The San Diego Gay & Lesbian Times wasn’t in print this week, relays Don Bauder, nor was its online edition posted on its website. (The cover image, seen here, does appear online; the link to the digital edition brings up last week’s issue.) Google says the website was last updated since Oct. 7. “Owner Mike Portantino is ailing. According to one rumor, employees have been told they have been laid off, but I could not pin that down. According to a recorded message on his phone, Portantino’s mail box is full and can’t accept more messages.”
Watch dog
I copied this from the reader comments about the story. It looks like one of the employees.
It is not said in the below comment from the Reader story but allegedly rumor says the GLT needed to pay the printer in cash before they would print the paper each week. Apparently that seems to not have happened with all the other things that seemed to go wrong according to the employees comment below.
It would appear the website is updated because that would probably be an internal thing handled by the web master on Thursday in thinking the paper was soon to follow.
Employee comment below copied from The San Diego Reader:
“I will make a statement on my behalf. My name is brent mekshes. I was laid off on Friday October 8th via e-mail at approximately 415pm. To my knowledge to remainder of staff has been laid off too. Nothing has been said about if this is temporary or permanent. No one on staff has spoke with Michael Portantino and I have been told he is hospitalized for a reason that hasn’t been disclosed. I have never been told that there is a potential buyer for the company or what the status is and for someone to post that leaves me to believe that is gossip. I was advised by another staff member my last paycheck was returned for non sufficient funds and I wasn’t given resolution. In addition I learned last week that our group health insurance policy has been cancelled for non payment. This plan was payroll deducted and and employees paid 100% of the premium as company match was ceased last year. In addition I question if taxes were paid out our last paycheck or if 401k deductions were deposited into employee plans. I learned of this while I was out of the state on paid time off. We are not eligible for cobra insurance because our plan was cancelled before we were laid off and not told until it was too late. My spouse was to have surgery last week and it was cancelled due to the hospital unwilling to operate without insurance. I am deeply saddened for the staff, community and all related parties. I do hope employees can be made whole. I have no ill will on the company or the ownership and if this company could be saved I would hope it could for the sake of the community and advertisers. I do hope the company makes a statement and contacts employees to let us know their intentions and that loose ends are tied up so we can move on with our lives. I will make no further statements due to the current situation and I hope this communication can stop untrue rumors from continuing. Please respect the wishes of the former staff as we heal from our losses. Thank you. Brent Mekshes, former senior account executive.”
Michael
The voicemail box is likely filled with unreturned calls from unpaid creditors. This has been going on since, like, May. Where have you been?
http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2010-05-11/business-real-estate/leading-gay-publication-misleads-its-advertisers