05/13/2026
City Topics was mentioned in last week's issue of The Weekly. That letter is pictured for reference... Please see editor/admin Matt A.'s response, below, which appears in this week's paper.
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Dear Editor,
I was saddened last week to read Ms. Roy Bungy’s letter expressing her continued anger at a recent portrayal of her family in a forum I moderate online, as I was when Ms. Bungy first came to me several months ago.
At the request of another member of the Roy family, Beverly Flannigan had posted her memories of its elders in a Facebook Group associated with my blog, New Castle City Topics. Within hours of the post, two other members of the family had expressed appreciation for the post in comments on it.
When Ms. Bungy reached me days later, however, she stated there were factual errors, and took issue with Ms. Flannigan’s characterization. I said I would speak to Ms. Flannigan and take down the post, which was done within 24 hours. Ms. Bungy and I had only one conversation. The threat of legal action was never needed, though it was brought up in that first and only interaction (giving no chance to respond before escalating to it).
Regarding fact-checking, the group where this story was posted is a private forum for verified locals to converse. Posts made there by members are their own responsibility, within basic rules around profanity, spam, etc. It is no more my place than it is Facebook’s to police people’s memories in such a forum, and part of its value is that commenters do provide further context and, occasionally, corrections.
Those of Ms. Flannigan’s stories that are shared in the New Castle Digest as her ‘Reminiscences’ column are fact-checked, like everything City Topics publishes directly. As anyone who has reached out with corrections can attest, I am always willing to consider new information and to take corrective action when needed (... as was done promptly here).
Thanks to the Editor for printing Ms. Bungy’s letter. I am glad that, finding our response inadequate, she found another outlet for her frustration. And I agree with her that one should take *everything* one reads in any Facebook group with a grain of salt.
Regards,
Matt Alexander
New Castle City Topics
