Fond Memories, funny stories and many tearful farewells

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Fond Memories, funny stories and many tearful farewells

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Posted by Hudson County on September 13, 2003 at 16:40:41:

Fond memories, funny stories, tearful farewells

I first met Peter in a professional capacity about 25 years ago and considered him a good friend and a wonderful person. As a public relations consultant, you worry sometimes about whether a reporter will take the time to understand your side of a story and be fair. Peter was always fair, objective and very honest. He could really work me over during our phone conversations, but his writing was always kind and pure. He would listen to two pundits scream at each other until we turned blue and then write a story both would find fair. He had such a simple but effective way of boiling issues down to their essence. He was a really funny, witty guy too. And he always paid half of the lunch checks, even though my drinks cost more than his chocolate cake. PAUL SWIBINSKI President, Vision Media Inc. Secaucus While I was not fortunate enough to have had the opportunity of reading Peter Weiss's articles over the decades he has been at it, during the past few years Peter was someone who I looked up to as a journalist and as a human being. As a student of journalism, I read his articles as many would read the Bible, paying careful attention to each and every word. He had a gift that, as a writer, I can only hope to one day emulate: He would dissect the most complex political situations and explain them in terms that even an unknowledgeable reader could easily understand. More recently, as an intern for The Jersey Journal, I had the opportunity to get a better look at the man who touched the lives of everyone around him. When people heard that I was working for The Jersey Journal, everyone asked me the same question: "Do you know Peter Weiss?" And I was proud to say, "Yes I do." The vision of Peter sitting behind his desk in jeans, sneakers and a T-shirt, with his feet up and his phone ringing constantly is one I'll never forget. Peter loved his job - he loved every minute of it, and that could be seen in his sense of humor that put a smile on the faces of his co-workers and it could be seen through his many readers who followed his column passionately, from the average Hudson County resident to some of the state's chief politicians. My prayers go out to his wife, Margaret Schmidt, and to his entire family at The Jersey Journal. EDDIE HOLLOWELL When I first started as a reporter at The Jersey Journal, I was a tad intimidated by Peter. He was such an experienced newsman and I was still finding my voice. But then I was given a desk right next to Peter's and little by little we got to know each other. He had a wonderful sense of humor, and I would always get a little tingle when I heard him laugh at one of my jokes. Peter was a consummate newsman, but more than that he was a gentleman with a big heart who loved animals (especially pups). Maybe that's why he always rooted for the underdog. SALLY DEERING Peter was a friend and will be sorely missed by all. He never failed to amaze me with his easygoing manner; nothing ever ruffled him, or so it appeared to me. He helped many people and kept the politicians on their toes, and yet they all had a deep respect for him since he was generally easygoing with his column for most. He could have been a terror, particularly in Hudson County, where false rumors fly like mosquitoes on a summer night. Peter tried to be as accurate as he could be, and in his own inimitable manner he would pop up with a story that was way out in left field - and yet many of the wildest stories had a touch of truth and accuracy to them. Peter's column was always the first thing I read in The Jersey Journal, and I looked forward to it three times a week. I really missed the column when Peter took a short vacation, which was not very often. I read his column faithfully years before I ever got involved with politics, and perhaps he is the one that drew me into the political arena. I will truly miss Peter, but he will continue to watch over the political doings in Hudson County and the state - clearly from a better vantage spot than any of us. I had many great conversations with Peter, and he was one of the most interesting individuals I've ever met. The Jersey Journal was fortunate to have him for so long, and he will not be easily replaced. Peter, may you have an easy journey, which you certainly deserve. BARRY J. DUGAN Freeholder vice chairman I was stunned to read of the passing of Peter Weiss. My heart goes out to the Weiss family. Since February, I've been activated with the Army. Every day I would link to The Jersey Journal Web site and check Mr. Weiss's site, and he kept me in tune with Hudson County politics, and we know politics. To the Weiss family and Jersey Journal family, you're in my prayers. WILL SHIRDEN I called him "Pete-see" because he was really like a big brother to me and the other interns in the newsroom back in the early '80s. In between swapping Howard Stern stories - we were both fans, to the disgust of our co-workers - Peter is responsible for getting me a full-time reporting job at The Jersey Journal and for helping me land my first two PR jobs. One day, Peter took a break from that two-finger twist he did on the typewriter and told me he wanted to show me something in the trunk of his car. I followed him, teasing that I just knew he had the body of some politician stuffed inside his tin can. Peter popped the trunk to reveal a couple of oil paintings. "My father painted them, but I don't know what to do with them," he said. "Take one." I picked out a canvas of red tulips in a green vase. Years later, we would talk on the phone or share a lunch once in a great while, and I'd remind Peter that I still had his dad's painting hanging in my house. Peter's response would always be the same. "I didn't know what to do with them," he'd say. We both knew that wasn't true. Peter had that rare gift of making people's lives matter to the rest of us. He used words to paint his own lasting portraits, filled with humor and humanity. I'll miss Peter's stroke of genius. ANN SPINA SPERLING

Readers say good-bye to Peter Weiss

Saturday, September 13, 2003

I sat at the computer tonight thinking about Peter and trying to grab hold of emotions and fleeting thoughts and turn them into coherent sentences summing up a friendship.

