5 Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday, Aug. 23
Bits of knowledge to help make you the smartest person who just can't wait for the first day of school.
Here are five pieces of information designed to start your Thursday with a Coke and a smile and to help make you the smartest person who never would have guessed would be Kelly Ripa's new permanent co-host.
1. Your 3-Day Local Weather Forecast: According to the NWS, we'll see patchy fog between 7am and 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming west around 6 mph in the afternoon.
- Thursday Night Patchy fog after 5am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 62. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Friday Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming east around 6 mph in the afternoon.
- Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. East wind 3 to 5 mph.
- Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 83.
- Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 62.
2. Reader Comment of the Day: "There are a disturbing number of car accidents that happen at that intersection.(South/Salem) I am wondering when the town will take notice and do something about it? fearful that a fatal accident will happen before action is taken... considering that there is an elementary school there as well as a fire station, it seems that putting a traffic light (not just a blinking light) here should be a priority." Reader CS, commenting on the story, "Golf In The Parking Lot, Break-Ins On Astle Street."
3. It's Happening Today: Tryouts for the Mass Lady Sundevils AAU Basketball team will take place today at 530 Stevens St, Lowell. at 6 p.m. There is a $30 tryout fee.
4. Blog Entry You Should Read: Blogger Don Ordway has submitted a fascinating look at former President George H.W. Bush. He has met "Bush 41" on at least three occasions and offers some terrific insight into his character. It's worth a read.
5. Two Years And Counting: On Aug. 20, 2010, the same day Fox25 came to town for a ZipTrip, Tewksbury Patch launched. The lead story on that first day was "Chief Mackey Announces Retirement."
We were the 14th Patch in Massachusetts (there are around 90 now) and the 104th across the country (there are around 850 now). In two years, we have published more than 4,800 articles, more than 10,000 photos and countless event listings and announcements. But mostly, we've had the privilege to get to know the amazing people of Tewksbury.
You, our readers, have made Patch what it is today. Thanks for making us feel welcome and for allowing us to be a proud member of this community.
malcolm nichols
7:29 am on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Who owns the Patch? Is it public/private? Has it developed a political Bias?
Bill Gilman
8:40 am on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Malcolm? Seriously? You know better than that my friend. What bias are you seeing? And to answer your question. Patch is a subsidiary of AOL, which is a publicly traded company.
billvill
9:29 am on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Media bias?? I'm shocked. ;-)
malcolm nichols
10:04 am on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Bill, your column was noting the history of The Patch Network. I was just looking for you to fill it some blanks. Many of the Patch editors indicate a socialistic Bias in their bio's (take a look). At least in Massachusetts. Similarly i have noted Patch advertising is Obama, Obama and more Obama. Stories critical to the advertisers generally demand favorable coverage.
Bill Gilman
10:17 am on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Ahhh, ok. Now i understand your question. The bios that our editors run are intended to provide transparency. However, they do not indicate a bias that the editor will use on his site. Rather Patch is and always has been politically neutral. As for the national advertising, that's a bit out of my area of knowledge but I do know Romney can make the same type of purchases. But you can be assured that the grassroots local coverage on the Patch sites is influenced in no way by political advertising. Part of the reason for that is we offer our blog platform. If candidates want to spread slanted propaganda they can do it via blogs, our version of op-eds.
billvill
10:23 am on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Bill, why accept political spots at all?
Bill Gilman
10:26 am on Thursday, August 23, 2012
That's a fair question Billvill and way above my pay grade. But I'll be more than glad to get an official answer from the powers that be.
Bob
11:20 am on Thursday, August 23, 2012
I have to say, overall, the Tewksbury Patch and Lowell Sun are the 2 news sources, in the area, that try to be balanced. Many things I disagree with show up in both but as Bill said they are op-eds which are the writers opinion. I don't really care who is buying advertising for political campaigns.