Photo by Chad Koenen
The New York Mills Dispatch is sold at the Dispatch office, Mills Country Market, Lakes Country Coop, and Casey’s General Store in NY Mills, as well as Gappa Oil in Bluffton, The Station and DC Express in Deer Creek.

By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent

National Newspaper Week is Oct. 5-11. Small town newspapers, including those in Otter Tail County, will point out that local reporting empowers community and area residents to use the information they receive to make good decisions in their everyday lives.

“Local journalism is the heartbeat of informed communities,” said Carolyn Nolte, National Newspaper Week chairperson. She is also president of the Florida Press Association and lives in Orlando. Nolte works closely with the Minnesota Newspaper Association and similar organizations throughout the country.

“In a world increasingly shaped by social media, reconnecting with local news through community newspapers is vital for civic engagement, accountability and community resilience,” said Nolte.

Otter Tail County newspapers keep in mind a sense of community connection when they go about their daily business. 

“Local newspapers foster a sense of belonging by highlighting stories that resonate on a personal level,” said Nolte. “Thriving local newspapers, through advertising and partnerships, also strengthen the local economy.”

Supporters of local newspapers emphasize that in order to build a better future, more residents need to step forward and subscribe to their local newspapers, share stories, advertise in their newspapers and emphasize to family and friends the importance of community journalism.

“By embracing local journalism, we’re shaping a more informed, connected and empowered future,” Nolte said.  “National Newspaper Week will also allow time to reinforce the vital role that newspapers play in informing, empowering and uniting our communities all across the nation.”