OCTOBER 2 - OCTOBER 8, 1999
OCTOBER 8, 1999
Doing good things
Good morning. It is 38.2 degrees at 5:57 A.M. and it is Friday.
Tomorrow is the annual Bradford Rotary Club Firefighter of the Year Award. I have
attended the past three years. This will be my fourth. And the nominees are:
Rick Brocius, representing the Bradford Township Volunteer Fire Department; Daniel
Karrasch, Corydon Township; Jim Fargo, Derrick City; Jack Wilson, Hilltop; Bob Matthews,
Lafayette Township; Jim Maze, Lewis Run; and last but not least, Jon A. Dawley, Rew. Last
year's winner was Don Fowler of Lafayette Township.
No doubt, my buddy Smiling Vince Gaeto will have a few shots at me. I will certainly
deserve them. I was the dope who started the contest between him and me to decide who was
least appealing (scarier) to Count Dracula. I ran our pictures and allowed anyone who
wanted to vote - and they could vote as many times as they wanted. Me and my stupid rules.
Vince voted 537 times!
Now, you would think that Vince would have voted for me the 537 times because that
would be saying that he was better looking than me. But that was not the case. Vince
didn't understand at first. He cast the first 220 votes against himself. Then he caught on
and evidently he spent all of Labor Day Weekend at his computer voting the additional 317
times just to offset what he had initially done.
But that wasn't what did me in. As usual it was my own arrogance. It seems that I chose
a picture of myself that showed a bit of a belly. With the votes I got comments like:
"Go on a diet. You are a fat slob!" and, "You need to push yourself away
from the table and shake more hands. I never knew how fat you really were." The only
picture on Vince that I had was four years old and only showed his smiling face. Vince won
by receiving 456 fewer votes than me.
Oh well. Fair is fair. Tomorrow night I will have to concede what began last year. I am
certainly scarier to Count Dracula than Vince; but that face of his, which he plastered
all over every cemetery in the county when he ran for Coroner, scares the old bat, too.
Certainly, those who are coordinating the event:: Bradford Township Volunteer
Fire Department Chief Howard Warfield, Rotarians George Evans, Sam Deeter, Vince Gaeto,
Art Steinhauer and Woody Woodruff all deserve the highest commendation and praise for the
work that they put in honoring the Firefighter of the Year. They work hard to make it a
great night and everyone is invited to attend. This is one of those events that I really
look forward to each and every year.
On another note, but really, in keeping with the idea of how volunteerism sometimes is
not appreciated, Paula Johnson sent me a few words on yesterday's article. Standing
outside herself and setting aside the personal attacks that have anonymously been made on
her, she wrote the following:
"It's a shame that because someone wanted to attack me, they also
attacked First Night. I KNOW it's successful- that's evident in the
standing room only performance venues. It's evident in the smiles on
the faces of people on the street. And, it's evident in the
international award that we received at the First Night International
Conference. This event had given people who didn't normally have
anything to do on New Year's Eve (families with children and older
adults) a safe, enjoyable way to celebrate. Plus, it's an arts event-
not a duel of the local rock bands. It's not for everyone- that's okay!"
Keep in mind that Paula and the First Night effort won a national award for what they
have accomplished. What can I say? Small minds, small people!
And keeping with that, one of my fans sent me an interesting note (which incidentally
was not signed). It read as follows:
"10/99 McKean County needs to be "cleansed" - go back where you came
from. You are a "lying no good so- and so-" Chest pains are not probable for
someone without a heart. You must have been faking."
That particular fan writes to me a lot. It is a woman's handwriting and many of her
comments are not as nice as the ones I have shared with you. Anyway, I know I have a
heart. I saw it on the monitor for the echo-cardiogram. So there!
Have I really been that bad?
Really, I try not to end sentences with prepositions like the unknown writer did. But,
looking back over four years, what have I done that was so bad for the people of the
county?
I pledged not to raise taxes in the next four years. I kept that promise. The
reassessment lowered taxes on people who were on fixed incomes and made them more
equitable.
I created a system of Family Centers across the county and paid for them with grants
and State funding. They have yet to cost our taxpayers a penny from the County General
Fund.
I saw to it that our Senior Centers got proper funding. I went to the Secretary of
Aging to talk for the new Bradford Senior Center and I used Block Grant Funding to help
fix up the others.
I have written balanced budgets and set the county on a true and correct course. I
oversee spending and act like a sentinel to see that we don't go back to the deficit
spending habits of the past.
Are those bad things?
I don't know. Maybe from the point of view of the writer of that little note they are.
I doubt that she could really feel that way about families and senior citizens, but maybe
she does. Oh well, Paula. You aren't alone. I know that doesn't make you feel any better,
but that's the way it is. And you and I both know about that.
Your comments are welcome at rdhedbud@penn.com.
OCTOBER 7, 1999
Comments on the comments
Good morning. It is 28.0 degrees at 6:20 A.M. Frost on the pumpkin!
The County Election Board met yesterday to discuss what action could be taken against
the person(s) who were responsible for disseminating the letter that made it around the
county last week. The Bradford Era reported it today. "D.A.
to investigate scandalous letter," By JIM BUCK / Era Reporter, is the headline.
With the District Attorney involved in the Williams Murder Trial, it is very unlikely
that any investigation will begin in the near future. Regardless of the outcome, whether
he is found guilty or innocent, there will be appeals and post trial motions. The District
Attorney will be up to her neck in paperwork and research for months, if not years, to
come.
If this letter is as bad as the Election Board believes, and they voted unanimously to
ask the D.A. to investigate, then, under the particular circumstances. she should ask that
the Attorney General's Office immediately begin the investigation. Waiting gives the
people involved sufficient time to cover any tracks they may have left, and time, under
any set of circumstances, becomes the main enemy to justice being done.
The letter was a horrible thing. It has been the topic of conversation for two weeks
now. People are shocked that such a thing could be done. Jim Buck reported that: "Board
member Frank Langianese said he's been involved in McKean County politics since the 1950s,
and there's never been anything to compare with the type of accusations contained in the
letter." It is certainly unique and stands alone.
However, it tells us something about ourselves. And, we don't have to look too far from
our mail boxes to see that this has and is going on right under our noses.
Joe Warner is a man I have done business with and someone I have a fine business and
personal relationship. He runs a Computer Services Company and is located on Main Street.
He also runs the Bradford On-Line web site.
Bradford On-Line has offered a guest book where people can offer comments, find old
friends, and generally keep up with Bradford and the local chit chat. Over 100,000 people
have logged on from all over the world just to touch home.
It's hard to pin down, but sometime just before the Fourth of July, certain unknown
persons began attacking Michele Corignani. Michele ran for Mayor and defeated Connie
Cavallaro in the Primary Election. The dialogue of personal attacks began and continued
daily for over a week. Finally, after several warnings from Joe, he was forced to shut
down that section of the web site and erase all the damaging statements.
I don't think Joe imagined that he had to in effect become the thought police when he
set up a vehicle for people to exchange ideas on line. No. I think Joe thought he was
offering a free service to his friends and neighbors. Joe is a good guy. He's like that.
Things settled down for awhile. In the course of the summer there were a few shots at
certain people - me included - but that is to be expected. But recently it turned very
ugly. It took the turn and the target was a person who has done nothing but good for the
community and the people around her. That person is Paula Johnson.
Why in the world anyone would single out Paula Johnson as the subject of personal
attacks is beyond me. I have met Paula on several occasions and have found her to be a
charming and a very lovely person. Everyone who speaks of her does so in the most glowing
of terms and they admire her for what she has been able to accomplish with Bradford First
Night. So what was the big deal? Why Paula?
Being the victim of personal attacks myself (and I'm not just talking about the recent
letter), I can say it is not an easy thing with which to deal. It hurts! It deviates
everyone around you. It makes people wonder about you, and if they aren't, you certainly
perceive that they are. Beyond what it does to you, it hurts your family and your friends.
Seeing them hurt in turn hurts you. There is nothing nice about it.
But what do you expect? Fair play? Christianity? A chance to tell your side and
protect your good name?
Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Unfortunately, once any kind of filth or slur
is put out there, it takes on a life of its own. Generally it keeps that life and it never
dies. People will always remember something bad before they will recall something good.
