The letter arrived late last week, printed on the letterhead of Mitchell, Brisso, Delaney & Vrieze, LLP, attorneys at law, and its warning was dire. “The North Coast Journal‘s continued attempts to contact Mr. [Rob] Arkley … border on civil harassment.”
Signed by attorney Russell S. Gans, the letter was addressed to Journal Publisher Judy Hodgson. And it meant business. “If this practice continues,” Gans cautioned ominously, “Mr. Arkley will consider all legal protections available to him, including any options to pursue a civil harassment restraining order.”
Just what the hell have our writers been doing, you ask? Did we nestle in his hedges, cradling bazooka-sized Nikon lenses? Did we fly to Louisiana and ninja it onto the roof of his palatial estate? Did we take our luggage up to South Fork Mountain waiting for his baby, the east-west train?
Well, no. We did try to call him on the phone, though. We freely admit it.
Here’s the deal. Back when this writer was researching a 2012 story comparing corporate bankruptcy rules and attitudes to private bankruptcy, Mr. Arkley issued a decree. Neither he nor his employees at Security National, a real estate holding and servicing corporation, were to have anything to do with us. He informed our publisher that he was having his IT guy block all emails sent by Journal staff. He was done with us.
Trouble is, what with our reporting jobs and Arkley’s position as a public figure/occasional newsmaker, we have, Your Honor, tried to reach him or his associates post-decree. About four times in the last year and a half, as best we can recall — twice to ask about the indefinite closure of the Arkley Center for Performing Arts and twice seeking comment on the end of Economic Fuel, the business competition he funded for eight years. As the letter accuses, we even tried calling him (once) on his unlisted home phone, a number our publisher has had for years.
Are we in trouble? Bound for the slammer? Should we throw ourselves on the mercy of the courts?
“I just can’t imagine a court would issue a restraining order based on that,” said Jim Ewert, legal counsel for the California Newspaper Publishers Association. We kinda figured, but we wanted you to hear it from somebody other than us.
“He’s a newsworthy figure in the area,” Ewert said of Arkley. “And being a former newspaper owner he should have a better understanding of how a newspaper operates. Newspapers operate by asking questions of people who are newsworthy and who cast a wide net of influence, which he has.”
So we can even call people who’d rather we didn’t? According to Ewert, yes. We can.
Read the full letter here.
This article appears in The Big Gift.
Ooh, actions that “border on” harassment.
Legalese for, “don’t actually constitute harassment but boy we sure wish that they did, and please stop it right now or else we’ll send you more strongly-worded letters.”
Seriously. What did he think would be the outcome?
It’s nice to see Young Rob spending what’s left of his money in Humboldt…even if it is on attorney’s fees.
Rob, in case you happen to read this blog, PLEASE park the jet in Louisana for good. Humboldt is not the right place for you. I’ve heard that Bank of America is requiring you to stay in Louisiana over their lawsuit, so why not just make the move official?
BTW Roll Tide, fuck LSU
Vty
Another distraction so real news that might offend actual advertisers can be ignored.
Dear Mr. Burns,
Although I have not been formally retained (or even informally retained, perhaps a regrettable oversight) by Rob and Cherie Arkley [hereafter: the Arkleys], I am writing to express my concerns that you are continuing to publish the Arkley’s names.
So that I do not have to pursue this matter in court, I would be grateful if, henceforth, the Journal and its friends, affiliates, letter-writers and janitors no longer use the letters A, r, k, l, e, and y. This leaves you with 20 of 26 letters, among them a clear majority of vowels, and so should not prove an insurmountable difficulty. I’d suggest simply replacing the infringing letters with alternatives, so that halibut could be spelled h*#ibut and Marina Center M*%in* C(nt(r.
Please do not make us waste money by building a competitive weekly. It’s a pain.
Vty,
S*nit-‘s Ov(rr*t(d, (sq.
Dewey, Catchum & Howe, LLP, WDD, FUBAR
SO:so
“The lesson is clear. In the absence of institutions and education by which the culture is so successfully reported that the realities of public life stand out sharply against self-centered opinion, the common interests very largely elude public opinion entirely and can be managed only by a specialized class whose personal interests reach beyond the locality. This class is irresponsible, for it acts upon information that is not common property, in situations that the public at large does not conceive, and it can be held to account only on the accomplished fact.” (“Public Opinion”, Walter Lippman 1922).
“Arkleyville” “ALL STOP” TOOT TOOT….
Sometimes people just want privacy and the fact that “The Arkleys” are treated like local celebrities … maybe sending a “threatening” letter is the only way they can have it. Asking verbally obviously didn’t work. I’m not reading that the story being worked on was directly related to Mr. Arkley… IE him killing someone… so why continue to call? The news is news and reporters deliver the facts that others can’t get… I understand and respect that… but maybe when someone asks for space, even if it is rudely, it should be given. Mutual respect and all.
Booo Hoo! The liberals crapped on the big mean Mr. Moneybags so many times he took his wallet and went home. You people amaze me. Proof that whatever Koolaid they serve at the local “progressive” faktory prevents gratefulness or humanity. I hear he is doing lovely things for his gainfully employed staff in Louisiana.
Interesting writing , Apropos if people are interested in a 2014 CA CH-100 , We found a blank version here http://pdf.ac/4OdR0A.