The Emptyprize calls me (for the first time in several years) at 9:00 on Halloween night for a "detailed" 90 second interview (90 seconds -- 1,2,3,...90) and that's the best they can do?
So much for "fair and balanced" !
The Town is about to pay out a settlement well in excess of $300,000 and the Emptyprize leads with the fact the person leading contract negotiations with the Superintendent actually communicated with her?
Huh? How did they think contract negotiations happen?
I would have assumed the lead would involve Marshall, Linehan, Crossman & Kangas -- and their counsel -- ignoring the requests by so many to seek a Judge's ruling before pulling the trigger.
Or maybe, the fact that their legal adviser has now been involved in two very expensive contract case losses.
Or, maybe a story on the fact that the first Judge to hear the case had been on the bench less than a month, and was definitively overturned by a three judge state appeals court and then by the State Supreme Judicial Court before being kicked one last time by yet another Superior Court judge.
Or, maybe a story on WHY counsel continued to push forward with the case after the State Appeals Court made it pretty clear the show was over? I am very curious what was paid out to lawyers on this case -- both by the Town and its insurance carriers (make no mistake-- anything paid by the insurance carrier will eventually be paid by the Town through increased premiums!).
Or, maybe a story about abuse of process and using court Depositions to run up the legal bill while asking questions which were completely irrelevant to the case at hand?
Well, maybe nobody handed them any of THOSE stories!
Speaking of stories that appear to be handed to them, I recently commented on their fawning coverage of the new fireboat and the annual "boater/floater drifting away" call. The article looked so much like a press release justifying the silly boat that I went running for my Thesaurus to look for an appropriate synonym for "sodomy". The article was very detailed -- except that it omitted the fact that while the SFD was collecting the wayward kayaker, Fire Departments from two surrounding Towns had to respond to real medical calls in Sandwich. They also never questioned how the SFD was able to drive from Station One to the Coast Guard dock, start up their boat and still make it to the scene BEFORE one of the faster Coast Guard boats that were already staffed and sitting at the same dock.
I think that would have been interesting -- but I guess nobody handed them THAT story either!
I can't wait to read their coverage of the Pool story (Click here for the two questions I doubt they will "remember" to ask!)
11 comments:
Those four ...smiling! can you believe it?!... on the front page of the Enterprise... that's some chutzpah, right there. They have no shame. Even if they believe they were 100% in the right (delusional... yip) and that nobody else has the whole story (self-aggrandizing... yip yip), there is no arguing that they have needlessly cost the town hundreds of thousands of dollars and should not be grinning about it, period. You'd think they'd at least have enough sense to appear chagrined. Ah, no. Instead, they insult us all with their sneers.
Shame on them, and shame on us, too, that two of them still hold elected office in our town...and will never, never have the good grace even to apologize, let alone resign, as they should. Heck no! Instead, one of them thinks she deserves a chairmanship for her efforts!
Who will step up? Who? We need better candidates, people, and please don't talk to me about the likes of Sean Rausch.
I agree we need serious candidates.
it's unfortunate that the School Committee has turned into such a Gong Show that few qualified people would want to be associated with it.
The idea of one of the two remaining Stooges running anything is depressing.
I thought the picture was entirely appropriate -- it was the Halloween edition! The only thing missing was some pointy hats, and maybe a cauldron or black cat!
Can you imagine crossman as chair with her flying monkey henchman marie as vice? God help us, I hope somebody else steps up.
Bob I was sort of hoping that with the new replacement reporting the activities here in Sandwich, that we would get a more comprehensive and actual research oreineted truthful presentation of the facts.
If ever a column lacks insite to the facts it was this recent one in my opinion.
This reporter did not do due dillagence and for me places the reponsibilities in the wrong place, by the way it was worded.
I think that you should provide the paper with the factual data in a colunm to the paper which can enlighten the masses to the facts.
What was missing from the photo was a nice BIG bowl of cherries! The Witches of Eastwick...er Sandwich strike again!
Their actions may have screwed the Town -- but this court action was a huge victory for them because the Judge isn't going to hold them personally liable.
It's amusing that the same week we get stuck with a bill for their actions while on the school committee, we are also getting asked to fund problems with the pool that were caused while two of the idiots ran the Community School!!
When is enough enough ?
As much as I agree with everything being said here about the crazy four, my biggest question after reading that article is why in the name of everything sane is the town's lawyer still being paid and employed by the town???
To the two confused trolls (including the one with the stuck caps lock!), I'm not going to provide a soapbox for your inaccurate rantings. But, here's a few clarifications for you:
1 -- There is no requirement that FORMER committee members correspond with an entire committee -- they can speak with whomever they want.
2 -- The Open Meeting Law is every bit as strong as it always has been. The law has always required judicial review to resolve contract issues. I assume you have seen my emails to committee members and school counsel after I left pointing that out. It's too bad they never acted on the warning.
All this ruling did was help clarify "continuation" which is addressed in many states other than Mass.
3 -- The vote to renew the contract was 4-2. As usual, the Emptyprize got that detail wrong.
4 -- Again, typical Emptyprize -- completely ignore the fact that these 4 bozos were allowed to cost the Town big bucks.
The front page story was no surprise. But the ridiculous picture was insulting to the community. The story itself was insulting as well and yes a sad statement on the new reporter. What an absurd slant in that story. Pathetic is a good word. Without a doubt it was the most absurd article I think I have ever seen in the Enterprise. To insinuate that a Chair could not speak to the Superintendent one on one...ridiculous. God help us. I can't imagine anyone besides the "yes people" to the smiling women featured in the article will buy any of it. How sad that the woman would choose to gloat over this. Do they really think the $300,000 will come out of the municipal side? Do they still not get the damage they have done regardless of the judge saying they can't be sued? Do they have absolutely no humility?
Part of the advantage of learning to expect so little of our local paper is that I am never surprised or disappointed at how weak their coverage is. (Unless you want to see which unlucky local was arrested that week!)
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