Next week, from October 6 through 10, is National Newspaper Week, celebrated throughout the United States and Canada.

Since 1940, Newspaper Association Managers has sponsored and supported National Newspaper Week. The theme this year is “Rooted in Community, Committed to Truth.”

This couldn’t be more true—newspapers aren’t just reporting on what’s going on, they are also part of the community.

As Lynne Lance, Executive Director of National Newspaper Association, wrote, “In small towns, suburbs and cities across America, local newspapers are there for the moments that matter — elections and ballgames, new businesses and school decisions, celebrations and tragedies.”

Since its founding in 1891, this newspaper has chronicled the growth of our towns and villages, the rise and fall of industries, the changing seasons of agriculture, the development of tourism, the victories of local athletes, the achievements of students and the milestones of families whose names have appeared in these pages for generations. (Indeed, it appears Down the Decades is a reader favorite).

But we must also be aware of the challenges facing newspapers, with an alarming number shuttering—roughly 136 newspapers closed over a 12-month period in 2025, according to the Local News Initiative.

Poynter’s State of Local News Report says that nearly 3,500 local newspapers have been lost since 2005, creating “news deserts” where there are only one or zero news sources in a county.

We have to contend with how people consume news these days in a digital world, which has changed drastically over the past few decades.

So, thank you for being here and continuing to read the Sullivan County Democrat, and please write us a letter in support and celebration of National Newspaper Week next week.