Yes, the buildings are turning into dumps. The Modesto Bee is a perfect example. Filthy, stained carpets that are never cleaned; trash cans overflowing (and STINKY) because they're only emptied twice a week; bathrooms running out of supplies; no security at the front desk (after a rock-throwing incident that spurred management to re-design the entire lobby; no more Beestro cafe because management couldn't see fit to hire any cooks that could actually prepare any FRESH edible food; they've let all but one maintenance person go so the exterior looks like crap, too. Yes, the place is a dump and that is one of the reasons that morale sucks. Not only has the staff been cut by almost 70% in the past year, there is nothing cheerful about coming into a dirty, smelly, vacant shell of a building.
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Update: in comments, another reader says the flower beds are fine and trash outside doesn't seem to be a problem.
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15 comments:
Perhaps this is how Eric Johnston likes to live. Trash everywhere outside, flower beds look like beds for the homeless, inside not much better. Lots of pride at this location!!! The maintenance person referred to is actually the last machinist that was not let go. He doubles at the Merced Sun Star when they need to keep their machinery running. (Over worked/underpaid!) They let ALL of their building maintenance staff go. The BEESTRO closed down last September when the 180 (give or take) were let go. Not enough customers to keep it running (and the food wasn't that great either...of course that was because they had to remove the grill due to fire regulations! Just a matter of time when The Modesto Bee becomes the Sacramento Bee's Modesto bureau.
The same in Lexington but don't complain! It's at the other papers as well. Turning off or turning up the air conditioning. Always short staffed.
You have reduced yourself to complaining about garbage cans and a few weeds? Seriously? This is the best you can do?
Pathetic.
There is a well known (to literate folks, at least) article I believe entitled "Broken Windows" that examined the effect of deferred maintenance on a neighborhood.
Things like garbage piling up speak volumes about the mentality of those inside and even more loudly to those who witness the breakdown.
If the owner doesn't care about the appearance of the property, why should anyone else? Hence the initial lack of concern spreads into acts of vandalism such as the smashing of windows, painting graffiti and looting the property of anything not welded down.
While allowing garbage to pile up maybe trivial to those who live like pigs, it has major consequences both in terms of behavior towards the property and attitudes towards those in charge of the pig sty.
blah, blah, blah...
Way to go John. Thanks for the helpful insight....
Or site has made massive cuts, moved our main publication to another site, and basically destroyed the lives of many good people. However, it does not look like a dump. I defended the publishers statements in another post however this kind of neglect is a direct result of the publisher him/herself. Our site though full of disgruntled employees still maintain there work area and still use the garbage cans properly. There are ways the publisher can create oppertunities for employees, such as part time mailers to volinteer for extra hours to assist in clean up.
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iNewspapers are focal points of the communities in which they reside. Even more so in small towns like Modesto. So sad these papers discussed have chosen the look of blight over community pride. It's disgusting that the trash isn't emptied and the bathrooms neglected. Sounds like the employees are better off visiting the bathroom facilities at the local gas station. Too bad they can't escape health hazards of airborne bacteria that arise from half eaten lunches and snacks sitting in the trash for days. Yuck!
The carpets at the Modesto Bee always have been stained. Can't remember ever seeing fresh carpeting there. The Beestro always was a loss leader and was privatized and then phased out independent of these latest problems. Haven't seen trash outside, and the flower beds are fine. Can't say I've noticed that anything looks or smells dirty inside or outside the building. Perhaps that's because I'm one of the dirty people who still works there?
Sounds like management making excuses
Last time I checked the doors in Modesto, Lexington and Macon opened outward too.
In case you don't understand, find another job. I am sure the local Chrysler dealer has the perfect spot for you.
Idiot! Ever consider that people posting on this site have never worked for such a crap company like Mc Clatchy? Im sure there are many, like me, who will never visit a McClatchy site or buy a McClatchy paper based on the way the company treats its employees. Just a reminder jerk....all the people that McClatchy screws over have friends and family all over this country that hate the company for how horribly they've treated the people that they love and care about. Yeah, maybe the demise of newspapers was inevitable, but the way Mc Clatchy keeps fumbling along with their delusional proclamations of future stability is straight up lying.
8:32 Nothing like insulting your local automotive advertisers, what few are left.
Weird. You people are really weird.
If the papers were spending money on landscaping and new carpet, you would be howling. I hate seeing the buildings looking bad, but right now fresh mulch around the shrubs aren't a priority.
I'm just talking about basic cleanliness and sanitation, not an extreme home makeover. Just an FYI, mulch is not a form of landscape beautification but I wasnt suggesting that anyway. Just cleaning the existing carpets, emptying the trash and making sure there is soap and TP in the restrooms. Is that such a tall order?
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