It wasn't easy, not because there aren't many memories, but because of the great void that's opened that mere words can't really fill in any satisfying way, no matter how well written or true. How do you even begin to undertake the calculus of loss in Peter's case?

Peter was one of those remarkable people whose presence was so natural and unassuming you took it for granted. You never understand in advance how important people like he are to you. Yet upon first word of his death, I knew with a cold, intuitive certainty that the world was a place that was now less friendly, much less full, than before.

I worked with Peter closely for 10 years - we started at The Journal a week apart - and we became more than good friends, intricately and intimately involved in each other's lives for a time. He came to dinner, wedged himself into a corner of the kitchen, was surrounded by my dogs. He loved those dogs as much as I did, if not more. And all the time during our friendship I watched him work and saw his simple approach to his craft: to tell the truth as he saw it and enjoy himself while doing it. He not only knew but understood that great journalistic principle, to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

I remember him sitting late into the evening at a manual typewriter in the old city room filled with our ancient equipment, chewing on his tongue as he worked away at his column, bantering with the night staff, fielding telephone calls, smiling, laughing, enjoying himself, and most importantly, sure of himself. I can't say I wasn't jealous of him then. He told me once he had only one requirement for a job: It must not require that he wear a tie. Life was that simple for him.

He was gracious, with a generous spirit, and urged me to leave The Journal to take a job as mayoral press secretary that he had turned down. And having done that, he often used his wickedly sharp pen to appropriately reduce the size of my burgeoning ego or point out my foolishness when I too easily played the part of righteous apologist. It hurt, not because he was my friend, but because I knew he was right. I often wonder what would have happened if I hadn't taken that job. TOM GOLODIK

While some news programs try to portray themselves as fair and balanced, Peter never had to promote himself in that regard. His honesty and neutrality were unquestioned, his humor and witty sarcasm second to none, and his journalistic integrity nearly legendary. He simply told us what was going on and did so truthfully. He served Hudson County residents more honorably than many elected officials. DAN AMICO Former Town Clerk Secaucus

Peter Weiss played such an important role in each of our lives here in Hudson County. He was the political watchdog, ensuring that our politicians and community leaders lived up to their commitments. He made certain if you were in politics that you had a conscience.

Revered for his honesty, good humor and integrity, Peter Weiss can never be replaced. But we can appreciate the incredible work of his life as a public servant in journalism. MICHAEL KORMAN Hoboken

I first met Peter over 25 years ago when I was freshman at Jersey City State College. English grammar was my worst subject, and Peter help me with composition papers.

My parents' restaurant - two blocks north of Jersey City Municipal Hall next to the Grove Street PATH Station, called the Sunset, now the Hard Grove Cafe - was where I met other reporters from The Jersey Journal and the Hudson Dispatch. Reporters like Earl Morgan, Ronald Leir, Robert Larkins, Richard Drabik and the late Jack Hasbrouck.

It was Peter who inspired me to write and eventually convinced me to try out for the college newspaper, the Gothic Times. I eventually ended up being the news editor in my senior year. Peter would always give me pointers.

Through the years, I became politically involved, in Jersey City and later in Bayonne. I would always give Peter leads to stories as well as gossip in which he would keep everything in confidence, if I told him to do so.

We both loved baseball and the New York Mets. We would not only talk of Hudson County politics, but of all sort of sports and other subjects. I will truly miss him as I know all the readers of this newspaper will.

But the part I will always miss is when he would take shots at me when it came to promotions between me and my brother George. For you see, I am the eldest and my brother would always win when wewould get promoted in rank, first at the Hudson County jail, and I would later get promoted at the Sheriff's Office. Peter would say, "I told you your brother was smarter." LT. CHRISTOS GENES Hudson County Sheriff's Office

Peter Weiss was always a challenge, and he knew Hudson County politics. We did not always agree, but he understood what local politics was all about. Peter tried to present a fair and unbiased point of view. JOSEPH V. DORIA JR. Bayonne mayor, State Assemblyman

We will miss Peter Weiss. He treated community activists with the same respect as elected officials. He promptly returned our phone calls and when he was in charge printed our "letters to the editor" without prejudice.

