News-Record.com

"At least Johnson and the council have been put out of their misery."

Man, I hope if my misery is ever funded at the rate of 179k a year, nobody puts me out of it.

And I think you missed a detail of the story--Johnson won't remain "on the job" (that is, his job), but will be reassigned to some makework job before getting a 90k severance package this summer.

AJ: "raised allegations of racism".
Did you ever wonder why, after so many years on the job, that "allegations of racism" were suddenly raised about a man who had never had "allegations of racism" raised before? Who promoted such allegations?

I'd like to see Roger Cotten fill the spot, if he'd consider taking it.

Mitch Johnson should have been gone a long time ago. Diane Bellamy Small should also be history. They both believe they cant be run out of town on a rail. The things these two did to Chief Wray is beyond description.

Let him go and then get her the hell out of there too. She is there to serve herself and nothing more.

I sure dont know of anyone else who has been let go with such a salary. Are they paying him to keep his mouth shut??

"He forced the resignation of former Police Chief David Wray"

Does Lorraine Ahearn know this?

''raised allegations of racism on both sides"

Is that an admission that racism goes both ways? Another first for the N&R!

More great amusement and entertainment courtesy of the city council clowns (CCC) - I'm betting the next guy or gal is a member of the minority community but, in any event, more amusement and entertainment is sure to come as the CCC seeks Mitch's replacement -

At some point, you have to say enough is enough and FINALLY the City Council did. He has done nothing positive since being in the manager's position and that is unfortunate for Greensboro. But not only has he not had a positive impact he has cost the city untold thousands of dollars with the police department debacle.

Mitch is ditched!

Allen, you failed to mention that Johnson told the public that there was this illegitimate"black book" that was used by white Greensboro police officers to target black police officers, and this claim by Johnson stirred racial tensions in this City. Yet, when forced to defend his allegations in a lawsuit, Johnson admitted under penalty of perjury that he had no evidence of any illegitimate use of this "black book" and that it was nothing more than a standard photo array used for legitimate police work.

That alone would justify him being fired because he outright lied to the community and as a result the City faced numerous lawsuits.

I'm sure you would have considered Johnson's admission that he had no evidence of an improper use of the "black book" if you knew about it, but for some reason our local paper, the News and Record, has yet to report on this stunning admission even though they have known about it since September.

If you know anyone who works at that paper, maybe you can ask them why they haven't reported on this admission by Mitch Johnson. Surely, this might help the public understand in part why he may have been removed. It might not reinforce the story told by Lorraine Ahearn in bold headlines, but if the customer is the public, then they should be told the truth.

Not only has it been reported in the N&R, but you yourself are quoted in the story about how happy you were about Johnson's characterization of the book.

From the story "Judge: parts of RMA report on police must be released," which ran on the front page of the N&R's local section on 12/13/08:

The bloggers didn't get all the documents they sought. Most notably, they failed to get the "black book," a photo lineup containing black police officers.

The city argued that it was "purportedly compiled for the purpose of solving an alleged sexual assault," according to an affidavit signed by City Manager Mitchell Johnson , and therefore did not have to be released.

Spagnola said that statement from the manager, which he says contradicts earlier comments about the book , was the "biggest victory."

"That was the big deal with me," Spagnola said Friday. "I always thought that was sort of bogus."

Johnson has denied he contradicted himself. The statement was based on the information from the officer who compiled the lineup, he said, and the city has no other information that it was used in an improper way.

"All I can tell you is that we haven't been able to figure anything else out," Johnson said.

"It's all I can say. There is lots of other information I can't talk about."

Sam, the N&R is simply not interested in telling the truth.

The N&R knows a lot of things it has failed to report - about other liars in well-paid/prominent positions of public service (whose outiright lies to a community the N&R supposedly covers would justify them being fired). And they've known much longer than since September. But reporting those lies might rattle all the "cooperative relationships" and cliques that run our part of the world. We cannot have the rose-colored glasses cracked. The public must be kept clueless. They're easier to control that way.

I'm sick and tired of the "there's a whole lot of information we cannot talk about line" - from Mitch and from "reporters" like Ahearn. We're talking about the people's business. They're paying - and will continue to pay - for the (really bad) party.

So. Tell us what you know or cut the crap with the rumor and innuendo. People's lives have hung in the balance of a crooked scale for too long.

