Fast forward two weeks. Commissioner Austin Shaver presents a plan that would provide money for the school building plan that would not require any tax increase. Shaver laid out a very detailed comprehensive plan. Even though the News Herald knew of and had reported that Shaver would be presenting his plan, the News Herald did not send a reported to the regularly scheduled commission meeting and thus far has not reported a word on the proposed no tax increase building plan.

The News Herald has essentially become a nonevent social rag reporting very little of any real substance. But now it seems they may even have more sinister motives. Reporting on the school building plan needing a large property tax increase to succeed will create controversy, anger and dissention among the residents of Loudon County and in the process might even sell a few extra papers. On the other hand, a building plan that would require no tax increase should make everyone happy. Don't forget this is the same News Herald whose editor threatened to sue the county if they didn't pay his paper to run public notices. 

Is business at the News Herald so bad now that they feel their only way to sell papers is with negative and controversial stories? Is it in their best interest not to report real news that's good for the citizens? Who knows what warped strategies drives the editors at the News Herald but one thing is for sure. If you are one of the few people still getting their news from the Herald you may seriously want to look elsewhere.