A Thousand Words
By Jock Lauterer
To the folks who think all newspapers are dying, I have this response: Y’all really need to get out of town more often. It’s no secret that I’m a champion of smaller papers particularly. And as I hit the road every summer to lead journalism workshops at community newspapers “from Murphy to Manteo,†I’m always encouraged by the innovative ways hometown papers have found to remain vital and sustainable. Harry Coleman’s paper up in Creedmoor doubles as a farm history museum; James McDougald’s Maxton Times is located in his laundromat. And here’s my latest discovery: West of Asheville in the charming mountain town of Marshall, the News-Record & Sentinel has its offices in two railroad boxcars. You can’t make this stuff up. Posing proudly outside their freight cars/office, the weekly paper’s staff includes, left to right: Anna Freeman, graphic designer/reporter; Chris Rice, general manager and editor; Micky Huot, sales representative; and Somer Fanke, administrative assistant. Former N-R&S owners Louise Spieler and Keith King tell me the depot digs resulted from another publisher who was a railroad buff.
A THOUSAND WORDS
Do you have an important old photo that you value? Email your photo to jock@email.unc.edu and include the story behind the picture. Because every picture tells a story. And its worth? A thousand words.
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