There is something I noticed about the papers I have worked with in several communities: each was involved in some capacity with local groups and organizations, such as the Lions Club, Rotary Club, et al.
I even had a publisher/editor who served on the local economic development board. He left the reporting of that group to the staff journalists—and his participation on the board never hindered the job of the newspaper to report accurately and fairly—but if ever he wrote an editorial that involved the board, he tagged it, letting readers know he was a member. This, of course, was only right and in the interest of full disclosure.
I don’t see anything wrong with a newspaper being involved with such groups, depending on the organization and its work in the community. And obviously a newspaper editor is limited, like anyone else, in the number of hours and days in a week to get everything done. One cannot be involved with everything.
But I look forward to creating partnerships in the community, and recently met a number of folks from various organizations at their luncheons and other meetings. These people, it was easy to notice, care about our community. I thank them, one and all, for allowing me to find out more about their groups. I plan to attend more events in the coming days and weeks.
Some people who are not involved in community groups may question their importance. That’s understandable, especially if one is unfamiliar with a group and its purpose. In the interest of honesty, I am still learning about some community groups and their roles. But the ones I have visited—and that is the best way to learn—have provided some understanding and I look forward to learning more.
What I have learned is that do play an important role. They do benefit the community in many ways.
If you have any groups or organizations that you’d like to suggest, reach out: aweeks@hjnews.com. I would be interested in learning about your group and, if it works out, maybe I can arrange a visit. Thanks for the consideration.
In other news, I want to remind readers that we kicked off a new series in which we profile businesses around the valley. The profiles have a short introduction followed by a simple Q&A about the business. So far, the series has gotten positive feedback from readers, with some suggesting places to highlight in future articles. If you have any ideas, be sure to send them my way.
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We welcome comments, however there are some guidelines:
Keep it Clean: Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexual language. Don't Threaten: Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful: Don't lie about anyone or anything. Be Nice: No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading. Be Proactive: Report abusive posts and don’t engage with trolls. Share with Us: Tell us your personal accounts and the history behind articles.