Weiss's "Political Whirl" column was must-reading, especially since he tapped into the human spirit. He also knew the issues and history of Hudson County as few do. We will remember him as a fair, factual and entertaining reporter who will be dearly missed. Our condolences to Margaret Schmidt and both their families. YVONNE BALCER and MIA SCANGA Jersey City

It was 1998. I can't recall the month exactly, but I remember it was around Christmas time. As I walked by table F8 along the front window of Top Notch Restaurant in Montclair one busy Saturday night, I thought I caught a glimpse of Jersey Journal columnist Peter Weiss.

A senior majoring in English with hopes of one day breaking a juicy story for a daily, I was bursting with excitement. Imagine the prospects - a job offer, a mentor, a helping hand for a kid from Union City working two jobs and carrying a full-time load at school.

Peter could have brushed me off as I approached the table and introduced myself, not as their waiter but as a young wannabe reporter interrupting his dinner party. But Peter would never have done that. Smiling without the slightest hint of presumption, he extended his hand in friendship, slipped a few jokes about how little reporters make, and made comments like, "Why would you want to do this to yourself?"

He sparked a flurry of reporter jokes at a table loaded with journalist fortunate enough to have Peter call them friends.

More than an hour later, I felt a tap on my shoulder, a tap I had hoped would be the unassuming guy in the corduroy blazer and jeans at table F8.

"You know, if you're serious about working for a paper, you should give this person a call," he said, holding out one of his business cards with the name of the paper's managing editor scribbled on the back.

I later learned that the editor, Margaret Schmidt, was his wife.

Despite my lack of experience, Peter's gesture and open mind, and Margaret's willingness to bet on her husband's hunches, gave me my start in a business I love.

A few months after that encounter, I was hired as the Hispanic affairs reporter and eventually covered Jersey City City Hall and wrote a column for a paper I grew up reading.

At 23, I was sitting a dozen or so feet away from the great Peter Weiss - listening, laughing at his approach - and learning about journalism and life from a guy who didn't know how to say no, unless you were a politician.

People like Peter don't just offer you a smile, handshake and an empty promise. They deliver honesty packaged in hope, laced with humor.

I thanked him profusely that night amid the clanging silverware and chatter. Later in the somehow reliable elevator of that old building on Journal Square, I would thank him a couple of times after that.

When I learned of his death and even now, days later, I feel like I never thanked him enough, not just for the opportunity but for the countless hours I spent eavesdropping on his conversations, learning how the job of journalism should be done.

Peter, you taught me more than any book ever could, gave me a hand when I needed one and were never too busy to crack a joke or listen to me patiently while I tried to weasel some advice from you. I can't thank you enough.

I hope there's plenty of Snapple and cream soda wherever you are. ALBERTO CANAL

Peter Weiss may have been short in stature but was definitely tall in his profession. Whenever Peter's column appeared, it was the first item I would read in The Jersey Journal. He exposed Hudson County politics in a very special way that one could know the inside story. His presence will be missed in future years. ALLAN ROY BARDACK

Peter Weiss was an old-fashioned reporter whose word was gold, and his readers and everyone he interacted with knew it. He was extremely well-networked to the political figures in Hudson County and throughout New Jersey. Peter had a smile and a wry sense of humor that could melt the heart of even the most hardened of politicians. Such inside access allowed him to give even more thoughtful analysis to his readers, who also very much enjoyed his great writing style.

Peter was a warm, funny and genuinely kind human being who fought every day to bring the truth about the innermost workings of government to all his readers. I will miss him and his work, as will many others. U.S. REP. STEVE ROTHMAN D-Fair Lawn

For more than 20 years, Peter and I talked about sports. Peter had the same razor-sharp wit and great knowledge when he talked about sports as he did when he talked about politics. We talked about all of it, especially the NFL playoffs, Super Bowls and the NCAA. I'm sorely going to miss him. My heart goes out to Margaret and everyone in the newsroom. MARTY MURPHY Jersey City

Back in the '70s, former Councilman Thomas McGovern never missed Peter Weiss's column. He always liked the way he would word and say things about anyone in politics, bad or good.

I remember he always had a good word for my husband, Tom, and I always treasured it. We both sat together reading his column. I will miss it very much. HELEN McGOVERN Jersey City

Peter Weiss took me under his strong and generous wing when I was a very young, very naive, very ambitious young reporter working summers during college at The Jersey Journal. Peter at the time was already one of the most respected reporters on the paper. He didn't have to pay attention to this rather awkward, unsophisticated girl from St. Peter's College. Whenever I would get a bylined story, Peter would pass by my desk and say, "Good job, kid."

