Author:
Shaughnessey needs to take Journalism 101
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Date Posted: 07:03 09/26/09 Sat
In reply to:
Duplicate Dawg
's message, "Dracut bids farewell to Doug Willett, for decades its "24-hour selectman"" on 07:06 09/25/09 Fri
Someone once told me that in the basic fundamental courses of Journalism, writing an obituary of someone passing away is supposed to be a very sensitive and serious type thing. For obvious reasons, it’s considered as an individual’s “Last Hurrah”, so it’s especially important to get your facts straight and keep it in good taste – otherwise, you’d probably really tick off most of the friends, relatives, and assorted loved ones of the deceased person in question.
That having been said, I think it was extremely tacky on Sun reporter Dennis Shaughnessey’s part to quote former Selectman Warren Shaw as a “bosom buddy” in Dougie Willett’s memorial tribute article in yesterday’s (Friday’s) edition of the paper. You couldn’t have gotten another public (or former town) official other than an opportunistic bastard like Mr. Shaw to go on record and give a few heartfelt comments about Dougie in a story like this, Dennis? I don’t think so.
A year or so ago, The Sun did the exact same thing when Nick Lambros had passed away, and again, it tried to paint Warren as some “great humanitarian” and “bosom buddy” of this guy when nothing could be further from the truth. When the Dracut Water Supply District, which Lambros was running at that time, got nailed by the Middlesex DA’s office for stealing water from Lowell back in ‘98, nobody in town was publicly gloating and boasting about that whole escapade more than Warren. Again, The Sun couldn’t have gotten a more worthy public figure than “Barnyard Animal” Shaw to comment on Lambros’ final tribute feature?
Is it any wonder that the Lowell Sun is losing circulation every year by leaps and bounds? For any major newspaper (or just about any media outlet), integrity and credibility is such a terrible thing to lose, and as for the Lowell Sun, it just simply doesn’t exist any more. I think I can confidently speak as far as someone who actually knew both Dougie and Nick to say that both of these guys would probably roll over in their graves if someone had told them that Warren would be the “keynote speaker” in their Lowell Sun memorial tribute article.
It’s pathetic enough, Dennis, that you use former Selectman Warren Shaw as your “Go-To Guy”, even passing over most of the School Committee members, for a comment about the future status of the School Superintendent – which YOU definitely did in the past – but an obituary tribute feature ought to be viewed as “sacred” to all parties concerned.
Highlights (or Lowlights) of the Willett-Shaw relationship
Soon after Mr. Shaw “retired” from the Dracut Board of Selectmen in ‘02, he was served court papers as a named defendant in former building inspector Ernie Gauthier’s wrongful termination lawsuit. Warren being Warren, of course, publicly used his weekly radio show as a bully pulpit to call Gauthier “a liar” and then guarantee to the residents of Dracut that the courts would dismiss the lawsuit because, according to Shaw, it was “frivolous”.
A month or so later, Dougie Willett made a big ruckus when the Selectmen were reviewing the Meeting Minutes of a then-recent special public hearing, which was supposed to be held solely for the purpose of the construction of a cellular phone tower off Route 113. Apparently, the Selectmen, along with Town Manager Dennis Piendek used that sparsely attended public forum with no media or local access TV cameras present, to vote and award Mr. Shaw legal indemnity against any financial losses he may accrue in the Gauthier lawsuit.
In other words, while Warren was presenting a “tough guy persona” on his weekly radio show over being sued by Gauthier in that wrongful termination lawsuit, in the dark and shady backrooms of Dracut politics, Mr. Shaw was actually shaking in his boots.
Barnyard Animal publicly attacks Dougie
Warren, being the vindictive son of bitch he is, of course would retaliate against Mr. Willett on his radio show calling him a liar, crazy and a few other choice names. But when a Cambodian guy who was serving as a Lowell City Councillor ran into a wee bit of conflict of interest problem, that’s when Shaw really started taking Dougie to task.
Evidently this guy in question, I believe his name is Rithy Oung was working as a Guidance Counselor in the Lowell School System and serving as Lowell City Councillor, he was drawing two government paychecks and was subsequently fined by the State Ethics Commission for this conflict. Mr. Oung, it’s my understanding, declined to run for reelection again on his City Councillor seat.
Mr. Shaw then used this example to call out Dougie Willett for being both a Dracut Selectman, as well as a part-time maintenance man at the Greater Lowell Regional Technical (Voke) High School, and drawing paychecks from both gigs. I don’t know if Dougie’s situation was ever brought before the State Ethics Commission, but it did get a lot of play on Warren’s radio show at that time and when Mr. Willett came up for reelection in ‘05, he chose not to run again. I’m not sure when exactly Dougie quit his gig at the Voke.
So Mr. Shaughnessey, do you still ASS-U-ME that Warren and Dougie were “bosom buddies”?
To further establish what a sanctimonious and opportunistic son of a bitch Warren Shaw really is, why not scroll down on Dracut After Dark’s blog and read how the Barnyard Animal called the now-defunct Polly’s Variety store at the corner of Mammoth and Lakeview, a “rat’s ass” type of place.
Dracut After Dark’s blog
Make sure you read how the self-proclaimed “Dracut’s Foremost Authority on Open Space Preservation”, suggested on his radio show to bulldoze the property known as, Polly’s Corner, and add another business to that already congestive intersection. Keep in mind also as you’re reading through that, that Mr. Shaw made those comments on his radio program 10 years AFTER Polly Urqhart was already dead and buried, so obviously she couldn’t call in and defend herself against Warren’s slanderous comments.
What a great “humanitarian” that Warren is, eh Mr. Shaughnessey?
Goodbye Mr. Willett, may you forever Rest In Peace
After God created Dougie Willett, He then proceeded to break the mold. Never before and never again will there ever be another Dougie Willett – he was truly, one of a kind.
At his residence on Mammoth Road, he was probably the only politician I’ve ever known to allow any candidate – whether he was personally supporting them or not – to post a political campaign sign in front of his home. The guy never had a vindictive bone in his body. Some residents, who live on busy streets, allow any candidate to post political signs on their front lawn, but that could be out of fear that if they didn’t, their property taxes might go up or something like that.
On, at least, a couple occasions, while I was taking my periodic stroll up and down a good portion of Lakeview Avenue, Dougie would often stop near me in his truck and give me a few fresh tomatoes from his garden. Who does that anymore? Mr. Willett was truly the last of a dying breed. You need to go back a couple of generations to remember that type of charitable generosity – on a frequent basis – in America.
In a small way, Dougie even helped mold and shape Dracut After Dark as he provided us with a few hot tips that none of the other media outlets posted or published. I leave it to your imaginations to try to figure out exactly what they were.
It’ll always be comforting to know, Dougie, that whatever controversies Dracut’s involved with, or any time we just need to smile, we can think back to some of the fantastic memories of yourself and that can help us cope a little bit better with much of the stress we may be experiencing in our own personal lives.
Take care my good friend, and may God bless.
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Since when were Dougie Willett and Warren Shaw ever “bosom buddies”????