EXCELLENCE AWARDS

  Nominations for Independent's annual Excellence Awards must be submitted by Friday, February 16.   Nominations may be made by any employee.  The nomination form and more details are available at http://iniusa.org/

Kent County Profile Unveiled

Delaware State News publisher Darel LaPrade speaks during the Kent County Profile unveiling at Noble's Pond on Tuesday. Delaware State News/Marc Clery

DOVER — The ninth edition of the Kent County Profile was officially unveiled on Tuesday, Jan. 23, at The Point — the Noble’s Pond clubhouse in Dover.

The 60-page glossy magazine is a collaborative effort between the Delaware State News and the Kent Economic Partnership. It’s designed to be an economic development tool.

The unveiling of the profile is an event that has transformed into the de facto update on economic progress in the county. Local politicians, delegates, organization leaders and administrators were all on hand to receive the dispatch.

To kick things off, Andrew West, editor of the Delaware State News, talked about 2017’s top economic development headlines. His presentation – “Progress in the headlines” – featured advances at Dover Air Force Base, a medical construction boom, new retail centers, downtown revitalization and more.

The new Kent County Profile features a catalog of county resources and information in addition to in-depth analysis of various economic developments that took place during 2017.

The magazine will be available from the Kent County Economic Development Office and select events. It is also available at www.kentcountyprofile.com.

From left, Marc Clery, Ashley Dawson, Andrew West, Craig Horleman, Darel La Prade and Marty Valania pose with the newly released Kent County Profile.

From left, Delaware State News editor Andy West, President of DE Turf Bill Strickland, Director of Kent Economic Partnership James Waddington and Delaware State News publisher Darel LaPrade during the Kent County Profile unveiling at Noble's Pond on Tuesday. Delaware State News/Marc Clery

Delaware State News editor Andy West speaks during the Kent County Profile unveiling at Noble's Pond on Tuesday. Delaware State News/Marc Clery

Need a W9 for a Customer?

When requesting a W9 for a customer, please make sure that you send your request to iniaccount@newszap.com.

Information to complete the request should include:

1) Customer Name

2) Contact Name

3) Customer Address

4) Customer email address or Customer fax number

5) Customer account in Brainworks, Circulation or Media Plus

The W9 will be sent to the customer within 24 hours.  If sent by email, a confirmation to the requester will be sent for verification of completion.  If you need any further information regarding this request please contact iniaccount@newszap.com.

KATRINA SULLIVAN SHARES HER PASSION FOR THE STATE NEWS WITH ROTARY CLUB

DOVER: Katrina Sullivan, advertising manager for the Delaware State News, recently addressed the Dover Colonial Rotary Club. In her presentation, Ms. Sullivan connected those present with four areas namely, (1) structure (2) public’s right to know (3) community support and (4) “we want your news.” The main focus of her talk dealt with the newspaper’s emphasis upon reaching out and supporting the community.

Katrina noted that one of the main goals of the Delaware State News is “to exercise, promote and help preserve the principles contained in the First Amendment.” “We want to operate this newspaper as a public trust and to help our community to become a better place to live,” she said.

Commenting upon the paper’s mission which states that it is “to provide the information and understanding citizens’ need to make intelligent choices about public issues,” Ms. Sullivan indicated that the Delaware State News strives to report with honesty, accuracy, fairness, objectivity, fearlessness and compassion.

She also informed us that the State News donates $250,000 annually in value to community organizations and listed some of the major ones involved. She also told us that its workers are strongly urged to become involved in the community. “We are told to put our passion out there for our community,” she said.

Ms. Sullivan concluded her presentation by stating: I truly appreciate the invitation and opportunity to speak to you today.”

