http://www.nbc-2.com/story/14952274/2011/06/21/news-press-lays-off-14-employees
News-Press lays off 14 employees
Posted: Jun 21, 2011 6:29 PM CDT Updated: June 22, 2011 06:30 PM EDT
FT. MYERS: In March, Lee County gave $105,000 to the Gannett Corporation - owner of the News-Press. The money was an incentive to create 35 new jobs. But Tuesday the paper fired 14 people.
Economic development calls $100K incentive a good investment
Posted: Mar 10, 2011 4:07 PM CST Updated: March 10, 2011 06:31 PM EST
FORT MYERS: Southwest Florida’s largest newspaper is forcing its employees to take mandatory furloughs to save the company money. So why have taxpayers given more than $100,000 to Gannett, owner of the News-Press, to create more jobs if it can’t afford to pay its current employees their full salaries?
NBC2 Investigator Andy Pierrotti digs for answers as he tracks your tax dollars.
While News-Press employees took a pay cut through furloughs, Lee County awarded Gannett - owner of the paper - $105,000 to create new jobs.
The good news is that this will have no impact on the quality of the paper’s reporting.