July Letter From the Publisher: Courage to Do What Matters!

We have to hand it to our founding fathers, 56 of them, who on July 4, 1776, dared to place a bounty on their own heads by publicly affixing their signature to the Declaration of Independence. With no way of knowing who among them might be loyalists, what courage to go up against the British Empire, one of the most powerful countries the world had known with an army to match its reputation. Some signers served in battles that resulted from such insurrection, some lost their homes and fortunes. Some were imprisoned and tortured and so were their families. As we celebrate yet another July 4th, we owe them a great debt of gratitude.

But in a month that celebrates such an important milestone, we have a modern-day milestone to celebrate — this month North Forty News is expanding to a weekly newspaper!

When in the past 15 years across the United States 1,400 newspapers have closed down, leaving many areas in “news deserts” with absolutely no coverage of community events, celebrations, obituaries, and elected officials, we don’t think it’s overstating the case that expanding to a weekly newspaper in times like these requires its own kind of courage.

We are taking up the challenge because we believe that when local journalism suffers a sense of community and trust in democracy suffers along with it — it matters!

We are committed to providing you with expanded coverage including trusted, credible information that you help to support. And unlike some news sources that tend to point out the bad news, we present relevant local issues along with people and organizations that are providing answers — solution-driven journalism that doesn’t merely alarm but serves to inform and enlighten you.

We’re delighted when you come across new activities, issues, events, causes, and the people who are making a difference in your community that cause you to think: “Wow! I didn’t know that and I’m going to do that!”

Help support our work on your behalf by subscribing to either or both of our publications on either of these links:

northfortynews.com/subscribe  or  scenenoco.com/subscribe

Or contact us to learn more about advertising with us including how your ad in our print edition will also show up in our online digital replica of our current edition along with on our website.

Blaine Howerton