NewsLanc.Com
Providing Lancaster City & County with an Alternative Source
for Local News and Commentary
_________________________________________________________
October 5, 2007 Publisher: NewsLanc.com LLC
Combined Circulation 80,000 monthly
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
|
In a front page article on Sept. 29th headed �Senate race takes a turn,� the Intelligencer Journal emphasizes that a supporter of candidate Steve McDonald has gay connections.
The second paragraph says: "Bob Guzzardi, a controversial figure who once owned a gym that attracted gay people in Philadelphia and who has bankrolled politicians in the past, recently targeted Republican state Rep. Scott Boyd with a poll and telemarketing campaign aimed at residents of Lancaster County." (Emphasis added.) |
The Intell goes on to quote Guzzardi as saying "I'm willing to be called gay or whatever people want to call me."
But what does Guzzardi's sexual predilections, whatever they may be, have to do with the Senate race? Guzzardi isn�t even the candidate. And would it matter if he were? Is there no length to which the monopoly Lancaster Newspapers won't go in order to influence elections so that officials are both beholden and intimidated? |
|
The Sunday News promised that newly appointed convention center board member (and now chairman) Art Morris would not discuss the project or Authority board members in his monthly column. Yet Morris devoted his entire Sept. 30th column to a defense of Ted Darcus, his predecessor as Authority chairman and a current board member.
In "Editorially Speaking" on April 22nd, Sunday News editor Marv Adams said: |
"Mr. Morris has a contract with the Sunday News to write one column per month. If he were a regular reporter or editor, he could not have been appointed to the board. That is part of our ethics policy . . .
"There could also be the appearance of a conflict, because Lancaster Newspapers (you know the disclaimer) publishes the Sunday News and is involved as a half-partner |
in the hotel project through Penn Square Ltd. LLC.
"Because of this, Mr. Morris and the Sunday News editors have come to the same conclusion: He will not write columns about the project and the convention center board." (Emphasis added.) So much for promises made by the monopoly Lancaster Newspapers! |
|
The New York Times recently reported that over 200 convicts have been exonerated of serious crimes (including murder) as a result of DNA testing, a procedure that was not available at the times of their trials.
Judges instruct jury members that they should vote for conviction if they believe the party is "guilty beyond a reasonable doubt." Prosecutors should recognize that there is almost always some degree of "doubt" and should take |
care to avoid wrongful convictions. But mistakes are bound to happen.
What is shameful and blameworthy is District Attorney Donald Totaro delayed ten months before investigating a confession by a serial rapist to crimes for which innocent Ted Dubbs had already spent five years in prison. When Totaro finally sent a detective to investigate, Dubbs was released from prison within ten days. |
|
It was apparent at the Sept. 27th board meeting that Chairman Art Morris is making use of the talents of the four highly qualified, majority county board appointees and delegating much of the research and decision-making to the various subcommittees.
Morris invited visitors to the Authority Board�s monthly meeting to instead attend and address their |
comments to the relevant committees at their meetings. He indicated that although the board as a whole must finalize decisions, much attention will be given to committee recommendations.
Rather than feeling frustrated by gag rules during Ted Darcus and David Hixson's draconian and benighted leadership, audience members |
complimented Morris and the other board members for their search for facts, hard work and candor.
The bad news is only coming out now that the project is underway. Had such openness existed a year ago, the project likely would have been aborted. |
|
It was revealed at the Sept. 27th Convention Center Board meeting that 50% of the funds to be received for the convention center naming rights are to go to Penn Square Partners, although the Partners only have a financial interest in the adjoining Marriott Hotel!
(Penn Square Partners consists of subsidiaries of the |
Lancaster Newspapers, Inc. and The High Companies.)
April Koppenhaver, local business woman and political activist, reported that when she asked chairman Ted Darcus why, he blurted out to the effect "They asked for it so we gave it to them." (Darcus remains on the convention center board.) |
While Darcus was chair, the then-minority county board members complained bitterly that they would only get to see lengthily and complex contracts shortly before the meetings, thus preventing them from carefully reviewing and discussing the terms and conditions. |