Inweekly has been notified that the media will not be allowed to ask any questions tonight at the Town Hall sponsored by the Unified Command on the explosion at International Paper’s mill that rocked Cantonment on Jan. 22.
The plant manager, Brett DeYoung, has told county officials that the media will be kept in an assigned area and can report on the event. However, the only allowed “interchange” will be between the panel and the residents.
The Unified Command consists of more than IP and its contractor. The federal, state and county governments also make up the “command.”
Per IP’s press releases: “The Unified Command Team is comprised of International Paper, Escambia County EMA/Public Safety, Florida Department of Health, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency”
What questions are IP and government officials afraid to answer?
We agree that a priority should be given to local residents and business owners, but once their questions are answer, the media should be allowed follow-up queries.