Who can bring us together?

Greenwich event canceled because of Covid concerns

The Front Page

Morning Update

Tuesday, January 11, 2022

By Ken Tingley

When I was asked to speak to the Glens Falls Rotary Club last year, I went back into my files to find my first speech to the group 23 years ago.

I had come across the document while doing research for my book “The Last American Newspaper” (coming out in March). The speech was a big deal for me at the time because I knew the movers and shakers in the community - most of whom probably did not know me - were going to be there.

Jack Cushing, Mr. Volunteer in Glens Falls and a big sports fan, had asked me to speak, so I told the current rotary members a little bit about Jack and why their organization was so important to Glens Falls.

It may be even more important today.

Here is some of what I had to say to the Rotary Club last week:

I am especially honored to be here today as the first speaker during Glens Falls Rotary’s 100th anniversary. For any anniversary like that, it is appropriate to look back.

The work you do and the tone you set in our community continues to be critical and will be even more important in the years to come. All you have to do is look at the life that Jack Cushing lived and the difference he made.

When I spoke to you 23 years ago, I tried desperately to impart the value of the daily newspaper, not only in reporting the news, but in celebrating the people and citizens who live here - people like Jack Cushing - but also in leading a discussion about who we are and where we want to go as a community.

When I finished that speech 23 years ago, I told you, “I hope to make The Post-Star  a newspaper that provides a vision for this community, that provides new ideas and new ways to look at things. It was an enormous challenge.

With the blessing of our publisher at the time, Jim Marshall, we added staff in the newsroom. That first year in 1999, We did an in-depth series called “Vision 2000” that called on local leaders to provide a vision of the community for the next decade. I’m happy to report that many of the projects proposed were later realized.

In the years to come, I think the work we did made a big difference.

I went on to review many of the big stories, the investigations we did and how they addressed problems that were affecting us all. I wanted to remind them of how important journalism is to all communities.

And I reviewed my concerns:

I retired in July 2020 and published a collection of my columns from the past 30 years called “The Last American Editor.” The title is a metaphor to what is happening to newspapers all across the country. What I found afterward, was that the collection was a history of the people, many everyday people, who lived and worked in our community and the challenges they faced. We are losing those stories too.

Later this spring, “The Last American Newspaper” will be released. It is a memoir about the men and women who worked at The Post-Star and the work they did that benefitted this community. I hope you all read that, too. I think it is an important book because the question that needs to be asked is:  “Who is going to do the journalism in the future?”

Who is going to lead the discussion on issues and ask the hard questions that will make this a better community?

As you celebrate your 100th anniversary, you should ask yourself those questions. I know you are looking for a big community project to celebrate your mission. Maybe this is it.

Maybe you could partner with the New York News Publishers Association to sponsor a series of community forums that teaches citizens how to recognize misinformation. Maybe you could introduce them to the hard-working men and women who report the news and open the door for trust in their work.

If you can help to bring our community together, that would be an enormous accomplishment.

We really need that more than ever.

Event postponed

Because of the increasing cases of Covid-19 around the region, my conversation with Joe Donohue scheduled for Thursday at the Greenwich Public Library has been moved to March.

The event will now be held on Thursday, March 10. It is still limited to 25 people and all must show proof of vaccination. Those that have already signed up for the event will not have to sign up again.

Solomon cemetery

We were making our way back from Battenkill Books in Cambridge last week when I asked my wife if she wanted to see the national cemetery in Stillwater. It’s just five miles or so south of Schuylerville.

She had never been before. It was a good time of year to go with all the Christmas wreaths still adorning the headstones. It reminds me of a mini-version of Arlington in Washington, D.C.

It’s always good to remind yourself of the sacrifices that war brings.

The holiday wreaths were still out last week at Gerald Solomon National Cemetery in Stillwater.

It’s been nearly 20 years since Jerry Solomon left us. He was what a congressman should be.

Tweet of the Day

Chasten Buttigieg @Chasten

I would love to see a panel of teachers and students share their thoughts and experiences over the last two years instead of people who get paid to have opinions. Don’t just talk about teachers, please interview them.