Peter also took it upon himself to advance my social and cultural growth. He introduced me to Mexican food at a restaurant in Greenwich Village, and to Rattner's Jewish Deli where I ate my first knish. Then, in what appeared to be the height of sophistication at the time, he invited me to go with him to a Phil Ochs concert in a small cafe in the Village.

When I look back at all the people who mentored me personally and professionally in my early career, Peter Weiss is the gentle little giant of kindness I will always hold in a special place in my heart. Praise him. JUDY VALENTE Chicago

I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Peter Weiss. My deep-felt sympathy goes out to his wife, Margaret. I enjoyed our many conversations over the years, and while we did not always agree, I had a great deal of respect for Pete. No doubt, he will be missed. DENNIS P. COLLINS Former Bayonne mayor

On my way to Pittsburgh on Wednesday I stopped in Jersey City for lunch and picked up a copy of The Jersey Journal. I was both shocked and saddened to read that Peter Weiss had passed away.

Peter is a prominent fixture in my memories of Jersey City, where I lived for a year beginning in October 2001, and of The Jersey Journal, where with his help, I interned for several months.

I started out as a stringer for The Jersey Journal, and he was the person I called every Monday and Friday to go over story ideas. Being from Los Angeles, I sometimes had trouble understanding him through his Jersey accent, but he seemed to like the stories I turned up.

I had arrived in Jersey City without a job or any job prospects, and when Peter found out I was having a hard time he said he'd ask Margaret whether any internships were available. I started two days later as an obituary intern. I was then not only able to make ends meet, I also began building a career.

I'm grateful to Peter because of it.

When I applied for a two-year program with the Tribune Co., Peter gave me a glowing recommendation and would assure me that I'd get the job, which I did. HILDA M. MUNOZ

Pete was the biggest newsroom star when I worked for The Jersey Journal as a reporter in the late 1980s, but he always had time to counsel and nurture young reporters trying to make a living in journalism. I was one of them.

I was green, eager and had the thickest Chilean accent - having arrived in the United States just years earlier - and Pete always treated me with a combination of amusement and respect. It didn't matter to him that I was the "copy girl" who got people's food, someone who would cling to his every word on the long nights we used to spend on the city desk in Jersey City.

For my part, I watched and learned from him, and from another editor, John Watson, who is no longer there. Pete lived in the newsroom. He used to come and go. At all hours. The ultimate political insider, he knew his beat had no set deadlines. What a role model for me!

And Pete would make the night go quickly; he'd sing the song "Nobody knows the troubles I've seen" in deep baritone. And he would smile, because he was a happy guy. He was a lucky guy. Regular people, politicians and other journalists admired him.

You knew this guy just loved his job. To see him work the phones and to deal one on one with politicos - to see him composing at the manual typewriters, pressing key by key - he was the best journalism mentor I ever had. I credit him with helping me become the journalist I am today.

He was the biggest star, yet he was so humble. I just wish Pete were here today to tell him what a great contribution he made to my life.

I love you, Pete, and I will never forget you. Thanks. BLANCA MONICA QUINTANILLA Editor at Newsday North Bergen

To say that Peter Weiss was unique is to understate the legacy that he left behind. Pete Weiss was exceptional.

Pete had a knack for knowing how to draw the line between plying his trade as a political columnist and being a friend. He did so with a class and style that is hard to imagine anyone else being able to duplicate.

In addition to writing his must-read columns, Peter also covered Hudson County government. I had come to treasure our routine conversations about politics and life while attending the caucus and meetings of the freeholder board. As time went by, these conversations gravitated more toward life and less and less about politics.

On those occasions when Peter plied his trade with respect to me - I have learned volumes. Mainly, not to take or see things as seriously as we all sometimes do. Life goes on. His columns helped me to become known and, along with others, gave me that polite kick in the pants when straying from my established political or governmental beliefs.

Peter had mastered journalistic fairness and dispensed it like blind justice. He had a gift for enabling many of the subjects of his columns to see the forest for the trees.

Like countless others, I will miss this quaint, humble giant of a man. I will miss his friendship, benevolence and keen wit. I will miss Pete's special charm to lighten things up when we all take ourselves too seriously.

But what I think I, along with countless others, will especially miss about Peter was the care and time he took in pointing out to us all the forest for the trees.

LOUIS M. MANZO

My memories of Pete: He walked slow, he talked slow. You'd asked him a question, he answered it to the point without elaboration. He knew his politics, yet he didn't flaunt it. He didn't try to impress you with his knowledge, but he was a walking book of facts. I can still picture him, even after 12 years in retirement, with his feet up on the desk and a phone glued to his ear.

