The publisher and editor of Newspaper Tree, a nonprofit newsroom in El Paso, Texas, have been fired “as a result of internal disputes,” leaving just one employee, an investigative reporter, according to El Paso Inc.
Newspaper Tree is one of several nonprofit news organizations that have been waiting for more than a year for federal approval of their 501(c)3 status (Current, May 14). It is currently offline due to that delay.
Publisher Louie Gilot and editor Reyes Mata III were fired late in May. Investigative reporter Debbie Nathan remains.
Newspaper Tree Board President Richard Pineda, an associate communication professor in University of Texas at El Paso, confirmed that Gilot and Mata are no longer employed, but declined to discuss details. “I can’t comment on the personnel issue, but what I can say is the board is still committed to the mission we started with and the goals we have,” Pineda told El Paso Inc.