This is probably the best way possible for the T-U to "keep" Nate and the work he does so well. The conglomerate owners of local media are investing less in investigative and longform content, but are actually willing to partner with nonprofit newsrooms to suit their purposes. It allows editors to appease their corporate overlords by licensing content while outsourcing the dead-end leads and the old fashioned shoe leather reporting. I expect at some time before the end of the year, Nate will have a T-U byline (or maybe more accurately, a buy-line) to break up the their daily stenographing from city hall and the sheriff's office.
This is also great for the city to have a watchdog on patrol once again, and it seems that the Tributary is really going to elevate their investigative game. I agree the U2C has to be the easy target, with the insane sums that are being committed to a concept that seems like it's still in the back-of-the-napkin sketch phase. I've lived here just 3 years, and already I can tell that the JTA as a whole stinks more than the fish market. Accountability might just be making a comeback.
And that is quite a gesture to not only give Nate the farewell column, but also to let him announce his new opportunity and link to it.
