Soulless e-newspapers and disembodied books

Community newspapers are the lifeblood of the small town. How else could we find out about the latest high school football scores, a meeting of the local church group, Mat-Su Valley artists and much, much more? This isn’t the sort of news you’ll find in big-city papers or on the Internet. Well, maybe some of the same stories, but in most cases our local news is just a footnote.

Newspapers are an endangered species. With the advent of computers and the Internet, several large newspapers have gone under, except for those that cater to the small town and county. They have been there since many towns were founded and are a vital part — the lifeblood even — of the community. Now they are also on the endangered list, too.

People make community newspapers possible. Local people write for them, local people print them and local people deliver them. And, most importantly, local people read them. People who live in the Valley make this newspaper come alive.

Without these people, this would be a community without a good source of local news and events. It is part and parcel to life here. Our community newspaper is a place we can share our opinions or read about the local events that make this an area worth living in. It speaks our language. It shows us through photos our neighbors at their best and wackiest, on holiday or parade. It can shout out about the local sports hero of the day or mourn the loss of a beloved community member. Without it we stand a chance to lose our collective heart, even the Valley’s soul.

There is something about a newspaper. Not the “e” version, but the printed one, the kind you have to get up and brave the rigors of the weather to bring inside, the kind you can hear crinkle in your hands, the kind of newspaper that smells familiarly of ink and paper. It is real, tangible and a must have with a morning cup of coffee.

In these modern times the tangible is becoming a rare thing, perhaps even in danger of going extinct. But I hope that never happens here. It would be a sad day.

We have all sorts of things in this age — from computers to cellphones with apps that span all sorts of interests. Some of these things have become embedded in our lives. I couldn’t write this without my computer, nor send it to the editor without it either. There is a need for these things, but we should never let those things take over.

There is something lacking. There is something soulless, even heartless, about electronic newspapers and disembodied books. Some things must remain timeless. Never to go the way of so many things and end up in a museum or reduced to just a footnote in history.

The local newspaper is one that should never be pushed aside. It is the voice of the community and the heart of the town. It is a showcase for the flavor and quirks of everyday people and life here in the Valley. It is truly Alaska as well as very American.

I could go on and on. Let’s leave it at this: out of shear stubbornness we Alaskans need to keep these vital bits of our towns and villages alive.

Don’t let it become absorbed by the digital age, homogenized by the media online, or worse, slapped into a museum display case alongside the old 8-track player as something to be forgotten. We don’t want to have to tell our grandchildren “back when I was your age” tales about the community newspaper that used to tell our stories.

From Sitka to Barrow we need our community newspapers. Bedsides what would I line my Christmas packages with otherwise?

Wasilla resident Daniel D. Grota retired from the U.S. Army after more than 21 years of service.