![]() ![]() ![]() “It was like a heartbeat, like a thread that ran through the community,” said World War II veteran Howard Wade, a retired professor specializing in Black history. ![]() And there is no one to keep disinformation in check, like when the newspaper published a series of stories that dispelled the rumors of election tampering at local precincts during last year’s May primaries. Local crises, like the desperately needed upgrade of water and sewer systems, are going unreported. The paper printed pages of religious events and directories every week and that hasn’t been replaced. Even basic tasks, like finding out about church happenings, have become challenging. Residents suddenly have no way of knowing what’s going on at public meetings, which are not televised, nor are minutes or recordings posted online. newspapers that have shuttered since 2005, a crisis Nester called “ terrifying for democracy” and one that disproportionately impacts rural Americans like her. In March, the McDowell County weekly became another one of the thousands of U.S. “Like, can any of y’all hear us out here screaming?” “Our people here have nothing,” said Nester, 57. Wiping away tears, Nester said she wishes people understood why she fought so hard to protect the last remaining news outlet in her community, and why it feels like the people left behind by the journalism industry are often those who need it most. Tables covered with typewriters, awards and a century’s worth of other long-abandoned artifacts are reminders that her beloved paper has become an artifact, too. Phones that used to ring through the day have gone silent. The Welch News owner and publisher’s desk is covered with unpaid bills and her own paychecks - a year’s worth - she never cashed. Months after Missy Nester ended The Welch News’ 100-year run, she can barely stand to walk through the office doors of the newspaper her mother taught her to read with growing up in West Virginia’s southern coalfields. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |