Hello, time to go fishing

I love the opinion pages in the newspaper. They are a place where people with different interests, backgrounds and agendas can voice their stance on an issue. It’s an avenue people can express themselves and interact with each other. I don’t get the opportunity to write many columns anymore. I’m too busy with the day-to-day operations of our community papers, of which the Del Norte Triplicate is one. But perhaps again someday.

When I was much younger, I used to write a weekly column, called ‘Warren Piece,’ probably because I thought I had a lot to say. It was a way to express myself separate from writing the city council or county commission stories, rather I could write about local topics or the issue of the week. I should change the ribbon in my old Underwood and do it again, maybe when I retire. I could call it, ‘Warren-Out’ this time around, or when the time comes.

The paper is different than social media because we have some rules when submitting opinion pieces. For example, you must be respectful, we like to keep to issues over disrespecting people or businesses. We have word limits and like social media, we have the final say on what is published. But that’s about the only similarity.

Last month we said goodbye to one of our Del Norte Triplicate weekly columnists, Kevin Hendrick. I believe he’s going fishing now that he has some spare time. We appreciate Kevin’s wiliness to share his thoughts with our readers. Not everyone agreed with Kevin, but that’s the beauty of opinion, it’s as different as we are as individuals. Kevin did a great job keeping to topics of the week and I’m sure he has not run out of things to say, he’s just giving someone else a shot. So am I.

I’m extending an invitation to someone or a group of people who would be interested in taking over where Kevin left off. Our paper is better if we can fill it with local voices. I’m inviting community leaders who may want to rotate every other week or four rotating each month to supply even more local voices in the Del Norte Triplicate. I literally get flooded with syndicated columns each week and could easily fill the space, but I’m not looking to simply fill a news-hole, I want local perspectives. It makes the paper better and enhances our community. I’m thinking of the leaders at the city, chamber of commerce, county, the port could all rotate weekly to update the community as to happenings in their worlds. Or it could be another Kevin, a community member, who has been around, knows the history of the area and the struggles we face. Local voices are what makes a community newspaper better. Like Kevin, I’m going fishing, this time it’s for more local columnists.

If you are interested, send me a note via email to: jwarren@countrymedia.net along with your contact information. And let’s go fishing, again.