BoroughVENT... Gettysburg,PA

Matt -- Thanks for starting this thread, I wanted to this morning but we don't have internet access at the bakery or all would do is post on borughVENT all day like Gene

I'm done with the Gettysburg Times.  Matt has covered everything very very well in his posts, and I'm glad everyone supports the idea of getting 50-60 local business men and women in front of someone who can potentially use a variety of Adams County Services on a large scale.


I submitted the press release on Feb. 8th.  If you would like to check that date go to: http://shoplocalbuylocal.com/casino.pdf  -- that is the orignial document that was sent to the Evening Sun, Times, and what I used to help get the word out on shoplocalbuylocal.com.  Other people also assisted in handing out the press release to local businesses. 

I submitted the release to the same reporter I always work with, because they are very thorough, great to work with and have always written great articles in a timely fashion.

A couple weeks later, when after getting the paper everyday, I saw nothing printed, I called said reporter and questioned the status of the release.  They told me they submitted a story and were surprised it did not make it to print yet.  They assured me they would re-submit the story.

A couple days later said reporter comes into the bakery, looking very much like a deer in the headlights, and tell me that they need to talk to me.  They informed me that they re-submitted the story, and that day they were pulled aside and told "We are really going watch what you're writing very closely"  The reporter (sorry I'm trying to stay away from he / she because I would like to protect them as much as possible) expressed fear of losing employment at the times over this, was having bad heart burn and couldn't sleep at night.  The reporter suggested that I call the editor, because there was nothing more they could do.

I called B.J. Small, introduced myself, told him I sent in the release. 
He replied "Haven't seen anything yet" (he has actually seen two stories at this point). 
B.J. told me, "Who did you send it to?" 
I told him, "(The reporter)"
He replied, "Oh no send that directly to me, you are about two weeks out from this event so this is about the time we would preview it" 

B.J gave me his email to send the press release to..... and as I hung up the phone I relealized... I NEVER TOLD HIM THE DATE OF THE MEETING, JUST THAT I WAS HOLDING ONE.  Obviously he has seen the stories and is informed but it not printing it for whatever reason.

I emailed him the release and waited a couple more days.  Nothing.  I called back, he didn't seem to know who I was so I had to re-explain everything to him. 
B.J. told me, "Nope nothing came through on the email." 
I told him I know I typed the email in right, and it wasn't sent back to me so I know it went through.
B.J. then told me, "Well why don't you give me YOUR email address, I'll send you a message and you reply to me so I'm sure to get it."

After I replied to his email with the release AGAIN, and thanks to our very own Debbie Golden who hand delivered a physical copy to his desk, the story the reporter wrote was published the next day.  It was buried on the left side of page 6, but at least it was printed.



Everyone knows what happened last night if they read Matt's post and he's 100% on.  I don't know why they wouldn't give ShopLocalBuyLocal.com credit for facilitating a meeting that took a month and a half to prepare. 

The entire meeting was filmed by a local videographer and I will let everyone know when I have it up on the site, it was a very informative, and I think, successful meeting.

Gettysburger, I need to get in touch with you.  Does the email function through this site work?

I hope all of you will join me in calling the Times and voicing your displeaseure that SLBL was not mentioned and that this was a neutral meeting.

I also want to speak at the gentleman who is heading this. What you are doing is admirable and a gret thing. Ihave no doubt that even some who do not agree with the casino will in some way benifit from it should we get a casino. Hold your head up high and continue on with your good work. I just glanced at the NCG web site and the times article. I didn't see any bad comments from them which is a plus and I applaud them as well for not trying to smear this. Keep up the good work.

SFP and Dweller,


I disagree with you guys on allot of things but I have to give you a thumbs up here as well. It's nice to see that both sides can come together in a situation like this and support thiings such as SLBL that better oour community. While we disagree on allo of other issues I think it is because  we all want  what we think is  best for our community

jaimason wrote:

I hope all of you will join me in calling the Times and voicing your displeaseure that SLBL was not mentioned and that this was a neutral meeting.

I also want to speak at the gentleman who is heading this. What you are doing is admirable and a gret thing. Ihave no doubt that even some who do not agree with the casino will in some way benifit from it should we get a casino. Hold your head up high and continue on with your good work. I just glanced at the NCG web site and the times article. I didn't see any bad comments from them which is a plus and I applaud them as well for not trying to smear this. Keep up the good work.

SFP and Dweller,


I disagree with you guys on allot of things but I have to give you a thumbs up here as well. It's nice to see that both sides can come together in a situation like this and support thiings such as SLBL that better oour community. While we disagree on allo of other issues I think it is because  we all want  what we think is  best for our community

Whether a casino comes or not this organization is worthy of support.   I am not in a position to helpmuch without just voluntering time but may just do so.  Lukily i just got conscripted tonight into local little league basball as there are not enough coaches.

jaimason wrote:

Nile Grazowski wrote:

I'll make sure this gets some pub on the no site tomorrow as I am a bit too angry to do so in a manner that will permit me to continue posting on there at the moment.  I am all about ALL the info getting out there so people can an make an educated decision and close mindedness is what MOTIVATES me more than any of you can imagine.  Several of you met me at the township meeitng the other night and probably think, "wow, he seems like a layed back guy.".  Well, that can stop in hurry.  This was a bunch of crap and I not happy about it one bit.  My motivation just got ratcheted up a notch.