And, if someone is a genuinely good person, like Paula, then they become all the better of
a target and the story becomes all that much more interesting. Sick, isn't it!
It is easy to brush it off. It is easy to accept it as the way things are. But, when we
do that, we actually condone what is going on. Everytime we talk about the letter, we give
that group of people responsible exactly what they want. Everytime the person who said the
things about Paula and they see what they have done to her personally, they relive that
thrill they got in doing it in the first place.
It is unfortunate that is the way things are. It is truly unfortunate that our lives
are really so small that we revel and bask in the hurt that other people feel. It is
extremely unfortunate that as Jim Buck writes his story "D.A. to investigate
scandalous letter" the letter writer is getting exactly what they wanted.
What would have happened if no one would have commented? What would have happened had
there been no news coverage? What if the slurs on the Corignani family and the statements
about Paula would have been ignored and silently erased from the site? What then? What if
we take those comments and treat them the way they truly should have been? What then?
Those are my comments on the comments. Yours are welcome at rdhedbud@penn.com.
OCTOBER 6, 1999
"What Are You Doing Back Here?" By Tom Clark
Since early June of 1998, when I moved back here form Virginia, I've heard that question
or a form of it numerous times, as recently as last week. To be honest, I've asked that of
myself a few times in the past year and a half.
As the Eagles song, Hotel California, states: "You can check out anytime you want,
but you can never leave," McKean County
possesses a magnetism that tugs on every native that moves away.
Even those who remain domiciled elsewhere will profess that their alliance to our
region never wanes. Before the Bradford On-Line guestbook went by the wayside, scads of
former residents would post their laments of being away from their home town.
Post-secondary education, military service and employment opportunities are but a few
of the multitude of reasons why our native McKean Countians choose to live elsewhere. In
contrast, there is one very obvious reason that brings us back. This is home, and there's
no place like it.
Among other states, I've lived in Colorado, Virginia and Pennsylvania, three of the
most naturally beautiful states in the USA. You would be hard pressed to find a county in
any of them that rivals the four season, breath taking scenery that we enjoy every day.
"There's nothing here for you", is another phrase I've often heard. If I
chose to sit back and waited for opportunity to come to me, the statement would have been
correct. However, between business, social and recreational activities, there is more than
enough here to keep me busy. Boredom and failure are not in my vocabulary.
A friend of mine who made a career move to Bradford had a very hard time adjusting to
life here. Actually, I think he enjoyed living here, except for his pompous wife who
lingered in self-induced misery as a Bradfordian and dragged him down with her. They came
from the Pittsburgh area she expected the same amenities that are offered in a
metropolitan area.
Soon after they first arrived in town, the wife asked someone where she may find a mall
and went as directed. Not long after, she returned and irately tore the poor soul who
directed her a new one.
"If I wanted a K-Mart, I would have asked for one!!!", or
something to that effect spewed from her frothing lips.
Bradfordians and other residents of the county accept the fact that if they want to go
to a real mall, they are driving to Buffalo or Erie. No problem, it's just one of the many
tradeoff inconveniences that are inherent to our area. We chose to live in a country
setting of natural beauty instead of suburbia and its easy access to Pier 1 Imports.
My friend has since moved on in a quest for the career success that his dominating wife
desires for him. I really miss him and his kids, but not her. It's a shame that he
couldn't have shipped her sorry butt off to the next mailing address and stayed here among
the genuine friends he made He would have been one happy guy.
Bradford and McKean County are what you make of it. Do you wish to be among the
downtrodden? There is plenty of opportunity for it here. Do you feel as if you have
reached a dead end and are going nowhere? Do nothing to change your outlook and you'll fit
in with the other self-pitying underachievers who do nothing but knock our county and its
way of life.
In "Great Expectations," Charles Dickens wrote: "It is the most
miserable thing to feel ashamed of home."
I am home and damn happy to be here. A loving family, great friends, abundant economic
and social opportunities that I've created, the Allegheny National Forest and five major
cities within a four hour
drive. What else could I possibly want?
