Straight Goods News is the online publication division of Straight Goods News Inc. (SGNI), a privately held company owned by 30 shareholders. The founders pooled their resources to launch the publication in January, 2000 out of the belief – still shared – that people need a wider and better choice of news and information sources.

The mandate of Straight Goods News is to help our readers untangle spin, save money, and protect their rights. Our mission is to be Canada's independent, progressive media outlet of record. Straight Goods News reports from all over Canada and the world, with a special emphasis on under-represented voices and views from the progressive side of the political spectrum.

Our team:

Penney Kome, Editor (StraightGoods.ca)
penney@straightgoods.com

  Penney Kome is an award-winning journalist and author. Besides having published six books, her career encompasses twelve years writing a national column in Homemakers' Magazine, and four years writing a column for the Calgary Herald. She has served as editor of Womenspace.ca and contributing editor of the NeWest Review. Her volunteer work includes many executive positions, including, most recently, Chair of The Writers Union of Canada. Among her awards are the Metro Toronto Women of Distinction Award and the Robertine Barry Prize for Feminist Journalism.
  She and her husband, Bob Pond, live in Calgary.
 
 

Ish Theilheimer, Publisher, Managing Editor (Straight Goods News)
ish@straightgoods.com

  Ish Theilheimer is founding Publisher of Straight Goods News, which he launched out of frustration with existing media and fascination with the possibilities of independent online journalism. Significant in his varied career has been work as a writer, editor, consultant, musician, welder, and hot dog vendor. He has been active in community and party politics at every level. In addition to his journalistic work, Ish is Producer of The Stone Fence Theatre, a professional theatre company dedicated to the Ottawa Valley and its economic and cultural development.
  He and his wife and partner, Kathy Eisner, live beside the Bonnechere River near Golden Lake in the upper Ottawa Valley.
 

Michael Cowley-Owen, Webmaster and Technical Advisor
mco@straightgoods.com

  Michael Cowley-Owen has been with Straight Goods News since its inception, working with Ish to establish it online. He is actively involved in community development issues and, while bringing up his four children, he became committed to promoting the quality of life he found in rural living. In his spare time he runs several at-home businesses, and is attempting to really understand quantum mechanics, relativity, black holes and the BIG BANG, and their relevance, if any, to the Meaning of Life, if any. He regards himself as a nexialist*, working in the field of communication.
  He has lived in the little village of Maxville, ON (pop. 850), with his wife Maryanne Kampouris, since 1985.
  *(A nexialist is a type of technology generalist described by science-fiction writer, A.E. van Vogt, in his 1950 novel, "Voyage of the Space Beagle".)
 

Julie Dupuis, Associate Editor (PublicValues.ca and Valeurspubliques.ca)
julie@straightgoods.com
  Julie Dupuis began writing professionally in 2006. Her articles and creative non-fiction have appeared in various online publications. Julie won an honourable mention for poetry at age 14 but after high school, she never wrote verse again. Julie holds an MA in English literature from the University of Toronto and a BA in Political Science from the University of Ottawa. She did post-graduate work in Creative Book Publishing at Humber College.
  In the spring of 2011, following the publication of her first e-book, she became an active member of the French River Cultural Industries Council. Julie is now based in French River, where she has been Associate Editor of PublicValues.ca and Valeurspubliques.ca since December 2010.
 

Samantha Bayard, Editorial Assistant and Administrator
samantha@straightgoods.com
  Samantha Bayard is a young journalist living and working out of Ottawa. She has been a contributor to the Straight Goods News family of websites since 2009. She has been freelancing in the Ottawa region since graduating from the conjunctive University of Ottawa and Algonquin College Baccalaureate in Journalism program.
  Samantha contributes to newspapers such as the Kanata Kourier Standard and the Kichissippi Times, magazines such as Greenlife and the Ottawa Parenting Times and occasionally writes blogs for websites like Food Network Canada. She is an avid cyclist and lover of animals.
 

Dylan Kome, Production Coordinator - posting, editing, bulletin
dylan@straightgoods.com
 

Alison Voldock, Administrative Advisor
alison@straightgoods.com
 

Laurie Uytterlinde Flood, Production Intern - proofing and general
laurie@straightgoods.com
 

Gerry Hull, Accounting and Bookkeeping
 

Robert Howe, Corporate Counsel

Regular contributors:

2011-12 Board of Directors:

Straight Goods is published by Straight Goods News Inc. (SGNI)