A tale of two ledes: Focus on the Family just announced a layoff of 20% of its workforce–big news here in Colorado Springs, where the ministry is one of the ten largest employers. Here’s how our daily paper, the Gazette, reported the news: 

Because of a weak economy and cash-strapped donors, Focus on the Family said it is eliminating 202 jobs, the deepest cuts in the 32-year history of the Colorado Springs-based Christian nonprofit. The ministry laid off 149 workers, and cut another 53 vacant positions.

And here’s the lede from the Independent, our alternative weekly: 

Focus on the Family is poised to announce major layoffs to its Colorado Springs-based ministry and media empire today. The cutbacks come just weeks after the group pumped more than half a million dollars into the successful effort to pass a gay-marriage ban in California.

It’s not the altitude that makes it hard to breathe here.