if you want to be a writer and get paid for it sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to–to get paid.”

We were sitting in the office sifting over the article, he was scratching his chin leaning back in a wooden rocking chair. I was transfixed on the short circuit surveillance system, where figures inside of the picture tube washed their laundry next door in a black and white world.

He opened his mouth and said “Amnesty?” The word was a sharp edged question. “It says that on his web-site,” said Sorchych,” well this will work as a letter to the editor.” He then went on to tell about a closed conference coming up in late March where Senator John McCain, J.D. Hayworth and possibly FOX News correspondent Sarah Palin would be speaking. He gave me the contact info and I left shortly after promising a JPEG file of McCain to the man.

I sat inside of the Buffalo Chip Saloon pondering over “Amnesty” to a Pabst Blue Ribbon double-pint listening a pop-country music 30 yards from the barstool. I thought about what J.J. Dill had once told me, that there roughly five people in the valley covering what I am covering, and no matter what everyone of them is going to focus on one point above all others, thus filtering the story with a different effect.

I went back to my office, pulling press releases from McCain’s office in February 24, 2010; in February 24, 2010 in March 30, 2006; in October 16, 2009 and June 28, 2007. After sifting through the debacle, the rhetoric, my brain felt like hot molten magma.

That is when I decided that I could pick and choose my angle based on the Senator’s flip-flopping where ever I felt appropriate to incorporate a twist: If I chose to compose an article based on McCain and “Amnesty”. Conversely, if I were to cover every comment McCain has pled for amnesty I would find myself composing a superficial Op.Ed. article, which I feel ill-prepared to subject myself to at this time; when all I wish to do is filter the news. I believe the concept of filtering and partisan thought process to be separate entities?

I suppose I could be more objective and to the point. But then again life is pointless and meandering, unless you seek complete world conquest. Redundancies.

Dead Stories–Part I–Prop. 400, 401 and the K-3 Override

Self-proclaimed past Cave Creek Council Member Terry Smith

By Nathan J King
Cave Creek, Ariz.
The sign on northeast corner of Tatum Boulevard and Cave Creek Road read: VOTE HERE/AQUI– Maricopa County Elections Dept., on November 2, 2009. The resolutions to be voted on in the town of Cave Creek included Proposition 400, 401 and the K-3 Override.
Proposition 400 would revise the land use map of the town, opening up to debate Proposition 401. A yes under 401 would amend the zoning map (Prop. 400), allowing parcels 211-46-025D, 211-46-004B and 211-46-004A rezoned from rural (DR-43) to commercial (GC).
The parcels located at the southeast corner of Carefree Highway and Cave
Creek Road would then be sold by the county and developed into a Wall-mart.

"This man was wielding his sign 15 feet from teachers on Tatum" Photography By Nathan J King

According to 2005 town council member, Terry Smith, excess,” tax revenue makes the town financially sound,” which will in turn,” support town events.” With no property taxes in Cave Creek the water rate had to be increased due to the towns budget deficit. Smith who in his term worked for supporting Spurn Cross, the town’s park foresees with,” this excellent council” and the Wall-mart development the town will be able to “keep its character,” despite the looming decline in regard to the Home Depot revenue that could have been taxed years ago, now piggybacked by the City of Phoenix.
Yes on the K-3 Override would include “5% additional allowance for use in kindergarten through 3rd grade, decrease class size which in Cave Creek is 15 teaching positions in the CCUSD and 1 million in funding,” said Steve Hart, attorney and heading chairman of ‘Learn Yes,’ in front of Cave Creek City Hall.
15 feet from Hart’s contemporizes picketing at the corner of  Tatum and Cave Creek, another citizen was waving his message up and down the street directed toward oncoming traffic, his sign of protest and public display read: SE Corner–ARI SUSHI.