It’s no secret that journalism is not an easy field to be in these days. For many reasons, people do not trust most media figures. Staffs are shrinking, or working at skeletal levels. Employees are juggling more duties than ever, often taking on tasks previously handled by someone else. Our Editorial Department alone not only handles writing and photography, its members regularly post stories to our website, share things on social media, and search outside organizations for news releases they think could be of interest to our readership.

Editorial is not alone. Advertising, Production, Circulation, et al are also juggling more tasks than ever. This is not a complaint, mind you. We are honored to be the local news source and proud to continue recording the permanent history of Newtown.

Unfortunately there are often times when we don’t receive enough notice to plan to cover something, or we are invited to cover something and we don’t have anyone available to attend. It’s never enjoyable to say “We don’t have the staff to cover this,” but we do our best to offer follow-up coverage. This town’s history is too important to not keep trying to collect and disseminate as much of its news as possible.

On Monday morning we learned of two events and one program launch that took place without our knowledge. The two events were both on the local level, and we've since learned there were miscommunications by organizers that led to our missing out on covering two potential stories. Meanwhile, Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority launched a new program on Saturday that is now occurring in four towns across the state, including Newtown. Further, ours is one of four municipalities participating in one of the country’s first producer-led tire stewardship program. Newtown joined Canton, Redding, and Weston in this program, yet no one at HRRA thought to let us in on this secret. For a group that prides itself on doing everything it can to recycle, reduce, repurpose, and everything else it can to reduce waste and encourage recycling in its 14-town region, we’re left wondering why the regional authority in a neighboring town did not think Newtown's local paper could help spread the word about this program.

We’re still here, Newtown. We have been the hometown newspaper of this amazing town’s 60.38 square miles for just shy of 148 years. Our mission has not changed: we are the most reliable news source for Newtown, Connecticut. We are dedicated to recording this town’s history — good and bad, planned and unplanned. We just ask that readers and all residents remember us. Keep us in mind when you start planning something (thank you Jack Liberta). Save us a seat at the table.