Editorial Comment: CNL Publisher Jeff Noedel Up To Old Tricks Once Again!

Published by Jimmy Oldsun, NDRIRSRWRAFTC & Editor

Local publisher Jeff Noedel is now famous around the Hermann area for his yellow journalism techniques which include ambush journalism, ambulance chasing, factual misrepresentation of news stories, one-sided biased reporting, hype, self-aggrandizement and self-promotion of his faltering online CNL "news" site , and frequent attempts to MAKE the news vs. just reporting the news.

The most recent example of Mr. Noedel's yellow journalism tactics came yesterday in his piece on the Gasconade County Courthouse Society (GCCS).  For easy reference, you can click on the following link and read Mr. Noedel's "report" for background before reading what I have to say about it:

http://www.countynewslive.com/content/2010/may/27/courthouse-society-meeting-scheduled-tonight-thu-may-27-ex-officio-board-member-

(Note:  As of 7:45 p.m. Friday, 5/28, the above link was broken.  Error message:  Page not found.  Alternatively, you can find this report at http://www.countynewslive.com/.  It was posted at 3:38 p.m. on Thursday, 5/27 ..... 3 hours and 22 minutes prior to the start of the GCCS board meeting which was the subject of so much criticism.)

Let's examine his "report" bit by bit, shall we?  Mr. Noedel, you are not going to like what I have to say about your report.  You are not going to like it at all.  But I'm going to say it anyway.  It needs to be said.  Another side of your story needs to be told!

First of all, it is inaccurate and a gross misrepresentation of the facts to report one side of the story and not report the other side of the story.  Facts:  While it is true that Presiding Commissioner Ron Jost did feign ignorance of the GCCS Board Meeting during yesterday's County Commission Meeting, it is also true that he was sent a timely email message of invitation to the meeting by both Sharon Meyer, Secretary of the GCCS, and Glenn Warnebold, Treasurer of the GCCS.  Glenn Warnebold even called Commissioner Jost ahead of the meeting to make sure he had received the email.  Apparently Mr. Jost doesn't read his email messages or call other board members IF he really is confused about the time and date of meetings.  I have received a copy of the email sent to him by Secretary Sharon Meyer on 5/18/2010.  The header of the email follows:

From: Sharon Meyer pms_meyers3@yahoo.com
To: Ron G. Jost rgjprescommgc@yahoo.com
Sent: Tue, May 18, 2010 6:22:01 AM
Subject: Fw: Gasconade County Courthouse Society Meeting - 5/27/10

This email details the time, date and place of the 5/27 board meeting.  Along with the email, the agenda for the meeting and minutes from previous meeting were attached.

No, my friends, Presiding Commissioner Ron Jost was well aware of the scheduled GCCS Board Meeting.  Why then did he feign ignorance of the board meeting during the 5/27 County Commission Meeting.  And why is CNL Publisher Jeff Noedel "carrying water" for Mr. Jost?  Certainly if I (a self-admitted non-journalist and broken-down recovering mechanical engineer) can obtain the facts from the principals involved, Mr. Noedel, who purports to be a "real journalist", should be able to gather these same facts before he shoots off his mouth and publishes untruths!  I mean if I can pick up the phone and call Sharon Meyer and Glenn Warnebold to get their side of the story, one would think that an accomplished "journalist" like Noedel could do something so simple

Second of all, if Mr. Noedel wishes to file a complaint with the Office of the Missouri Attorney General regarding his assertion that the GCCS is somehow violating the Missouri Sunshine Laws, Mr. Noedel should pursue that avenue rather than waste time grandstanding during a County Commission Meeting and distract the County Commissioners from their official duties of office.  Mr. Noedel asked Jost and Lairmore their opinions on the matter.  This had no doubt been pre-arranged among the three of them.  Jost and Lairmore apparenly relished the opportunity to take an unprofessional swipe at the GCCS.  When Northern District Commissioner Matt Penning was asked by Noedel to respond his question, Penning appropriately and professionally responded "No comment".  Penning's response was made to look negative in Noedel's report, something Noedel has attempted to do on numerous occasions.

It is Hermann Hearsay's opinion that Commissioner Penning was wise to offer NO comment.  I contacted Commissioner Penning today to get his take on Noedel's grandstanding during the County Commission Meeting.  Penning told me he thought Noedel was out of line in bringing that discussion into the Commission Meeting.  He felt it was inappropriate and not a part of the County Commission's legitimate business.  Further, Commissioner Penning told me that he recognizes that he himself is not an attorney and that Noedel, Jost and Lairmore are not attorneys either.  Therefore, it doesn't really matter what any of them think about this fine legal point.

It seems to me that Mr. Noedel, Mr. Jost and Mr. Lairmore are "teaming up" to discredit the Gasconade County Courthouse Society, its directors and its members and that they are attempting to obtruct any constructive progress toward restoration of the County Courthouse by so doing.  People of Gasconade County, I urge you to look beyond Mr. Noedel's sensational smokescreen reporting on CNL and ask yourself why he is "carrying water" for Commissioners Jost and Lairmore and why he is attempting to publicly discredit the GCCS.  Hermann Hearsay will stand guard against such sensational yellow journalism and biased reporting, and we will report the truth when we see others reporting untruths!

The real story which everyone in Gasconade County should be discussing is:  "Why are Noedel, Jost and Lairmore conspiring to publicly discedit the GCCS and why do Jost and Lairmore continue to drag their heels and obstruct any meaningful progress by a growing group of concerned Gasconade County citizens who sincerely want to restore and upgrade the current Gasconade County Courthouse so that it can better serve the citizens of this generation and of future generations?"

Hermann Hearsay urges citizens to contact Noedel, Jost and Lairmore and express your thoughts.  We have expressed ours!

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