I admit to being prejudiced.
But, if you allow me that, then you probably can understand how proud I am of the local reporting that takes place each and every day on the pages of this newspaper.
And it is not just reporting. The rest of the departments at The News, from advertising to production and circulation to accounting also work with tight deadlines, a changing workplace, and new government edicts and regulations to bring to you a newspaper six days a week.
Knowing all the hoops workers have to jump through, all the bells and whistles that need to take place exactly on time by all employees between the departments — even having worked in the business for 43 years, I still am in awe of the newspapering process.
It’s not easy.
Thus, whenever I see a series of stories like what The News editorial department tackled a week ago, I am extra impressed.
The series investigated the drug problem in Northeast Michigan from a number of angles and was especially enlightening for readers.
Living in a region with such natural beauty all around us and small communities where “everyone still knows your name,” I believe we can get lulled sometimes into thinking that problems that other people face in other parts of the country do not exist here.
As you know, that is certainly not the truth.
And so it is with the drug problems Northeast Michigan residents face, from broken dreams, lost hope, financial ruin, broken marriages, and health concerns.
The series shared with us that 85% of the inmates currently lodged at the Alpena County Jail are there because of drug-related crimes. That statistic alone should awaken you to the extent of the problem locally.
Or what about Zach Williams’ story. Zach now works at Catholic Human Services, but, prior to that, he was an addict who risked his life for his fix.
As Williams shared his story, it took the steady hands of a Christian physician to pull him through extensive surgery after an auto accident.
Despite a wife of 20 years, three children, and successful jobs, Zach couldn’t rid himself of an addiction to heroin. Even after his life was saved in the hospital, he went back to drugs again. It wasn’t until he witnessed the death of his dog, and a friend came over to honestly tell Zach to “get his life in order,” that he began the long road to recovery.
The series was powerful, as it gave residents a true look at what is happening on the streets around them.
Now retired, I had nothing to do with that series. But I do know how much time would have gone into the reporting, writing, editing and rewriting phases of preparation. The reporters would have had to have juggled regular stories on their beats, meetings, and daily assignments to get the work organized and presented.
It is the kind of effort that you can be proud of. It is the kind of effort that makes local news reporting so invaluable to the region and its residents.
As I said, I’m prejudiced. But, then, I also know that most of you consider The Alpena News “YOUR” newspaper.
As such, I expect then you were just as impressed as I was by the effort that went into that presentation.
To my way of thinking, it was a job well done.
Bill Speer recently retired as the publisher and editor of The News. He can be reached at bspeer@thealpenanews.com.
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