Insiders say the Post and Channel 4 tried to convince St. John to stay, but his mind is made up. He expects to be headed north in May and will do what's necessary to make his dreams come true. As he puts it, "My son keeps joking that I'll be at McDonald's asking, 'Do you want fries with that?'"
Behind the scenes: The biggest news lately at Channel 7 is the hiring of news anchor Mike Landess, who spent sixteen years at Channel 9 before being replaced in 1993 by current Denver news queen Adele Arakawa. Landess and his former partner, Ed Sardella, were a ratings juggernaut for most of their run -- and since Channel 7's 10 p.m. audience numbers remain as anemic as one of Dracula's dates, station supporters hope local viewers have excellent memories.
Rich Barry
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Other changes are on the horizon as well, including the departure at month's end of Paul Reinertson, who's worked at the station for seventeen years. Last September, Reinertson testified on behalf of Channel 7 in reference to an age-discrimination lawsuit filed by one of his former colleagues, Dave Minshall, which helps explain why certain cynical media observers are having a hard time keeping their eyebrows out of their hairlines when the reporter's impending exit is mentioned. But officially, Reinertson, who chose not to comment, is retiring.
Speaking of Minshall -- whose award of $562,000 is being appealed by Channel 7 -- he reveals that attorneys for the station recently offered him $75,000 to drop the whole matter and quietly go away. No sale. "Hundreds of people all over the country called to say they were demoted or fired because of their age and how important it was that I fought Channel 7 and won my age-discrimination case," he recalls. "If I settle cheap, I'd be letting all of those people down, and I won't do that. Pay up, you bastards."
It's too soon to tell if another ugly lawsuit involving Channel 7 will surface, but an incident that took place earlier this year is disturbing, to say the least. A Denver Police Department offense report shows that on the weekend of January 26, three Channel 7 photographers -- Greg Verspohl, Perry Drake and Steven Barnhisel -- filed a harassment complaint related to figurines that were left in their mail slots. A January 31 blurb penned by Post columnist Bill Husted labeled them "voodoo dolls," but "effigies" might be a more apt description. The figure left for Drake was African-American, as he is, had its hands bound behind its back with wire or cord, a yarn noose around its neck and a bloody slash painted there. More paint was on the front of the figure -- possibly dripped from the neck wound or drawn to symbolize disemboweling.
Byron Grandy, Channel 7's news director, won't discuss personnel issues, but he does say, "We do not tolerate any behavior like that or any forms of intimidation at this station to any employee here." The photographers aren't talking, either. Attempts to reach Barnhisel were unsuccessful, and both Verspohl, who subsequently left Channel 7, and Drake referred all inquiries to their attorneys, prominent litigators Gary Lozow and John Chanin. In a voice-mail message, Chanin said his clients couldn't speak right now, "and maybe never."
Which is a long, long time.
