Emergency broadcast funding being pulled
Candidate Constantino calls Democrats a `hate cult' - all of them
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It's not true, none of it.
The accusations from politicians that every single newspaper, reporter, editor and media outlet is partisan and unfair is not true.
I should know, I was on the front lines for 40 years.
The reporters and editors I worked with at five different newspapers were above reproach.
We regularly had discussions in our newsrooms about ethics, fairness and doing the right thing.
That was my experience from big-city journalists to small-town journalists all over the country.
During emergencies, the people turn to television, radio and newspapers to provide important information. Unfortunately, even those efforts are now under attack.
Just last month, Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana introduced a bill called the "No Propaganda Act." It is aimed at defunding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting that supports National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
Kennedy cited the need for this legislation to fight political bias. Kennedy knows a lot about bias since he regularly twists facts in every direction for his own political benefit.
But the current administration had no intention of waiting until Congress acts.
Last summer, North Country Public Radio received a grant of $110,0000 to implement an emergency warning system that partners local broadcast stations with the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA during emergencies like flash floods, tornadoes and ice storms in the Adirondacks.
This was service to its community.
The grant directed NCPR to purchase equipment to implement the program. It would be reimbursed later.
It was the type of program that transcended politics so that people would be warned during emergencies. NCPR was one of only two New York radio stations to receive the grant along with Mountain Lake PBS and WPBS-TV in Watertown.
But on Feb. 19, NCPR received a "stop work" order from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting, telling it to "pause any further commitment of funds including the purchase of equipment." NCPR had already spent $52,000 of its own money.
The federal government was reneging on its contract with North Country Public Radio.
What was even worse, the federal government was reneging on its commitment to protecting North Country residents during an emergency.
"This is a huge concern for us," NCPR Station Manager Mitch Teich said. "Most of all, it hinders our ability to perform the most important role we fill - serving people in an emergency situation with timely, potential life-saving information. We provide vital information free of charge, without concern for people's background, financial situation, political persuasion or age."
NCPR pointed out that over a typical year it issues dozens of weather-related bulletins through the Emergency Alert System as the only radio station in the rural communities that it serves.
It appears the monies for the program have been blocked in Washington.
As we already know, most of the North Country voted for President Trump in the last election and in just the past week, the gutting of the EPA has put the health and well-being of those residents at greater risk and now, getting information during an emergency appears to be at risk as well.
Is this what North Country residents voted for?
North Country Public Radio continues to produce accurate, fair and impartial journalism on important issues facing the North Country. There are not many broadcast outlets that do that anymore. More importantly, it provides an important information outlet to many rural communities.
The federal government is pulling the plug on funding for that mission.
There is only one conclusion: The politicians in Washington don't care about the people in the North Country.
Qby meets tonight
Reminder that the Queensbury Town Board will meet Monday night at 7 p.m.
It still has not addressed what the Queensbury Ethics Board termed a "conflict of interest" regarding Town Board member Tim McNulty and his leadership position with a political party.
I was one of two people who filed an official complaint because McNulty is also the chairman of the Warren County Republican Committee and has power over other Republican Queensbury board members.
I'm urging the board to hold a discussion tonight about how it intends to address this conflict.
The Ethics Board has ruled. The Town Board should act.
If they don't I urge citizens to voice their concerns during the public discussion at the end of the meeting - sometime after 7:30 p.m.
Below is the Ethics Board decision:
Hate cult? Really?
Anthony Constantino, the Amsterdam sign guy who is hoping to replace Elise Stefanik as the Republican representative of the 21st Congressional District, may not have the right temperament to represent ALL the voters.
Reader Jackie Dunn shared with me a message she received from Constantino after she told him she would "NEVER, NEVER" vote for him.
"It's ironic you say that,"Constantino responded to Dunn. "I'm running because I noticed the Democrats are a hate cult. They actually train their voters to hate their neighbors, family members and friends simply for supporting President Trump who's trying to bring PEACE to the world and stop DEMOCRATS from transitioning children. I am writing you because I want a respectful dialog with all future constituents regardless of party."
It seemed ironic that Constantino said he wanted a "respectful" dialog while characterizing the entire Democratic Party a "hate cult."
As editor of The Post-Star for 21 years, we regularly met with candidates from both parties and while we regularly had differences with candidates of both parties, we never felt the need to label them a "hate cult."
If there are citizens who hate Trump, it is more likely it is because he is a convicted felon, who regularly breaks the law, ignores the Constitution and is a reprehensible human being (See scams on Trump U and bankruptcies).
Constantino's message is a dangerous one. It acknowledges he will only represent voters of one particular persuasion.
It turned out that Dunn wasn't even a Democrat, but like me, an independent.
Bird flu
There has been a lot of concern about the spread of bird flu around the country.
North Country Public Radio reporter Catherine Wheeler has taken a deeper dive into what that means for the North Country.
I recommend this story for your attention:
Newspaper closes
The last edition of the Cortland Standard was published this past week and the reason may surprise you.
It was Trump's impending 25 percent tariffs on newsprint the newspaper intended to purchase from Canada.
The Standard was the second oldest family-owned newspaper in the country and one of the five oldest family-operated newspapers in the United States.
“I hoped this day would never come,” said Publisher and Editor Evan C. Geibel. “I’m so very grateful to my colleagues and the community for what they’ve done for me, my family and each other.”
Seventeen employees are losing their jobs after the newspaper filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection.
The Cortland Standard’s first edition was published on on June 25, 1867.
Last American Newspaper
Speaking of newspapers, there will be a staged reading of my play The Last American Newspaper on the main stage of the Capital Repertory Theater on Wednesday, April 2 at 7 p.m.
Professional actors will give a dramatic reading without a set or costumes. Tickets are just $5.
It will be the first chance to see how the play is being developed from my book of the same name.
The Adirondack Theater Festival will hold three nights of readings July 25-27 as part of its annual summer program.
Canadians staying home
According to statistic released last week, the number of Canadians driving across the border to the United States fell 23 percent in February.
This year's numbers were compared to February's numbers from a year ago.
The belief is that Canadians are following up on their promise to boycott the United States since President Trump imposed tariffs on Canadian goods.
It was only the second monthly decline since March 2021.
Business Insider is reporting that there is a 40 percent decrease in vacation bookings to the United States over the same time frame last year.
Ken Tingley spent more than four decades working in small community newspapers in upstate New York. Since retirement in 2020 he has written three books and is currently adapting his second book "The Last American Newspaper" into a play. He currently lives in Queensbury, N.Y.
It is ironic that we were listening to NCPR yesterday evening when the Emergency Alert sounded and a tornado warning was broadcast for a swathe of St Lawrence county. We were struck by the terrible sound quality, barely understandable, almost as if engineers were in the middle of an upgrade and left with an ancient backup. Makes more sense now.
Stefanik hated NCPR because they caught her in a blatant lie on tape and on video. She called for de-funding, so I imagine she is happy.
Also yesterday, I had a “promoted” ad from Constantino that informed me Dan Stec is a Trump Hating Liberal:
“Dan Stec wouldn’t even sign an endorsement letter in 2024 because he’s a Trump Hating Liberal who now, all of a sudden, wants to cash in on President Trump’s Sacrifice.”
Sure, Dan is lazy and he, no doubt, wants to cash in on Stefanik’s departure, but Constantino is a nutter. It doesn’t make me sad at all that MAGA is eating its own.
Proud to say that I am one North Country resident who did NOT vote for Trump!