Read it here ... no there ... first

For those of you who are wondering what would happen if the mayor leaves for Winthrop - as in who would step in to take his place - and did not read the Current's story that already explained it all last week - here it is in the Daily News.

I'm dead serious about this now.

I know I write for the "competition" and I wrote the Current story in question (which of course is not on line so I can't link to it), but this is bad. Especially since the reporter wasn't able to speak with Council President James Shanley, who most likely would be the one to step in.

James wrote me on Monday that he wouldn't be at the landfill meeting that evening because he was out of town.

Anyway, equally bad is the Current story not being on line. I know I wrote it, but ... that's awful. Not just for my sake, but for the readers' sake and the Current's sake.

We all know that newspapers are struggling and at least should be coming to realize that the online presence is the more important one right now.

And it is annoying to me because if it's not on line, I can't link to it or email it to other prospective freelance employers. Merrimack Valley Magazine, although it has an online presence, does not post content online. SeaCoast Scene, which I also write for, does not even have an online presence.

I got next to nothing to show - and I don't own a scanner.

So what gives?

I am told that with the Current, it's too difficult to post stories on line so ... many of them just don't get there.

With MVM, I believe, the publisher thinks he's giving something away that he wants people to pay for, if he puts content online. He does not provide clips, at least not for free.

This isn't about competition or giving stuff away for free, this is about serving the community. Not so much with the magazine but with the paper ...?

Finally, I read this in Katie Farrell's story:

At-large Councilor Donna Holaday, who ran against Moak during his first run for mayor, receiving 40 percent of the vote, said yesterday she would "absolutely" be interested in seeking the job if Moak leaves — both temporarily and long term — but called taking any action right now "premature."

"I'd prefer to focus on budget workshops and the work ahead of us," she said.

Holaday, who has taken out re-election papers for her at-large seat, said she will wait to see what happens with Moak to know if she should exchange them for another set of nomination papers.

Holaday said she wouldn't consider a run if Moak were to seek re-election in November.

"We'll see how this plays out," she said.

Donna said most of this to me, but said she preferred me to leave it out of my story, as it was "premature."

I guess I'm not cutthroat enough. The man who taught me journalism always used to tell me, "There's no such thing as 'off the record.'"

I don't agree, but ... well, somehow I knew I'd be reading it in the Daily News before I wrote it for the Current.

C'est la vie.