Recently, the local paper in my old home town, the “Tri-County News” shutdown.  Falling victim to the failing economy and changing dynamics of how people get the information they need.  Newspapers still provide some useful functions, filling in the gaps that electronic media doesn’t seem to do well yet.

Here is a good effort to  resurrect a resource to fill in some of those gaps.

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(Taken from the ‘Junction City‘ website)

Good Morning,

As we begin publishing the new weekly Tri-County Tribune for circulation in the Junction City, Harrisburg and Monroe communities, we’d like to share with you, our readers, our vision for the paper and its role in the community.

First, we believe a local newspaper is as an integral part of a community. While more and more Americans, especially in larger urban areas, turn to their computers and other electronic media for their news, we believe many of you, especially in smaller communities, recognize and appreciate the role a local newspaper plays in your community. You like to read “hard” news with a genuinely local focus; you like to read and see action photos of your children, your grandchildren and your friends’ and neighbors’ children as they engage in school activities and sports; you like to read the “soft” side of the news….stories of community members and their special achievements, activities and interests; you like to read short features and announcements of upcoming community events; you like to read opinion pieces by local writers on local issues; you like to see ads promoting local stores and service providers; in sum, you like a paper that is, truly, your “hometown” paper. It’s our mission as the tri-community’s new paper, to be that “hometown” paper.

It’s no secret that times are tough for all Americans today. There are still more jobs being lost than gained. There are still more businesses closing than opening. And, across the country, there are, by far, more newspapers, both large and small, ceasing publication than starting. In such circumstances, you might ask: Why are you opening the paper? And how do you plan for its success? May we offer answers to those two sensible questions:

1) We’re opening the paper because we truly believe our three local communities need and deserve to have a local, community based, newspaper. We believe a community without its local paper is less of a community. We believe our tri-communities deserve to thrive and succeed and we feel we can play a part in achieving such success. We believe the communities will help us succeed as we help the communities succeed. We see the whole process as a partnership with all of us benefiting from that partnership.

2) We’re not foolish enough to believe the paper will make our fortune. We don’t have any dreams of being William Randolph Hearst or Rupert Murdoch. If we can publish the paper, distribute it to our readers, pay our staff, pay our venders, pay the rent, and keep the ink in the ledger black, we’ll be happy.

3) We have chosen to provide the paper at no cost to you. It will be mailed free to residents in the tri-community area and it will be available in local business establishments at no cost. We are depending on revenue from advertising to cover the cost of the paper. Our success depends on local businesses advertising in our community’s paper and you, our readers, patronizing those local businesses. We will strive to produce a paper “worth” reading….and a paper worth reading is worth advertising in.

4) However, if you find our paper “simply too good to be free”, we’ve got a deal for you. At each location where you can get your free paper, you may place fifty cents in a donation container and EVERY CENT you donate in appreciation of the paper, WILL GO DIRECTLY TO LOCAL CHARITIES. Times are tough and we realize that during such times more folks need help from charities, while, at the same time, those tough times make it more difficult for those charities to get donations. We’d like to join with you to help support those charities as they help our community members.

We have a very experienced, competent staff of journalism professionals. We’re all very enthused to publish a new paper for our communities. We’re all excited for this new adventure. We’re proud to become part of the Junction City, Harrisburg and Monroe communities and hope you will be proud to have us.

Please share this email with any of your friends or business associates that you think may be interested. As we move forward in this endeavor, we appreciate your feedback and support.

Sincerely,
Nelson Rosales
Tri County Tribune
Rodeo Steak House & Grill
Adelante Latino