If You Don't Like What You Read... Quit Reading

EDITORIAL - by JIM ALBERT - Saturday, August 01, 2009 - Yesterday, I received three "second-hand" complaints about my coverage of the Blueprint Gathering at Tacconelli's on Thursday. Evidently some of our readers felt my coverage of Mr. Goerig's address to the crowd was too harsh and "over-the-top." When I started the Chronicle back in January of 2007, I knew people would be critical of my writing. I said it before, and I'll say it again... I am not a writer, and I NEVER pretended to be.

The reason I wanted to start an online "newspaper" was simply because I didn't feel that the Globe was accurately or fairly reporting the news. Throughout my adult life, I've attended many, many City meetings. I've always been active and interested in local politics. When I would read the Globe's coverage of meetings I attended, I was often shocked and amazed. Too many times, important things were omitted; people were misquoted; and the facts were distorted. I believe the people of this community deserve better.

Too many times, I would read things in the paper, that were completely untrue, embellished, or twisted to suit the Globe's agenda. Like many people, I got fed up with reading articles that were simply untrue. How many of you remember the story of the man who up in Norrie who cut off his fingers in a lawnmower? It turns out that the Globe, based on the telephone number on the police report, named the wrong victim. The boy who was actually hurt, used the a neighbor woman's telephone. The woman's son pays her bill, so his name is listed on her account. The Globe simply assumed that the man who pays his mother's bill was the victim. They printed an article stating that he has cut off his fingers in a lawnmower.

How many of you remember reading that a woman dispatcher for the Iron County Sheriff's Department was arrested for prostitution? The Globe reporter misread the incident report. The dispatcher's name was prominently displayed on the report as the preparer of the report. The reporter wasn't careful and the paper printed that the dispatcher was arrested for prostitution.

How many times has the paper printed names of people who have died WITHOUT allowing family members to be properly notified? I can name several. How many times have things been reported as facts, when they are simply rumors? Once again, I can remember quite a few.

Four days before a prominent Ironwood businessman died, the Globe printing a "heartfelt" farewell to the man. A reporter for the paper heard a rumor at the bank that he had passed away. It was never verified. It must be a very scary thing to read your own obituary in the paper!

So, what did I do that was so terrible? As I said, I have attended more City meetings than just about any individual in Ironwood. Time and time again, questions are asked of City officials and answers are never given. On Thursday, I asked who placed razing the Sharon's building on the DIDA agenda. I didn't get an answer. I repeated the question -- rephrasing it each time -- hoping to get an answer. I never got the answer to the question. Is it wrong to insist that our City officials answer questions that are asked of them? Walking around answers, giving out useless information that doesn't have anything to do with what you are asking -- isn't answering questions. Steve Frank asked several questions -- all related to the Blueprint Plan -- and he didn't receive a logical answer to any of them. Part of the criticism we received was that we were too harsh with Dan Petersen and George Goerig!  Demanding the truth isn't being harsh -- it should be the role of media.

The biggest complaint I received was that I printed segments of Mr. Goerig's address to the gathering, verbatim. I never dreamed I'd be criticized for EXACTLY quoting somebody! I could understand taking heat for misquoting somebody, but how can anybody be upset when their exact words are quoted -- not out of context -- in their entirety. I was told that I should have paraphrased Mr. Goerig, because he was obviously nervous and unprepared to speak before the crowd.

Really? He was unprepared? He fully understood that he was to address the crowd on Thursday. I couldn't paraphrase what he said, because -- quite frankly -- I didn't understand it! Is it really being too harsh to let the people know EXACTLY what someone said -- someone who is running for City Commission, and could very easily become our next Mayor? There is little doubt that Mr. Goerig is far from being an eloquent speaker. The voters will decide if they want him to be one of their next representitives or not. It is our job to report the news. I feel that is what I did.

As a private citizen and as a local downtown businessman, I deeply resented Mr. Goerig's condesending speech on taking pride in the community;  killing weeds; taking up valuable parking space with personal vehicles;  and sweeping the front of my building. I'm not a child, and I don't appreciate being treated like one. None of the local businesspeople in attendance deserved to be treated that way either.

Downtown Ironwood has many very good businesspeople who have survived and actually thrived in a business environment that has been anything but inviting. All you need to do is take a quick trip through Hurley and you will see how a "pro-business" community operates. Hurley continues to embarrass Ironwood. It looks and is bustling. The City of Ironwood has done nothing, for years, to help return Downtown Ironwood to thriving business district. Businesses that are doing well in Ironwood are doing so, in spite of the City.

If anyone was offended that I printed verbatim quotes of a public figure, I'm sorry. But I will continue to report the news as it happens. We routinely record each meeting to insure accuracy. If you think I might have misquoted somebody... listen to the audio file.

If you don't like the way I report the news, you always have the option to quit visiting this site. And in the future, if you have a complaint or comment -- perhaps you should address the person, business, or government it involves. Screening your concerns through a "spokesperson" is ineffective and meaningless. If people would actually get a backbone and stand up for what they believe in, then Ironwood wouldn't be in the condition it's in!

Jim Albert