EAGLE TRIBUNE
UPDATED THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2008-11:00 AM
THE TRUE AND ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF THE NOTIFICATION AND FUNERAL OF SSG ALEX JIMENEZ AND THE CONFRONTATION WITH THE EAGLE TRIBUNE
FOUNDER JIM WAREING STEPS DOWN AFTER RECEIVING THREATS FROM EAGLE TRIBUNE REPORTER YADIRA BETANCES
REPORTER REMOVED FIVE MINUTES BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF POW/MIA SSG ALEX JIMENEZ'S REMAINS WERE TO LAND AT HANSCOM AFB
Jim Wareing, Founding Director of New England Caring For Our Military has announced that he has stepped down from the organization upon threats from Yadira Betances, an Eagle Tribune reporter.
SSG Alex Jimenez was captured in Iraq May 7, 2007 and his remains were discovered on July 8, 2008. Jim Wareing, a close friend of both the father and mother of SSG Alex Jimenez was asked by the Jimenez-Duran family to help plan the funerals both in Lawrence, MA and Corona, NY.
The day before the remains were to be returned home to the family, someone tipped off Wareing that the Eagle Tribune was going to try to sneak in at Hanscom AFB. Betances was going to take pictures and to report on how the family reacted when they first saw the casket of SSG Jimenez come off the plane.
Wareing immediately called Editor Cheryl Rock at the Eagle Tribune the day before the remains were to be flown in and respectfully asked that no reporter be placed in or around the Hanscom AFB and instructed Rock that the family wanted total privacy when they received their son’s remains.
Rock’s response to Wareing was “stay out of our business and mind your own business.” Wareing replied that he was acting on behalf of the Jimenez-Duran family who requested privacy at the airport and that he was planning the funerals and that the media is restricted from this homecoming at the air base. There was more heated exchange of words with Wareing making it clear to Editor Cheryl Rock that they are to stay away from the Jimenez family at Hanscom AFB.
The day of SSG Alex Jimenez’s return home to Hanscom AF Base, two limousines were escorted by two Lawrence Auxiliary police cars with the lead car carrying Eagle Tribune reporter Yadira Betances, unknown to the family or the Massachusetts State Police escort. It was later learned that Lawrence Police Chief Romero permitted this civilian reporter into the city owned cruiser even after knowing the Jimenez family didn’t want any reporters present.
Eagle Tribune reporter Betances was identified by Wareing and Andy Jimenez, brother of SSG Jimenez. Yadira Betances was discovered in the room next to where the Jimenez family was receiving their briefing from the AF officials of what to expect once the plane landed. Yadira Betances was immediately ejected from the military base by the MP five minutes before SSG Jimenez’s plane landed.
When Betances questioned Wareing later that day at St. Mary's Parish about what happened at the airport Wareing explained she was ordered removed. Wareing went on to explain that both her and her editors knew that the family requested that there be no media at the military base when the family was to receive their son’s remains home as they had two young sons to protect. The Jimenez family knew the emotional reunion would be difficult for their two children Bryant, age 16 and Andy, age 20.
At this point Betances starting screaming while pointing her finger at Wareing in St. Mary's Parish "You won this one, but not the next time. You are through, you are finished, I will ruin you" . Betances was then ordered removed from St. Mary's Parish after she swore at Wareing as the four letter "F" word was heard throughout the parish.
An hour later, Betances was let back in after begging the family that she would not do any more reporting and that she was there only as a friend of Andy, father of SSG Jimenez. Betances was asked to leave the parish again after breaking her promise not to do any reporting inside the wake. A major from the Army’s Public Affairs Office caught Betances with a red folder in hand asking SSG Jimenez’s grieving mother, Maria del Rosario Duran, to identify her relatives that were in pictures taken by the Eagle Tribune that were to run in the paper the following day. This was asked while SSG Jimenez’s mother was receiving condolences in the reception line next to the casket of her son Alex.
The third time Eagle Tribune reporter Betances was asked to leave was when a photo by SSG Jimenez’s brother Andy Jimenez was shown to the Major that captured Betances removing someone sitting with the mother at the condolence line to interview the woman outside.
It was reported that Wareing had Betances removed the day of the funeral but this is not true. In fact, Wareing repeatedly asked Betances to sit in the front of the pews but she ignored his request until the 4th time asked. Wareing felt even after all that had happened that Andy Jimenez, father of SSG Jimenez, would still want Betances to sit up front.
It was apparent after the fact that Betances was at the funeral as a reporter for the Eagle Tribune and not as a friend as she wrote the story as it appeared in the Eagle Tribune the following day. In Betances story she also omitted any references to Wareing's ten minutes eulogy about SSG Alex Jimenez that was comprised of comments from 10 or more family members over the course of the 5 days spent with the family about some of the good qualities of SSG Alex Jimenez.
The unethical reporting practices by the Eagle Tribune have been monitored by the Governor's office, the Pentagon and the White House and appropriate measures are being addressed as of this writing.