February Anniversaries

2/1	2 YRS	Nichole Mukoda	Delaware Printing
2/1	1 YR	Christian Gastelum	Valley Printing
2/2	48 YRS	Antoinette Hewes	Delaware Printing
2/3	38 YRS	Philip Bisesi	Valley Printing
2/3	3 YRS	Kathryn Yoder	North Valley
2/4	24 YRS	Robert Giarraputo	Valley Printing
2/6	5 YRS	Paul Kolhepp	Valley Printing
2/8	19 YRS	Angela Bridges	Okeechobee News
2/14	11 YRS	Anthony Blue	Delaware Printing
2/17	4 YRS	James Rickards	Delaware State News
2/20	6 YRS	Gregory Garcia	West Valley
2/20	1 YR	Martin Valania	Delmarva Region
2/22	1 YR	Jessica Orozco	Valley Printing
2/27	1 YR	Barbara Anne Jones	Delmarva Region
2/28	18 YRS	Jennifer Keim	Sussex Weeklies

Excellence Awards

EXCELLENCE AWARDS:  Nominations for Independent's annual Excellence Awards must be submitted by Friday, February 16.   Nominations may be made by any employee.  The nomination form and more details are available at http://iniusa.org/

Steve Stockmar in Any Given Sunday

Steve Stockmar, News Services Editor for the West Valley and pictured right, is on the other side of local theater coverage, playing the role of Lenny in “Any Given Sunday” at Ghostlight Theatre in Sun City West. The theater describes the two-act, four-cast member play as: “Lenny is a great guy: a good teacher, an excellent father and a loving husband. So when his wife leaves him for a smooth-talking lothario who builds Walmarts, his life is shattered. While Lenny consoles himself with pizza and Monday Night Football, his best friend Mick takes matters into his own hands. Now Lenny must decide what he will stand up for and who he will stand up to. How far is too far to get back to happily-ever-after?”Ghostlight has a 12-show run this month through Sunday, Jan. 21. If dark comedies and some adult language are your idea of theater, there are still tickets available for each show.

Excellence Award Recipients thru 2018

Excellence Award Recipients thru 2018

(Active Employees ONLY)

A. Craig Anderson (Results)(Purposeful Newspapers 15),  

B.  Phil Bisesi (results and commitment), Barbara (Drummer) Bryan (self management), Tom Bugbee (courtesy/ethical standards) (Leadership 2007), Tim Buzzard (Self-Management)(Commitment 15), Angie Bridges (Teamwork), Rusty Bradshaw (Purposeful Newspapers), Anthony Blue (Learning), Penny Bruns (Results 15), Greg Bassett (Purposeful Newspapers 16), Matt Bittle ( Purposeful Newspapers 16, (results 17), Krystal (Norris) Boyles (Learning 16); Vernon Bailey (commitment 17);   

C. Barbara Calfee (commitment)(teamwork) (Results ’08), Sheila Clendaniel (commitment), Heather Cregar (teamwork) (Commitment ’08)(Results)(self-management 15), Richard Crumbacker (Commitment) (Purposeful Newspapers 16), Dale Conyers (teamwork)(Learning)(Shared Leadership 17), Jeremy Carr (courtesy/ethical standards), Duane Clark (Leadership/Shared Leadership), Dave Cannon (Results), Susan Canfora (teamwork 17);

D. James Daisey (commitment; teamwork), Debbie Devlin (self-management)(results 15), Ed Dulin (leadership), Richard Dyer (teamwork)(Leadership/Shared Leadership), Frank Dias (teamwork), Lisa (Bryner) Dale (team award Teamwork)(Results ‘14),

E. Burkey Emmons (Teamwork) (Results ’09)(commitment 17),

F. Wanda Ford-Waring (leadership), Jaclyn Fuller (Courtesy/Ethical Standards)(Results)(Leadership/Shared Leadership 2012)(commitment 17), Melissa Fittro (Purposeful Newspapers 2016); Delarita Ford (Courtesy & Ethical Standards 17);

