On Monday, October 14, Editor & Publisher Online followed up news first reported by The Stranger last week--the story that Seattle Times publisher Frank Blethen is considering invoking clauses in the Times' joint-operating agreement (JOA) with the Seattle Post-Intelligencer to either shut down the P-I or force the P-I to establish its own business operations from scratch ["One-Paper Town?" Sandeep Kaushik, Oct 10].

"It is increasingly likely that our market will not continue to support two newspapers," Times spokeswoman Kerry Coughlin told E&P Online, a national trade magazine for the newspaper industry. It may be increasingly likely, however, that the Times will have a legal fight on its hands if it attempts to invoke the clauses, which stipulate that the Times can break the JOA after suffering three consecutive years of losses. The Hearst Corporation, the P-I's owner, issued a brief statement indicating that it does not believe Blethen is in a position to break the agreement.

Hearst may have a point: Though the Times apparently lost money in 2000 and 2001, this year the paper has, despite the weak economy, gone on a spending spree, hiring more than 60 staffers and adding a new suburban bureau and edition. Even some Times staffers believe that the spending is a deliberate attempt on Blethen's part to ensure a losing year. Hearst may well try a similar argument in court in an effort to keep the JOA intact. SANDEEP KAUSHIK

Predatory Lender Settles

Household International, the sub-prime mortgage lender that attempted to suppress a scathing report about its practices issued by the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions, has now agreed to a record $484 million fine and to reform its practices in order to settle investigations launched by states' attorneys-general from across the country. Of that amount, $20.6 million will be returned to borrowers in Washington.

ACORN, the activist group instrumental in exposing Household's predatory practices ["Predatory Politics," Sandeep Kaushik, Aug 29], said the settlement was not nearly enough to make all affected borrowers whole, but welcomed the deal as a good first step, adding that its own class-action lawsuits against the lender would continue. SANDEEP KAUSHIK

City Proposes Harsh Poster Rules

Though the courts shot down Seattle's poster ban, city officials are now considering imposing harsh new guidelines on how, when, and where posters can be hung. Draft rules include requiring posters to be removed 30 days after being hung or 48 hours after the event is over, whichever comes first, and to be hung no higher than six feet (for the complete list, go to www.ci.seattle.wa.us/td/posterbanrules.asp). The city will take public comments until October 25. Call 684-5267 or e-mail john.zavis@seattle.gov. SEAN REID