Did the LO endorse Obama or am I missing something?

[Colleen Wing]

Hey, there is a Vote Obama sign in the LO window on Detroit. Did I miss something?

[Jim O'Bryan]

Hey, there is a Vote Obama sign in the LO window on Detroit. Did I miss something?

The LO Office if you look closely is in AGS Studios space. This is provided to the Lakewood Observer at no cost. The Actual LO office is on the third floor, but AGS gives them the windows for marketing.

This is also done for Light Up Lakewood, Car Show, Lakewood Is Art, etc.

In the history of the LO, we have only back one item and that is the school levey.

I hope I answered your questions.



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[Colleen Wing]

I guess I would respectfully ask them to move the sign over a few feet because it looks odd. My husband mentioned it a few weeks ago and I thought he was exaggerating but when I looked today, I was a little taken aback.

[jennifer scott]

Who runs AGS?

[Jim O'Bryan]

Who runs AGS?

Is it a privately owned company, S Corp.

That now had three divisions and one spin off company.

Colleen
Move which way?




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[Bret Callentine]

Colleen
Move which way?

forget about the sign, can you move the entire office a little more to the right?

[Jim O'Bryan]

Colleen

Why move the picture? I could understand straightening it, but move it makes no sense. Also it does not have Obama's name or a call to action on it. It merely says HOPE. So is it an election sign?

Mrs Scott.

AGS was started as Aartvark Design Studios above the record exchange. As Aartvark moved from nightclub/bar design and management into corporate graphics, Aartvark was shelved, and AGS was formed with my wife owning the company. It was a full service graphics company that grew out of the many needs that flowed around motor racing, graphics, clothing, signage, print media, marketing, web development etc.

Four years ago a close friend was laid off, and I told him if he moved to Lakewood I would give him half of the clothing company. He moved from Cleveland Heights to Lakewood, and has been running in AGS Printwear ever since. They specialize in printwear for schools, teams, non-profits and bands.

Recently, AGS also spun off our web development company as AGS Software. Shares in this company were issued to all of the board members at the time, though Deb O'Bryan retains a majority share.

Outside of AGS Software is Observer Inc. This would be the development company for the Lakewood Observer, Inc. It is also thee company that has been hired to start "Observer" like projects around the country. After all when people want an Observer we want to make sure it stays true to its principles, and mission statement. There are also many, many other functions that are coming out of Observer, Inc. including a marketing company that specializes in getting advertising for hyper local media projects. As I have often alluded to, the Lakewood Observer has become the gold standard for Citizen Journalism, and is the largest and most successful project of this kind in the world. Next closest would be Lawrence, Kansas.

This group helps start Observers, everything from funding to management, from design, to delivery. It is this group that was recently retained to start the largest citizen journalism project ever. Ten time large than the Lakewood Observer with a run of 150,000 papers weekly.

Then finally is the Lakewood Observer, Inc. owned by me, I think. We have been looking for a way to turn it over to the citizens, or a civic group, but to be honest we have not found one that can actually follow through and do it. It is a lot of work, and at some moments, like this, seems thankless.

Currently we are still putting together a board, to take over the "steering" of the Lakewood Observer, Inc. Recently we had meetings with two potential board members, and hope to have this in place by January 1. It has taken a lot longer than we had hoped.

The problem is, everyone at the Lakewood Observer is a volunteer. Only two people get paid, Brian Simko(sometimes) and our sales rep. Everyone else gets nothing or like my wife and myself, pay to take part. We do it because we believe a city needs a paper, that is unbiased and open to all.

So we are lucky that AGS gives the Observer space.

So maybe we can let my wife put up her Obama sign in her window?

Or should I tell her to take it down?

FWIW


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[Colleen Wing]

I guess to a different window not right next to the LO sign but as I looked again there is a sign on the third floor as well, so I guess that is what "we" were going for.

[Colleen Wing]

Yes, it is a campaign sign and the LO is a newspaper, a community one.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Colleen
Move which way?

forget about the sign, can you move the entire office a little more to the right?