G. Tim Gary (results), Yolibet Garelick (commitment) (Learning ’08), Rob Giarraputo (Commitment),

H. Debbie Hanson (commitment), Toni Hewes (self management) (teamwork 2007)(results ’09), Craig Horleman (purposeful newspapers; self-management)(Jim Miller Award 2012), Angela Hicks (teamwork, Learning ‘11)(commitment 15), Sharon Harvey (teamwork)(commitment 15), Anna Hines (teamwork)(purposeful newspapers 17), Dave Hughes (Results), Lee Hoover (teamwork), Karen Harrity (self-management 17);

I. - None -

J. Donny Jacobs (Self Management), Toni (Ayers) Jackson (Commitment & Results),

K. Jennifer Keim (learning), Lori Kircher (leadership/shared leadership) (self-management ’09), Kelsie Knight (teamwork) (commitment ‘05)(learning 17), Norma Kilpatrick (Teamwork), Tamara Kelly (Self-Management)( Purposeful Newspapers 16), Yvonne Kirksey (Courtesy & Ethical Standards 16)(commitment 17), Cathy Koyanagi (Commitment 16),

L. Darel LaPrade (commitment & leadership/shared leadership, Janet Levy (teamwork), Roger Leslie (commitment), Kimberly Lewis (Teamwork),  

M. Katrina (Elsken) Muros (leadership/shared leadership)(Commitment 2012), Cyndi Maki-Eldred (courtesy & ethical standards) (results ’09), Rita Maier (teamwork), Bob Martin (teamwork), Zenaida Matute (Self Management), Bret McKeand (leadership), Debbie Myers (teamwork) (Commitment), Bonnie Mankin (Results), Jan McKinney (Results), Wendy Miller (self-management 15), Kelly Mitchell (Leadership/Shared Leadership 2016);  

N. – None -

O. Maria Orozco (Teamwork),  

P. Charlene Patti-Bisson (Leadership/Shared Leadership) (purposeful journalism), Darin Powell (Leadership/shared leadership, Learning ’11 (Purposeful Content 16)), Jasper Purnell (Commitment) (courtesy & ethical standards),  

Q. - None -

R. Armando Ramirez (teamwork), David Rehkamp (commitment), Glenn Rolfe (Jim Miller Award)(Results 2007), Vicki Rosado (results), Karen Riggin (results),

S. Sandi Stokes (leadership), Sheryle Sussman (teamwork)(results 15), Kay Sheedy (Results)(self-management 15), Dianna Sellers (Teamwork)(leadership/shared leadership 15), Katrina Sullivan (commitment & Team Work 15)(purposeful newspapers 17), Kristina Schwartz (teamwork & results 15)(Learning 16)(self-management 17), Tyrell Sullivan (learning 17);

T. Terrance Thornton (Jim Miller Award)(Purposeful Newspapers), Marc Tropio (commitment)(Teamwork 2007), Diane Timmons (Teamwork, Results ‘11)(learning 17), Keli Trimnal (Results 16),

U. - None -

V. – None -

W. Andy Walter (purposeful newspapers), Andy West (leadership), Chris Williams (Results), Sylvia Windsor (commitment)(self-management 2007),

X. - None -

Y.  - None -

Z. – None -   

Original INI Trustee featured in “The Post” movie

 One of the founding trustees of the non-profit trust that owns Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA, is featured in “The Post”, Steven Spielberg’s new film about the Washington Post ’s decision to publish the Pentagon Papers in 1971.

Ben Bagdikian, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, author and educator, was one of INI’s board chair’s Joe Smyth’s early mentors.  He helped inspire Joe’s desire to transfer INI ownership to a non-profit journalistic trust to preserve the company’s independence.

When Joe’s dream was finally realized in 1991, Ben agreed to be one of INI’s five original non-profit trustees.  His first term ended in 1995. In 1999, the successor trustees elected him to a second five-year term that ended in 2004. “I will always value my friendship with you and respect the dream you turned into reality,” Ben told Joe at the time. Ben passed away in 2016 at the age of 96.

