In a message to a local business yesterday, November 26, Patriots' Herald publisher Al Pryor disclosed his departure from the newspaper. Following the cancellation of advertising in the Patriots' Herald by yet another local business, Pryor wrote «. . . as of today I am no longer part of the Patriot so no sweet of [sic] my brow.»

Pryor's recent editorial blaming the «gay community» for his paper's financial woes--and published against the advice of his own board of directors--may have been his parting shot at gay citizens and their allies and his swan song. And, possibly, the Patriot's last gasp.

Earlier in the month, Pryor had rejected a paid advertisement for Diversity Weekend, claiming it was incompatible with the «family values» of the Patriots' Herald. «With the gays up in arms against us because we would not run the diversity weekend ad,» Pryor sweepingly generalized, «they threaten to stop all business transactions with businesses that do run ads with us.»

Of course, there was no organized boycott of the Patriots' Herald or its advertisers. Rumors of the paper's financial straits had been rampant for months (reportedly the paper has been collecting its ad revenue by the week, rather than by the month, quarterly or annually). But Pryor couldn't pass up an eleventh-hour opportunity to blame the gay and gay-friendly community for his paper's troubles.

The gay-bashing editorial was quickly pulled from the Patriot's web site, but the damage had been done.

Also, despite private disavowal of the rabidly anti-gay Jericho Riders Christian Motorcycle Ministry--which has announced a «national» boycott of Eureka Springs (another of the paper's omissions)--Pryor never criticized the group or its belligerent tactics in his paper. Nor, with possibly one exception in August, did he allow opposing viewpoints in the paper's news columns. Even after eye-witnesses and photographs surfaced showing three Riders surrounding and bellowing at city councilwoman Kathy Harrison and her school-age son in Basin Park on Nov. 3, Pryor neglected to include the information in his account of the incident.

That the paper's credibility suffered as a result is an understatement.

Members of community as a whole, not just the gay community, recognized biased reporting when they read it. Or, in the case of November's Diversity Weekend, didn't read it. No mention of one of the most popular and well-attended weekends of the year was made in the Patriots' Herald.

Pryor was also a vociferous opponent of the Domestic Partnership Registry, approved unanimously by the Eureka Springs city council on three separate occasions. It was one more personal and editorial stance that distressed at least some of the paper's readers and advertisers.

Pryor had vowed to shut the paper down rather than compromise his «family values.» Whether he pulled the plug on himself or had the rug pulled out from under him by his board of directors is not yet known.

There is an unconfirmed report that Pryor sold his interest in the paper to Gene Masters, another member of the Patriots' Herald board of directors, as well as the owner of Boer Goat Farms, Masters' Farm Real Estate and Concord Wedding Chapel.

Sources also report that Randy Wells, who currently manages the Patriots' Herald composition and ad design, will take the helm as general manager «until things get worked out.»

Popularity: 8% [?]