The "Be Local" Editorial in the DeFuniak Herald/Beach Breeze

**Jdarg** · 01-10-2010, 06:07 PM

I have enjoyed every of one editor Bruce Collier's editorials, but this week's deserved to be shared far and wide. We have been discussing the importance of supporting and participating in our local community, and the news plays a part. This editorial gives you an insight of how the local newspaper is part of the community and how you can participate- and once again I am reminded how lucky we are to have a news source dedicated to all of Walton County.

Editorial comment

Intents and Purposes

By BRUCE COLLIER
Whether you subscribe to the belief that 2010 is the beginning of a new decade or the last year of the old decade, we all agree that it's a new year. And it's coming in like a frozen lion.
Last year we saw our county government scrape, clip, slash and cut as they eliminated $11 million in expenditures for FY 2009-2010, right down to the employees' coffee and bottled water. Property values may continue to decline, taking their tax revenues with them, but that's as may be, and we can only watch and wait. And start looking for more things to cut.
Here at the Herald Breeze, it's busy, mainly because it's a Tuesday and we are putting the paper together for the week. Tomorrow things will slow down a bit as far as production activity, but we use that time to take a look ahead to Jan. 14.
This is a weekly, so the word "scoop" doesn't get a lot of use. If it happens after we go to press on Tuesday evening - I don't care if Walton County slips into the Gulf and floats off to Mexico - you will have to wait until next week to read about it here. While this may deprive our readers of that sharp first bite of a juicy scandal, we can, and do, offer more considered and evenhanded coverage of local issues, scandals included. What we prefer not to do is hurl dirt in your face with a story, then relegate it to the back section when that dirt turns out to be not so dirty, or if there is actually another side to the story. You can go elsewhere for that, and you won't have to go far. I have learned that there are more than two sides to any story, sometimes half a dozen. We try to get the facts, even at the cost of the drama. You want drama, go see a movie. You want fiction, watch reality TV, which is just like regular TV, only with lousy acting.
Our publisher Gary Woodham, our assistant editor Alicia Leonard and I meet with the reporters every Wednesday morning, to discuss the week's edition and stories for next week. I have been compiling a list of clubs, service organizations, charitable groups, government entities, arts and literary associations, writers clubs, historical societies, and whatnot in an effort to gauge just how in the Sam Hill we can cover all that will be going on in Walton County in 2010. We are all working hard to keep up, and we have been able to cover the government stuff - county commission, city councils and various administrative boards, along with some court cases of interest, but there's no way we can make it to every club or society meeting or community event. For that, we need you.
News subjects we will be looking to cover this year include the effect of the reduced budget on county services of all kinds, the economy's effect on crime and property values, the fluctuating state of the arts here, tourism and quality of life. And never forget that ever-present, always entertaining struggle between development and leaving things as (we like to think) they were.
Some of the area's organizations have had a long-standing practice of sending us, by e-mail or fax, public service announcements, notices of meetings, and even after-the-fact photos of significant events. To them I say, keep it up. If you are not doing that, and you have something you'd like a little coverage for, give us some advance notice. We will try to get someone there, but if we can't, then we will be happy to consider what you send to us.
Also, we've received some interesting and thought-provoking letters over the past year, but some don't have so much as a telephone number on them, so we have no way of getting in touch with the writer to let them know there's a problem. If you want to send a letter to the editor, remember, we do not publish letters that are unsigned, or that bear vague names like "Concerned Citizen" or "Walton County Resident." We need your real name and your city or community (not street address), otherwise it goes into the File of Mystery. And there it stays.
Happy New Year, and long live local news.

reprinted by permission of the DeFuniak Herald

**kurt** · 01-11-2010, 08:30 AM

Kudos to Bruce and the crew for doing a great job covering local news in depth.

**Jdarg** · 01-11-2010, 08:51 AM

The "file of mystery" is intriguing.....

**Susan Horn** · 01-11-2010, 09:21 AM

How many Sowallers subscribe to the Herald-Breeze? For how long? I'll go first -- I've subscribed since 1995 (I think), and bought it from kiosks sporadically for years before that.

If they would offer a paperless subscription, I'd pay the same for that in a heartbeat.