The firing was WAY overdue, Allen. I don't understand why a man essentially fired "for cause" walks away with a six-month severance package. Why wasn't Mitch locked out of his office?

I'd sure love the opportunity to "grow into" a job that paid me $180,000 a year. I'd actually love the opportunity to "grow into" ANY job. Either you're cut out for it, or not.

Being city manager is not an on the job training type of post. Being city manager does NOT permit poor communication....on ANY level.

To say that the council continued to fail to present clear performance goals is a bit of a cop out. If I'm not mistaken, the council charged Johnson last year with presenting them with a solid plan for how he planned to improve - and clearly, that debacle turns out to be another in the many failures of Mitchell Johnson.

Johnson didn't "walk into" the Wray controversy - he created it. He came in like a big dog and decided he was going to pee on Wray to mark his territory (so to speak), and although it took a while, the end justifies the means here.

I'm not even a little sad to see Johnson go. Maybe now the city can move past this nonsense.

One final remark - the council should now reinstate David Wray as the city's chief of police.

Mitch looks like he's smiling on the front page. He's got another yr of salery coming with a lot less headaches. You'd probably be smiling too.
After that, there's loads of towns out there looking for managers and they'll be coming out of the woodwork to sign him.

The tacit suport given this man by the N&R has been troubling. The city gov't is in chaos, it has been for two yrs. He's divided the council, divided the town, purged the entire command structure of the police dept. who were investigating complaints about officers who happened to be black- largely at the behest of the SBI, on charges of racism with no substantiation. He has made the city vulnerable to hundreds of thousands of dollars in potential liabilty costs EEOC etc., and still, STILL, as can be seen above in your column, you Allen, and your newspaper, are ambivalent and equivocal about him leaving.

Two weeks ago a delegation of local congressional leaders was to meet with the city council on the Haw River thing and only one council member showed up and gave contradictory info on the councils stance. The council said they were never informed of the mtg. which should have been the job of the mgr.

One wonders what this man would have to do before the N&R would want him gone. He would probably have to commit public pederasty at Market and Elm during luch hour.

Mitch had to go because race must be removed from local politics. It is misused and abused over and over again and must be eliminated. In the N&R eyes, once you stand up against racism, which is putatively and ostensibly (and has been shown falsely) what Mitch Johnson did, you are foreverafter annointed, sanctified, and vetted and can do no wrong.

It's got to be moved on.

Perhaps there's hope that the "Good ol' Boy Network" that has run Greensboro for so long is starting to lose its power. I can only hope that is the case.

So the council is at fault because it did not "manage the manager?"

You're kidding right? I mean, you're doing comedy here, right? You cannot be serious.

Mitch Johnson illegally locked a city employee, the chief of police, in point of fact, out of his office, forced him to retire, tried to deny his back pay and severance, and essentially slurred him as a racist whose sole intent was to racially profile fellow officers by means of a "black book."

Ahearn, Allen Johnson, the Mayor, and all of Mitch's defenders all said, all along "Just wait until the whole story comes out."

Guess what? It's out. It's played. The Sanders actquital proved what a charade this whole ordeal was and what a fraud Mitch Johnson is.

This is a classic case of addition by subtraction.

When will the N&R, esp. Ahearn, begin printing retractions?

"Was the ouster of Johnson the right thing to do?

Maybe. Maybe not."

Allen, you're a pussy.

"Not only has it been reported in the N&R, but you yourself are quoted in the story about how happy you were about Johnson's characterization of the book." -- Anonymous N&R Shill

You are wrong on the facts in your defense of mediocrity. The N&R presented a convoluted picture of the Johnson's admission on the black book by presenting it as one person's opinion (Sam Spagnola's) verses another's (Mitch Johnson) in a context that added confusion to Sam's observation and void of juxtaposition to Johnson's previous statements -- all two months after Johnson's admissions and as a footnote to a story on another matter.

The N&R has clearly not reported the former manager's admissions in any accurate or professionally defensible way. That Ms. Anonymous would attempt to defend their malpractice is more evidence of the astounding degree to which genteel mendacity have infested Greensboro.

Well me thinks its time for a Black City Manager

City Manager Mitch Johnson joined the Randleman Dam Scam in progress. Under his watch Greensboro had completed its eradication of an EPA award-winning Greensboro Water Conservation (WC) program.

