It only happens once a year. It’s a week-long celebration that I look forward to more than an 8-year-old hopes for a big return by the Tooth Fairy. But unfortunately probably nobody knows about the source of my excitement.
I’m about to change that?
I’m talking about National Newspaper Week (Oct. 3-9), a time to appreciate the publications that bring you your information.
This isn’t a new celebration. The Newspaper Association Managers has been sponsoring NNW since 1940 and this year’s theme is ‘Newspapers? The People’s Product.?
This year’s theme got me thinking about how true that statement is, especially for community papers like The Clarkston News. Since 1929, The Clarkston News has been driven by the residents and events of this community, and the same is still true today.
In case you didn’t do the math, 2004 marks the 75th anniversary of our newspaper. We have some fun ideas planned to celebrate our big anniversary year, but we’re looking to the community as well for input. If you have something you’d like to see or remember about Clarkston over the years, please feel free to drop us a note.
I take care of the ‘Around Town? and ‘Milestones? sections in our paper. Often larger newspapers charge for birth announcements or require organizations to purchase ads to run event information.
That’s not the case for The Clarkston News. Submitting birth/wedding/anniversary/engagement announcements and information about group happenings is completely free.
So send in that picture of your daughter and new son-in-law. I love to see pictures of the latest wedding dresses.
Did you really like my article about adult education in Clarkston? Did you think I was wasting my time and pen ink? Then tell me about it. Write a letter to the editor and send it our way, either by e-mail, fax or dropping off a hard copy in our office downtown. Just make sure to have it to us by noon on Mondays.
I spend a lot of my time out on the road covering events, interesting individuals or just snapping pictures of kids enjoying the Spraypark. While I’m out a lot, I don’t know EVERYTHING that’s going on. That’s where I need your help. Let me know if your child’s classroom is working on a fun social studies project if that crazy neighbor down the street was one of the original Mouseketeers and still has her ears on the living room mantle.
The editorial content of The Clarkston News is brought to you every week by an editor and three reporters. Our advertising staff is around town throughout the week working hard. At our printing press in Oxford we have a great group of production members and receive further guidance from our assistant publisher, and 1981 Clarkston High School graduate, Don Rush and publisher Jim Sherman.
Not only do we write and report on all of our own stories, we also act as photographers, paginators and copy editors. As you can see, there aren’t that many of us and we can’t always make it to every event we here about. However, take a picture of your event and send it our way. We love to include as much information about local happenings as we can get our hands on.
We have a lot of exciting things happening on the top floor of 5 S. Main St. beyond our 75th anniversary. Kyle Gargaro, our editor for the past three years, recently stepped down and Jenny Matteson, a staff writer for our sister paper The Oxford Leader, is taking his place. Noah Purcell recently joined our staff as our sports reporter. From what I’ve read, he knows his stuff.
A newspaper’s main purpose is to provide information to the readers it directly impacts. I know I try to make sure my work does so and I’m sure my fellow reporters would agree.
So the next time your Clarkston News arrives, give it a hug. But not too tight- I don’t want to be held responsible for getting newsprint all over your favorite t-shirt.