Betances has apologized to Ramon "Andy" Jimenez, the father of SSG Jimenez for her unethical practices. The parents, Ramon "Andy" Jimenez and Maria del Rosario Duran as well as SSG Jimenez's brothers Andy and Bryant have yet to receive any official apology for actions taken by the Eagle Tribune management or from the Lawrence Police Chief.
Jim Wareing stepped down on Monday as the founding director and a new board has been set up to continue our care package program.
Wareing stated, “I cannot continue on as Director after these threats from the Eagle Tribune reporter Betances. Our organization has helped thousands of soldiers, more than 25,000 in fact and I don’t want controversy to ruin what has been established over the past 4 years. Denise Clegg will continue on with our mission to help all soldiers as they are deployed and are away from home.”
THE EAGLE TRIBUNE'S EARLIER HARASSMENT
REPORTER YADIRA BETANCES AT FATHER’S HOUSE BEFORE HE WAS NOTIFIED HIS SON WAS KILLED IN IRAQ
On July 10, 2008, before the funeral in Lawrence took place, this same reporter Yadira Betances was “tipped off” that the remains of SSG Alex Jimenez had been found in Iraq and immediately went over to the house of Ramon “Andy” Jimenez, father of SSG Jimenez.
Betances even planned enough to bring along her photographer to capture pictures as the father was to be told that his son was found dead in Iraq after being missing for 14 months in Iraq.
Betances found out that his SSG Alex Jimenez was found even before the father knew and she had no respect for privacy at all nor did the Eagle Tribune show respect to Mr. Jimenez.
Instead, she had her photographer capture pictures of Andy Jimenez and Jim Wareing as they both broke down in tears after learning the fate of Andy’s son. This picture was across the Internet by the next morning and Wareing later received a call from the Pentagon and he explained to the colonel how this picture happened. Wareing also explained to the Pentagon officials how distraught he was and that he had to hide his face for the first ten minutes once he learned there was a photographer in the room.
Wareing thought Betances was there as a friend and did not realize she was reporting or that she had brought along the Eagle Tribune photographer until after he heard clicks of the camera as Wareing had embraced Jimenez.
Imagine for a reporter or any representative of the Eagle Tribune to show up at a house of the distraught father of a dead soldier before the father even knew.
Betances even stayed there until she had to go and write the story. All this so she and the Eagle Tribune could get the “EXCLUSIVE STORY”.
No feelings for Mr. Jimenez.
No privacy for Mr. Jimenez.
No respect for Mr. Jimenez.
No consideration for Mr. Jimenez
No respect for SSG Alex Ramon Jimenez who gave up his life for his country.
Nothing for Mr. Andy Jimenez- he was only the father and it was more important to GET THE STORY FIRST!
BETANCES WAS SOME FRIEND INDEED!
EAGLE TRIBUNE CONTINUES STALKING JIMENEZ FAMILY
The Eagle Tribune continued it’s stalking on Ramon “Andy” Jimenez last week and only days after he buried his son, SSG Alex Jimenez. Photographer Angie Beaulieu called Andy asking if it was OK for her to come by and take a picture of Andy standing with the medals that were awarded to SSG Jimenez posthumously during the funeral in Corona , NY last week. Andy of course being good natured and also proud of his son’s achievements agreed to have this photo taken. The caption under the photo was written to give the appearance that Andy Jimenez asked for this photo as it stated Andy wanted to share the medals with the community.
Just a few days earlier before the picture was taken, Jim Wareing, a close friend of Andy Jimenez and the Jimenez-Duran family explained to each of them that in his opinion the Eagle Tribune would be calling them shortly for a final story and for any one of them to expect a call.
Wareing went on to explain to Andy Jimenez that the reasons for the Eagle Tribune calling would be to help them smooth over the controversy that the Eagle Tribune caused by sneaking a reporter onto Hansom AF Base to try and report and take pictures of the family grieving when their son’s casket was to come off the plane from Dover AFB.
Wareing then explained to Jimenez in detail that the first reason for the ET call would be to give the appearance to readers that there is no controversy between the Jimenez family and the Eagle Tribune as was reported by the newspaper The Valley Patriot this month.
Second, the Eagle Tribune would need to get Andy to do another interview or photo to lesson the impact in case a lawsuit arises from the harassment of the Eagle Tribune to the Jimenez-Duran family both here and in NY.
Lastly, Wareing explained to the Jimenez family that the Eagle Tribune needs to have a closure story to help them receive awards for journalism that is now transparent since the Eagle Tribune starting writing the stories 14 months ago.
Just as predicted by Wareing, the Eagle Tribune photographer Angie Beaulieu called only two days later for the photo session. Sad since it was only 10 days after he buried his son. Wareing expects another story to follow in the next month. Let’s see if this also comes true
Jim@bridges4troops.com
978-835-7464
