DISCUSSION: IS THE REPOSITORY SERIOUS WITH ITS CANTON CITY COUNCIL-AT-LARGE SERIES?

The city of Canton has never faced such dire times as it is in the midst of right now.

It is critically important to the future of Canton that the numerous council-at-large candidates be forced to answer eyeball-to-eyball hard questions about what prescriptions they have for what ails Canton.

So what does Stark County's only countywide newspaper do?

It does a powder-puff series in which the candidates make self-serving presentations (one written, the other video - "whoop-de-doo" - The Rep knows how to use technology without substance).

Today, The Rep puts Jimmy Babcock and Guy Bertram on. Undoubtedly, the other candidates are to follow. If the Babcock and Bertram pieces are any indication of what is to follow - save your time.

The Report is being facetious with its graphic representing a Rep employee handing out campaign literature. However, that is what yours truly thinks The Rep's series amounts to.

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report/SCPR) has asked all the council-at-large candidates for a "no holds barred interview." Any takers? Yes, to her credit Cynthia Vignos. Apparently, the rest know they cannot stand the probing questions.

For Cantonians this means that Canton will likely get a replacement for the retiring Don Casar that will be unwilling and unable to provide answers for the manifold problems pressing in on Canton.

Repository Managing Editor Don Detore, Executive Editor Jeff Gauger and their newspaper is failing the Canton voting public.

Note that The Report says "their newspaper." And that's all it can be. For they are not pressing The Rep's staff to do the hard journalistic work that they ought to be doing. Being the "easy mark" they are for public officials and candidates, The Rep has not commanded the respect of the Stark County public to adopt The Rep as "our community - ever vigilant - newspaper."

Indeed, hard times have fallen on Canton, Ohio!