Elizabeth K.

To begin with, this newspaper ran an inaccurate story about our family for four and a half years, complete with a private photo they did not ask permission to publish. The article showed us in a false light, make no mistake.

When we asked them to correct or remove the story, to their credit, they took it down. We would have been content to leave it at that. In the process of responding to our request, though, we - victims of a crime and their misinformation - were forced to stomach a response from the publication's editor-in-chief that cast aspersions upon us while she remained largely ignorant of the facts. There was no journalistic rigor, no inquiries, involved in her appraisal, only conjecture.

When we contacted the newspaper's owner, he refused to listen to our side of the story or acknowledge his company's unprofessional behavior on any front. Several times, he insisted the editor, listed under the masthead, was only a writer. He also claimed he has no control over his employee's workplace behavior. On top of this, he acted as if one's last name dictates one's beliefs, as if he has never heard of adoption, conversion, marriage, or self-identification in a free country. The publisher, too, chose to ignore the facts and kept silent. From all appearances, there is a culture in this workplace that condones hostility and unprofessional behavior, on top of the poor journalism.

This was a very disappointing and hurtful experience from a publication we would have loved to love.