Bob Odenkirk plays the part of Ben Bagdikian in the new movie.  “It’s an amazing part,” Bob told USA Today. “I love Ben Bagdikian. I read his autobiography to prepare for this role. It’s a great book, and anybody who wants to be a journalist should think about reading his book. It’s called ‘Double Vision: Reflections on My Heritage, Life, and Profession’.

“I like any true believer, and I relate to the guy in the back of the room pursuing the highest standards and not taking into account all the mitigating factors or business issues. And that’s who Ben was in this story. He was the guy in the back saying, ‘Do the right thing, and you know what the right thing is.’ He didn’t feel like he had to compromise his point of view. He had to be the voice of the highest ideals in the room. He got to be that guy.”

The actor continues that the movie “is about the pursuit of journalism and the rights of people to know. And it’s about the journalistic profession, the good parts of working together to ascertain what the truth is and to stand up for the truth, and to share it with people in the best possible way. It’s a demonstration of that pursuit.”

In addition to his commitment to INI, Mr. Bagdikian was a national and foreign correspondent for newspapers and magazines; a reporter, editor and ombudsman for The Washington Post; the author of eight books; and for many years a professor and the dean of the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley.

-30-

The Ben-Hur of American Journalism

(The following is a tribute to Ben Bagdikian that was written by INI’s Joe Smyth in December of 1995.)

In all the years I've known and admired Ben Bagdikian, he never once revealed to me that his given name was Ben-Hur Bagdikian.  He saved the revelation for his recently-published autobiography, Double Vision: Reflections on my heritage, life and profession (Beacon Press).

The original Ben-Hur, "the great Christian hero", never existed.  He was a fictional character in, as his namesake describes it, "a simplistic novel by a general in the American Civil War who had an unfortunate compulsion to write".

But Ben-Hur Bagdikian does exist, and this book tells the story of his remarkable life and career with warmth, humor and humility.   The real Ben-Hur's compulsion to write was fortunate indeed.  He has become a real hero of American journalism.

As an infant, Ben was dropped in the snow, to be left for dead, during his family's exodus from Turkey to escape the annihilation of the Armenians.  But Ben cried out when his body hit the snow, making his father realize the baby wasn't dead after all.  He's been crying out every since about injustices he's found along the path to becoming a great reporter, editor and teacher, as well as the nation's most thoughtful and respected media critic.

Reporters will identify with Ben's love of reporting.  When one of the owners of Ben's papers told him he would "go to the top" if he'd be willing to start up the ladder on editing side, Ben thanked him, "but said I enjoyed reporting too much to leave it for editing".   (He became an editor at the Washington Post years later only because he had been critical of the paper and Gene Patterson and Ben Bradlee issued one of those "put-up-or-shut-up" challenges.)

"With all its roller-coaster alternations of frustration and satisfaction, of the joy of working in a newsroom full of good ideas and enterprise, and grief when it falls into dull bureaucracy, for all the eternal office politics and conflicting ambitions within newsrooms, of breathless excitement following by grinding tedium, of endemic underpayment because they know you like the work so much --- it is still full of opportunity, excitement, individualism, and accomplishment," Ben writes.

"American journalists, by their trade, are special witnesses...where their fellow citizens would neither try nor be permitted to watch.  We are professional voyeurs.  At our worst, we are prurient peeping Toms.  Or we report scenes that may be real but misrepresent the whole.  Or we are lazy and too easily accept the views of those who make our job too easy.  But when permitted to do our best....reporters are more than simple voyeurs: we develop a double vision, like theatergoers transfixed by the madness of poor King Lear, but simultaneously able to see the men and women around Lear in ways that poor Lear himself cannot."

Reporters will be riveted as Ben describes his all-night meeting in a Boston motel with Daniel Ellsberg as they together sorted through the Pentagon Papers, and Ben's back-breaking trip back to Bradlee's house with the priceless but weighty cargo.

They'll cheer as Ben stands up to the Post's corporate lawyers who wanted to give the government advance warning of the newspaper's intent to publish the papers Ellsberg had leaked to Ben.  "The way to assert the right to publish is to publish," Ben insisted.

