We’ve had some exceptionally busy weeks at the Cook County
News-Herald.
We are always busy. Some businesses slow down at some point during the year, but in the newspaper business, there isn’t a “shoulder season.” Just because there are fewer cars on the road or shoppers in the stores, there isn’t a slow down in the news. In fact, during the slower periods, things sometimes get busier at the paper, as community members have more time to offer story ideas or to go to meetings. People have more time to speak up—to make city or county or township or school meetings last longer!
We don’t really mind. All of us at the paper are news junkies. If we do happen to have a slow week, we take advantage of it to do a story that requires a little digging—creating more work for ourselves.
Occasionally when we start feeling stressed, when it seems as if every phone call or e-mail is from an unhappy reader or advertiser, we notice that there is a full moon. I’m sure we’re not the only ones who have noticed this. We chalk it up to the lunar effect making people crazy and we carry on. We know things will even out and we’ll eventually get notes and calls from people pleased with what we’re doing.
However, the last month or so has seemed more hectic than usual. We couldn’t figure out why our Wednesday late night kept getting later and later and there seemed to be more and more to do. None of us are slackers, but we all have been feeling a bit overwhelmed.
I think I’ve figured it out. The reason it feels so much busier is because it is
busier. It’s busier because this year we have our tourist season and our political season rolled into the same season.
In years past, we had a tiny breather between the summer events like the 4th of July celebrations, the Arts Festival and Fisherman’s Picnic. When the election primary was in September, we had a little crunch time as back to school stories competed with election news, but that wasn’t as frenzied as the last month has been.
For the last month—maybe longer—we have been scurrying around covering those usual exciting summer events, along with the increased incidents that normally occur when there are more people around. Unfortunately in addition to pleasant summer stories, there is usually an increase in bad news too. And it’s tough to share bad news with the county.
Added to all that, this year, we have had politicians thrown in the mix. I know there was good reason to move the primary from September to August. As the spouse of a retired military man, I strongly believe in making voting as easy as possible for our service members. They, more than anyone, should have time to get their ballots sent to far-flung locations.
I just wish it didn’t mean that the campaign season would be pushed back into summer. Along with hot, humid weather, we have been faced with e-mails, phone calls and visits from want-tobe elected officials. We’ve been inundated with information from candidates for seats ranging from county commissioner to judge to state legislator. We are happy to hear from them. It’s a newspaper’s duty to provide as much information as possible to voters. We are proud to be part of the democratic process.
But we are also really, really tired. I know there are a lot of other folks out there who are tired too. So this week, I’m adding a reminder to Unorganized
Territory.
You know that ballot that you received in the mail and tossed on the table to “fill out later.” It’s later.
By the time readers get this issue it will likely be too late to mail your ballot, so fill it out, get a witness to sign the outer envelope, and take your ballot to the auditor’s office at the courthouse.
If you live in Grand Marais proper, you didn’t get a ballot in the mail. You’ll have to remember to take time out of your busy day on August 10 to stop by your precinct (either the courthouse or the community center) to vote.
Don’t be too tired or too busy to exercise your right to vote. Every vote counts; so don’t sleep through the primary.
Half of the American people
never read a newspaper. Half
never voted for President. One
hopes it is the same half.
Gore Vidal
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