From the Chicago Tribune:

But the 84-year-old’s passion for art has not waned, and he said he was happy to take on the project to commemorate Naper, who founded the city in 1831.

“It’s so much fun,” Locher said of his craft. “I’m the luckiest guy in the world. I never went to work a day in my life.”

Dave Coates has posted a series of great Pat Oliphant cartoons over the years. Oliphant is one of the undisputed masters of the art.

Remember, at this year’s AAEC convention in Salt Lake City, Oliphant will be honored for his career. It will be a rare opportunity.

From the Observer:

“Almost 23 years ago, I took a temporary 3 month job cartooning for The New York Post. Nearly 6,000 cartoons later, I’ve drawn my last cartoon for the paper. I’ve accepted a buyout,” Mr. Delonas posted on his Facebook page. “I’d like to thank all my colleagues for the great memories. I have nothing but gratitude for Mr. Murdoch and the Post. I believe the paper has a bright future and I look forward to reading it for many years to come.”

From Cartoonist Rights Network International:

Normally, we reserve this space for news about cartoonists who are in trouble because of their cartoons. However, we think our readers should know that recently, American cartoonist Rob Rogers (who draws for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette), after winning the annual Foreign Correspondents Thomas Nast Award, donated his prize money to the Cartoonists Rights Network International.

When CRNI executive director Robert Russell called to thank him, Rob said, “The Overseas Press Club Awards ceremony reminded me of all the journalists who risk their lives every day reporting from war-torn countries around the globe while I draw cartoons from the safety of my studio. It also reminded me that there are some cartoonists who live under constant threat of being imprisoned or killed. Donating my prize money is a very small and easy thing that I can do. I didn’t do it to be recognized, but if it helps brings more attention to the plight of cartoonists and the good work of CRNI, then I am happy.”

CRNI reports that part of his donation will be spent supporting a Syrian cartoonist and his family hiding in the Middle East as they attempt to emigrate to a safe haven country. The cartoonist is under threat of being deported back to Syria and if cartoonists Ali Ferzat and Akram Raslan are any indication of his possible fate, it’s death or torture.

Chicago Tribune editorial cartoonist Scott Stantis announces that fellow cartoonist Dick Locher is retiring after 40 years with the Tribune.

Dick’s career as an editorial cartoonist began inexplicably in 1973 when he was offered the staff cartoonist position at the Chicago Tribune even though he had no experience in the job. (He had assisted on the comic strip Dick Tracy for many years with legendary cartoonist Chester Gould, who recommended him for the Tribune job.) Over the years Dick had more than 10,000 cartoons published (“That’s a whole lot of getting mad six times a week,” he said); won a bunch of awards, including a Pulitzer in 1983; had a private lunch in the Oval Office with President Ronald Reagan; received two death threats; took over drawing and writing the Dick Tracy strip (he retired from that job in 2011); created the coveted John Locher Award for college cartoonists to honor the memory of his deceased son; and designed the Land of Lincoln Trophy, awarded to the winner of the Illinois-Northwestern college football game.

Dick has had an amazing career.

From Romenesko:

When Plaintiff began her employment with Defendants, she was paid on an hourly basis. Over the past four (4) years, Plaintiff was paid a salary of approximately $1751.70 twice per month, which equaled $42,040.80 per year. Plaintiff’s change to a salary position was not a result of taking on more managerial type duties. In fact, as her employment progressed, Plaintiff was expected to, and did, perform more and more basic customer service, reception, and bookkeeper duties on behalf of the company.

Over the past four (4) years, Plaintiff was not paid overtime for working over eight (8) hours in a day or forty (40) hours in a week, including weekends and holidays. Plaintiff worked long hours, approximately sixty (60) to sixty-five (65) hours per week. She began receiving calls early in the morning, sometimes as early as 5:00 a.m. Plaintiff also regularly worked late into the evenings, which would be as late as 11:00 p.m. or later.

So little is known about this case, that I’m hesitant to weigh in. My understanding was that salaried employees were exempt from compensation for overtime. After reading this article, “Salaried Workers, Do You Get Overtime Pay? Odds Are You Should!” I’m standing corrected.

I find it interesting, according to that article, that cartoonists are exempt from overtime compensation. Maybe it’s so fun, it’s a compensation in and of itself? Here’s what the author wrote regarding creative employees.

Creative employees: Creative employees who are exempt include actors, musicians, composers, writers, cartoonists, and some journalists. People in this category don’t necessarily have to be paid on a salary basis to be exempt.

As to the Cagle suit, Daryl can’t comment on specifics of the lawsuit, but can confirm that Cari is still employed with the syndicate as the Executive Editor and Marketing Director and anticipates that she’ll continue in that capacity.

Tim Cavanaugh, of The Daily Caller gives a good summary of the controversy surrounding a recent Steve Benson that casts the GOP in the same light as the Cleveland kidnapper Ariel Castro. The cartoon (above) depicts the GOP has holding three women hostage. Each of the women are labeled “No Abortion Rights,” “No Reproductive Coverage” and “No Respect for Rape Victims.”

From the Daily Caller:

“This Arizona media outlet has chosen to publish an absurd and grotesque image that grossly mischaracterizes the pro-family and pro-life position contained in the Republican Party platform,” Arizona Republican Party chairman Robert Graham wrote in an email to The Daily Caller. “The cartoon is bizarre and disturbing. The fact is that our party supports the sanctity of life and the right of every individual to life and liberty, and we are disappointed that some in the media so falsely misrepresent our view.”

Steve’s editors are standing behind the cartoon and I love how it’s phrased, “Steve’s cartoons are often among the things that draw the most comment. This one was not unusual in that regard.” In other words, this is on par for a Benson cartoon.

Here’s Mike’s original cartoon:

And the blatant rework:

Mike tells me this isn’t the first time someone has altered his work and to recreate it to express the opposite opinion is an infringement on his free speech.

There have been people who have reworked my cartoons before but not an organization like this before. I have gone twice to the courts (once to the Supreme Court) about a cartoonist’s right to free speech. But when you take someone’s copyrighted, intellectual property and it goes exactly opposite of its original meaning is not right and going against copyright laws like this does indeed infringe on free speech.

Source: NoMoreMister.blogspot.com