Letter that appeared in The Keene Sentinel on May 24, 2004. This is the second letter to The Sentinel on the Casa issue at the Reformer:
"The Sentinel should fill the gap in Brattleboro
To the Sentinel:
I appreciated The Sentinel article on April 20 detailing the abrupt firing of Kate Casa as editor of the Brattleboro Reformer.
For residents in Windham County, that coverage was the only news we were able to receive about this very significant event, since the Reformer itself has suppressed any news of it to its own readers, and it has not allowed publication of even one of the many letters to the editor that have been submitted in response to this important issue.
I am dismayed, however, that The Sentinel has chosen not to cover the follow-up to this action, characterizing the dismissal as an 'internal personnel issue.'
It is more than a mere business issue. In fact, there have been widespread vocal expressions of outrage at what indeed was an affront and insult to our community. A letter of concern was signed by more than 350 local residents, including many prominent legislators, business-people, and civic leaders. That letter is still circulating and the list of signers is growing daily.
It, along with a cover letter explaining the wider ramifications of remote corporate ownership summarily deciding the fate of a vibrant community's relationship with its newspaper, was delivered to the new Reformer management by 40 of its signers. It was also sent to newspapers in our region and to media watch-dog groups across the nation.
In the aftermath of Casa's abrupt dismissal, 150 community residents, including state representatives and town officials, gathered to pay tribute to Casa, to protest the dismissal, and to express concern over our loss of journalistic excellence.
Whether one agreed with Casa's views or not, she was undeniably professional in giving our community a diverse range of perspective and a valuable voice in dialogue. That now has been taken away, on corporate whim, without any explanation.
Many efforts are ongoing to redress the injustice. Because we can not rely upon the Reformer to provide our town with information about this concern, I urge The Sentinel to fill in the gap and continue its coverage of this and other critical Windham County issues. We're depending on you.
Barry Aleshnick
Melendy Hill Road,
Guilford, Vt.