Stung from months of extremely negative news coverage by one newsletter in Everett, Mayor Carlo DeMaria called out to the business community during a Chamber of Commerce meeting last week for allies.
“This administration is looking for some friends and looking for friends to write op-eds for the (other) newspapers and stick up for our administration. Let people know what we’re doing…We’re putting the truth out there in the other papers, like the Independent, and they are consistently reporting what’s really going on. I’m always around. I’ve available 24/7, even Saturday and Sunday. With technology, your office is everywhere.”
DeMaria and Encore Boston Harbor – among some others – have routinely become punching bags for the vendettas of some of the news coverage in Everett for the past two years. DeMaria said he believes the City is headed in the right direction, and he hopes that the business community agrees. He said it’s hard to see misinformation reported time and again without anyone stepping up to stop it.
“I’m sorry if I come off a little harsh, but I’ve been scrutinized using false, misinformed reports every day,” he said. “It gets to be embarrassing and you’re not sure what people think. Then you see your friends advertising in that Journal and they think your friends might be against you too.”
He said most of the coverage is incorrect or outright lies. He hopes that those in the business community would agree, looking at the years of experience they have had with DeMaria. “It can be really hard because I’ve been working hard for this City since I was 19 years old and a johnny come lately can come undermine you and misrepresent everything with his reports,” he said.