A great loss to The Jersey Journal, he'll be missed. ALBERT CICETTI

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: Fond memories, funny stories, tearful farewells

: I first met Peter in a professional capacity about 25 years ago and considered him a good friend and a wonderful person. As a public relations consultant, you worry sometimes about whether a reporter will take the time to understand your side of a story and be fair. Peter was always fair, objective and very honest. He could really work me over during our phone conversations, but his writing was always kind and pure. He would listen to two pundits scream at each other until we turned blue and then write a story both would find fair. He had such a simple but effective way of boiling issues down to their essence. He was a really funny, witty guy too. And he always paid half of the lunch checks, even though my drinks cost more than his chocolate cake. PAUL SWIBINSKI President, Vision Media Inc. Secaucus While I was not fortunate enough to have had the opportunity of reading Peter Weiss's articles over the decades he has been at it, during the past few years Peter was someone who I looked up to as a journalist and as a human being. As a student of journalism, I read his articles as many would read the Bible, paying careful attention to each and every word. He had a gift that, as a writer, I can only hope to one day emulate: He would dissect the most complex political situations and explain them in terms that even an unknowledgeable reader could easily understand. More recently, as an intern for The Jersey Journal, I had the opportunity to get a better look at the man who touched the lives of everyone around him. When people heard that I was working for The Jersey Journal, everyone asked me the same question: "Do you know Peter Weiss?" And I was proud to say, "Yes I do." The vision of Peter sitting behind his desk in jeans, sneakers and a T-shirt, with his feet up and his phone ringing constantly is one I'll never forget. Peter loved his job - he loved every minute of it, and that could be seen in his sense of humor that put a smile on the faces of his co-workers and it could be seen through his many readers who followed his column passionately, from the average Hudson County resident to some of the state's chief politicians. My prayers go out to his wife, Margaret Schmidt, and to his entire family at The Jersey Journal. EDDIE HOLLOWELL When I first started as a reporter at The Jersey Journal, I was a tad intimidated by Peter. He was such an experienced newsman and I was still finding my voice. But then I was given a desk right next to Peter's and little by little we got to know each other. He had a wonderful sense of humor, and I would always get a little tingle when I heard him laugh at one of my jokes. Peter was a consummate newsman, but more than that he was a gentleman with a big heart who loved animals (especially pups). Maybe that's why he always rooted for the underdog. SALLY DEERING Peter was a friend and will be sorely missed by all. He never failed to amaze me with his easygoing manner; nothing ever ruffled him, or so it appeared to me. He helped many people and kept the politicians on their toes, and yet they all had a deep respect for him since he was generally easygoing with his column for most. He could have been a terror, particularly in Hudson County, where false rumors fly like mosquitoes on a summer night. Peter tried to be as accurate as he could be, and in his own inimitable manner he would pop up with a story that was way out in left field - and yet many of the wildest stories had a touch of truth and accuracy to them. Peter's column was always the first thing I read in The Jersey Journal, and I looked forward to it three times a week. I really missed the column when Peter took a short vacation, which was not very often. I read his column faithfully years before I ever got involved with politics, and perhaps he is the one that drew me into the political arena. I will truly miss Peter, but he will continue to watch over the political doings in Hudson County and the state - clearly from a better vantage spot than any of us. I had many great conversations with Peter, and he was one of the most interesting individuals I've ever met. The Jersey Journal was fortunate to have him for so long, and he will not be easily replaced. Peter, may you have an easy journey, which you certainly deserve. BARRY J. DUGAN Freeholder vice chairman I was stunned to read of the passing of Peter Weiss. My heart goes out to the Weiss family. Since February, I've been activated with the Army. Every day I would link to The Jersey Journal Web site and check Mr. Weiss's site, and he kept me in tune with Hudson County politics, and we know politics. To the Weiss family and Jersey Journal family, you're in my prayers. WILL SHIRDEN I called him "Pete-see" because he was really like a big brother to me and the other interns in the newsroom back in the early '80s. In between swapping Howard Stern stories - we were both fans, to the disgust of our co-workers - Peter is responsible for getting me a full-time reporting job at The Jersey Journal and for helping me land my first two PR jobs. One day, Peter took a break from that two-finger twist he did on the typewriter and told me he wanted to show me something in the trunk of his car. I followed him, teasing that I just knew he had the body of some politician stuffed inside his tin can. Peter popped the trunk to reveal a couple of oil paintings. "My father painted them, but I don't know what to do with them," he said. "Take one." I picked out a canvas of red tulips in a green vase. Years later, we would talk on the phone or share a lunch once in a great while, and I'd remind Peter that I still had his dad's painting hanging in my house. Peter's response would always be the same. "I didn't know what to do with them," he'd say. We both knew that wasn't true. Peter had that rare gift of making people's lives matter to the rest of us. He used words to paint his own lasting portraits, filled with humor and humanity. I'll miss Peter's stroke of genius. ANN SPINA SPERLING

: Readers say good-bye to Peter Weiss

:
: Saturday, September 13, 2003

: I sat at the computer tonight thinking about Peter and trying to grab hold of emotions and fleeting thoughts and turn them into coherent sentences summing up a friendship.