Niles, matt and others who post on the NCG site,

Keep up the good work gentleman. Don't  let them beat you down and don't let your anger get in the way of making clear points. Letting them know you are angered is fine but make the points that need to be made. They can not win virtually any argument they have because they when it comes down to it they DO NOT have the facts to support them. They will in no doubt succeed in bull shitting some of our residents but remember you are posting there to not bicker back and forth with them but to let people who may be lurking there and are on the fence to see the truth. They like to think we just like to argue with them but that is not the case. We are calling them out in their home turf and letting people see what they truely are.

muchas gracias

John Messeder placed an apology on the Times site.  That was nice of him.  I hope he does follow through and write a second article about Shop Local Buy Local organization.

Tax Payer wrote:

John Messeder placed an apology on the Times site.  That was nice of him.  I hope he does follow through and write a second article about Shop Local Buy Local organization.

link?

MattC wrote:

Rainier Wolfcastle wrote:

The comments for the article on the Times website say it all.  You'll find wonderful comments like:

"So... it was a ProCasino meeting after all"

"Since LeVan appeared to be the only speaker mentioned I finally determined that the almighty casino was getting top billing. Was there any other reason for this meeting?  According to this news article there was no other situation even discussed."

"This was merely a meeting to give Mr. LeVan another soap box to stand on to try to sway more folks to his side. He says it plain and clear in the article..."

nice plug here:

"Boroughvent seems to be upset at John's article. I see nothing wrong with it. John is a good reporter and apparently wrote about what actually happened at this meeting."

and my favorite:

"Gee, I thought we left Europe to scape the Feudal System - IF i do well - you do well - guess not. Only in Adams County."  I guess this guy prefers "If I do well the rest of you can go F yourselves"

Messeder did finally fess up but only after the shit storm on the Times article message board and elsewhere was already in full effect.

I feel for you Jeremy.  you go out of your way to be neutral and try and do some good and it's all undone by 3rd rate reporting.  It's bad enough we have to deal with the misinformation being put out by NCG but now we have to worry about the hometown paper too.  Gooooood Lord.

Don't fool yourself. These reactions were exactly what he intended by not mentioning anything about who organized the meeting. If I didn't know any better, and I read that article, I would assume that LeVan called the meeting together in order to campaign for support from local businesses. Messeder knew exactly what he was doing. I've never read an article about a meeting like this that didn't say somewhere "the meeting was organized by the Rotary Club" or whoever. Now he apologizes... after all the anti-casino comments get approved.

The best part is that the Times censors the public comments that they get related to their articles on their website.  I've made posts that never appeared yet they allowed a bunch of posts calling the event a pro casino rally.  So if you're keeping score at home they blew it on the story then made up for it by allowing the screw up to be perpetuated further in allowing more incorrect information to be posted on their site in the comment section.  If this was a real paper the unemployment number would be going up in Adams County as of tomorrow morning.

In case they don't publish my comment, I'll post it here.  Check out the comments on the times website. 

  http://gburgtimes.com/articles/2010/03/ … ogcomments




My comment to J. Messeder:

jmesseder:  I don't understand how you can omit the entire reason the meeting took place.  You even interviewed me, using both audio and video.  The back story is very important PLUS by omitting mentioning ShopLocalBuyLocal.com as the organizer you accomplished exactly what I was trying to avoid -- This meeting being perceived as a pro casino meeting. 

I don't buy a "too many deadlines to meet"  story 

I'm glad that the Tuna Crisis in Tokyo made the paper that day, I was starting to get worried about those fish half way across the world.

they have a different news editor at the Gettysburg Times, dont know if that has anything to do with the decline in quality and accuracy.

Fatty Ferret wrote:

gettysburger wrote:

I'm glad that the Tuna Crisis in Tokyo made the paper that day, I was starting to get worried about those fish half way across the world.

Hard hitting news.

I was wondering when the times would cover this

Last edited by jaimason (03-15-2010 16:02:51)

I e-mailed John Messeder yesterday regarding the article and he responded to me today.  He said that the omission was accidental and indicated in the message to me that he plans a future interview with Jeremy.  I hope he follow through.

I am distraught about the Tuna Crisis in Tokyo and all I can say is "Blue fins - swim faster - they want you baaaaaaaaad."

UN-BE-LIEVABLE! I put the line in my letter to the editor about betting the Times wouldn't print it and they in fact printed it. How funny. My clever ruse worked.