They'll identify with his description of his start in journalism:  "Before I was ever a reporter, I was a flop as a vacuum cleaner salesman, I flunked as a restaurant cook, I didn't have the guts to join the New Jersey mafia, and I didn't make it as a medical student.  By any rational standard I would never have been hired by a newspaper in the first place except for my first employer's sole requirement that his reporters accept a life of poverty."

Constant themes that weave through the book include Ben's sympathy for the underdog, his battles against sexism, racism and other injustices, his love/hate relationship with the media, and his distrust of big business and most media ownership.

Although conservatives often accuse the press of a liberal bias, Ben believes "..all of broadcast and printed news is pulled by a dominant current into a continuous flow of business conservatism...Advertisers weigh more than consumers, upper-income more than lower-income families, corporations more than unions, the private sector more than the public sector, and in political controversy the rhetorical slogans of contenders weigh more than the substance of their arguments."

He also sees a media bias in favor of private enterprise and against tax-supported public services.  "There is no conspiracy among the men and women who govern the news business to protect private enterprise at the expense of public agencies, but there is something harder to combat --- shared values," the media pundit writes.

Ben worries about Wall Street ownership of the press.  "....The old owners were a wild mixture of the terrible, the mediocre, and the inspired (but) the new owners are a more uniform lot....they are money institutions....the new owners...have been unsentimental in demanding shrinkage of serious news, substituting inexpensive syndicated features and entertainment to attract more ads."

The author deplores the trend toward filling newspapers with "entertainment" instead of serious news.  "Nobody wants dull, badly written stories, but in the real world people are serious and undumb about the central concerns of their lives."

Ben also worries that the press finds it all too easy to "pick on...easy targets of powerless innocents or people looked down upon socially.  We spend endless time pursuing small-fry transgressors like illegal bookies and petty thieves.  But only spasmodically do we look with the same daily diligence at misdeeds of the powerful.  Both kinds of news are important in keeping society civilized, but only the petty ones dominate our news every day."

One of Ben's most powerful observations is that the "daily news tends to limit itself to the views of the movers and shakers of society.  Lost is the impact...on the ordinary, unaffluent Americans who are the moved and shaken....It is inevitable in coverage of large public issues that the words from the top will dominate the news. But it doesn't follow that these words are the whole story or even the true story....Even when (leaders) know most of the story, they seldom tell it.  Periodically, they feel it necessary to lie 'for the public good,' and when they do they sometimes come to believe their lies".  A hallmark of Ben's reporting style, and one he urges others to adopt, is to talk not just to officials, but to the ordinary people who are impacted by official decisions.

Ben still sees hope in newsroom unions.  He hopes a group like the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) might someday influence media owners to encourage good journalism.  He'd like to see editors elected by their newsrooms.  If his questions seem better than some of his answers, isn't it appropriate for the consummate journalist?

Perhaps modesty prevents him from recognizing that the real solution lies in more Ben Bagdikians:  journalists who care deeply about what they are doing and want to do it with integrity and insight.  Journalists who are not in awe of the rich and powerful, and not afraid to ask critical questions that help people really understand the world around them.  Journalists who look critically at journalism and encourage us to think about whether we're doing a good enough job of fulfilling our public trust.

-30-

2017 W2s Available Online

W2s have been uploaded to SeeMyW2.  Access to SeeMyW2 requires registration.  If you registered in prior years then you just need to enter your user ID and the password you selected at the time you registered.  If you have never accessed SeeMyW2 before you will need the following; your email address; your social security number and the company code of 2017W2.  Begin by clicking on the link below. 

If you choose not to use SeeMyW2 paper forms should arrive within the next couple of weeks.  

https://seemyw2.ceridian.com/seemyw2/cgi-bin/3pp.pl/eReports?cid=805339

Neither Snow nor Rain nor Heat nor Gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds

Kudos for on-time delivery Thursday & Friday in spite of the snow storm.