Today with all the dam scammers' talk about water shortages Greensboro has no WC program, no WC staff and no WC budget. Yet the N&R continues to support the governer's promotion of WC as a best management practice. If the N&R thinks WC is such a good idea, why did it not call Greensboro on the carpet for deleting a successful WC effort?

Anybody following the Randleman Dam Scam story (www.damscam.blogspot.com) knows that WC became successful when it was expected to fail. It reduced water use (water sales). The Water Department was losing money and that put WC on the endangered species list. Lower water use also became a direct threat to the flimsy justification for the Randleman Dam.

City Manager Mitch Johnson never had to respond to any N&R reporter asking why under his watch Greensboro no longer has a WC program. Neither did any recent mayor. So why is the N&R giving the City a free ride on Water Conservation?

LOL LOL LOL David Wray has left Greensboro and the muck that is Greensboro well behind him and moved on. Now what is needed is a city manager who is trained for the position and not one who has wormed his way up thru the ranks.

It is a fact that the best leave government service for the private sector very early on in their careers leaving the mediocre and useless to make their way thru the ranks. This then becomes a cycle: the best have mediocrity supervising them and they get disgusted and leave, thus .....and another cycle begins.

As I stated above, City Management is now a degreed program and Greensboro should avail themselves of such a professional. An outsider with no ties and certainly no loyalties to any group. Of course the moneyed group of developers will wine and dine to lure any new person to their way of thinking, but with luck we just may get a person willing to work for Greensboro who has a modicum of intelligence. BB

The chickens are coming home to roost for Mitch Johnson in the form of hundreds of thousands of dollars in pending lawsuits resulting from his egregious witch hunt (gleefully aided by Lorraine Ahearn the N&R) directed at Chief Wray and the GPD command staff.
These lawsuits will be paid with the hard-earned dollars of Greensboro's taxpayers.
Greensboro's image has been severely tarnished in the last couple of years by Johnson's actions. In my opinion, Johnson is directly responsible for churning up instability in the business sector and driving a racial wedge between our citizens of different ethnicities.
Johnson's reign has been costly to the citizens of our fair city in more ways than one.
His time is past; good riddance.

Allen,

Based on his performance at the council meetings, Mitch Johnson did seem ineffective in that position. It didn't seem to matter under which mayor he served, he also seemed to stir controversy at every turn.

Mr. Johnson seemed incapable of admitting when he had made a mistake, whether it was in regard to overpaying on a contract, or accusatory remarks that are simply untrue, (and not just about David Wray)

As to the city never giving him clear directions. I have watched the city council spell out what was wanted on a couple of different occassions and it seems that Johnson didn't follow through. His favorite answer seemed to be " I don't have that information here....but I can get it to you." It seemed like a lack of preparedness on his part. Maybe that was due to his lack of delgation skills you mentioned?

As to his problems of communication. After watching him for several years, I would say that ineffective communication was an accurate assesment. Time after time he would give totally inadequate responses. His communication problems were the "most" evident the evening that Barber asked him if the city had a hiring freeeze in place. Mr. Johnson gave one of the most convoluted answers I had ever heard. It was truly a "textbook" example of doublespeak. I sat shaking my head in disbelief as he tried to re-form his answer and it still did not make sense. It would be interesting to see "if" his staff had problems understanding him as the rest of did.

I would imagine that him continuing with the city thru July was the "comprise" the council made to terminate?

As long as we don't go from the frying pan into the fire.....i.e. choosing someone worse,.... then this should be a move in the right direction.

Although Roch101 has already made the point eloquently, it really is worth rereading the N&R's "expose" of Johnson, whose truly exquisite doublespeak ("All I can tell you is that we haven't been able to figure anything else out" [true enough!]) is embedded in some of the most deliciously obfuscatory prose in the history of American journalism.

Sorry, last anonymous (only) was me. I hate TypeKey.

Allen, maybe the N&R can start fresh right now. How about an editorial that posits the question: How can Mitch be moved to another job with the city if there is a "hiring freeze" in effect? You gotta start somewhere.

Also, is there any correlation between Mitch's pending change in his job description, with Lorraine's recent change (going from commentary to news)?