Thinking back to when I moved here, there is one thing that I would have liked, to have
just one person come up to me and say, "Hey, TC, welcome back to McKean County. You
are going to love it here!" And that one person would have been absolutely correct.
OCTOBER 5, 1999
Walking on eggshells
Good morning. It is 38.4 degrees at 5:12 A.M.
It is 28 days until the election. You can tell what is going on just by reading the
paper. One of today's headlines have an interesting read. "Stratton, Weaver rip
Beck" So, what else is new?
Larry thinks I have an unfair advantage because I write every morning and several
thousand of you read what I write. I don't know. If you call my shabby showing in the
primary election and unfair advantage, I would sure hate to see what dealing from a
position of power would be.
Any election, whether it is for the Presidency of the United States of America, or for
Chairperson of the local Parent Teacher Association, has a choice. It can follow the high
road where everyone is friends and says wonderful things about themselves; or, it can take
the low road where the mud is slung around and one person is singled out as a whipping boy
and attacked. I think that is what happened yesterday.
I have an interesting track record on saying things. It doesn't matter what the subject
might be. I say something, the people involved deny it, generally the paper will support
the people I have said whatever it was about, and then, months later, I will be proven
correct.
Evidently, that is what is going on here.
Last Friday I wrote the following blurb in my article The Episode.
"For whatever reason, The Era and Mr. Buck failed to report
the last sentence. It was a summary of why I was refusing to
sign new purchase orders. It said: "I will continue to take such
measures because I oppose and will continue to oppose
increasing County Taxes!"
"Why wasn't that reported?
"Is it because the other two commissioners are in favor of raising county taxes by as
much as 50%? Is it because Al Pingie hasn't a clue about what we need? You tell me."
What is a 50% tax increase? How much is it, and is it feasible?
A 50% tax increase is 6.5 mills. A mill (and I know because Mr. Stratton and Mr. Weaver
recently inquired in one of those sessions when our doors are closed) is about $200,000.
That means that an increase in county taxes of 6.5 mills ( a 50% increase) would increase
county revenues $1.3 million dollars. That, if we are to continue on the spending path we
have taken, is exactly what would be needed to balance the budget.
How do I know that?
I know that because contrary to what Mr. Stratton believes, I have several working
models already prepared for the year 2000 budget.
Why have I done that?
Because I have always done that. That's why! The budget has been my thing since the
three of us took office and they both know it.
I guess I broke a cardinal rule by talking about bad news before the election.
But you know what? I don't care. The people deserve to know what is happening. And, left
unchecked, a tax increase is in their future, and, it can be by as much as 50%. That is a
hard cold fact of life that no one wants you to know.
I oppose any tax increase. I oppose it because it will be used to pay for the ever
increasing, very expensive judiciary in our county. If it was needed to pay salaries of
our Sena Kean, Jail, or Court House workers, that would be one thing. But that isn't the
case. No. It will be used to finance an empire that is already too large, too costly, and
totally biased and unfair.
I want to cut county spending 10% across the board.
I don't know of any department that can't cut 10%. In a $21.6 million dollar budget,
that is $2.16 million dollars.
Our annual budget already exceeds other sixth class counties by as much as 62%. Why is
that? Do we have more people than they do? (No!) Do we have expenses that they don't have
in the way of additional departments and responsibilities? (No!) So then why do we have
the need for all the additional funding?
That's a good question and I am not sure that I have the answer. I think that the
budget just happened to evolve over a period of time. We always did it so we kept doing
it, and, it got larger each and every year. Now is the time to cut it back. I think that
we need to cut it back by 10%.
So, what's the big deal?
Honestly, I don't know. I guess I will have to walk on eggshells so to speak. However,
I always was clumsy when I was in that situation. So I guess almost anything can happen.
Oh well. It just ain't easy sometime. Your comments are welcome at rdhedbud@penn.com.
OCTOBER 4, 1999
What's this?
Good morning. It is 46.2 degrees at 5:14 A.M. and it is another Monday morning.
(God, I hope it doesn't turn out like last week!)
A week ago I sat down here and wondered what to write. I am in the same boat
today. But, interestingly enough, something or somebody always comes through and I seem to
get started. That's the case today.
