THE SAD SAGA OF JOY VESTAL

     Once upon a time there was a woman who claimed she had worked in journalism. Thus, she said, or claimed, she was an excellent choice to be the next editor of The Reporter, a purportedly non-partisan paper belonging to the people of Century Village West Palm Beach.
     For a while things went well. Then Joy fell victim to a disease prevalent in the halls of UCO and The Reporter here in the Village. It is the disease of hypocrisy, of lying through one's teeth, of taking non editorial positions in the paper and blatantly violating the stated policy of presenting both sides of an issue, of writing the truth.
     Slowly, slowly, via attrition, uncomfortable working atmosphere and plain firing, the staff of the paper began to change. Lo and behold, it seemed that the more you favored the Grand Poohbah, the more likely you were to be asked to volunteer and stay on at the paper.
     Things went from bad to worse at the paper. Joy Vestal apparently had issues of memory, or retention of the principles of journalism, for the Reporter became a blatant publicity rag for the Grand Poohbah and any issue he favored, or opposed. It took on his coloration in discussing people who opposed him. The honest people of the Village began to despair.
     Then things went downhill at an accelerating pace. There was an election for UCO, which included one for the seat of the president. The paper took a clear and biased position of support for the Poohbah and refused to publish anything that would benefit the opponent (in the interest of full disclosure, that was me), even going so far as taking the money for a full page ad and then refusing it, stating that only via censoring the article, an open letter to David Israel on the display of anti-Semitism  and rabble rousing that he had instigated, only then, would the ad be placed.
     Still sliding downhill, Joy Vestal ran for the office of VP WITHOUT resigning from position of editor or co-editor of the paper, but mind you, the co-editor does ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING that he is told to do by Joy. The paper became a blatant rag and this supposed self proclaimed journalist lost all pretense of being a journalist and simply became a lobbyist, a publicist for herself and the Poohbah and all of his slate.
     Strange people were given positions of authority at the paper. Anitra, a renter, was given extraordinary access to the paper, controlling articles and writing so many that the paper should have had her name on the masthead! Blatant know nothings about journalism were appointed and accepted to the paper while skilled veterans were let go or forced out.
    Then the worst offense of all. The VP retained her position as co-editor of the paper. That is the equivalent of Joe Biden, VP of the USA, becoming the editorial editor of The Washington Post and claiming it to be and remain an impartial source of reporting and analysis of the news. HA!
Worse was yet to come as Joy Vestal then cemented her authority and control over all media outlets in the Village by taking over Channel 63, bringing it into the same room at Camden, and via the machinations of her and the treacherous Ed Black, all fair access to the media were shut down as tight and as surely as Eva had shut down WPRF facilities.
     More people quit the paper and were replaced by yesmen. Even people supposedly friendly to their thinking left due to the strangled atmosphere and then we had the ultimate - the firing of Marilyn Pomerantz, one of the nicest and most caring people in the Village, a hard worker for the paper, often working late into the night for it. But this was too much latent professionalism for Joy Vestal and off with the head! she proclaimed and threw Marilyn out the door and under the bus.
     This is the sad saga of Joy Vestal, once, possibly, a journalist and now only a shill for the powers that be, for those desperately trying to hang on to their reins of power as they spend and destroy the Village. No one else is allowed to contribute, not me, not Stew, not anyone who disagrees with her and SHE HAS OPENLY STATED THIS POLICY.  Time for her to go even as she now blatantly signs her articles  as Joy Vestal, VP and Co-editor. The colossal nerve and gall is amazing.
     Time for that whole crew to go - David Israel, Ed Black, Bob Marshall, Joy Vestal, Fausto Fabio, Pat Sealander, Lanny Howe, Don Foster, Peter Cruz, Phyllis Siegelman, Marilyn Gorodetzer, etc., etc., etc. These are members of UCO or worse, hanger ons, loitering in UCO, writing as the only ones allowed to on either the other blog or the paper and basically just destroying us.
     What to do? Vote down the budget. Vote it NO with a resounding voice as you are called up to the mic to state your decision on the issue. Do not fall for the garbage that is spewed from the paper and this most recent issue, the February one was awful (see an earlier posting about that ).
     Run for office and oppose from within. Nominate and second people with the strength to oppose these people, who can take the garbage that will be thrown at them, that already is. Vote for these people in March and insist on an honest election with the sticky fingers of Ed Black kept away, an election with no trickery. Have the courage and strength of character to stand up to Fascism right here in the Village even as it gets worse and worse. This is America. Remember that. Honor that.