Here's a novel idea - how about if Greensboro actually ELECTED someone to lead the city instead of hiring, or appointing a "city manger"?

Instead of having the position of Mayor be that of a babysitter for the city council, we should elect a qualified Mayor to lead the city.

"justified said:
Well me thinks its time for a Black City Manager"

I can't wait til all the white folks start sueing for discrimination . . . you know how black folks are . . . when in power . . . (hint) city counsel . . . it would be only fair . . .

Tony:
On the allegations of racism, I don't know why they weren't raised earlier.
Some longtime friends of his who are people of color spoke very well of him to me.
My own experiences with Wray were always positive.
Of course, I didn't work for him, either.

I

Hallelujah! It's about time they started to clean house. When will it keep filtering down? There are several more who need to go as well.

Black, white, yellow, brown, blue, purple... this city needs to get off the racial angles already. Can we move forward please? I know this is predominately the older demographics. If you can't change, get out of the way and let the youth start fixing this mess.

"Not only has it been reported in the N&R, but you yourself are quoted in the story about how happy you were about Johnson's characterization of the book."

Not true. Tell me when if ever, you have seen the following statement printed in the N&R:

QUESTION:

"State whether there are any documents or recordings in the possession of the City that indicate any other use of the "Black Book" other than to solve or prevent a violation of the law".

ANSWER:

"Based on information and belief, the City of Greensboro is not aware of any documents or recordings in the possession of the City that indicate any other use of the photo array, an original of which is currently in the possession of the State Bureau of Investigations, other than to purportedly solve or prevent an alleged violation of the law".

You haven't. This is question from me and the answer from signed by Mitch Johnson on September 16, 2008 clearly stating that the City had no evidence to support any improper use of the "black book".

The News and Record knows this admission by Johnson exists. They have yet to report it.

Checkmate.

One more thing.

Ask yourself, is the City in this answer denying that the RMA was in their possession, or are they admitting that the RMA report does not indicate any improper use of the "Black Book"?

It has to be the latter, or Mitch Johnson has lied in this sworn statement as well.

So unless it appears in the paper the way you would have written it, you can say it never appeared there.

Noted.

"Anonymous said: . . . this city needs to get off the racial angles already"

Having those nice Greensboro african american police officers drop thier bougus discrimination lawsuits . . . would be a great start to racial "healing" . . . and the white thing to do . . .

Anonymous, it didn't appear AT ALL. Go back and read that article and show me where it is mentioned anywhere that Mitch Johnson admitted in a sworn statement that he had no evidence of any improper use of the "black book".

The quote you refer to relates to a different question we asked altogether regarding the City's legal basis for refusing to release the book to us. It did not address the very specific question I mentioned in my previous post about the evidence of an improper use of the photo lineup.

The N&R has still not reported that Mitchell Johnson admitted under oath that he had no evidence to support any improper use of the Black Book.

That means that no such finding is in the RMA report as well. Otherwise, Johnson lied in his sworn statement (if the RMA does conclude an improper use of the Black Book) because the RMA is a document within the City's possession by the City's own admission.

WaterBaron.

Give it a flipping break!! It has been 10 years now. You and you cause are old tired news. Get on with you miserable life

This should have been done a long time ago, would have saved Greensboro a low of money in lawsuits, that should not ever been filed.A bad performance of a few caused a great deal of expense to everyone. Also, why pay a manager in traing $ 179.00 a year, Mkaes no sense. Long overdue. The N&R should be ashamed.

Time for a Black City Manager?

We've got a black Police Chief, a black Mayor, a black Superintendent of Schools, a black Chairman of County Commissioners.

It's definitely not time for a black City Manager.

It would probably be more beneficial in the long run to replace six or seven of the City Council members at the next election.

"It is a fact that the best leave government service for the private sector..."

What a load of garbage.

However, it is true that *crooks* leave government service for the private sector early because it is easier to steal in the private sector. Just ask the Wall Street thieves of trillions of dollars.

"Also, why pay a manager in traing $ 179.00 a year..."

At this point, I don't think you'll find anyone who would be willing to take this job in Greensboro for $179 per hour much less $179 per year. Not anyone who was actually CAPABLE of doing the job, anyway; I'm sure you could find plenty of morons who would volunteer to take the job at $179 per hour, however.