Thanks, Bill Stubbs & Diane

Happenings at the Dover Complex

Delaware State News Advertising Managers Cyndi Eldred was recently surprised by her team mates with a celebration for her 15^th Anniversary with INI.  The celebration included gifts and cupcakes…of course…plus lots of amusing stories from the “old days.”  As many of you may already know, Cyndi has worked for INI much longer than 15 years taking a brief break from her employment with us when she moved to Australia.  Her work with INI has included jobs in the mailroom for the Delaware Printing Company,  the Delaware State News Graphics Team and Advertising Support for INI Delmarva Major Accounts. Please join us all on congratulating Cyndi on her ongoing success with the Delaware State News and INI.

INI President/CEO Ed Dulin and the Delaware State News/INI were honored by Delaware State University at their President’s Scholarship Ball in early December with their Community Partners Award.  Ed was unable to attend the event, so the award was accepted by (pictured left to right) Delaware State News senior advertising executive Tonda Parks and advertising manager Katrina Sullivan.  INI was in good company with our award “win” – other award recipients included Charles Burton, CEO of I.G. Burton Chevrolet, Henri G. Moore, global leader of DowDupont and Gary R. Stockbridge, president of Delmarva Power Region of Pepco Holdings.  Gospel singer Yolanda Adams, who performed a few of her songs at the ball, was presented with DSU’s Lifetime Achievement Award.  Delaware Gov. John Carney attended the ball to present DSU’s outgoing university president Dr. Harry Williams with the prestigious Order of the First State “in recognition of continuous service to the citizens of the State of Delaware.”

Delmarva was hit on Thursday, January 4 with it’s first snowfall of 2018, but it’s fourth for this winter season.  Delaware State News Graphic Artist Tim Menasco took this photo of the patio area at the Dover office.  With blizzard winds and daytime temperatures in the teens, no one was interested in eating outside.  

Happy New Year from all of us at the Queen Creek/San Tan Valley Independent!

It’s only natural to look forward to 2018, and ponder which of our annual resolutions can help us improve our lives and make our community a better, kinder place in the new year.

But we’d also like to recognize those people and organizations who made a difference in 2017.

Do you know someone who gave of their skills or time to brighten the day of another? Someone who volunteered at a local school, food bank or a nonprofit. A neighbor who pitched in without being asked. A business person who stepped in and donated merchandise and staff when your event plans fell through.

How about the person in the check-out line who paid the $4 you were short to cover your grocery tab or in the vehicle ahead of you in the drive-thru who paid it forward and bought your coffee that morning? The passerby who stopped and helped change your tire when it went flat?

There’s a lot of that going around in Queen Creek and San Tan Valley and we’d like to recognize those people for their good deeds large and small.

Please e-mail me about these special folks so we can recognize them on our website. Be sure to include the person’s name (if you have it) with an explanation of how they made your day or our community a better place, even if only for a moment.

Send your submissions to wmiller@newszap.com. Attach a jpeg photo of the person at the event where the kindness took place if you have one.

I can’t wait to hear from you!

E-newsletter

As you know, the Queen Creek/San Tan Valley Independent is now a daily online news source for all things happening in our communities as the Southeast Valley and even the state of Arizona.

You can go to our website — queencreekindependent.com — and ‘Like” our Facebook page at Queen Creek/San Tan Valley Independent every day for the latest news and feature stories.

But did you know you can also receive our free daily e-newsletter once a day in your e-mail?

It features that day’s news stories all in one convenient package. And it’s free!

Registering is easy. Go to our website and click on the “E-mail Newsletter” tab at the top of the page. Simply enter your e-mail address and you’re signed up.

Working remotely

Just a reminder that with the change to an online-focus-first and the monthly newspaper, we staff members are working remotely and our former office at 2066 W. Apache Trail Suite No. 110 has closed. You can reach me by phone at 623-445-2775.

