August 7, 2007. Kevin Canessa, the Editor of the Observer, lamented last week in his blog that KearnyOnTheWeb has taken "another step into the abyss". KOTW can assure our members and guests that we have no intention of going "into the abyss". Our goal is actually the exact opposite.

Canessa is upset because KOTW pointed out that the Observer failed to publish a story on William "Billy" Tanski’s plea to stealing more than $100,000 in quarters from the Town of Harrison’s parking meters. In addition, that one of KOTW’s anonymous guests stated in our Discussion Board that the publisher of the Observer was "illiterate".(My Brain Hurts, Lisa Pezzolla's Rambings

Canessa’s critique of KOTW has some basis. KOTW did misspell William "Billy" Tanski’s name incorrectly (i.e. Tansky instead of Tanski). KOTW also allowed a fairly harsh comment about the publisher of the Observer through its moderator review process.

KOTW takes solace in the fact that Canessa tempered his critique of KOTW by saying "Usually, when something untrue is posted, it’s stripped from the board or edited. Not this time." The harsh comment about the publisher of the Observer was on its face untrue and therefore did not need to be edited. The Observer’s Publisher, Lisa Pezzolla, is obviously not "illiterate". The comment was (we think) trying to make the point that Pezzolla tends to ramble on in her commentary pieces published in the Observer. The post made that point all be it in an "over the top" manner. Nobody reading the post would take the comment literally. Obviously, Lisa Pezzolla can read and write. The Discussion Board poster simply was trying to dramatically make his/her point: her commentary tends to ramble on (now, KOTW is rambling on).

It is KOTW’s policy to foster open discussion of issues affecting our community. Last year, KOTW allowed an open discussion of the LaClair/ Paszkiewicz controversy. For a long time, the anti-Mathew LaClair posts outnumbered the pro-Matthew LaClair posts. Some of the posts were highly critical of Matthew LaClair’s motives and the manner in which he had brought the matter to the attention of the Kearny school’s administration.

After the publication of a New York Times article about the controversy, the tide turned and pro-LaClair supporters overwhelmed the anti posters. It is KOTW’s belief that in part the New York Times decided to run the LaClair story because of the intensity of the anti-Matthew LaClair comments expressed on KOTW. The New York Time’s editorial board was no doubt amazed at the intensity of the anti-Matthew LaClair comments on KOTW. KOTW’s policy to foster open discussions was instrumental in bringing the LaClair/Paszkiewicz matter to a head. KOTW does not intend to change its Discussion Board policy.

Turning to the failure of the Observer to publish a story on the Tanski plea, Canessa’s explanation for not running the story is," Had we known about the plea, we most certainly would have covered it. But we only learned of the deal three weeks after it happened. By then, it was old news." The Observer, the oldest newspaper in West Hudson, has an obligation to its readers to cover the news. Tanski’s plea to taking $100,000 in quarters while he headed Harrison’s Department of Public Works is news. A story about the stealing of the public’s money is never old news. The Observer’s staff should have never missed the Tanski story. Although it appears that the Hudson County Prosecutor’s office did not issue a press release, the Jersey Journal and its local paper the Kearny Journal published a story on the Tanski plea. It is hard to believe that nobody at the Observer reads the Jersey Journal or the Kearny Journal or that the Observer does not have its own sources to bring us relevant local news.

The Observer will have an opportunity to redeem itself when Tanski is sentenced. The Observer can cover both the plea, the sentence and the human story surrounding the plea. Some have suggested that Tanski did not act alone and there is some credibility to those rumors. For example, how does one person cart and cash $100,000 in quarters without raising any suspicions from co-workers and/or the administration. A $100,000 in quarters weighs over 1 ton. An Observer reporter in anticipation of the sentencing could prepare a story about William "Billy" Tanski. Tanski, a long time employee of the Town of Harrison, was apparently well liked by the Department of Public Works employees and town residents alike. Tanski was also a close friend of Mayor Raymond McDonough. How does the Mayor feel about Tanski’s plea? Is the Mayor attempting to have the Town reimbursed for the money admittedly stolen by Tanski? The Harrison taxpayers deserve such a story. If the Observer is to continue its legacy its staff must make it its business to cover the news.

KOTW has a great deal of respect for what it takes to publish on a weekly basis a local newspaper. KOTW hopes that Lisa Pezzolla, Kevin Canessa and the rest of the Observer staff takes comments made on our discussion board and our pointing out that they missed the Tanski story as constructive criticism. We all have room for improvement. Although calling KOTW’s Discussion Board an "atrocious joke" is on par with Lisa Pezzolla being called "illiterate". But KOTW does pride itself in welcoming all opinions.

Kearny Avenue Bridge Open

July 20,2007.  The Kearny Avenue Bridge which has been closed for two weeks has reopened to the relief of business owners and residents.  Repairs on the bridge continue by the J. Fletcher Creamer Construction Company.