:
: It wasn't easy, not because there aren't many memories, but because of the great void that's opened that mere words can't really fill in any satisfying way, no matter how well written or true. How do you even begin to undertake the calculus of loss in Peter's case?

: Peter was one of those remarkable people whose presence was so natural and unassuming you took it for granted. You never understand in advance how important people like he are to you. Yet upon first word of his death, I knew with a cold, intuitive certainty that the world was a place that was now less friendly, much less full, than before.

: I worked with Peter closely for 10 years - we started at The Journal a week apart - and we became more than good friends, intricately and intimately involved in each other's lives for a time. He came to dinner, wedged himself into a corner of the kitchen, was surrounded by my dogs. He loved those dogs as much as I did, if not more. And all the time during our friendship I watched him work and saw his simple approach to his craft: to tell the truth as he saw it and enjoy himself while doing it. He not only knew but understood that great journalistic principle, to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

: I remember him sitting late into the evening at a manual typewriter in the old city room filled with our ancient equipment, chewing on his tongue as he worked away at his column, bantering with the night staff, fielding telephone calls, smiling, laughing, enjoying himself, and most importantly, sure of himself. I can't say I wasn't jealous of him then. He told me once he had only one requirement for a job: It must not require that he wear a tie. Life was that simple for him.

: He was gracious, with a generous spirit, and urged me to leave The Journal to take a job as mayoral press secretary that he had turned down. And having done that, he often used his wickedly sharp pen to appropriately reduce the size of my burgeoning ego or point out my foolishness when I too easily played the part of righteous apologist. It hurt, not because he was my friend, but because I knew he was right. I often wonder what would have happened if I hadn't taken that job. TOM GOLODIK

: While some news programs try to portray themselves as fair and balanced, Peter never had to promote himself in that regard. His honesty and neutrality were unquestioned, his humor and witty sarcasm second to none, and his journalistic integrity nearly legendary. He simply told us what was going on and did so truthfully. He served Hudson County residents more honorably than many elected officials. DAN AMICO Former Town Clerk Secaucus

: Peter Weiss played such an important role in each of our lives here in Hudson County. He was the political watchdog, ensuring that our politicians and community leaders lived up to their commitments. He made certain if you were in politics that you had a conscience.

: Revered for his honesty, good humor and integrity, Peter Weiss can never be replaced. But we can appreciate the incredible work of his life as a public servant in journalism. MICHAEL KORMAN Hoboken

: I first met Peter over 25 years ago when I was freshman at Jersey City State College. English grammar was my worst subject, and Peter help me with composition papers.

: My parents' restaurant - two blocks north of Jersey City Municipal Hall next to the Grove Street PATH Station, called the Sunset, now the Hard Grove Cafe - was where I met other reporters from The Jersey Journal and the Hudson Dispatch. Reporters like Earl Morgan, Ronald Leir, Robert Larkins, Richard Drabik and the late Jack Hasbrouck.

: It was Peter who inspired me to write and eventually convinced me to try out for the college newspaper, the Gothic Times. I eventually ended up being the news editor in my senior year. Peter would always give me pointers.

: Through the years, I became politically involved, in Jersey City and later in Bayonne. I would always give Peter leads to stories as well as gossip in which he would keep everything in confidence, if I told him to do so.

: We both loved baseball and the New York Mets. We would not only talk of Hudson County politics, but of all sort of sports and other subjects. I will truly miss him as I know all the readers of this newspaper will.

: But the part I will always miss is when he would take shots at me when it came to promotions between me and my brother George. For you see, I am the eldest and my brother would always win when wewould get promoted in rank, first at the Hudson County jail, and I would later get promoted at the Sheriff's Office. Peter would say, "I told you your brother was smarter." LT. CHRISTOS GENES Hudson County Sheriff's Office

: Peter Weiss was always a challenge, and he knew Hudson County politics. We did not always agree, but he understood what local politics was all about. Peter tried to present a fair and unbiased point of view. JOSEPH V. DORIA JR. Bayonne mayor, State Assemblyman

: We will miss Peter Weiss. He treated community activists with the same respect as elected officials. He promptly returned our phone calls and when he was in charge printed our "letters to the editor" without prejudice.

