Tuesday, December 18, 2007

PCC Members Picket Teachers in Tiverton and Fall River

The "Newport Daily News" published the body of the cited article in the title both online & in the paper edition. However, in the online edition, the body of the article left out that the two men mentioned were from Portsmouth (they are also central PCC members). This changed the whole point of the article & placed them in error - the original title being "Residents Protest the Protestors."

In fact, the protestors were not residents of Tiverton, but of Portsmouth. I was notified later by readers that the online article had been updated to include this pertinent fact. What had actually occured was that on the main web page, a pic had been added with a caption noting the protesters were from P'mouth. However, if you acccessed the article online, you would not know this (pic & caption would not show). I updated my article to include this info. but by that time the "News" had pulled the article only. It showed up the following day with more info regarding the protestors - including the fact that they were from Portsmouth.

Without this necessary info, the article appeared to deceive. The "Daily News" editorial staff learned the hard way that you can't split an article & call it complete. Mistake, but it was fixed.

The article itself describes & names two lone picketers who showed up at St. Anne's Hospital yesterday. They planned to counter-picket Tiverton teachers who cancelled their protest that nurse-employee deMedeiros (Tiverton School Chair) was no longer negotiating for a contract. If the picketers had read my blog they would have known that it was called off & why. They then proceeded to Tiverton where the teachers were protesting in front ot the Sup't's office.

These men are not only Portsmouth residents, but members of the Portsmouth Concerned Citizens. For more info on that group you need to read Portsmouth resident John McDaid's blog. He was banned from the group (naughty boy)!

I also think it is relevant that the 2 men are PCC leadership, esp. when that group was formed as a protest to the P'mouth school budget. When Projo did an article on the complaint I filed against Bruce Long, Meaghan Wims pointed out that I was part of the Middletown Dem. Town Committee, although myself & Dick Adams filed as individuals. It gives a more complete pic when you utilize history.

One also wonders why those two gents were there with enough time to notify the paper & post a reporter there. The protest had been called off. Yes, I think all this is relevant. Are they acting for the PCC or on their own? Forest Golden was part of a team to raise funds for the legal team regarding the school budget Caruolo case. Joe Robicheau is the editor of the PCC newsletter. This should have been noted in the article.

No, "Daily News," you don't have to thank me for alerting you to a basic web site flaw. We all make mistakes.

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