So much has transpired since we last met; yet, as we’ve In my previous column, three weeks ago, I recalled Fulton Street’s • • •
On Wednesday, July 23, as we were putting the finishing touches on The Our editor, Neil Sloane, and reporter Patrick Gallahue went into overdrive Over the next week, we covered all aspects of the Davis tragedy, including • • •
The breaking Davis story forced us to delay by one week publication of A community newspaper is part cheerleader and part conscience. Above all, We don’t relish publishing news that might embarrass individuals Over the years, most of our communities’ icons — politicians, • • •
After the Christmas Eve disturbances finally made the papers, as the federally On the day of the Fulton Mall’s grand opening, our paper included I carried a stack of Brooklyn Papers among the celebrants on Fulton, approaching She opened a Paper to Citibank’s ad. “You see this ad?” It was years before we did.
come to expect despite the fearful disillusionment imparted by 9-11, the
world still turns.
mini-riots of the late 1970s. My assertion that these disturbances (part
economic revolt, park hooliganism, part block party) took place under
the watchful, unhindering eye of local police, generated an incredulous
response from some readers. My promised follow-up, along with more on
the demise of A&S, must wait, however. This week, current reality
trumps historic truths.
Brooklyn Papers that would be distributed the next day, gunfire erupted
inside City Hall. When the dust settled, James Davis, one of our city
councilmen and a unique advocate for his constituents, was dead, slain
by a delusional, impatient rival.
and, together with our production staff, emerged at 4:30 Thursday morning,
having remade The Papers, which were printed and distributed by noon.
the budding embarrassment of an aggrieved family seeking to replace the
councilman with a less-than-perfect sibling. Of brother Geoffrey’s
bid, we suspended judgement as we joined the Davis family and the entire
community in mourning our common loss.
a lengthy report by Deborah Kolben into the affairs of Bay Ridge attorneys
John Gangemi Sr., Frank Gangemi and Ursula Gangemi. This story, headlined
“Criminal Law;
Husband, former clients are set to sue the Gangemis,” ran last
week.
the newspaper must be a mirror of reality, of truth.
or organizations, whether they are “ordinary folk” or ostensible
community leaders. When a tough story must run, we work overtime to be
fair and to give all parties a voice.
business people, educators and arts and civic leaders — have
recognized The Papers’ role. There were, however, a number of memorable
contrary instances. Which leads me, briefly, back to Fulton Street.
funded “malling” of Fulton Street was underway, police ultimately
capped the riots. The new outdoor Fulton Mall would be joined in quick
succession by the indoor Albee Square Mall. We greeted both projects with
boosterism tempered by a skeptical eye.
an article that raised questions about the Albee project and its developer.
It also featured an illustrated police blotter headlined, “Woman
raped on Dime bank steps.” The Dime Savings Bank was Albee’s
neighbor.
a group that included a Citibank official who, it developed, had already
seen The Paper and was evidently not pleased with our Albee reports.
she said. “You’ll never see another.”