I received this in this morning's e-mail:
To: editor@mlrmag.com
a little comment on your sleazeball article, It is not clear who is doing
what, but the george-bashing was apparent and the chemical dumping is abhorant to anyone
who likes a pure invironment, let us put our energies to better use............grayce p.s.
Maybe I will continue to live in my small town, where the city fathers try to better our
community not contaminate it, .......for profits????????
go Bentworth
That's it. I didn't clean up the substance or the form. I gave it to you the
way I got it. At the risk of insulting grayce p, what exactly are you talking
about?
The George bashing must refer to the article "He may be a sleezeball, but he is
our sleezeball" written by John Gates in the summer of 1998. God, I need to do better
at keeping this site current! The chemical dumping must refer to Control Chief polluting
the water supply in Lewis Run. Now where in the world do the two even begin to cross paths
in the night......or the day, for that matter? And who the devil is Bentworth?
You think it is easy being me? How would you like to start your day facing a riddle
like that one? And you wonder why I am the way I am! It's no small wonder that I haven't
gone over the edge long before now.
George is obviously George Petrisek, a fellow journalist who is a contributing writer
for The Bradford Era and staff writer for The Port Allegany Argus. The
sleezeball article was in response to George's editorial drawing attention to me and my
on-line editorials. That very day this column began its meteoric rise in readership.
George and I don't always see eye to eye. Sometimes I have felt that George has been
downright unfair to me. I told him. I put it in print, too. But, I got over it and I went
on with my life. No use crying over bad press. Tomorrow is always a new day and there will
be a hundred different ways for them to get to you and misrepresent what you are trying to
say. (Even from prepared statements.)
George was in my office last Monday and he was the un-named reporter referred to
on the front page of The Era that I confided I was having chest pains. George and
his wife also dined at The Rainbow Inn on Friday evening and George had the pleasure of
meeting my Aunt Rose. I hope I didn't act like a sleezeball and I hope Mr. and Mrs.
Petrisek enjoyed their meals.
As for the industrial chemical dumping, just as an aside and seeing how grayce p seems
to be referring to it, think about this.
Larry Shields is the President/Chief Executive Office of Control Chief, isn't he? Larry
Shields is also the high mucky muck of the Bradford Area Water Authority, too, isn't he?
I find it odd that for going on ten years the Borough of Lewis Run has fought to
maintain its own integrity, keep its own water system, and not become dependent on the Big
Brother(s) of Bradford; and then this happens! I find that real odd! It's kind of like a
fortunate misfortune for Mr. Shields, depending on what side of the conference table you
are looking at him from, and what particular Chief Executive hat he is wearing. It kind of
makes me think a little more than what I am prepared to do at his very early hour of a new
day. But it is interesting just the same. But I lead an interesting life.
Yes I do! That brings me to an update on the spin on THE LETTER.
It appears that people who were not registered to vote received the letter. That shoots
the theory that a voters list was used for addressing. Businesses have been receiving the
letter, too. Certainly they are not registered to vote. And, while certain fellow
officials have been saying that I wrote the letter (and evidently mailed it from my
hospital bed, too), several professors at The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford took it
and the many examples of my writing that are so readily available and did a comparison.
The results? While it was made to appear similar in writing styles, it was definitely
not my work! So put that in your pipe and smoke it.
And, as late as Friday, letters were being received that were post marked the day
before, four days into the entire affair. It appears that over 25,000 may have been
mailed. That's a whole lot of money to send something out that you aren't taking credit
for. Even my worst critics have said that my ego would prohibit me from doing such a
thing. And here I am believing that I am a humble guy! Oh well. The way people see you!
I spoke with Hollywood Helen yesterday. She believes Tom Clark and is buying into his
theory. Many people are. Me, I have no opinion. I am numb from it all, and technically, I
am still getting over my stay in the hospital. I can't seem to get started on anything.
I'm not tired, but I am not energetic either. I could just sit and vegetate. In light of
what is going on and what is being said out there, that might be the best thing I can do.
Until tomorrow, your comments are welcome at rdhedbud@penn.com.
