Instead of running a simple correction concerning our story last week about Radio legend Herb Kent’s recent appearance at Afri-Ware in Oak Park, as the newly-installed editor of this paper, I thought it more appropriate to write a letter-and offer a mea culpa.
I edit most of the stories for the Austin Weekly News. That was the case with Delores McCain’s story about Kent. For those who read it, no she didn’t have a senior moment-I did.
Kent is not a host on WVON. His show is on V103 radio. I, of course, knew that, even though I don’t listen to the radio like I used to. But from my brain to my hand, something got garbled and goofy and I wrote WVON. No excuses.
Any mistake, especially one like that, is unacceptable. But that wasn’t my only goof. In a press notice we received prior to Kent ‘s appearance at Afri-Ware, 266 Lake St., to promote his autobiography, it stated that he’d be joined by co-author, David Smallwood. Smallwood was not at Afri-Ware for Kent ‘s appearance on March 14. But robotically, I added that during editing. Sloppy. Lazy. And in the process, I also broke one of the golden rules in journalism: When in doubt, Leave it out.
My sincere apologies to Mr. Kent , Afri-Ware, WVON, WGCI and Delores McCain, who’s like my second mom (… and I got a butt whuppin’ coming that’s gonna sting for ages).
