Oregon editor Les Zaitz to keynote Sunshine Breakfast

Les Zaitz (Photo by David Zaitz)

One of Oregon’s most prominent journalists and open government advocates will be the keynote speaker at the Washington Coalition for Open Government’s annual Sunshine Breakfast on March 17 in Seattle.

Les Zaitz has been not only a leading advocate for open government in Oregon but also one of its most dogged practitioners.  His long career includes various stints in reporting, editing and publishing newspapers, all in Oregon.

He spent 25 years as a reporter and editor at The Oregonian. He is currently the editor and publisher of the Malheur Enterprise in Eastern Oregon, as well as the editor and CEO of the Salem Reporter, an online news site in the state capital.

Zaitz was twice a Pulitzer finalist as an investigative reporter for The Oregonian. He won a coveted George Polk Award with his Oregonian colleagues. Investigative Reporters & Editors in 2017 gave its FOI Award to Zaitz and his colleagues at the Malheur Enterprise.

In 2017, the weekly newspaper received a Key Award from WashCOG for its persistence in seeking access to public records when reporting on state action, even after a state agency sued the small newspaper for the records request.

He will be a featured speaker at WashCOG’s annual awards and fundraising event, which will again take place at T-Mobile Park, home of the Seattle Mariners.