| Resident IP: 69.137.168.150 Oct 20, 06 - 2:52 AM | Media True Colors I read the article in Gant on the Borough Council meeting "Not For or Against lanfill in Boggs Township. When I read this article I found an underlying message, I'll admit I was also looking for the underlying message. One of my friends is a reporter for an area paper, was told that during another meeting, the supposed NEWS reporter from Gant, along with one other reporter from another local newspaper made a statement about NOT supporting issues that the Citizens Advocate people bring forward. This made me curious, I couldn't figure out why any local media person would make such statements, so I asked questions. Dumbfounded to learn that the person who started this Citizens Advocate use to be business partners with some of the people involved with Gant, then the story started getting good. From what I was able to pry out of my friend, this person who started this site, was going to be "blackballed" by other local media..why do people do such things? I'd say it's because they are afraid that someone else is reporting more of the truth, and from conviction rather than "What Sells" Anyway, now I know NOT to trust what Gant, The Progress, and other local media say, I'll learn more from talking to others and getting truthful first hand knowledge!  |
| Not surprised IP: 204.11.87.45 Oct 20th, 2006 - 11:23 AM |  Re: Media True Colors This has been noticed in the past. Look to see what Gant and the Progress report, and then take a look at the Dubois paper --- they usually are all at the same meetings, why are they so different ? There has been a change in how I feel. Now that I know that the Mayor will not talk to the media, the council will only make vague statements, I believe that something is being covered up. For instance, an officer gets fired from Clearfield Borough. The progress and Gant simply write that story. Now, the Dubois paper prints what they know, and the CIA asks questions ! Questions that go unanswered to boot ! Easy questions - why fire an officer; support or do not support the land fill; what is being done about the drug problems; Tight lips from all, no statement from the mayor; I do not feel good about Clearfield. |
| B. Smith IP: 4.91.132.14 Oct 20th, 2006 - 12:20 PM |  Re: Media True Colors It is also interesting that The Progress usually has a blank space where the Clearfield Borough Police report is supposed to be. We all know that the police in this town are streched thin. They have to file reports on everything they do. Why is the Progress not printing the information? Are they too lazy or have they been asked to spread less of the bad news on the doorstep? |
Samuel Anthony Ettaro   IP: 72.72.234.10 Oct 20th, 2006 - 3:48 PM | THE OTHER PAPERS--Re: Media True Colors Okay, this is starting to get a bit more than interesting. I went to the Courier and the Progress today to find their reports on Council's meeting last night and found there as well that my presentation to Council was completely omitted from the story. In the Courier and the Progress there was mention of the Summit time, date and venue, but no mention of CIA or how people can get more information and no mention of my address to council on this topic or the Sunflower Capitol Campaign which was presented. I've addressed this directly to each media source and will let you know what response comes back if any. Samuel |
| Samuel Anthony Ettaro IP: 72.72.234.10 Oct 20th, 2006 - 7:25 PM |  MY NOTE TO GANT---Re: Media True Colors Email sent to editor today: Hello Dawn, I just read your coverage of the Borough Council Meeting last night and I have a question for you. In your article, as well as The Courier and The Progress, the speakers that I organized to come to the meeting and address council on the endorsement of our November 9th Landifill Summit were mentioned by name, all of them in your article, two of them in the Progress article, the others were all mentioned in the Courier. I was not mentioned at all, although the agenda item was in fact booked by me and I presented on this summit as well and am organizing the entire summit in fact. Likewise, the Summit itself was mentioned in the article, but more information direction was not given (website, contact info). Were these omissions intentional on your part or an honest oversight or due to some policy that I am not aware of? Personally, I don't care about getting in the paper as this is not my goal and could care less about that aspect of it. What I'm trying to discern is why in all three media reports I was left out completely, and only one source mentioned the Citizen's Advocate (yours) and NO source offered their readers contact information to find out more information thereby withholding from the citizens of the area vital information that they need to educate themselves on a most serious topic. This has struck me and others as a serious concern. And finally, will there be a story forthcoming on the summit itself which is a landmark event? Samuel Anthony Ettaro www.citizensadvocate.net 814-553-9372 |
