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Arbitrator sides with former News-Press editor Jerry Roberts

Christina Heller

Story Created: Feb 5, 2010 at 2:23 PM PDT

Story Updated: Feb 5, 2010 at 6:32 PM PDT

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) - An arbitrator has ordered the owner of the Santa Barbara News-Press to pay its ex-editor nearly $750,000 in legal fees stemming from a fallout at the newspaper.

Arbitrator Deborah Rothman also decided that Ampersand Publishing, parent company of the News-Press, should pay about $167,000 in arbitration fees and expenses. Her decision was made available Friday; a judge will have to decide whether to confirm or vacate the judgment.

A phone message left for Ampersand's attorney, Barry Cappello, was not immediately returned.

Ex-editor Jerry Roberts quit his job at the News-Press in 2006 amid complaints that the newspaper's publisher, Wendy McCaw, was improperly interfering with the editorial content. Dozens of other staffers either quit or were fired thereafter.

Ampersand filed a $25 million claim against Roberts, saying he violated his contract.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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