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Editorial: The power of community

The Power of the Press. That’s the theme for this year’s National Newspaper Week, which is observed from Oct. 4-10. At first blush, that sounds kind of imposing and autocratic, as if there is some grey eminence operating behind the scenes at each newspaper, controlling people by telling them what to do, what to think. The truth is far less sinister.

The real “Power of the Press”—or at least this press (we hesitate to speak for others)—doesn’t lie in some secret cabal lurking in the shadows, exerting influence over people’s lives. The Power of the Press, at its heart, is the power of community.

A good local newspaper (and we flatter ourselves that we have earned this sobriquet) tries to reflect the needs and wants, the hopes and aspirations of the community it serves. It’s where people turn to find out what’s going on: what their friends and neighbors are up to, what actions their elected officials are taking, how their tax d...

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