So-Called News Source Isn't Credible

EDITORIAL - by Jim Albert - Tuesday, March 15, 2011 - If you go to Lou Bonagura's website, you will find a delightful article titled, "Survey Finally Finished." This article is a prime example of the kind of "news" Mr. Bonagura routinely prints about the City of Ironwood. Don't forget, IronwoodInfo.com presents, according to the leader, "News That Matters" and is "Ironwood's Daily News Source."

I've included the entire article in this editorial so that I can address the misrepresentations, inaccuracies, and out-and-out lies Mr. Bonagura routinely presents on his site, passing it along as if it were "news." (Mr. Bonagura's article in in BOLD print, and glaring examples of unprofessional reporting are in RED. My comments follow each statement and are italicized.)

The Parks and Wreck committee has released the newest edition of the city recreational survey just recently assembled. Do legitimate "news services" refer to volunteer committees and boards with juvenile nicknames such as "Parks and Wreck Committee?" How insulting that is to the City of Ironwood, the volunteers who give their time to serve on this Committee, and to every citizen of this community!

The survey is not indicative of anything, nor could it be. It was put together in a contrived manner and then distributed into the community on a selected rather than random basis. This is an out-and-out lie. The survey subcommittee did a very respectable job trying to include as many activities and options as they could on the survey. To insure that a random sample was achieved, Steve Frank, insisted that the surveys weren't just left on a desk for people to fill out and that they weren't handed out to people who asked for them. He wanted those participating in the survey to be neutral -- without any agenda -- a truly random sampling of Ironwood's population.

People requesting to remove their address when returning the survey were told that if they did so, their survey would not be counted. This is also untrue. All surveys were counted and nobody was told that anonymously submitted surveys would not be included.

Obviously when you have people doing these projects that have little to no professional experience, you shouldn't expect much better. One of three things must have happened here. (1) Mr. Bonagura wasn't present for all of the Parks and Recreation meetings where the survey was discussed; (2) Mr. Bonagura didn't hear what was said at the meetings; or (3) Mr. Bonagura is either lying or he's incompetent. Steve Frank has a degree in Sociology. He studied survey and poll taking and random sampling in college. When our new Community Development Director, Merritt Bussiere, got involved it became very apparent that he was very familiar with conducting surveys and drawing random samples to compile polling data. He has done this many times. He has a lot of professional experience doing this type of thing.

Although carefully crafted to bring about desired results it did not. All the fuss about a dog park shows little interest in such folly. This is a very unfair statement, and it is also untrue. The Parks and Recreation Committee did everything in their power to make sure that all activities they could think of appeared on the survey. In fact, a sub-committee which included a member of the Gogebic Range Trail Authority, Kim Kolesar, was formed to make sure all interests were being represented. After the first draft of the survey was presented, Ms. Kolesar gave the document her full blessing. Considering our elderly population, the survey results are pretty much what I would expect them to be.

The totally unscientific survey will become part of the Parks and Wrecks comprehensive plan none-the-less. This was very much a scientific survey. In fact, the methods used to conduct the survey were the same methods used by Gallop and other major polling agencies on a regular basis. Once again, Mr. Bonagura is wrong... and he continues to use insulting, demeaning names for the Parks and Recreation Committee.

If it weren't for the City Commission, the parks and Rejects Committee would be the most inept committee in the U.P. Now Lou has resorted to calling the Parks and Recreation Committee, the "Parks and Rejects Committee!" And in addition he calls them the most inept committee in the U.P. Very professional, Mr. Newsman! You should be ashamed of yourself.

The City of Ironwood's population is plummeting and its revenues next year could be down as much as a half a million dollars, and yet this group along with the City Commission are spending money as if it were being printed at the Library. Every time he has the opportunity to blame the Library for all of Ironwood's problems, Mr. Bonagura does just that. Ms. Erickson has done many good things with the Carnegie Library. I've heard many things about the improvements she and her staff have made. Mr. Bonagura's attacks on this City are insulting and should not be tolerated.

In another article that appears on his site, Lou criticizes the Downtown Ironwood Development Authority (DIDA) for accepting a $700,000+ downtown enhancement grant from the State of Michigan. I am a member of the DIDA. If we were to listen to Mr. Bonagura's "brain salad" and we were to return the funds to the State... does he really believe that money would be applied to the State's budget? Of course it wouldn't be. It would be awarded to another Michigan community that needs downtown improvements. If the City Staff didn't continually seek grants to help finance things we desperately need, Mr. Bonagura would be criticizing them for not being aggressive and for not procuring available State and Federal aid. How do you win?

The City of Ironwood is facing many serious issues. There simply isn't enough available money to do the things that need to be done. I don't always agree with the way the City spends money, but I do think that City Staff and the members of the various committees and boards are doing the best they can with what is available.

For years, the Daily Globe and others have called me anti-Ironwood, negative, totally against anything positive for the area... etc. Why is nothing said about the disgraceful reports presented on Mr. Bonagura's website?

I encourage others to express their opinions on this matter.