If something has to be mailed, send it to: Queen Creek/San Tan Valley Independent, 23043 N. 16th St., Phoenix, AZ 85077.

If you have any questions about the changes, e-mail me at wmiller@newszap.com or General Manager Debbie Richardson at drichardson@newszap.com, or call 623-445-2775.

The opinion page features letters to the editor. To submit a letter, email qcnews@newszap.com. Letters are not the views of the Queen Creeek Independent or Independent Newsmedia Inc USA

December: The season for sharing and giving!

Below is a reprint of Bret McKeand's December 20 article.

It’s hard to believe we’re already into the final month of the year, and only weeks away from ushering in a brand new year.

For most of us, the holidays mean family, fun and a moment to reflect on all that’s good in the world and in our communities. It’s a time of giving, and a time for sharing.

But for many others, the holiday season can be a lonely, depressing time.

There are many among us who aren’t as fortunate, and it’s incumbent upon all of us to remember those in need.

In this month’s Independent and at our website, you’ll read numerous stories about our local residents, organizations and businesses lending a helping hand to make the world a better place.

Shady Storage, 3705 S. Colt Road in Apache Junction, is a drop-off point for the 911 W. Steven Martin Toy Drive. New in-the-box toys can be dropped off through Dec. 21. Last year the business collected 100 pounds of toys.

Arizona Tiremen Services is hosting its sixth annual toy drive for local children and families. Businesses interested in collecting items for the annual Arizona Tiremen Services Toy Drive can e-mail arizonatiremenservices@msn.com. Arizona Tiremen Services is at 482 W. Apache Trail. The website is http://www.apachejunctiontireshop.com/.

The Jan. 18 charity golf tournament hosted by the Superstition Mountain Rotary Club will be at Dinosaur Mountain Course at Gold Canyon Golf Resort, 6100 S. Kings Ranch Road. Proceeds of the golf tournament benefit the Apache Junction Food Bank, Superstition Mountain Boys and Girls Club, Project Help, Empowerment System’s annual turkey drive, Community Alliance Against Family Abuse and scholarships for Apache Junction High School graduating seniors. Rotary also supports the efforts to eliminate polio worldwide.

There are many other ways to help those less fortunate during the holidays, and I encourage everyone to do their part.

Don’t just pass by the Salvation Army kettle, drop a few coins in the bucket (remember, these bell ringers are all volunteers, too!).

Donate a turkey to a food bank. Purchase a gift for children’s toy drive. Take advantage of the Arizona tax credit and earmark your 2017 contribution to your favorite charity. There are lots of ways to make someone else’s life a little better.

We can’t change the world by ourselves, but collectively, we can make significant change by helping others … one contribution at a time.

Yes, December is the holiday season — the season of giving. We all know how good it makes us feel to give of ourselves or to give something to someone else. The best gift you can give yourself is to know you’ve done something to help someone else.

Happy Holidays from your friends at the Independent!

Bret McKeand
Publisher, INI East Valley group
Bret McKeand can be reached by calling 623-445-2867 or emailing azpublisher@newszap.com

Independent Revises Harassment Policy

As part of Independent’s ideology of continuous improvement, we review the company policies often to ensure they are up to date as it relates to recent developments. INI believes employees should be able to work and learn in a safe, yet stimulating atmosphere. The accomplishment of this goal is essential to the mission of the company.  We want our employees to know that INI will not tolerate any unlawful discrimination or harassment of any kind; and the environment of the company should always be characterized by mutual trust. 

These thoughts have been characterized within the revised Harassment Policy shown below.

******************

Anti-Harassment Policy (updated 1/1/2018)

Policy against Harassing Conduct - INI strives to maintain a workplace that fosters mutual employee respect and promotes harmonious, productive working relationships.  INI believes that harassment in any form constitutes misconduct that undermines the integrity of the employment relationship. 

