Ralph Penza-Mensch!

It is with great sorrow that we read today of the death of Ralph Penza. Ralph was a rare breed in television news, someone who not only had an investigative nose for the truth, but a personal integrity as well. We can never forget Ralph's story on Indian cigarette smuggling that took him out to Long Island and all over the Metropolitan area in search of the buttleggers.

Of course for us his death has a more personal meaning. Ralph took Matt Lipsky in one summer and mentored him in the news business with a personal concern that belied his iconic media status. There was a real genuineness there that we will always remember and we will miss the man very much.