| Samuel Anthony Ettaro IP: 72.72.213.178 Oct 21st, 2006 - 7:03 AM | LETTER TO MEDIA-- Re: Media True Colors Good Morning Local Press, I am writing to directly address concerns over recent press mentions of the November 9th Clearfield County Landfill Educational Summit "Whose Land is it Anyway?". This letter will point out our concerns regarding how this event has been presented in local media outlets, address some common misconceptions about the event and suggested story angles for you for coming pre-event coverage. Our concerns with recent coverage lie with what we feel is a misrepresentation of what the event is, its significance to our region and an apparent blackout of the Citizen's Advocate's contact information so people can find out more and learn more about this topic via our free resources. I won't make any secret that I personally believe that in some cases this may be intentional, in other cases, it may well be oversight due to the whole picture not being seen. We're all busy and we know that you folks get tons of information that you must juggle every day. Whatever the case is, this letter is an effort to clear up the situation and make certain that the citizens of Clearfield County receive proper and complete information on this landmark educational effort. My hope is that the below points should help clear this problem up in future coverage. IT'S A BIG BOGGS TOWNSHIP MEETING: This is not the case. The event is a product of a cooperative effort between many people from all corners of Clearfield County. The genesis of the event came from the Citizen's Advocate's coverage of recent Boggs Township meetings and our desire to use our voice to help raise awareness of the broader issues. In subsequent meetings between myself, Samuel Ettaro, County Commissioner, Mark McCracken, local engineer Rich Hughes, local activist Marv Smith and Boggs Activists Darryl Lashinski and Paula Norris they had expressed the need to take the fight to a bigger arena and that we needed to put together an educational summit that had the goal of educating the broader region, the citizens and the leaders, as to the dire situation that we all face here in Clearfield County should these landfill projects go though. They all asked if I would be willing to put it together as I've years of experience in organizing and promoting large scale public events and have a free-speech activist forum on the web that could be used to promote and advance this cause. Our Citizen's Advocate group is the organizer and promoter. The focus is on ALL of the proposed landfill projects for our region and the issues that will come with them. The purpose is education. The intent is to educate the people and inspire them to resist this sort of development based on solid facts and to look at this as a County-Wide problem that will have County-Wide effects on our quality of life and environment. It is not a Boggs meeting nor is the only topic of discussion specifically the Boggs project. This statement is not made to minimize or degrade the Boggs group or their situation. It is being made as a point of fact that this event is a COUNTY-WIDE EFFORT. It is crucial to represent it as such, for that what it is. By painting it as a Boggs event, we are risking that people will not attend or take interest because they may see it as an issue that isn't going to affect them and localized to Boggs Township. CI.A. is a non-commercial entity and we take no funds for any of our work. All work is volunteer. The hall was arranged by volunteer Marv Smith and paid for by the Boggs Township folks. All other speaking, support, promotion and educational efforts have been rendered pro bono. YOU HAVE A POLITICAL AGENDA: While none of the figures instrumental in putting this event together will deny that we all would like to see more regional political figures stand firm against such development, THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL RALLY. It is vital that we do not paint is as such as this will marginalize the event and may well keep people away and stifle support. The fact that our keynote speakers are indeed politicians does not indicate support or endorsement of those figures, nor their party. This event is entirely non-partisan in spirit, focus and format. Everyone presenting that evening and all of our supporters and organizers are coming together for one reason only; to promote education and community unity in standing against gratuitous landfill development in our beautiful Clearfield County. This is a social and economic issue, not a political one at this point. All parties, groups, individuals and businesses have a stake in what will happen to Clearfield County should this development go through and Representatives Surra and George are there, as are our other speakers, to wake people up to this fact, not to promote their political careers. The timing of this event being around election day is strictly coincidence and a matter of necessity that we get the word out as soon as was possible before the DEP launches its next round of |
| Samuel Anthony Ettaro IP: 72.72.213.178 Oct 21st, 2006 - 7:04 AM | LETTER TO MEDIA PART II----Re: Media True Colors PREVIOUS POST REACHED MAX LIMIT---CONTINUE HERE.... meetings on this subject. The fact that we have organized the event and have a thriving alternative "free-speech" citizen's journalism site should not be seen as a threat to local media if this is the reason why more information for contact info is not being offered. We are an activist organization focused on educating the public on very important civic, environmental, and social issues. Our information is free to all, the forum is open to all, and we do not take advertising on our site and are not competing with the traditional press. Rather than withholding contact information regarding this landmark event and omitting key personalities in this effort from your coverage, we encourage local press to work with us in our efforts, be inclusive in your coverage, and work together with us to help promote one another. We can be allies in our efforts to make Clearfield a better place if we choose to be. WHO SHOULD WE INTERVIEW ABOUT THIS EVENT TO GET THE STORY STRAIGHT? The first thing you can do to get the complete picture is visit this website page, download the official flyer, read the associated articles and listen to the associated radio talk shows that feature interviews with many of the figures instrumental in this effort and indeed state-wide and national figures. http://www.citizensadvocate.net/clearfieldcountypa/features/landfillsummit.htm There are many people involved in this event. The direct primaries can offer many different viewpoints and opinions as to the importance of this landmark effort. Please contact the persons below if you wish to find out more on why they're coming and what their story is. Very Sincerely, Samuel Anthony Ettaro www.citizensadvocate.net Camille "Bud" George- PA State Representative and Key Speaker Dan Surra- PA State Representative and Key Speaker Samuel Anthony Ettaro- Organizer and Promoter 814-553-3972 814-236-3976 samuel@ettaro.com Darryl Lashinski- Concerned Citizens Fighting the Boggs Township Dump, President 814-329-4232 lashinsky@pennswoods.net Carl Michael- Chest Township Supervisor and Landfill Opponent Activist 814-591-4203 Mike Savage- Rush Township Add-2 Campaign Organizer and Rush/Snowshoe Landfill Activist 814-342-7590 mikesavage@isp.