Focus on Big Canoe, GA is a subsidiary of “The Mountains Voice” which operates as a business entity legally licensed as a Newspaper Publisher. We do real news. We do investigations. We do research. If you have a tip of something that needs looking into, send us the information. Try and provide as much information as possible to help us understand what “The Issue” is. It always helps to have “on the record” sources, but we understand that many folks don’t want to really be in the spotlight, so we’ll happily take anonymous information that we can use as guidance to dig deeper.
Many people grew concerned about the security of their anonymity a couple of years ago when Big Canoe GM Jill Philmon attempted to sue me in order to harrass and obtain my sources through Discovery. I promised my sources that would never happen, and launched a Counterclaim. In a brief 3 months I enjoyed dragging Ms Philmon nad her pathetic Big Canoe Attorney through the mud, which culminated in a single day in which he went whining to the judge, pleading Please make him stop. LOL I told him I would stop when they dropped the case. I had the dismssal paperwork within hours.
Even though I proved my willingness to fight for my sources, the message had been sent to the community that the Insiders were looking to go after people that were sharing information with our Newspaper. The majority of my sources dried up. In recent months many people have stated they would feed me information if they could be assured they wouldn’t be outed. For those needing highest level assuarances I have established the following two suggested protocols:
(1) Encrypted Email: You can set up a free Proton Email Account, and email me at the normal email below. Do not include any personally identifying information. No local level court system or investigative process can possibly break or track email origination IPs coming through protonmail.com servers. The NSA probably could… but the NSA isn’t wasting resources on Big Canoe.
(2) Untraceable Snail Mail: Simply send me documents, notes or letters to my mailbox – but do not include a return address, and do not include any personally idenitifable information. Even I won’t know who you are. In situations (1) & (2) I couldn’t give your information to a court if demanded under discovery, even if I wanted to.
General level tips can still be sent to:
themtnsvoice@aol.com
or via postal mail:
The Mountains Voice
Box 10887
Big Canoe, GA 30143
phone: 706-268-2049 (vm)
* I am also willing to meet privately with people if requested and warranted.
Below are Defined Attribution Levels for those identifying themselves through a written communication submitted via tipline mail, or email link provided above, and having read and acknowledged the following.
“ON The Record”
You are telling us something, and we can use it, and use the fact that you said it, inluding your name, position etc. That is not to say that a source’s direct identity will be used, nor that it is not still the proprietary and confidential work product of this Newspaper.
“Anonymous Source”
We won’t use your name in a publication, but we can identify your position to some level as a source identifier. For example, “a POA Board Member” or “a POA Employee” are descriptive examples that could be used for an anonymous source.
“Super-Anonymous Source”
We won’t use your name in a publication, nor will we use your position. We give little to no hints at all of the source. We might say something like “We have learned” or “Sources tell us” etc. Acceptable broader source descriptions might be “A Big Canoe resident” or “a local Realtor” which are category groups large and vague enough that personal identification becomes highly unlikely if not impossible. Sources may request the use of a specific descriptive.
“OFF The Record”
Source tells us something, and that information should not be directly used in an article, unless it can be verified from a separate source, even another off-the-record source. The purpose of this category is simply to provide a tip that something is out there if we want to go look ino it, so it should be understood that the information itself may be expected to be carefully floated out to other sources for potential corroboration. The name and position of the source should never be used in conversation nor article.
Clarifications to Attribution Levels:
Defined attributions as provided above are for reference only in regards to people submitting information using this page as guidance, having read and understood the attributions, and wishing to convey their desire as to how their identity and information be used as internal guidance by the newspaper in the publishing of stories. We realize that not all sources will have pre-knowledge of the above provided information, and our internal guidance is adjusted according to situational realities. The Attribution levels provided above are for use as guidance only by those having read and understood them,a nd wishing to use them as a form of communication. Our “Work product and Confidentiality Policy” below is the official policy of this Newspaper
Work Product & Confidentiality Policy:
All source identity, and source information, are considered the work product of The Mountains Voice, and as such shall be treated as proprietary information. Any source that has made clear indication of desire to remain anonymous shall be treated as such.* Legally we rely upon all source protections afforded to us under freedom of speech, freedom of press, news gathering and dessimination, or any other applicable protection provided by International, United States, or Georgia Laws, including, but not exclusive to O.C.G.A. § 24-5-508.
*Exceptions and Disclaimer:
If something is heard that is judged by the hearer to legally and/or morally trigger a need to take action regarding an immediate threat of harm to a person or persons (i.e terrorist attack, personal attack, molestation, anything substantially detrimental to a child, etc) then it may be that information will be shared with legal authorities. In exceptional situations this could possibly mean revealing the identity of the source. In the event that a source is found by this Newspaper to have been noncredible, to have acted in bad faith, or to have taken a public position in opposition to information confidentially provided to this Newspaper, that source shall, at the sole determination of facts in the matter by this Newspaper, be at risk of losing their confidential status.