Over the last year or so, you may have read articles or overheard conversations by people who want to put a headstone over the local newspaper, declaring that “local newspapers are dead.”

Upon hearing this, my thoughts immediately turned to what to do with all this extra paper and ink.

Why didn’t somebody tell me? It appears I truly am the last one to know.

First of all, the thought that an intelligent person would not continue to read the local news is absurd. Why would someone not want to know?

Historic writers, whose paths were built on fact checking, vigilance and thoughtful preparation of stories, would shutter at the mention of this hysteria.

To be the watch dog of what is right and wrong in a community is not just an honor, but a privilege to a paper’s staff members.

Over the past century, the Herald has been here for your families and has been by your side. We have reported the good, the bad and the history-making events that formed who we are today, and we will continue to do so.

To coin a simple, but powerful phrase by John C. Peterson, “There are newspapers, and there are newspapers in crisis.”

It’s them versus us.

There are the big guys, and then there are the community papers. The big guys are in big trouble, but their problem is actually our opportunity. The bigger papers haven’t kept a focus on the communities that built the newspaper, while we have continued to fill the needs of our families, friends and neighbors and our readers.

When most readers think “newspapers,” they think about metro sized newspapers: Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, Chicago Tribune, Des Moines Register, St. Cloud Times and the Rochester Post-Bulletin. It’s simply the mind set. So when they see “newspapers,” they fail to point out a notable difference between metro newspapers and community newspapers.

Not all newspapers are failing, and community papers should not be lumped into a category with chain publications or even the large metros.

Many community newspapers are not just surviving the times, but are indeed thriving.

Community newspapers — the likes of the Austin Daily Herald, Albert Lea Tribune, Sentinel of Fairmont, Owatonna People’s Press — have fared much better than the metro newspapers during tough economic times. The reason, I think, is that we still have a strong connection to our communities.

Often times with large papers, publishers, general managers, reporters and many other staff members do not live or associate in the communities in which they do business.

They do in fact, however, take jobs, wages and the tax base away from our communities. This is not the case with your local newspaper, the Austin Daily Herald.

We work here, we live here and we buy here.

By supporting “out of town” entities you only damage our local economy, local businesses and the local tax base.

The Austin Area Chamber of Commerce has championed an aggressive campaign for residents to Buy Mower, Grow Mower, and this has never been more important.

As an Austin native, a resident, and a publisher, I believe the Herald’s place will always be with the people of our community who strive to find a fine balance of truth and objectivity.

We have been by your side for the past 118 years, and we will be keeping you informed on local issues for the next 100 years.