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Additional Sources of Information on This Topic: Clearfield County Commissioner Mark McCracken- Vocal Opponent to the Landfills and Supporter of Summit 814-765-2641 mmccracken@clearfieldco.org Richard Hughes- Vocal Opponent to the Landfills, Supporter of Summit, Well-informed Engineer wanting to educate the public 814-765-8691 rhughes@hughesengineering.net |
| Samuel Anthony Ettaro IP: 71.162.45.193 Oct 22nd, 2006 - 10:52 AM | Not just the Media--- More on the Borough Council Meeting Re: Media True Colors To clarify some things and issue some questions: 1.) October 9th I wrote the following email in order to get CI.A. on the agenda of the October 12th Borough Council Meeting in order to present two items. This email was sent to Council Secrety Pam Peters and cc'd to Mike Errigo, Commissioner Mark McCracken and othes in the County with whom I have been discussing these plans, as well as CI.A's Dennis Biancuzzo: Good Day Pam, I am writing to ask to be put on the agenda for the October 12th Borough Council meeting to present two items. 1.) INFO ON THE Landfill Educational Summit and asking of the Council and the Mayor's office to issue their "official endorsement" for this event so we can add it to our PR materials. (see attached) 2.) INFO ON a "theme-based" tourism plan that I am working to develop with folks at a county-level. I would like to ask the Borough Council to "buy in" on this concept, seeing as Clearfield is the county seat it's a natural to start the overall campaign on the streets of Clearfield. (see attached) These items should not take very long at all. There is no presentation, just a few sheets of paper and a brief talk that I'll give to explain the plans. Thanks, Samuel Anthony Ettaro Producer - Director - Educator www.ettaro.com www.citizensadvocate.net www.keystonextra.com www.futuresfastforward.com 814- 553-9372 2.) I never received a reply. (NOTE: to be fair, the email address I had for Mike Errigo at that point was old and I learned down the road he did not receive this.) 3.) End of day on the 10th, Dennis Biancuzzo followed up on my behalf. > Pam, > > Sam contacted me with concern that he would not be placed on the Council > Agenda, Could you please verify that he will be added to the Agenda. > > The Sunflower Campaign is one that has been presented to the County via > Commissioner McCracken and he is impressed with the idea of the event. > Additionally, I have not forgotten about you and the website. I just got > home from Bloomington-Normal IL yesterday and will get you in my schedule > as quickly as possible > > > Peace and Respect, > Dennis Biancuzzo > www.paunity.bravehost.com > www.citizensadvocate.net > 717-234-1545 He sent this email to the same people I did AND cc'd it to Mayor Patty Gilliland. 4.) Dennis never received a reply. 5.) We let this go for that week. 6.) I pressed the issue with Councilman Mike Errigo (I'll put an external link to this email later as it was lengthy...The email contained my concerns, as well as detailed info on the two agenda items and attached PDF flyers sent to all people in this loop. 7.) Mike promised to bring it up to Pam and get the Agenda item added and he did so. On October 18th: >Sam, > No problem on the agenda, just show up and sign in. > > Mike 8.) I showed up. The agenda included a New Business line which stated "Boggs Landfill Statement". While Boggs was part of my agenda item, the actual item that ALL parties received and were well aware of was the Landfill Summit and my seeking of the Council's endorsement. 9.) Marv Smith also happened to come on his own to the meeting and spoke first and addressed the summit. 10.) Jim Lietzinger noted all of the other people there on this subject that came at my request and asked "do you have a group representative". I said, "that's me", went to the podium and presented to council on the summit as well as the sunflower campaign and another brief note about CIA. 11.) The other speakers followed on behalf of the summit. 12.) The papers and gant then noted in their coverage about the summit to some point, but made the issue Boggs in their take. (see all the info above) 13.) The agenda items that I requested to be added to the Borough Council meeting was not done as asked. I believe whoever is responsible for typing the agenda would be responsible for this error. Likewise, the following press coverage was limited, not inclusive, completely ommitted my name and presentation to the council on the Sunflower Campaign and, did not offer any more information on the Summit. These are the facts and I have the record to back them up. 14.) Commissioner Mark McCracken noted the Gant article the next day and asked if I was even at the meeting. I'm sure others wondered too. Some questions need answered on this situation. If reality can be so skewed and important information be omitted from the public record, what other information and personalities are you being denied by your Council and local press? Sincerely, Samuel Anthony Ettaro |
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