: Weiss's "Political Whirl" column was must-reading, especially since he tapped into the human spirit. He also knew the issues and history of Hudson County as few do. We will remember him as a fair, factual and entertaining reporter who will be dearly missed. Our condolences to Margaret Schmidt and both their families. YVONNE BALCER and MIA SCANGA Jersey City

: It was 1998. I can't recall the month exactly, but I remember it was around Christmas time. As I walked by table F8 along the front window of Top Notch Restaurant in Montclair one busy Saturday night, I thought I caught a glimpse of Jersey Journal columnist Peter Weiss.

: A senior majoring in English with hopes of one day breaking a juicy story for a daily, I was bursting with excitement. Imagine the prospects - a job offer, a mentor, a helping hand for a kid from Union City working two jobs and carrying a full-time load at school.

: Peter could have brushed me off as I approached the table and introduced myself, not as their waiter but as a young wannabe reporter interrupting his dinner party. But Peter would never have done that. Smiling without the slightest hint of presumption, he extended his hand in friendship, slipped a few jokes about how little reporters make, and made comments like, "Why would you want to do this to yourself?"

: He sparked a flurry of reporter jokes at a table loaded with journalist fortunate enough to have Peter call them friends.

: More than an hour later, I felt a tap on my shoulder, a tap I had hoped would be the unassuming guy in the corduroy blazer and jeans at table F8.

: "You know, if you're serious about working for a paper, you should give this person a call," he said, holding out one of his business cards with the name of the paper's managing editor scribbled on the back.

: I later learned that the editor, Margaret Schmidt, was his wife.

: Despite my lack of experience, Peter's gesture and open mind, and Margaret's willingness to bet on her husband's hunches, gave me my start in a business I love.

: A few months after that encounter, I was hired as the Hispanic affairs reporter and eventually covered Jersey City City Hall and wrote a column for a paper I grew up reading.

: At 23, I was sitting a dozen or so feet away from the great Peter Weiss - listening, laughing at his approach - and learning about journalism and life from a guy who didn't know how to say no, unless you were a politician.

: People like Peter don't just offer you a smile, handshake and an empty promise. They deliver honesty packaged in hope, laced with humor.

: I thanked him profusely that night amid the clanging silverware and chatter. Later in the somehow reliable elevator of that old building on Journal Square, I would thank him a couple of times after that.

: When I learned of his death and even now, days later, I feel like I never thanked him enough, not just for the opportunity but for the countless hours I spent eavesdropping on his conversations, learning how the job of journalism should be done.

: Peter, you taught me more than any book ever could, gave me a hand when I needed one and were never too busy to crack a joke or listen to me patiently while I tried to weasel some advice from you. I can't thank you enough.

: I hope there's plenty of Snapple and cream soda wherever you are. ALBERTO CANAL

: Peter Weiss may have been short in stature but was definitely tall in his profession. Whenever Peter's column appeared, it was the first item I would read in The Jersey Journal. He exposed Hudson County politics in a very special way that one could know the inside story. His presence will be missed in future years. ALLAN ROY BARDACK

: Peter Weiss was an old-fashioned reporter whose word was gold, and his readers and everyone he interacted with knew it. He was extremely well-networked to the political figures in Hudson County and throughout New Jersey. Peter had a smile and a wry sense of humor that could melt the heart of even the most hardened of politicians. Such inside access allowed him to give even more thoughtful analysis to his readers, who also very much enjoyed his great writing style.

: Peter was a warm, funny and genuinely kind human being who fought every day to bring the truth about the innermost workings of government to all his readers. I will miss him and his work, as will many others. U.S. REP. STEVE ROTHMAN D-Fair Lawn

: For more than 20 years, Peter and I talked about sports. Peter had the same razor-sharp wit and great knowledge when he talked about sports as he did when he talked about politics. We talked about all of it, especially the NFL playoffs, Super Bowls and the NCAA. I'm sorely going to miss him. My heart goes out to Margaret and everyone in the newsroom. MARTY MURPHY Jersey City

: Back in the '70s, former Councilman Thomas McGovern never missed Peter Weiss's column. He always liked the way he would word and say things about anyone in politics, bad or good.

: I remember he always had a good word for my husband, Tom, and I always treasured it. We both sat together reading his column. I will miss it very much. HELEN McGOVERN Jersey City

: Peter Weiss took me under his strong and generous wing when I was a very young, very naive, very ambitious young reporter working summers during college at The Jersey Journal. Peter at the time was already one of the most respected reporters on the paper. He didn't have to pay attention to this rather awkward, unsophisticated girl from St. Peter's College. Whenever I would get a bylined story, Peter would pass by my desk and say, "Good job, kid."

