The citizens of Mt. Lebanon are arguably the most engaged group of people in the South Hills. One need look no further than the front of the municipal building before a commissioners meeting, or inside the doors of a commissioners or school board meeting to see the evidence.I can testify to that. With my decision to go with "Invitation Only," there have been a couple of naysayers, but the response that I have received is extremely favorable. Mt. Lebanon residents are engaged. Lebo Citizen readers want to know what is going on in Mt. Lebanon. They aren't buying what is coming from our public information office. When our PIO "scolded" The Almanac's editor, we wrote to the editor in support of The Almanac. Yes, readership will go down here, but it will be cathartic. No more trolls. No more public information officers. Public servants will have to work for a living, instead of relying on Lebo Citizens for information.
My thanks to The Almanac for recognizing that we are engaged. Thank you for going beyond what you are told to write by our public servants. Yes, we've noticed.
The Almanac's editorial strikes this reader as a halfhearted attempt on the part of the paper to improve its milquetoast image, acquired after editor Katie Green was dressed down by Susan Morgans over a Twitter post, resulting in Ms. Green apologizing. The fallout from that incident was probably not what the Almanac was expecting, as various Lebo residents went after the paper; not for what it "tweeted," but for not having the fortitude to explain the First Amendment to our PIO.
ReplyDeleteThe press and the government - be it national or local - have always had an adversarial relationship; which is as it should be. Unfortunately, the Almanac is too small, and definitely not oriented, to be adversarial, and that's too bad because it would do our town and our residents a world of good if there was some legitimate, hard-nosed investigative reporting going on.
I'm with you, Richard, on every point.
ReplyDeleteHere's an interesting follow-up to my post of June 16, 2015 at 9:33 PM:
ReplyDeleteGallup: TV, Newspaper Confidence Remains Low
Americans' confidence in most major U.S. institutions remains below the historical average for each one. Only the military (72%) and small business (67%) -- the highest-rated institutions in this year's poll -- are currently rated higher than their historical norms, based on the percentage expressing "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in the institution.
Data: Newspapers down 8% in the current year from their historical average
Television news stations down 9% in the current year from their historical average
SOURCE (and to read the entire story): MEDIA CONFIDENTIAL
As an aside, Public Schools are down 9% in the current year from their historical average
Since I'm interested in a closed discussion group I'll leave this as my final post and regret that only the anti-deer control people will know so Mt Lebanon Commissioners will once again get away with so more "secret" money.
ReplyDeletehttp://video.foxbusiness.com/v/4290841926001/the-judge-on-how-hud-can-legally-diversify-neighborhoods/?intcmp=obnetwork#sp=show-clips
Think McNeily! Think Castle Shannon Blvd!
This has nothing to do with anti-deer control and everything to do with trolls and our highly paid public servants who lurk here.
ReplyDeleteThink Susan! Think Timmy! Think John!
Elaine
Oh it does... You keep dwelling on the deer while a select few democrat politicians pocket money for changing zoning laws to allow low income housing. That is High Density Public Housing! People in the City of Pittsburgh are more concerned about this than people in Mt Lebanon. I don't agree. I don't think people know what is coming. All they hear about is the damn deer issue. Hopefully one of our local news crews will follow the money trail. "It's a solution to our declining school enrollment..." show that it has filtered down to the School Board and their direct ties to the teachers union. Also shows a community in decline.
ReplyDeleteJohn, you are part of the problem. I have written about the budget, the teachers contract, PAYT, the toxic turf, the Home Rule Charter, our public servants, constitutional rights, and many other topics, as well as "the damn deer issue."
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to argue with you. Fortunately, you won't be forced to read Lebo Citizens much longer.
Elaine