Let us know how all that works out.

Based on the tenor of some of these comments, about black city managers, etc., somebody's obviously fixated on race.

Brian:
In your comment leading the thread, you were right. Johnson's job will be somewhere other than the city manager's office, although I am told he will help tie a number of loose ends related to the manager's job.

Allen Johnson said - "somebody's obviously fixated on race".

Someone suggests it's time for a black city manager and you let the comment pass.

Someone then suggests it's not time for a black city manager and you can't let the comment pass.

Allen, when i can read your columns two Sundays in a row without seeing you use the words African American, diversity or A&T i'll believe you are no longer fixated on race too.

Any comment Allen on your paper's refusal to print that Mitch Johnson admitted he had no evidence about any improper use of the "Black Book"?

Why won't anyone at your paper comment on that?

It's definitely not time for a black City Manager.

************

Hey, the 1950s called. You can go home now.

I hope the City Council hires the best person for the job. Race shouldn't even be a factor, one way or the other. To say a person should or shouldn't be city manager simply because of his (or her) race is just wrong.

As far as the school superintendent goes, I bet most Guilford County residents believe Mo Green is an improvement over Terry Grier any day of the week.

A comment in this thread really pulled my chain yesterday. I slept on it, but could not let it go.

Hey Anon 4:49. "Water baron" is not the only citizen in this thread with a decade-long beef against the powers-that-be. Damned straight we're "tired". But what we've come forward with could not be more relevant to the sorry state of the world today.

Since we're all "fixated" on race, allow me to be blunt. White lady doctor here. Done wrong eleven years ago in her own hometown - an area the N&R supposedly covers. Has evidence of CRIMES (misdemeanors and felonies) that Allen & the boys/"investigative reporteres" at the N&R have determinedly IGNORED because (1) the story does not reflect well on the "right people" (Hi again, TruBlu - say "Hello" to your boss), and (2) it does not fit the newspaper's high-minded, race & entitlement-soaked notions of victimotology.

We older nobodies - who have been battered by a corrupt system (as opposed to the starry-eyed "youth" who have all the answers - NOT) know that you can't get past all the ugly "isms" until you confront them face them down.

"Move on along, nothing more to see" DOES NOT CUT IT.

My advice to you, my oh-so-courageous Anon, is to grow a spine and sign your "miserable" name. And if you can't do that, leave the slams - at good people who came forward with their stories of injustice - at home. Set an example that includes actually LISTENING and HEARING what others have to say. You might just learn something our bought&sold newspapers have not bothered to tell you.

And Allen. Spag's point is well taken. The N&R's (and WFMY TV's) "coverage of recent developments has been despicable - putting forth as "fact" notions that are simply not true. Why is the city paying a man who lied to everyone about his motives and justifications severence pay? The paper just shrugs it off as being in his contract. Well, why is the contract so poorly written that a "for cause" termination is rewarded? I ask again, why wasn't Mitch locked out of his office?

It's not a matter of writing a story the way Sam wants it to be written.

It's about telling the public the truth.

And you're not doing it. You're not even asking the right questions. On so many levels.

A pension paying one 96 G a yr.? The principal would have to be 2 million dollars. How can this much money be packed away sitting in some bank earmarked for this? No wonder Mitch is smiling.

Allen, those sort of good things you said about Wray above; about how you never had a problem and good testimonials from your friends etc. Imagine for a minute if you would have like printed something to this effect, maybe in a editorial in the past some time? It might have helped. Why did you wait until after Mitch is gone and sit on this? Any reason?

Well come on, Allen. Answer the question about why the News & Record hasn't printed the *fact* that Mitch Johnson admitted he had no evidence of improper use of the "Black Book"?

Or explain why you can't answer the question. Hello?

Well come on, Allen. Answer the question about why the News & Record hasn't printed the *fact* that Mitch Johnson admitted he had no evidence of improper use of the "Black Book"?

Or explain why you can't answer the question. Hello?

See, Allen. People try to have a dialogue with you or John, and everytime something the least bit contentious is discussed, you guys clam? And you wonder why things never get resolved and you seem outraged when people do the same to you, like JR is complaining about over on his blog.