Bret

Have I ever asked you to move to the left?

Have I ever asked you to not speak your mind?

Have I not supported and even paid for you to get your views out, even when they attacked friends of mine?

As far as Rs, maybe you should talk to Ryan Patrick Demro. I have been to far more Republican meetings and parties than Democratic. I think Rs got more of my money last election cycle, than Ds.

But hey, why let facts get in the way of perceptions.

PS - The CEO of AGS is so far right, makes you look like a liberal. But why would I let a person's political views impact my relationship with them?


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[Colleen Wing]

I wasn't trying to pick a fight, it just bummed me out when I saw it. Apparently I should have known better.

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

Hey Jim,

Remember the time you, Ken Warren and I left the LO party to go pay a visit to Ryan Demro's birthday party/gathering in Jennifer's back yard? And remember the time that one of the hammered Demro supporters grabbed me by the neck and said to me "You better tell that Gordon Brumm to stop writing this left wing ___!" while shaking my head?

I think I also remember the check that you and Ken cut for Demro that night. And you were willing to risk the life of a young photographer by putting him under the same tent as 30 drunk Republicans during a torrential summer night downpour. I had no chance of escape.

Colleen, if the sign would say "four more years of the same" would you be complaining? I know I wouldn't, and I also know I wouldn't take the time out of my day to drive by and check for myself, and then post about it.

What's wrong with having a little hope? Don't you have any? Or do you think that Lakewood is doomed already? That's not a good outlook to have when wanting to serve the community as an elected official.

[Jim O'Bryan]

I wasn't trying to pick a fight, it just bummed me out when I saw it. Apparently I should have known better.

This is not a fight.

Legitimate questions were asked. I am answering them to the best of my ability.

Colleen

I would hope you know me well enough that I can take it. These are not fights, this is word jazz on a higher levels. These are very real interactions that give many a glimpse into us and others.

I want you to know that your question was very real, and it is something this board has looked at, and the new board will need to deal with. The current board has only agreed on 1 thing, in 4.5 years. With a record like that an editorial revue or candidate revue for elections would have been impossible. Maybe this new group sees that differently.

We have tried to keep the paper neutral from Board representation. However I see the Deck differently. Here is the great mosh pit of civic entanglement. DL, Heidi, Steve Davis have asked me to take down signs, or LO representation that could be thought as political. Ken Warren just always asks "Why?" For the first three years I kept signs off of my lawn, this year and last they we added.

The most pondered question by me, the board, and others; Should I be limited to my expression as Jim O'Bryan the publisher? Should I be different from everyone else because I was the one signing the paperwork? In a civic journalism project that gives everyone a voice, did I lose my voice?

Which takes us to Jennifer Scott's questions. Again very legitimate, especially when looking at the political times. It is very complicated. When we speak with many people they do not understand how or why it ended up the way it did.

No fight, just good conversation.

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[Colleen Wing]

Ivor,

It says VOTE not hope.

As for my love of Lakewood and the hope I have for this city...My husband works remotely. Meaning we only need to live by an airport.

There is nothing keeping my here except for the most valuable things in my life.. our friends, church, my children's school, and an overall caring and passionate community.

This is Lakewood, I drove out of LCA, up Cook and went to Burger King. I guess I went to the extra effort of looking up.

As far a sign, I would prefer it weren't there. Not because of the candidate but because I think it implies something...an endorsement.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Remember the time you, Ken Warren and I left the LO party to go pay a visit to Ryan Demro's birthday party/gathering in Jennifer's back yard? And remember the time that one of the hammered Demro supporters grabbed me by the neck and said to me "You better tell that Gordon Brumm to stop writing this left wing ___!" while shaking my head?

Ivor

A couple things,

Yes I remember the choking.

I do not know Ken Warren's policy on writing checks, and am not sure if he did or did not. Me, I believe if you are invited to a party that has people collecting checks in the driveway, you best write a check.

Were there drunk Republicans there?

They do have the best parties.

Never figured that out.


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