**sunspotbaby** · 01-11-2010, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by jdarg

The "file of mystery" is intriguing.....

When i worked at the Sun, we had to have the name, location and phone number for letters to the editor. If we couldn't call to verify that it was written by them and they wanted it published, we couldn't print it. We did get some very interesting letters...

**ShallowsNole** · 01-11-2010, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by Susan Horn

How many Sowallers subscribe to the Herald-Breeze? For how long? I'll go first -- I've subscribed since 1995 (I think), and bought it from kiosks sporadically for years before that.

If they would offer a paperless subscription, I'd pay the same for that in a heartbeat.

We have subscribed since before I was born. Somewhere around here I have a clipping of Aunt Edith Butler Burlison's column and a blurb about my birthday party when I turned three...

**rapunzel** · 01-11-2010, 11:45 AM

We've only subscribed for two years, but are glad to get the paper every week!

**Snerd** · 01-11-2010, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by jdarg

The "file of mystery" is intriguing.....

And would probably make a good entertainment section!

**Alicia Leonard** · 01-11-2010, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by sunspotbaby

When i worked at the Sun, we had to have the name, location and phone number for letters to the editor. If we couldn't call to verify that it was written by them and they wanted it published, we couldn't print it. We did get some very interesting letters...

We have to have contact info or they don't run.

**Teresa** · 01-11-2010, 12:16 PM

I prefer the weekly paper with local community news and relevant, thoughtful articles. the DeFuniak Herald/Beach Breeze is doing a great job.

**scooterbug44** · 01-11-2010, 01:59 PM

I love the Defuniak Herald - and you know I am particular!

What is the phone number to call and GET a subscription?
(that item has been moldering on my to-do list for months)

**Susan Horn** · 01-11-2010, 02:09 PM

<DIV id=extra>

Lake DeFuniak

One of only two perfectly round lakes in the world

<DIV id=extra-sidebar>

**Susan Horn** · 01-11-2010, 02:10 PM

The DeFuniak Herald
P.O. Box 1546
DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435
Phone: 850-892-3232 / 892-7991
FAX: 850-892-2270
The Beach Breeze
4401 E. Hwy. 98
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
Phone: 850-231-0918
FAX: 850-231-0928

EMAIL

Publisher:
Gary Woodham dfsherald@gmail.com
Editor:

Bruce Collier bruce@defuniakherald.

**Alicia Leonard** · 01-11-2010, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by scooterbug44

I love the Defuniak Herald - and you know I am particular!

What is the phone number to call and GET a subscription?
(that item has been moldering on my to-do list for months)

892-3232...........sorry Scootie, your post just reminded me I needed to email you back

Tell them Luscious or some other made up name sent you. They won't know who it is, but it should keep the office talking for a while.

We should have the paypal button added to the site soon. The account has been opened, but our Web Master has to put it up on the site.

**Jdarg** · 01-11-2010, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by aleonard

892-3232...........sorry Scootie, your post just reminded me I needed to email you back

Tell them Luscious or some other made up name sent you. They won't know who it is, but it should keep the office talking for a while.

We should have the paypal button added to the site soon. The account has been opened, but our Web Master has to put it up on the site.

I am making it a point to be at this week's staff meeting. Luscious- oh boy!

**kurt** · 01-11-2010, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by aleonard

892-3232...........sorry Scootie, your post just reminded me I needed to email you back

Tell them Luscious or some other made up name sent you. They won't know who it is, but it should keep the office talking for a while.

We should have the paypal button added to the site soon. The account has been opened, but our Web Master has to put it up on the site.

All you need is a link, or an email address and amount.

**Alicia Leonard** · 01-11-2010, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by kurt

All you need is a link, or an email address and amount.

Thanks Daddy-o. I know they were talking about it late, last week, but that's all I know on it right now.

**Alicia Leonard** · 01-11-2010, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by jdarg

I am making it a point to be at this week's staff meeting. Luscious- oh boy!

That actually has a story behind it. When I was younger, there was a guy my friends and I met, who liked to call himself luscious. He was far from it and should have stopped at lush. That name always makes me laugh.