If you'd try giving an honest answer maybe things would get better. If you don't answer, people start making up their own answers and that's where things go bad. For example, I'll start crafting, in my own mind, what I would think would be an honest answer to what was asked above. Something like: "Savage, you forget, I have to live in this town. If I would have said something like this I'd have had Simkins all over me. Lorraine would have stopped talking to me. John would be cross that I was kind of undercutting Lorraine. Yvonne would stop talking to me."

If you said stuff like this, people could relate to you as a kind of regular guy and would end of respecting you more in the long run.

Dan:
If you've read this thread carefully, you can see that we did report that, on Dec. 13, 2008.
That said, I do not intend to rehash comments I've addressed before in previous posts on the Wray case.
If you guys want to, knock yourselves out.

"If you've read this thread carefully, you can see that we did report that, on Dec. 13, 2008."

That is absolutely false, Allen. Anyone who wants a copy of Mitch Johnson's answers can contact me and see that what you just said is false.

Nowhere in that story on December 13, 2008 does it appear that Mitch Johnson admitted when asked the specific question regarding whether he had any evidence about misuse of the black book that he had no evidence.

The quote you refer to that appears in that story is about a DIFFERENT question.

I think I am just going to have to post Johnson's sworn statement on my blog again for everyone to see because for some UNEXPLAINED reason, the N&R doesn't want to report it.

Robinson I can understand, but I thought you were better than this excuse making, Allen.

Limbaugh was right. When it comes to the newspaper business, the customer is always wrong.

How's that business model working for you guys?

"Based on the tenor of some of these comments, about black city managers, etc., somebody's obviously fixated on race." -- AJ

There are several unintended consequences of the main media outlet in town failing to get the facts straight on this story. Fertilizing racial suspicions is one of them. Congratulations N&R for bringing our community down with your proud incompetence.

Anonymous:
Reread the thread and tell me who's bringing up race.

The above comment was mine.

Allen,

You were asked the question of why the N&R has not reported "Mitch Johnson admitted he had no evidence of improper use of the "Black Book."

You said it has and pointed to an article that reports: "The city argued that it [the book] was 'purportedly compiled for the purpose of solving an alleged sexual assault'..."

The city manager (and others, based on his information), made assertions that the black book was improperly used. Subsequently, the city manager attests that "Based on information and belief, the City of Greensboro is not aware of any documents or recordings in the possession of the City that indicate any other use of the photo array [other than for a legitimate purpose.]"

The accusations made and reported are found to have no basis, none that even INDICATES any misuse of the book as originally asserted.

What I would like to know is do you honestly think that reporting that the city "argued" that the book was "purportedly" created for an investigation the same thing as reporting that the city swears it has no documents that even indicate any misuse as was originally mislead? Can you tell us with a straight face that we should respect your professionalism and integrity when you assert that the N&R has reported that the city manager admitted the city has no evidence of misuse of the black book?

Allen re:

>you can see that we did report that, on Dec. 13, 2008.

Why isn't that newly-relevant fact reported in your current "coverage"? Is the N&R trying to "ease his departure" as well?

Savage wrote:

"Allen, those sort of good things you said about Wray above; about how you never had a problem and good testimonials from your friends etc. Imagine for a minute if you would have like printed something to this effect, maybe in a editorial in the past some time? It might have helped. Why did you wait until after Mitch is gone and sit on this? Any reason?"

Here we go again.
Here is part of what I wrote in 2006:

Wray’s demise has been utterly rhymeless, cloaked in a fog of episodes and behaviors that seem to have no logical pattern.

Wray seemed the consummate professional. He seemed to understand how police work and the social fabric of the community were so tightly interwoven. He also seemed acutely aware of the political and social consequences that could follow if a sensitive issue were handled insensitively.

Consider his response to a widely publicized 2004 case in which a 68-year-old Egyptian woman who spoke little English scuffled with Greensboro police officers at the Battleground Avenue Wal-Mart and later was hospitalized.

Alleging that someone had taken money from her purse, Afaf Saudi became agitated with store clerks and refused, when asked, to leave the store. Still refusing to leave even after police arrived, Saudi had been handcuffed and arrested.

Wray helped keep the incident’s aftermath from turning ugly by meeting with representatives of the Muslim community and holding a news conference to clarify the circumstances of the incident.

Some fumed in a poisonous post-9/11 funk about “ragheads.” Others railed about police brutality.

