So many people have contributed to the Gazette’s excellence over the years. Mothers and fathers writing about their children’s sports teams, proud teachers describing their students’ accomplishments, even politicians outlining their platforms, all have revealed much about life in our community in the early part of this century. But our core group of editors and reporters, the people who put the Gazette together every week, year in, year out: those are the Larchmonters who deserve our deepest thanks.
From the beginning, we have been continuously advised and supported - in ways too numerous to list - by Ned Benton (history editor) and Rosita Fichtel (calendar, obituaries, features). Joan Simon, even after moving away from Larchmont, has provided consistent guidance, and during her four years on the education beat, set the standard for in-depth, even-handed reporting on our schools. For the past few years, Melany Gray has continued that tradition with equal dedication and excellence. Harriet Kline brought her considerable experience in journalism and the League of Women Voters to her time reporting on the Mamaroneck Town Board. Judy Raab picked up the baton and added a lawyer’s attention and a long-term resident’s knowledge to the details of town governance. For the past year, Elaine Chapnick, has brought her own decades of experience to the coverage of the Village of Larchmont Board.
Some of our regular contributors also deserve special mention for both the quality and quantity of their work: Dr. Jacqueline Plumez, the Career Doctor, has supplied lively, professional responses to readers’ questions in her regular feature as has Dr. Ann Engelland, the Teen Doctor, until her recent move out of Larchmont. Harold Wolfson, on behalf of the Local Summit, has been the consummate community reporter – strictly meeting deadlines, responding to editorial suggestions and learning new technology (in addition to providing moral support and wise counsel).
We also cherish the regular contributions of Fred Levine and Charlie Seton, for their unparalleled photography; Pat Allen (often on Girl Scout topics), the Mamaroneck High School Future Business Leaders of America (under the guidance of their long-term advisor Eileen Multari), and numerous others who over the years supported both the Gazette and their organizations.
Without all of you there would have been no Gazette.
Really sorry to see you go. For us out-of-towners even across the Country, it was a great way to occatsonally keep in touch with what was going on in our hometown. Your professionalism and attention to details important to your readers should have won prizes. Not that was what you were striving for, as you served not only the locals but the rest of us out there who cherish the place, and the people, who are Larchmont. Thank you for the years of dedication and doing your best.
Thanks for providing the forum all these years - the reporting has been fair and balanced and it’s been a nice place for many old time Larchmont/Mam’k to come back ‘home’ and keep up with what’s happening around town.
On a more serious note, having the obituaries column has also been a comforting venue in which to be able to commemorate our loved ones who have passed on over the years.
I do hope that someone else comes in to pick up where you left off - but thank you for producing a wonderful editorial product and forum for all.
I regret that the Larchmont Gazette is suspending publication. Its role in keeping the community informed about community events was very much appreciated and will be greatly missed. Thank you to all who were involved, especially Judy Silberstein and Paula Eisenberg, as well as Ned Benton, Rosita Fichtel and many others.
Although I totally understand your need to move on, I do hope someone will step forward to take on the future publication of the Larchmont Gazette. This was a consistently high quality publication; I have not seen another local publication like it (online nor in traditional print). Thanks to Judy and Paula and all of your other editors for setting a very high standard of keeping us informed of the goings on in Larchmont and Mamaroneck, even as many of us no longer have children in the school system or even live in Larchmont anymore — it has been wonderful to be able to “keep in touch.” Thanks again — and I do hope someone will step forward to fill the void!
- Judy Baumgarten
I can’t tell you how much I’ll miss the Larchmont Gazette and working with Judy, especially. It’s been a wonderful online resource, covered events and issues fairly and portrayed our community as the vibrant, giving and caring community that it is. Thanks for all of your hard work and support. I do hope that someone else will pick it up and carry on. All the best to Judy and Paula.
Thanks for the acknowledgment. You were both a pleasure to work with. We’ll miss you. Best of luck!