INI has adopted a zero-tolerance policy as to any type of unlawful harassment or discrimination. We strive to provide a professional work environment free from physical, psychological, and verbal abuse. Harassment and discrimination are grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. This policy is intended to ensure that INI takes all necessary steps to prevent unlawful harassment in the workplace and to correct harassing conduct, should it occur, before it becomes severe or pervasive.

Therefore, INI is committed to a work environment that is free of sexual harassment (which includes harassment based on gender, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), as well as harassment based on such factors as race; color; religion; national origin; citizenship; age (over 40); past, present, or future military service; disability; genetic information; marital status; family responsibility; status as a volunteer emergency responder; status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual offense, or stalking; or any other categories protected by federal, state, or local law.

The prohibition against harassment applies equally to all persons in the workplace, including supervisors, co-workers, and non-employees.

Duty to Report Harassing Conduct -  INI understands that victims of harassment may be embarrassed and reluctant to report acts of harassment for any number of reasons, such as fear of being blamed, concern about retaliation, or because it is difficult to discuss such matters openly with others.  However, INI has a duty to protect all employees from harassing conduct in the workplace, and therefore requires employees to report any incident of harassment immediately.  Prompt reporting of inappropriate conduct enables INI to take the corrective action necessary to stop the behavior before it becomes severe or pervasive.

Any employee who observes, or believes he or she has observed, any harassing conduct in the workplace—whether or not the witness is the target of the harassing conduct—must report that conduct immediately. Any complaints should be immediately emailed to inicorporate@newszap.com or telephoned to Corporate Services VP Wanda Ford-Waring at (302) 741-8206.

Failure to report workplace harassment, by the target of the harassment or a witness, is considered a serious breach of policy.

Investigation of a Report of Harassment -  Every reported complaint of harassment will be investigated thoroughly and promptly.  Typically, the investigation will include the following steps: (1) an interview of the employee who lodged the harassment complaint to obtain complete details regarding the alleged harassment; (2) interviews of anyone who is alleged to have engaged in harassing conduct; and (3) interviews of any employees who may have witnessed or who may have knowledge of the alleged harassment.  Whenever possible, we prefer to conduct investigations in writing via confidential email to ensure complete and thoughtful responses and information.  However, telephone or face to face interviews may occur depending on the circumstances. 

The investigating official will notify the complainant of the results of the investigation.  The investigation will be handled in as confidential a manner as possible consistent with a full, fair, and proper investigation.

Corrective action will be taken if the results of the investigation indicate that wrongful conduct has occurred.  Corrective action may include, for example:  training, referral to counseling, or disciplinary action ranging from a verbal or written warnings to termination of employment, depending on the circumstances.

INI prohibits retaliation of any kind against an employee who, in good faith, reports harassment or discrimination or who assists in the investigation of such a complaint.  If an employee feels that he or she has been subjected to any form of retaliation, the employee must report that conduct to inicorporate@newszap.com without delay.

Definition of “Harassing Conduct” – For the purposes of this policy, harassing conduct is defined as any unwelcome verbal, physical, or visual conduct that is based on any characteristic protected by law when:

1.      the behavior can reasonably be considered to adversely affect the work environment;

2.      an employment decision affecting the employee is based upon the employee’s acceptance or rejection of such conduct; or

3.      it has the purpose or effect of interfering with an employee’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.

Harassing conduct can take many forms and includes, but is not limited to: slurs; jokes; statements; gestures; impeding or blocking another’s movement or otherwise physically interfering with normal work; or pictures, drawings, or cartoons based upon any characteristic protected by law.

Sexually harassing conduct, in particular, includes all of these prohibited actions, as well as other unwelcome conduct, such as: unwelcome sexual flirtations, advances, or propositions; verbal abuse of a sexual nature; subtle pressure or requests for sexual activities; unnecessary touching of an individual; graphic comments about an individual’s body; a display in the workplace of sexually suggestive objects or pictures; sexually explicit or offensive jokes; or physical assault.  Sexually harassing conduct can be by a person of either the same or opposite sex.