Facing that potentially explosive backdrop, Wray reacted coolly and gracefully. The police met with Muslim leaders days after the incident. Wray stressed his intentions to find out what happened and to respond appropriately, heading off a planned mass prayer at the Guilford County Courthouse that could have sparked more friction and possibly even violence.

“We felt the right thing to do was to give the police a chance,” Wajeh Muhammad, treasurer of the Islamic Center of the Triad, said later.

After an internal investigation, based on store camera footage and eyewitness accounts, cleared the officers, Muslim leader Badi Ali appeared with Wray when the chief announced the findings at a news conference.

“You can make out of a bad incident a good thing,” Ali said.

And still no response to the pertinent questions regarding the lack of responsible reporting on the N&R's part.

i'll give these folks one thing, though. They're consistent about the denial of culpability in the Wray case.

And still no response to the pertinent questions regarding the lack of responsible reporting on the N&R's part.

i'll give these folks one thing, though. They're consistent about the denial of culpability in the Wray case.

Thank you for taking the time above, Allen. I didn't remember this exact column and freely admit to maybe being susceptible to tunnel vision, but now you're furthur begging the question: Why not give the guy a break or a supporting editorial then when it became apparent the "black book" was another hysterical racial Red Herring?

Allen, when you said "here we go again" it kind of sounded like ....Ronald Reagan.

From the 12/13 article in the N&R:

"The statement was based on the information from the officer who compiled the lineup, he said, and the city has no other information that it was used in an improper way."

I don't see how writing that the city manager said "the city has no other information that it was used in an improper way" is not reporting that Mitch Johnson said the city has no other information that the black book was used in an improper way.

You can complain they didn't make it the first sentence or the headline but you can't complain that it wasn't reported.

Anon, it's okay to come out of hiding.

If you think that accurately reports what happened, I am willing to let that stand as a testament to the standards at the N&R.

Small town small minds make for scandalous politics which are supported by virulently negative opinion, theory, conjecture and obfuscation as opposed to facts and information.

Greensboro is a barrel of crabs where people would rather tear off their own arms than help somone else get out of the barrel.

Small town small minds make for scandalous politics which are supported by virulently negative opinion, theory, conjecture and obfuscation as opposed to facts and information.

Greensboro is a barrel of crabs where people would rather tear off their own arms than help someone else get out of the barrel.

Anonymous, let's discuss your concession (that the crucial information was buried in the story and in the paragraph). Can you--and can you, Allen--honestly defend that burial? "Black Book Used to Target Black Officers" was the headline, in various iterations, for weeks. Shouldn't the headline "Black Book Not Used to Target Black Officers" have been afforded a similar status? Is this not the equivalent of yelling "Fire" in a movie theatre and then whispering "my mistake, no fire" under your breath?

Did everyone at the N&R miss Journalism 101 and its discussion of how to place crucial information? Or did they master these techniques and bury it intentionally?

And let's look at that key paragraph:

"Johnson has denied he contradicted himself. The statement [that the book was "purportedly compiled for the purpose of solving an alleged sexual assault"] was based on the information from the officer who compiled the lineup, he said, and the city has no other information that it was used in an improper way."

Leaving aside the highly qualified and convoluted nature of everything here ("purportedly compiled," "the city has no other information," the hilariously nonsensical statements from Johnson that follow), is it too much to ask that a reporter point out the flatly incorrect nature of the first sentence, since Johnson had made comments indicating that the the book was used improperly? That is, if the statement "reports" what you say it does (and isn't mushy doublespeak), then shouldn't you "report" the contradition?

I guess it all depends on how you define "reporting."

Paraphrase Mitch:

"The officer who created the lineup (Black Book) told me it was to investigate an alleged sexual assault and I have no evidence that it was used for anything else".

THEN WHAT THE HELL WAS ALL OF THIS ABOUT?

One would think that the N&R would ask Mitch that question along with "why then did you say the Black Book was used to target black officers before"? or "why then did you keep telling people 'if they only knew what you knew' they would agree with you?"

But that wouldn't fit the narrative the N&R sold through Ahearn and their previous adoptions of anything racially inflammatory that came out of Mitch Johnson's mouth.

They could not ask those tough questions (or at least print them) of Mitch without admitting that they too got it wrong, and we all know that the N&R does not retract sensationalized stories about race.

