Influence

If you ever needed confirmation that the editorial and news departments at newspapers don't influence each other's work, consider this: ADN had an editorial on Venezuela's heating fuel program for Alaska natives September 6; it took the news department until today to write a story about the program.

Here's my favorite part:

The 100-gallon gift won't last all winter, but it will be a huge help, said James James, the tribal administrator in Tununak.

He wouldn't comment on the political back story.

"What Venezuela is doing is very awesome and we appreciate them doing it," he said.

But isn't calling the program "awesome" a comment?