Opinion: NoN and Norwalk – a symbiotic relationship

NORWALK, Conn. – At 4:37 p.m. Wednesday, NancyOnNorwalk received an urgent statement from Norwalk Common Council members Bruce Kimmel (D-Dist. D), Doug Hempstead (R-At Large) and Jerry Petrini (R-Dist. D). In the emailed statement, the trio of Republican-nominated council candidates (Kimmel is maintaining that first “D” while shedding the second after Republicans nominated him for an At-Large seat) called for the BJ’s Wholesale Club zoning petition to be withdrawn.

The statement cited a litany of concerns, including the size of the store, traffic problems and pollution. That the store would be located in their district was of deep concern to them.

Curiously, the urgent statement, and the accompanying message imploring NoN to get it online quickly, and assuring us we were the first to receive it, was time-stamped 4:37 p.m., some 36 minutes after a statement was issued by Peter Barhydt of the public relations firm Aberdeen Associates Inc. at 4:01 p.m. announcing the application had been withdrawn.

Because that announcement went to Nancy, who was at a Harry Rilling press conference at the site of the planned store, we did not see that email until nearly a half hour after posting the Kimmel/ Hempstead/ Petrini statement, which had been sent to both Nancy and this editor.

Who knows who knew what when. Did the council members know the application had been withdrawn when they sent the statement? The withdrawal had not yet been reported by the media. The Hour did get it out there slightly ahead of us, but the political statement was on NancyOnNorwalk ahead of that announcement.

Which brings us to today’s topic: The importance of competing news outlets and the growing relevance of NancyOnNorwalk to those who care about what’s going on with their city government.

When the council members wanted to get their news out fast and to reach Norwalk’s most engaged readers, they turned to NancyOnNorwalk.

Accolades are coming in from around the city for the contribution NoN has made to bringing city and Board of Education business to the taxpayers.

And yes, we have our share of detractors. Even some of our supporters make sure they let us know that they are not always happy with what we print. That’s good, too. In this business, if you are pleasing everyone, you are not doing your job. Somebody is always going to be mad at you, and that’s OK.

To continue to get you, Norwalk’s citizens, the full story when it comes to news that affects your lives on a daily basis, we need your support. October’s bills are coming due soon, and, as a young news site – five weeks from our first anniversary — starting to gain serious traction in the community, we are operating on a shoestring. We are in talks to make NoN a nonprofit, 501(c) (3) organization, but for now we must rely primarily on the desire of our readers and local businesses to keep us going until such time as we can solicit grants and larger donations.

So, if you want to help keep NancyOnNorwalk a part of your life, we ask that you donate whatever you can. There is a donation button near the top of the page on the right, or you can send a check made out to Englewood Edge LLC to Nancy On Norwalk, PO Box 64, Norwalk, CT 06856.

We thank you in advance for reading and for your support, and urge you to send questions or concerns to [email protected]

(Englewood Edge LLC is the name of our company, stemming from our first site in Englewood, Fla., and is registered in Connecticut.)