: Peter also took it upon himself to advance my social and cultural growth. He introduced me to Mexican food at a restaurant in Greenwich Village, and to Rattner's Jewish Deli where I ate my first knish. Then, in what appeared to be the height of sophistication at the time, he invited me to go with him to a Phil Ochs concert in a small cafe in the Village.

: When I look back at all the people who mentored me personally and professionally in my early career, Peter Weiss is the gentle little giant of kindness I will always hold in a special place in my heart. Praise him. JUDY VALENTE Chicago

: I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Peter Weiss. My deep-felt sympathy goes out to his wife, Margaret. I enjoyed our many conversations over the years, and while we did not always agree, I had a great deal of respect for Pete. No doubt, he will be missed. DENNIS P. COLLINS Former Bayonne mayor

: On my way to Pittsburgh on Wednesday I stopped in Jersey City for lunch and picked up a copy of The Jersey Journal. I was both shocked and saddened to read that Peter Weiss had passed away.

: Peter is a prominent fixture in my memories of Jersey City, where I lived for a year beginning in October 2001, and of The Jersey Journal, where with his help, I interned for several months.

: I started out as a stringer for The Jersey Journal, and he was the person I called every Monday and Friday to go over story ideas. Being from Los Angeles, I sometimes had trouble understanding him through his Jersey accent, but he seemed to like the stories I turned up.

: I had arrived in Jersey City without a job or any job prospects, and when Peter found out I was having a hard time he said he'd ask Margaret whether any internships were available. I started two days later as an obituary intern. I was then not only able to make ends meet, I also began building a career.

: I'm grateful to Peter because of it.

: When I applied for a two-year program with the Tribune Co., Peter gave me a glowing recommendation and would assure me that I'd get the job, which I did. HILDA M. MUNOZ

: Pete was the biggest newsroom star when I worked for The Jersey Journal as a reporter in the late 1980s, but he always had time to counsel and nurture young reporters trying to make a living in journalism. I was one of them.

: I was green, eager and had the thickest Chilean accent - having arrived in the United States just years earlier - and Pete always treated me with a combination of amusement and respect. It didn't matter to him that I was the "copy girl" who got people's food, someone who would cling to his every word on the long nights we used to spend on the city desk in Jersey City.

: For my part, I watched and learned from him, and from another editor, John Watson, who is no longer there. Pete lived in the newsroom. He used to come and go. At all hours. The ultimate political insider, he knew his beat had no set deadlines. What a role model for me!

: And Pete would make the night go quickly; he'd sing the song "Nobody knows the troubles I've seen" in deep baritone. And he would smile, because he was a happy guy. He was a lucky guy. Regular people, politicians and other journalists admired him.

: You knew this guy just loved his job. To see him work the phones and to deal one on one with politicos - to see him composing at the manual typewriters, pressing key by key - he was the best journalism mentor I ever had. I credit him with helping me become the journalist I am today.

: He was the biggest star, yet he was so humble. I just wish Pete were here today to tell him what a great contribution he made to my life.

: I love you, Pete, and I will never forget you. Thanks. BLANCA MONICA QUINTANILLA Editor at Newsday North Bergen

: To say that Peter Weiss was unique is to understate the legacy that he left behind. Pete Weiss was exceptional.

: Pete had a knack for knowing how to draw the line between plying his trade as a political columnist and being a friend. He did so with a class and style that is hard to imagine anyone else being able to duplicate.

: In addition to writing his must-read columns, Peter also covered Hudson County government. I had come to treasure our routine conversations about politics and life while attending the caucus and meetings of the freeholder board. As time went by, these conversations gravitated more toward life and less and less about politics.

: On those occasions when Peter plied his trade with respect to me - I have learned volumes. Mainly, not to take or see things as seriously as we all sometimes do. Life goes on. His columns helped me to become known and, along with others, gave me that polite kick in the pants when straying from my established political or governmental beliefs.

: Peter had mastered journalistic fairness and dispensed it like blind justice. He had a gift for enabling many of the subjects of his columns to see the forest for the trees.

: Like countless others, I will miss this quaint, humble giant of a man. I will miss his friendship, benevolence and keen wit. I will miss Pete's special charm to lighten things up when we all take ourselves too seriously.

: But what I think I, along with countless others, will especially miss about Peter was the care and time he took in pointing out to us all the forest for the trees.

: LOUIS M. MANZO

: My memories of Pete: He walked slow, he talked slow. You'd asked him a question, he answered it to the point without elaboration. He knew his politics, yet he didn't flaunt it. He didn't try to impress you with his knowledge, but he was a walking book of facts. I can still picture him, even after 12 years in retirement, with his feet up on the desk and a phone glued to his ear.

: A great loss to The Jersey Journal, he'll be missed. ALBERT CICETTI

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