Coming to terms with closing of newspaper
Depending on how you count it, I have worked for anywhere from seven to 13 newspapers in my career.
One was a group of five weeklies that shared the same stories and two would be my high school and college papers. I’ve had ink on my fingers and in my blood since 1981 when my high school typing teacher asked me to join the journalism class as a photographer.
In all that time, I’ve always been the one to leave a paper behind. With this issue, the paper is closing, leaving me behind.
What a strange feeling that is. Many of my friends and colleagues have gone through it and come out for the better on the other side. The closing of a newspaper was always something that happened to someone else. I never thought it would happen to me. It did; and now this is goodbye.
With that, I’d like to leave you with some parting thoughts (parting shots?). I’m deeply touched by all the people who have expressed sadness that the News Citizen is closing. (For a change I’m not hearing what a rag sheet it is.) I can’t help but see the irony how some of the people upset that the paper is closing are some of the same ones who quit subscribing and/or advertising.
Corrupt mayors?
Almost from the day I got here, I’ve been hearing stories about how “corrupt” Hempstead Mayor Michael Wolfe, Prairie View Mayor Frank Jackson and Brookshire Mayor Joey Vaughn are supposed to be. I have not investigated many of those claims. I do not know if there is any truth to them, but they are persistent.
I also can’t help but notice that no one is pointing fingers at the white mayors in the county. I’m not playing the race card here; it’s just an observation. The finger-pointing, however, has been done by people of all races in the county, not just whites.
Landfill finger-pointing
Most of the finger-pointing of late has been at County Judge Glenn Beckendorff and the four members of the commissioners court. There are still many people out there who are convinced that their elected officials are in cahoots with Green Group Holdings, the company that wants to build a landfill on Highway 6. I can tell you that, to the very best of my knowledge, none of them want the landfill. None of them recruited a landfill. None of them entered into secret negotiations with GGH. None of them lined their pockets to “allow” them to come to Waller County.
First of all, that would give the court a lot more power and control than it has. Secondly, what would be the motivation? No amount of money would be worth the cost to them. The loss of office, business, friendships, integrity and trust would be too great. Everything they have worked their whole lives for and the county that they love would be lost to them. So please let the conspiracy theories die a quick death.
Obama’s space out
Though the space program isn’t exactly a local matter, I have to say that I’m very unhappy with the leadership of President Obama. Former President Bush was able to take the tragedy of the space shuttle Columbia disaster and inspire NASA and the nation to new levels of adventure and exploration with the Moon, Mars and Beyond program.
Obama took a space program from its post-lunar peak with the shuttle, International Space Station and plans to explore other worlds and plunged it into nothingness. Instead of being stuck in low-earth orbit, we are dependent on Russia just to get us off the ground.
Instead of inspiration and direction, we have job losses across the board in the space industry. Instead of helping employ more people and boosting the space and technology sectors, he has put more of the country’s brain trust and other rocket scientist types on the welfare rolls. It’s no wonder his policies have this nation trillions of dollars in debt. Where Bush turned tragedy into triumph, Obama has turned triumph into tragedy.
Behind the mask
One last note before I sign off. Look for Disney’s “Lone Ranger” to hit theaters on Dec. 21, 2012. It’s got a heavyweight cast and crew and will likely be blockbuster material. When you go to the theater and watch Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp ride off into the sunset, remember me and ask “who was that masked man?”
Hi-Yo Silver, awaayyy!
One was a group of five weeklies that shared the same stories and two would be my high school and college papers. I’ve had ink on my fingers and in my blood since 1981 when my high school typing teacher asked me to join the journalism class as a photographer.
In all that time, I’ve always been the one to leave a paper behind. With this issue, the paper is closing, leaving me behind.
What a strange feeling that is. Many of my friends and colleagues have gone through it and come out for the better on the other side. The closing of a newspaper was always something that happened to someone else. I never thought it would happen to me. It did; and now this is goodbye.
With that, I’d like to leave you with some parting thoughts (parting shots?). I’m deeply touched by all the people who have expressed sadness that the News Citizen is closing. (For a change I’m not hearing what a rag sheet it is.) I can’t help but see the irony how some of the people upset that the paper is closing are some of the same ones who quit subscribing and/or advertising.
Corrupt mayors?
Almost from the day I got here, I’ve been hearing stories about how “corrupt” Hempstead Mayor Michael Wolfe, Prairie View Mayor Frank Jackson and Brookshire Mayor Joey Vaughn are supposed to be. I have not investigated many of those claims. I do not know if there is any truth to them, but they are persistent.
I also can’t help but notice that no one is pointing fingers at the white mayors in the county. I’m not playing the race card here; it’s just an observation. The finger-pointing, however, has been done by people of all races in the county, not just whites.
Landfill finger-pointing
Most of the finger-pointing of late has been at County Judge Glenn Beckendorff and the four members of the commissioners court. There are still many people out there who are convinced that their elected officials are in cahoots with Green Group Holdings, the company that wants to build a landfill on Highway 6. I can tell you that, to the very best of my knowledge, none of them want the landfill. None of them recruited a landfill. None of them entered into secret negotiations with GGH. None of them lined their pockets to “allow” them to come to Waller County.
First of all, that would give the court a lot more power and control than it has. Secondly, what would be the motivation? No amount of money would be worth the cost to them. The loss of office, business, friendships, integrity and trust would be too great. Everything they have worked their whole lives for and the county that they love would be lost to them. So please let the conspiracy theories die a quick death.
Obama’s space out
Though the space program isn’t exactly a local matter, I have to say that I’m very unhappy with the leadership of President Obama. Former President Bush was able to take the tragedy of the space shuttle Columbia disaster and inspire NASA and the nation to new levels of adventure and exploration with the Moon, Mars and Beyond program.
Obama took a space program from its post-lunar peak with the shuttle, International Space Station and plans to explore other worlds and plunged it into nothingness. Instead of being stuck in low-earth orbit, we are dependent on Russia just to get us off the ground.
Instead of inspiration and direction, we have job losses across the board in the space industry. Instead of helping employ more people and boosting the space and technology sectors, he has put more of the country’s brain trust and other rocket scientist types on the welfare rolls. It’s no wonder his policies have this nation trillions of dollars in debt. Where Bush turned tragedy into triumph, Obama has turned triumph into tragedy.
Behind the mask
One last note before I sign off. Look for Disney’s “Lone Ranger” to hit theaters on Dec. 21, 2012. It’s got a heavyweight cast and crew and will likely be blockbuster material. When you go to the theater and watch Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp ride off into the sunset, remember me and ask “who was that masked man?”
Hi-Yo Silver, awaayyy!
posted by Joe Southern | 8:28 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home