I was contacted earlier this week by a local woman who inquired why we don’t print “old” news in one of our publications. I’m not kidding. This is not the first time I have received such a request.

Actually, she was suggesting we print stories that ran several decades ago, a practice that was once very common with small papers such as ours. She said that the readership in her community was “older” and would appreciate the trip back in memory lane. The reader said she particularly enjoys reading Jo-Ann Boepple’s “Reflections of the Past” column, which runs each week in the Cassopolis Vigilant and Edwardsburg Argus.

Boepple’s column focuses primarily on the town of Edwardsburg, its people, places and businesses from long ago. Boepple is involved with their museum.

We also provide the Friends of Silverbrook Cemetery’s “Silverbrook Legacies” column, which is re-launching again today on the front page of the Star. Kathie Hempel writes about interesting or prominent people and locations from the area’s past.

Those two columns are our two primary sources for historical articles about the area, and we believe they do an excellent job of invoking nostalgia for long-time residents and history buffs.

However, Leader Publications’ goal is to provide readers with the latest news. Imagine what would happen if we did not keep on top of the most recent stories -who would document what goes on in our world in print? While the Web and other technology helps us bring you the news faster than ever before, having a print product you can cut out and put in your scrapbook or tack on your fridge is priceless.

As as rule, we as a company do not want to live in the past. Newspapers who do will not survive in an industry that is becoming saturated with video, Web, e-mail and especially social media content and communications. Newspapers will never be the same as they were 50 years ago, and there is nothing we can do to stop it. Times and people change.

This does not mean we completely dismiss stories about intriguing people or places from our past. It just means we are looking to the future, and what an exciting future it is.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Katie Johnson is the managing editor of the Niles Daily Star, Cassopolis Vigilant and Edwardsburg Argus. She can be reached at (269) 683-7713 or at katie.johnson@leaderpub. com.