Newspaper Week offers a chance to reminisce, move forward

DOVER — Insightful, inspiring.

The Sunday, Oct. 6, edition Daily State News has a few offerings that would fit into those categories.

Consider staff writer Craig Anderson’s recognition of women in the police force , University of Delaware professor Jennifer Horney’s explainer about the health impacts of Helene and sports editor Andy Walter’s uplifting story about athletic trainer JoAnn Kenton.

Staff writer Joseph Edelen has information on political action committees and what voters can consider ahead of the election. It’s now among the stories in our Voters Guide , which we hope provides citizens with information they can use to make rational decisions about public issues.

In  Sunday's edition, we will also have the annual “Think Pink” section.

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It’s a good start to National Newspaper Week.

Each year, journalists across the country are reminded to talk about our industry. This year, the Newspaper Association Managers suggested we write about what led us to this profession.

There are many reasons. But perhaps the most important is that we value community service.

It’s essential that we report on our community, good and bad, with the goal of making it a better place to live, work and play.

If we’re doing it right, you can come to our news pages — in print and online — and find ways to understand what’s happening around us and participate in a civil discussion.

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To answer the writing prompt for National Newspaper Week, this editor likely could take up most of the pages in today’s edition with the experiences of the last four decades.

Instead, let me share with you a recent “Back to the Future” moment.

In August, my wife and I entered The Saratogian building through a door that once led to the newspaper’s newsroom. It was there that I first had a chance to practice sports journalism in a full-time role that included the thoroughbred racing beat.

It’s now a brewpub and café. At a table where my desk once was, I enjoyed Whitman Brewing Co.’s Paint It Black lager while reminiscing.
The can’s artwork features a painter at the red door on the corner of the century-old Saratogian building.

Hearing the Rolling Stones’ song now? “I could not foresee this thing happening to you … ”

I had not been there in 37 years.

Sports led me to this profession. It relates to the pace of the workday, as it builds and concludes with a heart-pounding deadline stretch run.

Imagine the thrill of dashing from the press box to the winner’s circle to interview jockey Pat Day after he rode Java Gold through the mud in the million-dollar Travers Stakes in 1987. And then, I had just a few hours to file a story, hoping readers could relive the race and feel like they were in the middle of that celebration.

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Legendary writer Red Smith’s famous line still holds up when you think about Saratoga Race Course. “To get to Saratoga Springs from New York City,” he once said, “you drive north for about 175 miles, turn left on Union Avenue and go back 100 years.”

Tradition and history remain. The Saratoga Spa State Park still has the same mineral springs and the stately Gideon Putnam hotel.

Broadway, with upscale restaurants and shops, has kept much of its charm. A block over, the Saratogian building, dating back to 1905, couldn’t roll with the changes.

The Saratogian newspaper is still around. It’s just printed in another town, and it continues to build audience with its e-newspaper and website — much like what we do with the Daily State News and baytobaynews.com.

After the races each day for many years, the press would rumble and print the “Pink Sheet” with news from the track. Newsboys would hawk it around town.

Inside the old Saratogian building-turned-brewpub, the only sign of newspaper nostalgia is the restroom wallpaper — old copies of the Pink Sheet.

The racing publication is now included with the morning paper. The newsboys have been replaced by social media and apps.

I can’t say that’s good or bad. It’s just the way it is. However, I can tell you that I never saw anyone ask a newsboy why they would have to pay to read a story.

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In 1990, it was sports that lured me to the Delaware State News. It was home and family that kept me here.

And it was Independent Newsmedia that instilled in me — and so many others — the importance of community journalism. So, fast-forward to today, and it really just comes down to serving the public.

Like most community journalists, we do this because we believe in sharing news, information and opinion to bring people together.
By the way, our former State News building at Webbs Lane and New Burton Road is now a center of worship.

Times do change. But our mission does not.

We’ll keep reporting the news and keeping up with modern times.

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Perhaps the better answers would be from you, our readers.
When did you develop a daily news habit? Why does it remain an important aspect in your life?