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Nellis Interviews with Library Personnel
and Chester Nolen say differently
Listen and Decide for Yourself
Report by Alden Nellis - Be sure and read to the end
October 5, 2006
CleburnePolitics.com received reports that the Cleburne Eagle News had been pulled from the periodical rack in the Cleburne Public Library.
The Cleburne Public Library normally displays the weekly The Cleburne Eagle News along with other newspapers on its periodicals racks. On or about Monday, October 2, 2006, the library pulled the Eagle off the rack and told customers it was no longer available. The first reason given by library staff was that the Eagle printed so many lies about the city and administration that the city council decided it should not be available at the library.
On October 3, 2006, Harold Gentry and Teresa Blackwell separately asked why the Eagle was not on the rack. The answer to both was that the library had orders from higher up but they would not say who gave the order.
On October 4, 2006, I took a recorder and showed my Cleburne Politics Press Identification to the library clerk. I told her I was doing a story for CleburnePolitics.com (our online news and commentary website) and asked why the Eagle was not on the rack. The clerk referred me to an assistant librarian. She said that the city manager Chester Nolen ordered the Eagle removed so I should go talk to him. [ Click here to hear this actual recording of library personnel saying that Chester Nolen ordered the Eagle removed from the library.]
(Note that Mrs. Blackwell, Mr. Gentry and I are all contributors to the Eagle. Our stories are based on responses to open records requests and are thoroughly researched and factual.)
The Cleburne Times-Review, a daily, remains on the rack. The publisher of the Eagle sends the paper free of charge each week to the library.
This appears to be blatant censorship of the press and punishment for the Eagle for printing results of open records requests which embarrass the city and school administration. Does the City Manager Chester Nolen (or any other city staff) have the right to determine what the public is allowed to read in a public library that is supported by taxpayer dollars?
There are many court cases which say no.
I took my recorder to Chester Nolen's office, and after a long wait in the reception area while he discussed city matters with Fire Chief Clint Ishmael, I went into his office.
Click Here to hear an actual recording of that meeting, and below is a transcript of the conversation made from the recording:
Transcript of Interview by Alden Nellis with Chester Nolen, City Manager, October 4, 2006
Nellis: Hey, how are you today?
Nolen: Fine
Nellis: I got a couple of questions for you about the Eagle, and here's a letter [click to see letter] on it. If you want to read it first, that's fine.
Nolen: Reads letter (silence on tape).
Nolen: That's what I think about the Eagle, (as he throws letter in trash).
Nolen: It's not censorship. It's unsolicited. I throw stuff in the mail away every day that's unsolicited, and I'm not going to put the Eagle in here. Bottom line, bottom answer.
Nellis: Okay, fine.
Nolen: You're wasting my time and yours to discuss it any further.
Nellis: Actually, you'd probably do well to read the cover letter [click to see cover letter]for the letter I enclosed with that too. It's ah, it's pertinent, so I think you'd do well to read it.
Nolen: Well, I'm finished with it I think. (Without reading it.)
Nellis: Okay,
Nolen: Allright.
Nellis: Sorry you feel that way, but It's very narrow minded of you I'm afraid.
Nolen: Well, Alden, not everybody agrees with you,
Nellis: I realize that
Nolen: And I don't agree with you personally on this one, politically or professionally, and like I say I get unsolicited stuff every day that goes in the trash that I don't read and I don't distribute. Same way.
Nellis: Okay
Nolen: Allright?
Nellis: Well, the letter on there was to the Texas Press Association.
Nolen: I don't care what the Texas Press Association has to say about it.
Nellis: Okay
Nolen: Allright?
Nellis: That's fine.
Nolen: Thank you.
Nellis: Yes sir. Thank you.
October 10, 2006
The Cleburne Eagle has now been put on display in the Library again.
City Secretary Shelley Doty emailed Mary Jones saying that nobody from City Hall ordered the Cleburne Eagle removed from the library, and that in fact the Cleburne Eagle was never removed.
So according to City Hall it never happened! Llsten to the recordings and you be the judge.
Library Personnel | Interview with Chester Nolen
Contents of Emails below:
----- Original Message ----- From: City Secretary To: 'Mary Jones' Sent: Monday, October 09, 2006 3:15 PM Subject: RE: Please forward to Mayor Reyolds and all councilmen
Hi Mary, No one in the City asked for the Eagle to be removed for the Library. However, we do not subscribe to it. Mr.. Rice sends it free to the Library, but it is delivered some weeks and not delivered others. When they receive it, they put it out. Mr.. Nolen has since asked Tina Williams, head Librarian, to make sure when they get it to put it out. The issue originally started when someone wanted a back issue and was upset that we do not archive it. Hope this information clears it up for you. Always sincerely yours, Shelly Doty
Ivy Peterson, TRMC
Deputy City Secretary
City of Cleburne, Texas
817-645-0908 office
817-556-8848 fax
email: citysec@cleburne.net
ivype@cleburne.net
web: www.cleburne.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Mary Jones [email address removed for privacy]
Sent: Friday, October 06, 2006 8:36 PM
To: City of Cleburne Secretary
Cc: Cleburne Eagle News
Subject: Re: Please forward to Mayor Reyolds and all councilmen
Gentlemen, We are still at our North Carolina home, but I manage to stay in touch with Cleburne and Johnson County events. If the most recent information I have received is true, I must insist that it be rescinded. Per a friend in Cleburne I have been advised that the Cleburne Eagle News, a legitimate newspaper, has been ordered removed from the Cleburne Public Library. Gentlemen, that is censorship and is not acceptable!! It is the right and duty of newspapers to print all the news they can find and to have opinion columns. All of us are not going to agree with all of the opinions all of the time. That is our right. It is not the right of any of us to prevent anyone from writing or reading those opinions. Therefore, I repeat my original request.......the Cleburne Eagle News must be allowed back in the Cleburne Public Library. If my information is not correct, I will appreciate knowing that. If it is correct, I will be awaiting the date of the reinstatement of the Cleburne Eagle News in the library of the taxpayers of the City of Cleburne. Sincerely, Mary T. Jones
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