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An ongoing discussion over the next few months will be how to position stories about Joseph Duncan’s upcoming murder trial, and editors seemed concerned about the precedent that today’s placement might set.

The story led the front page in Idaho editions, but was moved to the inside of the B section for Washington editions. Some questioned whether it should have been out front all night, but managing editor Gary Graham disagreed.

“I don’t know that they’re waiting for every legal step in a long, drawn-out process,” he said.

Editor Steve Smith said that these decisions will have to be reconsidered on a daily basis throughout the trial.

“What I don’t want to do is just assume Duncan is page one every time somebody belches over there,” he said.

Where’s the fire?

This morning’s front page included a wrap-up of wildfires throughout the region, but conspicuously absent was the fire near Dayton that prompted evactuations last night. Assistant city editor David Wasson explained this limitation was understood when the story format was originally proposed. By the time we understood the scope of the Dayton fire, it was too late to change the graphic to include it, so it was instead referenced in the “chatter” between the graphic and the lead photo.