Nice job folks. Thanks for the chatter.

Touching on some points:

TUG: Right on ... That's the track we're on.

OMG: Check your glasses. There must be muck on them that is allowing you to see more bad than good. We do make sure the most important of the bad news gets on the front page. My point is to make sure the positive news gets there as well.

ERPLANE: I think the good news at Lordstown of late has had ample, ample space on A1. The Vindicator has been the leading media in the Valley in reporting the successful news surrounding Lordstown, Cobalt, the new car and the new shift. Jim Graham seems to want folks to think otherwise, so I hear, but the proof is on our A1. I'll put it up against any other media.

Cbar: Cheers as always.

MAGGIE: Measure a group in many ways; not just one. There is a role and a voice on The Vindy editorial page. But there are many roles and voices throughout The Vindy organization. We find the Youngstown stories, too. I have to believe you saw our salute to the Fellows Garden marking 50 years, or the "Joy of Youth" package last Saturday touting the wonderful program at United Methodist Community Center -- both pretty decent options to knitting in Boardman.

LUCY: Boosterism certainly isn't our job. But offering a complete view of our region is. I think it's as important to get excited about GM, Pavlik and high school graduations as we would homicides and deadbeats. If you hear anyone tag that good news coverage as "boosterism," then paint me guilty. To get excited about bad news and not get excited about good news is, well, bad news, at least in my book.

PHIL: We're on it. Maybe this fall; definitely with the new press.

The good thing in all of this is that there is debate and passion for downtown.

That we disagree how to go about reprimanding Frangos is better than not caring at all. We do agree that a reprimand is necessary.

What I would suggest though, is as this energy and passion grows for downtown, keep any future disagreements focused on the source. I'm still a bit in disbelief that a substandard move by a downtown developer turned into a target on The Vindy's back and a clockwatch of sorts.

Sure we could have written an editorial sooner. I don't think we were late with it, either. We had one schedule. A blogger had another and wrote and wrote about it.

It wasn't like we as a company ignored the Stambaugh Massacre. We had three swipes at news stories over the course of 5 days. There's more coverage on Saturday.

Yet we were looked at with derision, like we were partners with Frangos' actions. Should every institutional powerhouse be taken to task for one guy's mistake? The city? Police? Downtown business folks? Heck -- let's blame the corporate bosses at BW3 because their staff knew the bad that Frangos was doing.

We screw up enough on our own. Nail us for it when it happens.

But let's not beat up anybody for one man's poor decision.

Rather than respond directly here, check out my reply in the comment area on my blog.

Folks:

I am much obliged for the props to the blog and the need for The Vindicator's voice.

But Tyler, please stop counting days. A.) Our opinion will be Sunday. B.) There are more vital civic needs besides counting us, such as counting Frangos' other windows in other buildings.

I think part of being the responsible voice you are clamoring for us to be is to do it with the right voice and proper understanding of the entire issue. I think that's what sometimes makes Bloggermania look like Wrestlemania. Too many concerned and well-intended folks (myself included on some items) start typing away into cyberville with too much passion and not enough proof to justify what they say.

For example: Tyler's leap from our lack of an editorial to my boss' role in CIC. I might as well wonder if Tyler Clark had as role in O.J. Simpson being free, because "You know, the last name of that prosecutor was Clark, and one never knows the relations there."

I am comfy that the folks in our editorial page tower will wax wonderfully on Sunday – waxing that will be balanced by time, depth, careful measuring of words and ultimately passion for a downtown that gets better by the week.

Tugboat -- do you complain about your Christmas gifts, too? As to why we're just reporting it now: The raises were signed off in August. Trust me -- there was no huge press release on this, which means discovery and awareness takes time. We got word in October or so. We started picking away at it. As indicated in my blog -- the story took many twists as we tried to understand the raises. There's no scandal with our reporting, only caution. I think it's responsible to deliver such news with proper context and clarity. That's what you'll see Sunday.

CB: It is not open to the public ... but hang tight: Events regarding the Clintons, Obama and the Dems are flying over the phone lines. Part of the chatter: Ted Kennedy will be here this weekend; Bill and Hillary will be back next week ... We'll keep you posted. Wtach NewsWatch; watch my blog; watch Skolnick's blog ...