Et tu, Brute?

Who would have thought a newspaper could take things so personally! Jokingly call them “crusty” gets them all twitchy? Or…maybe they’re a tad intimidated by the blogosphere.

Wednesday’s Gazette article on the sweetheart Umass effluent waiver deal making the Town Meeting warrant was a tad late--but perfect. Rookie Selectman Alisa Brewer, trying to sound tough, rejected the petition article (signed by 123 registered voters) as “only advisory” declaring the illustrious Select board can ignore Town Meeting on this controversial, costly matter.

And if nothing changed, that news article would be reprinted in the 10/19 Amherst Bulletin--probably on the Front Page.

But Wednesday evening I revealed to a Gazette editor (in what I thought was a private, off-the-record email) the State Ethics Commission decision had come down and I would post it the following day.

He immediately sicked a reporter on me even though I specifically said not to call my home because “I'm done for the day (whatever it is we call what this is I do). And if somebody from the Gazette calls tonight, my wife will kill us both (she's still pissed about the Chinese Charter school screw up by your previous Education reporter.)”

I took his call and chatted about the case but didn't reveal the verdict.

So Thursday morning at 9:55 I ring a close contact at the Gazette asking “Has the Bully gone to bed?” “Yes” he replies instantly …but after a pregnant pause asks, “Why?”

I explain my breaking story about to upload, BUT I would prefer it NOT to appear until next week “If they really, REALLY want it, then you better wait until 2:00 pm”, he said.

Of course, my sitemeter now reveals 18 folks hovering, awaiting the news I had hyped the night before. I figured worst-case scenario the Bulletin grabs the disclosure and puts it on the Front Page this week and my preferred news article gets bumped to Page Three.

So the Bully does grab it for Page One (below the fold however). And on Page Three? No, nothing about Town Meeting article #20 the effluent waiver controversy; instead a story about a last second “letter” peaceniks wanted the Select board to place on the Warrant signed by only 19 voters demanding the US not attack Iran.

Only in Amherst (Bulletin)!