Letter: Imagine a world without Bagley

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Imagine this, Pat Bagley had been let go in the last wave of layoffs at the Trib, and then the announcement that he was a finalist in the Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning hits the front page ("Cartoonist is named Pulitzer finalist," April 15).

What now? Do they ask one of the highly talented journalist to take a little time to "draw something up" for the Thursday edition illustrating the irony? Do they ask Pat back for one more brilliantly concocted cartoon to lampoon his own departure?

Luckily, Mr. Bagley (he's earned the respect) is still with the Trib. Unfortunately, too many of the staff that has made this paper the voice we need in the Salt Lake area are no longer working there. It is crucial to have local newspaper reporting. More importantly, it needs to be independent and balanced. At the top of every edition it states, "Utah's Independent Voice Since 1871". Don't let us lose our voice, if we do, nobody hears us.

Matt Johnson

West Valley City