What You Read in the News-Press

In a News-Press story, The Cape on May 10, Cape Coral Editor Tom Hayden wrote about Mayor Feichthaler getting comfortable in his seat.
Mr. Hayden included in his article that the Watchdogs and the Cape Coral Civic Association are groups that figured to make the mayor “squirm in that chair.” He wrote this without basis of fact but rather proffered an opinion.

Hayden also wrote “The Watchdogs and Civic Association criticized Feichthaler during the campaign, saying he did not reveal his complete income. There hasn’t been much criticism from them during the first four meetings. I wonder if they are planning their next move?”

While I can not speak on behalf of the Watchdogs, I can speak on behalf of Civic. What Mr. Hayden wrote is again lacking any basis of fact. What he wrote is totally untrue. In speaking with the Mayor regarding the article he told me that his interview with Hayden did not include any mention of the Cape Coral Civic Association. So, I fail to see any connection as to why the Civic Association should have been mentioned in Mr. Hayden’s story on Feichthaler, not unless Mr. Hayden’s comments are intended to create controversy between the Mayor and Civic.

As a result, I spoke with Mr. Hayden on 5/13 regarding his article. Hayden said that since a complaint was filed against Feichthaler by a person who is a member of Civic he assumed this was an action from the Civic Association. I told Mr. Hayden that his assumption was wrong and what a Civic member does as an individual has no bearing on what the Civic Association does as an organization. As an example, if someone is a member of a church and filed a complaint against Mr. Feichthaler does that mean the entire Church as an organization was critical of him? Of course not.

We hope Mr. Hayden will keep this in mind for future reference. We would hate to think that the News-Press is more interested in CREATING news than it is in REPORTING it.