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Politics and the Saratoga Race Course
Yesterday morning, my day started off with a displeased voicemail from a reader who did not think that we should have run a brief article announcing Joanne Yepsen's formal campaign kick off. The story ran on the lower right side of Wednesday's front page, and this called, who is a noted member of our community, felt that on the opening day of track, we had no business putting news about the County Supervisor race on the front page.
As the caller pointed out, the race is not contested, as Yepsen and Matthew Veitch are the only two running for the two available seats. The caller went on to accuse Yepsen of grubbing the spotlight, and trying to grab every one's attention on the first day of the track.
The caller said that he was calling me because he assumed I'd written the story (which ran without a byline). In fact, I did not write the story, but I will respond to his complaints anyway.
We have run announcements of all other races that I have thus-far held announcements, and we have put them on the front page whenever possible. The decision to put Yepsen on the cover was a move made to be consistent. As far as her announcement's coinciding with opening day, that was a shrewd move on Yepsen's part, but certainly a race for representative office is at least as important as a bunch of gambling over at the track.
The world doesn't stop when the track opens, and we certainly can't be expected to ignore an important race just because there happens to be another news story happening at the same time.
For the record, I'd like readers to know that for the remainder of the summer and fall, I will be covering the race for Mayor, Commissioner of Public Safely, Commissioner of Finance, and Commissioner of Public Works. I will also cover the race for Commissioner of Accounts, although John Franck is running unopposed in that one.
County reporter Emily Donohue (583-8729 x213) will be covering county races-wide races, including the Saratoga Springs Supervisor, District Attorney and Sheriff.
Please make sure you are directing your complaints to the correct reporter.
As the caller pointed out, the race is not contested, as Yepsen and Matthew Veitch are the only two running for the two available seats. The caller went on to accuse Yepsen of grubbing the spotlight, and trying to grab every one's attention on the first day of the track.
The caller said that he was calling me because he assumed I'd written the story (which ran without a byline). In fact, I did not write the story, but I will respond to his complaints anyway.
We have run announcements of all other races that I have thus-far held announcements, and we have put them on the front page whenever possible. The decision to put Yepsen on the cover was a move made to be consistent. As far as her announcement's coinciding with opening day, that was a shrewd move on Yepsen's part, but certainly a race for representative office is at least as important as a bunch of gambling over at the track.
The world doesn't stop when the track opens, and we certainly can't be expected to ignore an important race just because there happens to be another news story happening at the same time.
For the record, I'd like readers to know that for the remainder of the summer and fall, I will be covering the race for Mayor, Commissioner of Public Safely, Commissioner of Finance, and Commissioner of Public Works. I will also cover the race for Commissioner of Accounts, although John Franck is running unopposed in that one.
County reporter Emily Donohue (583-8729 x213) will be covering county races-wide races, including the Saratoga Springs Supervisor, District Attorney and Sheriff.
Please make sure you are directing your complaints to the correct reporter.
posted by The Saratogian City Desk at
3:01 PM
1 Comments:
I don't see why your caller thought Joanne Yepsen was stealing the spotlight from the race track. I think she always holds a fundraiser/event on opening day. Plus, her timing may actually have generated less press attention for her announcement, since some reporters (like me) were so focused on the track that we didn't have time to attend or write about her announcement.
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