Jim Albert


So-Called News Source Isn't Credible EDITORIAL - by Jim Albert - Tuesday, March 15, 2011 - If you go to Lou Bonagura's website, you will find a delightful article titled, "Survey Finally Finished." This article is a prime example of the kind of "news" Mr. Bonagura routinely prints about the City of Ironwood. Don't forget, IronwoodInfo.com presents, according to the leader, "News That Matters" and is "Ironwood's Daily News Source." I've included the entire article in this editorial so that I can address the misrepresentations, inaccuracies, and out-and-out lies Mr. Bonagura routinely presents on his site, passing it along as if it were "news." (Mr. Bonagura's article in in BOLD print, and glaring examples of unprofessional reporting are in RED. My comments follow each statement and are italicized.) The Parks and Wreck committee has released the newest edition of the city recreational survey just recently assembled. Do legitimate "news services" refer to volunteer committees and boards with juvenile nicknames such as "Parks and Wreck Committee?" How insulting that is to the City of Ironwood, the volunteers who give their time to serve on this Committee, and to every citizen of this community! The survey is not indicative of anything, nor could it be. It was put together in a contrived manner and then distributed into the community on a selected rather than random basis. This is an out-and-out lie. The survey subcommittee did a very respectable job trying to include as many activities and options as they could on the survey. To insure that a random sample was achieved, Steve Frank, insisted that the surveys weren't just left on a desk for people to fill out and that they weren't handed out to people who asked for them. He wanted those participating in the survey to be neutral -- without any agenda -- a truly random sampling of Ironwood's population. People requesting to remove their address when returning the survey were told that if they did so, their survey would not be counted. This is also untrue. All surveys were counted and nobody was told that anonymously submitted surveys would not be included. Obviously when you have people doing these projects that have little to no professional experience, you shouldn't expect much better. One of three things must have happened here. (1) Mr. Bonagura wasn't present for all of the Parks and Recreation meetings where the survey was discussed; (2) Mr. Bonagura didn't hear what was said at the meetings; or (3) Mr. Bonagura is either lying or he's incompetent. Steve Frank has a degree in Sociology. He studied survey and poll taking and random sampling in college. When our new Community Development Director, Merritt Bussiere, got involved it became very apparent that he was very familiar with conducting surveys and drawing random samples to compile polling data. He has done this many times. He has a lot of professional experience doing this type of thing. Although carefully crafted to bring about desired results it did not. All the fuss about a dog park shows little interest in such folly. This is a very unfair statement, and it is also untrue. The Parks and Recreation Committee did everything in their power to make sure that all activities they could think of appeared on the survey. In fact, a sub-committee which included a member of the Gogebic Range Trail Authority, Kim Kolesar, was formed to make sure all interests were being represented. After the first draft of the survey was presented, Ms. Kolesar gave the document her full blessing. Considering our elderly population, the survey results are pretty much what I would expect them to be. The totally unscientific survey will become part of the Parks and Wrecks comprehensive plan none-the-less. This was very much a scientific survey. In fact, the methods used to conduct the survey were the same methods used by Gallop and other major polling agencies on a regular basis. Once again, Mr. Bonagura is wrong... and he continues to use insulting, demeaning names for the Parks and Recreation Committee. If it weren't for the City Commission, the parks and Rejects Committee would be the most inept committee in the U.P. Now Lou has resorted to calling the Parks and Recreation Committee, the "Parks and Rejects Committee!" And in addition he calls them the most inept committee in the U.P. Very professional, Mr. Newsman! You should be ashamed of yourself. The City of Ironwood's population is plummeting and its revenues next year could be down as much as a half a million dollars, and yet this group along with the City Commission are spending money as if it were being printed at the Library. Every time he has the opportunity to blame the Library for all of Ironwood's problems, Mr. Bonagura does just that. Ms. Erickson has done many good things with the Carnegie Library. I've heard many things about the improvements she and her staff have made. Mr. Bonagura's attacks on this City are insulting and should not be tolerated. In another article that appears on his site, Lou criticizes the Downtown Ironwood Development Authority (DIDA) for accepting a $700,000+ downtown enhancement grant from the State of Michigan. I am a member of the DIDA. If we were to listen to Mr. Bonagura's "brain salad" and we were to return the funds to the State... does he really believe that money would be applied to the State's budget? Of course it wouldn't be. It would be awarded to another Michigan community that needs downtown improvements. If the City Staff didn't continually seek grants to help finance things we desperately need, Mr. Bonagura would be criticizing them for not being aggressive and for not procuring available State and Federal aid. How do you win? The City of Ironwood is facing many serious issues. There simply isn't enough available money to do the things that need to be done. I don't always agree with the way the City spends money, but I do think that City Staff and the members of the various committees and boards are doing the best they can with what is available. For years, the Daily Globe and others have called me anti-Ironwood, negative, totally against anything positive for the area... etc. Why is nothing said about the disgraceful reports presented on Mr. Bonagura's website? I encourage others to express their opinions on this matter. Jim Albert