It all started when… It is a lead (newspapers typically spell it lede) that really bothers me. And although I do not particularly like it, some leads start with the date that a particular event will take place or took place.
The Village News has just started year 18, covering news, not just Chester to areas such as Bensley, Enon, Ettrick, Matoaca the Courthouse and as much of southeastern Chesterfield as our limited staff can muster. “Your Neighbors, Your Community, Your News.”
Although I have been writing articles and opinion since the paper was put together in our dining room, I have never had official training in journalism. It shows does it?
Our mission has never been ambulance chasing, gotcha or investigative reporting; we try to bring you the community in a hyper-local manner. If it does not happen in our area it did not happen. That is community journalism. And, it is that way everywhere from Elizabeth City, N.C. to Bega, Australia.
I spent some time on the south coast of Australia last April at the time a shark killed a woman there. The local newspaper reported it extensively on the front page, but that was in their backyard – or should I say their front coast – but I cannot remember it making the papers here in the U.S. The Bega News covers only the news, that is important to them.
I write about our mission each year always wondering if our existence, or lack of, makes any difference.
We work week after week, month after month, year after year and approaching decade upon decade writing about what we love – our community.
Another school year is upon us, another sports season, another ChesterFest, time to do more local history stories and more features on people, places and things.
Fall is a great time for us. After a long hot summer, the cat on the hot tin roof has calmed down, sweat has dried up and vacations are over. Stories ripe for picking begin to crop up all over.
While we get ready for a busy season, it is time, according to the Farmers’ Almanac, to mow your grass to slow growth, dig post holes, cut hair to slow growth, quit smoking, brew beer, can fruits and vegetables and get married.
It all started when I tried to mow my grass and hair, to slow growth, at the same time.
