Bugs bedevil newsrooms

The Washington Post newsroom has a cockroach problem, according to the Washingtonian.

“We have a growing pest problem,” wrote Jillian S. Jarrett, Post director of newsroom operations, in an Aug. 14 memo to newsroom staff. “We’ve gotten several reports of cockroaches in the newsroom.”

The newsroom seems to be the epicenter of the bug issue. “Facilities says that this is a newsroom problem and not happening on other floors,” Jarrett wrote. Jarrett highlighted steps Post employees can take to help conquer the pests, including clearing away all food and used dishes and properly cleaning up after “cakings,” which is Post jargon for cake parties upon someone’s departure, the Washingtonian said. “There are Clorox wipes in the copy aide station,” the memo read.

The news comes after recent revelations of bedbugs at The New York Times. Following that news, Times columnist Bret Stephens took offense after a tweet from George Washington University political scientist David Karpf painted Stephens as a bedbug and a Tweetstorm ensued, The Washington Post reported.

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