Attorney is Irrelevant, but He Buys Ads

The business page today awards about 30 inches to a local lawyer for a column called Legally Speaking. Warren R. Ross promises to dissect Hilton Hotels v. Carillo, a case about hotel safety brought by eight people who survived a terrorist attack in Egypt three years ago.

I read, eager to discover some far-reaching decision affecting life, property and happiness in my little town. Nope. Ross explains a recent ruling in the case decides whether the actual trial should be held in Miami or Egypt. He doesn't mention a local lawyer on the case or that one of the injured is from these parts, so I assume there’s no connection.

The relevance is discovered in the phone book: The columnist is a principal in a firm that’s a major advertiser with this newspaper, a connection not disclosed in the column. The nice attorney buys ads, the publisher awards him editorial control.
Quid pro quo. I rest my case

Birds Call Kid a Winner

DeSoto County -- Eighteen 4-H exhibitors took part in this year's poultry show at the DeSoto County Fair, entering 105 birds, which announced the winners this week.
.....Grand champion of the open show was five-year-old Gavin Sullivan.

Gavin, we assume, was in fine feather. Thanks to staff writer John Lawhorne for the giggle.