The prolonged battle between Aberdeen City Councilman Mike Hiob and local newspaper The Record continued this week with the politician getting in the latest jab – a list of the top “uses” for the newspaper he read during Monday night’s city council meeting, which include wrapping fish, washing windows and checking to see how many headlines were ripped from The Dagger.
This war of attrition has been going on nearly since Hiob took office in November 2003 and was likely fueled by Hiob’s dislike for what he has called “sensational headlines” and “wrong information” in the paper and the newspaper’s dislike of Hiob’s propensity for verbose, minute and typically unwarranted/unjustified criticism – or nitpicking.
Hiob, 49, is known among his supporters and detractors alike as “Hollywood,” most likely due to his moonlighting as a frontman, lead singer, guitar player and harmonicist for several local bar bands. He is a former city council president who has never lost an election in his three successful bids for office in Aberdeen, but has been labeled a whiner, a stooge and worse by the local newspaper.
The Record, 141, is a weekly newspaper “serving Havre de Grace, Aberdeen Perryville and Port Deposit since 1868.” It has survived floods, fires, tough political and financial climates and, in the interest of full disclosure, has employed no fewer than nine (9) current members of The Dagger.
The battle, small town politician vs. small town newspaper, raged in recent weeks when Hiob criticized the periodical during a public meeting for screwing up an editorial or something like that. That Friday, Hiob saw his comments and statements turned into a headline in that week’s The Record. A week later, Hiob was fodder for the paper’s editorial cartoon. Monday night, Hiob fired back with the following, a copy of which was provided to The Dagger:
Aberdeen City Councilman Mike Hiob’s Top 12 uses for “The Record”:
12.) Starting recreational campfires to roast marshmallows at “family outings”.
11.) A classic method of wrapping “fresh fish” for transportation between the market and home.
10.) Constructs papier mache’ projects at home with “the kiddies”!
9.) Relieves daily stress by using it as a “word search”, circling many grammatical and spelling errors.
8.) Washing dirty windows the “old fashioned” way.
7.) To support Aberdeen’s recycling program, places it directly into the curbside recycling bin, where the City receives $30.oo per ton! (1.5 cents per pound)
6.) When shipping “items of value” through a freight company, crumples it up and uses it as packing material.
5.) Protects flooring from “splatter” during weekend painting projects.
4.) Keeps a running tab on “The Record” reporter and editor “retention” and compares it to Aberdeen Mayor & Council Members post election “retention”.
3.) Enjoys hearing that local “reporters” spend countless hours on “The Dagger” blog searching for “their” next headline.
2.) Rolls it up and uses it to “swat flies”.
1.) Marvels at editorial cartoons depicting the “best uses” of their newspaper by an Aberdeen City Councilman.
Small-time feud or necessary evil, is it important for local politicians and local media to clash? Is it in the best interest of the community for the paper or the elected official to keep up the fight? Any bets on who might win this war? Is it worth tuning in to see the newpaper’s certain rebuttal?
Im not saying a word.
That is certainly a first! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
well the word is the aegis in my opinion is far worse than the record. it make’s nice ground cover for weed control.
Alex….good to hear from you…
Anyway…..
Ive ranted and ranted….but in the end theres an old saying..the squeeky wheel gets the oil. In the case of the marina stuff…which is actually about abuse of power and degradation of rights…Ive been as loud as possible to roust the foxes from the bushes. Ive said that before.
One of the reasons is that even though certain printed outlets have copious amounts of data on the matter they have yet…after tracking it for two years made a single mention of it or any facit of it except to mention a statement in a council meeting.
This inaction…non comment by the certain printed media..has helped me form an opionion on them. Other opionions formed are how this affects the HdG city council and virsa versa. A council that will not form an opionion publicly on such a matter…but rather tries to do it in a NONE ACTION FORM..,.by simply not mailing out a lease (the original intention), and through inaction support what is clearly bad behavior. All of these bad behaviors are in need of exposer.
ALEX…so I ask you…my friend……
Do you think If I had made the comment…in one sentance…one time…..it would have gotten anyones attention? Of course it wouldnt have.
Thats the beauty here….I know I post a lot…but relize that this issue I primarily post on gets CRAZY, DESPARATE responses….responses in multiple threads. Some call this flooding..and some in blogging say answering a post in another thread is designed to confuse the observer on the issue, to throw it off topic.
The threads Ive posted have gotten positive results to the shagrin of those who don’t want this story told.
So to ALEX and all those who have said at one time or another…” I JUST WISH HE WOULD SHUT THE %&#@ UP ” ……thanks for you patience and now that the story is told, and bizzaro stops bringing every thread ever made to the top, this should all calm down as its all just a matter of record.
Thanks Alex and everyone else !
HdG’ers vote on the 6th
~~~go-dagger~~~
Great job RichieC. Yyou have suscedded in hi jacking another dagger thread with your insistant nonsence about the marina. Ha.
Annoymous…why not respond instead of demanding silence?
Is somthing embarrising you?
Brian,
Thanks for the article regarding my “small-time feud” with “The Record” (a.k.a. “Lack of Record”). As to who might “win this war”, my money is on
“The Record”. I mean….how can I compete with their tons of paper, barrels of ink, and stalwart editors sitting around waiting for the next useless thing to sensationalize! But hey, you’ve got to hand it to those veteran employees, they sure are dedicated to their “profession”. Other motivated individuals like yourself ( and many members of “The Dagger” ) have moved on to greener pastures!
“Hollywood”
P.S. I started out making it a “Top Ten” list, but I couldn’t stop at ten, so I made it my “Dirty Dozen”. (and believe me, I could have continued on, and on, and on…..)
P.P.S. One day I’ll tell you the real reason I acquired the “Hollywood” nickname!
Mike;
Actually you can and have beaten the Record. They get to print anything that they want but folks like you can and do take the high road. The folks on the Record are just jealous of someone who can actually do something and be successful. Remember all of them are at the apex of their careers, working for a third world, weekly rag. their usefulness and significance deteriorates daily.
Can you get me property taxes any lower? Bennett, Kupferman and Elliott all campaigned to lower taxes and water rates, so it must be yo that’s holding them back!
Dave
Dave,
Thanks for your support.
Simple math dictates that I alone can’t be “holding back” property tax and water rate decreases. Maybe I AM serving with some other members that ARE willing to make the right decisions for our City. I am holding onto hope that I am correct.
(damn optimism!) Regarding your concerns….I’ll see what the numbers reveal!
Take Care Buddy,
Mike
Mikey,
I applaud your efforts to keep The Record more professional. I cancelled my subscription to The Aegis last year because I couldn’t stand the lies, sensationalism and unprofessionalism of our local papers. Thanks for entertaining us, both in print and on stage.
You’re the best.
Brendi
Brendi,
Aw-shucks. Stop it….you’re making me blush!
Mikey
Get’em RichieC
I was surprised to find some one at aberdeen council can still be found maybe there’s hope…… the poor folk need help.
V V;
Mike Hiob is the only Councilperson you will hear from or of. The others are only available when it’s time to run again and then to tell you a sack full of lies.
Semper Fi and Gary Owen
Greeting’s Dave.
then there is still ”hope” some one with common sense’ and a willingness to listen to the people. is still on the council. as I progress in to the senior years I find my self working’ harder to hang on to this shack. known as the american dream.
I’am sure I’am not a lone when I say’ we don’t need higher property tax’s & water bill’s. yes we do need to find new way’s to bring money in to the town. but it seem’s it’s all way’s the water & property tax is raised.
Gary Owen & semper fi.