Allen, ask yourself honestly how many people do you think believe that there was a black book used to target black officers from reading your paper. Then ask yourself how many people know that the person who made that accusation changed his story from reading your paper?

Throw accusations at the N&R as you like, but I'd submit that the bulk of this whole mess rests on the shoulders of one person: Lorraine Ahearn.
No matter how many above her in the chain of command signed off on her "journalism" this mess would not have begun had it not been for her untiring efforts to make a story out of a non-story. In this community, racial tension sells, and if there ain't any then we'll just invent it, right?
Has anyone seen an apology from Ahearn to Chief Wray, Scooter Sanders, Brady, et.al.?
I didn't think so.

From the Society of Prefessional Journalists Code of Ethics [in part]:
http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp

"Seek Truth and Report It
Journalists should be honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.

Journalists should:

— Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible.
— Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context."

The fact that Lorraine Ahearn has been kicked over to once again be an investigative reporter speaks volumes about the N&R's sense of responsibility to professional journalism.

The corruption in the City Of Greensboro is NOT new. It has been present for many years and never confronted before. It is in all departments--try obtaining permits--information--etc.. Wake up people!! The council is as rotten as it can get. Good riddance of "Mitch the itch". Now they hire another puppet for the council. The people pay and the council and City Hall plays!!!!!

The N&R has chastised Ahearn by moving her to a more prominant role as an "investigative reporter
". Perfect! Absolutely perfect!

Hard to predict how Lorraine will do as an investigator. It could either be good:

Secretary: Mr Jones there's a Ms. Ahearn here to see you;

Mr. Jones: Ahearn? Just what I need. Give me a couple minutes... Ah, could you go on that Federal jobs web site for me an get me a FEMA application.

Secretary: Yes, sir

Or bad:

Secretary: Mr. Smith, there's a Ms. Ahearn is here to talk to you, from the News and Record.

Smith: Wha...

(sound of window opening)

Secretary: ....Mr. Smith...Mr. Smith?....You there?

I think one of the problems can be seen right on the front page today in the piece about the search for a new mgr. "Who will steer the ship?". somehow in G-Boro things have got turned bass-ackwards. this has palyed a big role in this whole mess. Mitch was asked to take on way more than he had the ability or political power or savy to do.

The Mayor and Council are supposed to steer the ship. The mgr. might actually physically turn the wheel. And Goldie, that's what you were elected to do, duh! G-Boro, and apparently the N&R, has evolved into the Wellsian philosophy of "we're just here to spectate while the mgr. does everything". And Goldie is right about finding somebody crazy enough to come here. They'll be coming out of the woodwork. But it doesn't matter. We all might not be here tomorrow.

Looks like JR is talking about merging newspapers. Are we ready for the Greensboro Rhino -Record?

LORRAINE (con't) attends news conference for Benoit "Buddy" McGuff charged with pedophilic rape, murder and kidnapping.

Lorraine: It appears you client has some serious charges against him, and, be that as it may, there is one thing I'd like to ask: How does your client feel about black people?

Atty: Excuse me?

Lorraine: Come on....

Atty: Wha....

Lorraine: I'll bet he's a racist. Come on, admit it. ADMIT IT!!!

Further proof of how gutless and biased the N&R is. Check out the editorial about the tape released of the City Council discussing the firing of Mitch Johnson.

The article mentions comments made by Zach Matheny and Sandra Anderson Groat. It made mention of the lack of comments by Barber, Wade and Rakestraw.

Did you notice the glaring omission of any comments made by Goldie Wells, Diane Bellamy-Small, Mayor Johnson and Robbie Perkins? Weren't they in the meeting, too? Why were their comments not recorded or reported in this editorial?

According to the Rhino Times, Bellamy-Small and Wells harrangued and hectored Matheny and Groat about Mitch Johnson, about race, about the 1979 Klan shooting, ad nauseum.

Not a word from the N&R about their childish, outlandish behavior.

To quote your prized columnist, "Are you surprised?"

What a joke this paper is. What a waste. What a shame that this city has such a weak, namby-pamby daily newspaper.

I hope I win the lottery this weekend. I'll take the mony and but the GSO News and Fishwrap and turn it over to John Hammer to run!