Sent: Mon 12/28/2009 8:51 AM
To: Daily News
Subject: FW: Important message from [city editor] Gar Joseph Staff:Dave Davies is leaving the Daily News to return to his second family, WHYY-FM, which means I just got 50 percent stupider.
Like a lot of other people around here, I used Dave as a sounding board, a memory aid and a moral compass. He has done nothing but bring credit to this newspaper since he walked in the door in 1990, about 6 city editors ago.
Dave had already built a reputation as a solid reporter with WHYY and KYW and only burnished it further with the Daily News. Yet never once did Dave ever act as though he were a star, bigger than the paper. In fact, he deflected credit whenever possible, loved to share it with others and was generous with his time in assisting young reporters. His work ethic was unparalleled and he refused to print the mush that politicians and city officials routinely feed us without checking the facts.
We almost lost Dave seven years ago when Gov.-elect Ed Rendell asked him to be his press secretary. But we had Dave’s integrity on our side. This time was much tougher. He’s already Terry Gross’ sub on National Public Radio’s top-ranked “Fresh Air” and a frequent host of “Radio Times.” As WHYY expands its news operation and Web site it just made too much sense for them to steal him away permanently.
Mike Days will fight hard to get the resources to replace Dave, whose last day will be Jan. 7. That fight won’t be easy and neither will finding a replacement. But that’s OK because Easy Sucks.
*This is a piss-poor joke we have been making for years but it’s too late to stop now. Just to be clear for those too young or gullible to know better, the Dave Davies in question is NOT the former guitarist of the Kinks, rather he is one of the best journalists this town has ever had. The Daily News will be poorer for his absence and WHYY all the richer. Integrity, thy name is Dave Davies. Stay golden, pony boy.