Livin' La Vida Local

John Q. Public January 14, 2012 at 01:18 am

Any fair minded person will tell you how the Peekskill Democrats have systematically destroyed the City's finances for narrow political purposes and destroyed the notion of community in Peekskill. Bruce Apar and the NCN sat silently by and reported none of it. The title of the piece should be edited to Es loco en de la cabeza.

Liz Claire January 14, 2012 at 11:40 pm

You can chart the destruction of the NCN from the day they published an editorial saying "Go Mary Go" during a political election season, voicing their glowing partisanship support for the worst Mayor in Peekskill's history, who has raised the City's debt exponentially and squandered the City's fund balance. The NCN spent the next 4 years cheering the decimation of Peekskill's middle class by elite Democrats. No wonder everyone abandoned them. Shortly before Mr. Apar was hired, the editorial board of the NCN sided with the youth of Peekskill, and called for reform in the school district. Mr. Apar changed the editorial stance of the paper, and now, under Andrew Cuomo's Administration, NYS Democrats have outed the left in Peekskill (including the likes of Apar) as having destroyed the school system and hurt the kids of Peekskill. Bruce Apar and the NCN played a big role in this betrayal of our youth, and it should not be forgotten.

Bruce Apar January 15, 2012 at 08:40 pm

Can you produce any shred of evidence to back up an irresponsible, unfounded statement like "betrayal of our youth" made against someone whose community charity in memory of our son -- Harrison Apar Field of Dreams Foundation -- has raised a substantial sum of money the past eight years specifically to benefit the youth of our communities. I volunteer my time for any number of youth organizations. I trust you do too.

Chris Clement January 15, 2012 at 09:52 pm

These forums are for mostly personal OPINIONS. What Liz Claire wrote is her opinion, apparently because she's read things in NCN. For someone to accuse her of of an "irresponsible" and unfounded statement is, in my opinion, a personal attack and in violation of the terms of service.
And just because one person volunteers their time, and raises money for a youth charity in their deceased son's name, doesn't mean everyone else has to do the same. Maybe Liz does do volunteer work; maybe she doesn't. Either way, it's no one's business. I don't understand why the former publisher of the former NCN is always so antagonistic to people who have a personal opinion or do not agree with him. Enough with the arrogance. Play nice-nice.

John Q. Public January 15, 2012 at 11:26 pm

Mr Apar as publisher of the NCN has been presented with every tax increase by the Peekskill School Board for at least the last 8 years. Each year he never offered constructive criticism but instead supported throwing money at a very real problem paying administrators instead of supporting kids. Peekskill School taxes have more than doubled during Mr Apar's tenure as "publisher" of the NCN. If he read the latest report on Peekskill Schools by the state, he'd eat his words. Apar seems to fail to understand many people spend lots of money helping kids without turning it into an ego enterprise. Is Mr Apar familiar with the concept of Christian humility?

Liz Claire January 15, 2012 at 11:44 pm

JQP -- Maybe Mr Apar isn't Christian. It's his right under the law. Don't you know the "C" word is bad now? All media outlets won't touch the word. You are absolutely right to draw attention to the NCN's utter failure to report the problem with Peekskill schools. I think that's why the paper failed - they have been presented with great story lines, stories that would help the public, and their publisher sat on his hands and refused to report. The market has done what no one else would do -- put an end to the madness of bad leadership at the NCN.

peekskillman January 16, 2012 at 01:27 am

in fairness to Mr. Apar et al reporters, is/was this information spoken about publicly at any of the school board meetings? Peekskill has a way of keeping things hush-hush,lest the already bad perception of the district become more prominent. And tsk-tsk to the previous school board members under Judith Johnson who went along with every word she said. We are all paying the price now of her alleged abilities to lead. Like sheep to the slaughter, they followe her every word, and now the students and the taxpayers are again paying the price. Terrible for all!

Yorktown Tattler January 28, 2012 at 01:36 am

There were many, many reasons for the death knoll of the North County News, not just Bruce Apar's selective non-reporting The paper had outlived its focus and usefulness and the final kick in the pants was its hybridization with The Pennysaver. Whose lame brained idea was that? The genius who writes ROI?