OCTOBER 4, 1999
There was no new article
OCTOBER 2, 1999
It's Saturday morning and time for our Staff Columnist Tom Clark and his views
on the letter that has and is inundating McKean County. Even yesterday letters were still
being delivered. Where are they coming from? Who did it? Tom has an idea. The opinions put
forward are Tom's, and Tom's alone. They do make interesting reading, though!
Whodunit??? By TOM CLARK, Staff Columnist
I would like to submit to you my theory on the infamous slam letter
that has McKean County county buzzing this week. Those readers who are not familiar with
the mailing should know that some low-life scum mailed thousands of copies of a very
slanderous letter to registered voters across the county. The letter contained viscous
personal attacks on the County Commissioner candidates and their families, too ugly to
mention here.
Unlike the clueless "investigative" journalists at Bradford's daily paper, I
think that I have put together enough circumstantial evidence to put the finger on the
letter writer. At least, I am 99% sure of who may have written the letter or authorized
its writing.
First, though, my disclaimer. I am writing this without the consent of anyone involved,
be it the perpetrator(s) or the people identified in the letter. This is my theory and
what you are about to read is entirely my own opinion. >Let us eliminate who didn't
write the letter. It wasn't me, for one. A few people thought that I did. I do believe,
however, that the letter writer was a candidate for County Commissioner and/or his
constituents.
John Reetz is not the writer. I spoke with John the other night and we both had a big
laugh over the thought of him doing it. Even though The Era all but accused him
of doing it, they should be smart enough to know, by previous writings that he has sent
them, that John is a very eloquent writer and not a man to lower himself to personal
attacks as heinous as the contents of the letter.
Bud Beck did not write the letter. First, he was in the hospital when it came out.
Second. Bud is an "in your face" guy. If he wanted to make personal slanderous
attacks he would have by now. Just
because Bud calls it as he sees it when it comes to taxpayer issues, the OECD and other
mishandling of public affairs, he has never once made a personal attack on anyone. He has
too much class for that.
It couldn't have been Larry Stratton or Al Pingie. Who would write any of that crap
about their own families?
Review the names and see which name is missing. Although I'd never come out and say a
particular name, allow me to present my theory. The letter mentioned age and experience as
factors for voting for write-in candidates. The Era, being far from what you may
call a sleuth, went for the obvious and pointed at Reetz. My 14 year old niece could have
done that.
Which candidate has the most to lose? Pingie and Stratton are in. Beck has already lost
as a Republican and is running as a Democrat to win his seat back. That leaves another
Democratic candidate looking over his shoulder.
If Reetz only takes a small percentage of votes, most likely he will take them from the
Democrats. Even without the write-in candidate, Beck will have a very sizeable percentage
of votes that would have otherwise went to the other Democrat.
The best-case scenario for the other Democratic candidate would be to eliminate the
write-in candidate and concentrate on beating Beck.
What if someone writes a very slanderous and cruel letter and makes it look like a
write-in candidate or his friends mailed them to everyone in the county? Most people don't
know John Reetz,
therefore they must assume he did it. Now that the letter is sent out,
it's easy to convince the Era to write a front page letter pointing the
blame at Reetz. Bingo, he's out of there.
Read the letter, if you have one, again. Notice nothing despicable is said about the
other Democratic candidate. Only that he is a "lazy good for nothing". Ooh, that
hurt! The other candidates were exposed for skeletons in the closet, whether they are true
or not.
The whole letter reeks of Democratic Party overtones. Their agenda is to counterbalance
Beck's popularity and to undermine the Republican candidates, therefore drawing votes
towards the person who they deem as the lesser of four evils, their own candidate. The
writer speaks for the Democrats when he (or she!) said the party doesn't even want Beck.
Like I said, this is only my own theory. Using the arguments I presented to you,
perhaps you will see where I am heading with this. I may be way off base and wouldn't bet
the ranch on it. We will probably never know who wrote the letter This letter could have
been damaging for a multitude of reasons, not only to the candidates and their families,
but the public's view of politics and campaigns, in general. I just hope that it doesn't
turn away voters on election day.
Publisher's Comment: This is an opinion that is solely Mr. Clark's. Your
comments on this theory are welcome at rdhedbud@penn.com.
If you have a comment on this article please click here.
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