Waterfront loses irreplaceable resource
Our congressman, the 3rd-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives, cried when he heard the news: Peter Weiss, political editor of The Jersey Journal, died over the weekend from complications of heart surgery.
For nearly 30 years, Weiss was the top political reporter in one of the most politically active places in the nation outside the Washington beltway. I only caught the last few years of his career, and I never had the privilege of meeting the man in person, but when I moved to Hoboken three years ago, I soon became a regular reader of his "Political Whirl" column, and I came to depend on Weiss not only to keep me informed, but to explain the whole complicated mess in his succinct style. When I wrote to him to point out a small error, or ask for clarifications, he always responded and if a correction was necessary, it showed up promptly in his column. He was a reliable source if ever there were one.
Rep. Bob Menendez, who chairs the House Democratic Caucus, didn't wait for a reporter to call him for comment: he called the Journal himself. "We lost what amounts to the national archives for Hudson County, a county icon and institution. Presidents and governors who were running for office and came to Hudson County knew that it was paramount that they talk to Peter. Even people who have been caught on the edge of Peter's criticism, generally with humor, still have a great affection for him - as have I." Other politicians joined the chorus, though one of them (or the reporter she talked to) seemed a bit confused: The Jersey Journal reports that "Lois Shaw, former Jersey City councilwoman, said she couldn't believe Weiss was gone. 'I received an e-mail from him not long ago concerning an upcoming Harry Chapin concert. We're both big Chapin fans.' " Chapin died in 1981. But if he's still gigging in the afterlife, maybe Weiss will be able to catch his act after all.
There's still time to save the fireboat Harvey
Another waterfront resource is still with us, but it may not be for long. The historic fireboat John J. Harvey, which came out of retirement to pump water for 80 hours straight when the World Trade towers fell, is in dire need of repair, and the funds to make that possible. You can learn more about how Harvey and her active-duty sister fireboats tonight at 10 p.m. Eastern when the History Channel airs "The Fireboats of 9/11".
posted by Janet Dagley Dagley @5:50 PM
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8.9.03 |
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