KENT—Thirteen years ago, I was hard at work in the offices of Digital First in New Milford, then the parent company of the Kent Good Times Dispatch and four other Housatonic Publications, when several men marched into the room.
They called us away from our desks where we were working on deadline on our individual newspapers. At that time, I had been editor of the Good Times Dispatch for seven years. The five “suits” from corporate headquarters announced that it would be the last edition for all our papers.
I felt true dismay on that afternoon in 2009 because over the years I had come enjoy my work in Kent and the many interesting people I met there. Kent is a vibrant, culturally rich community that is a joy to cover.
Fast forward to today. The Kent Good Times is back and so am I. It will be an independent newspaper, delivered digitally to your “doorstep” for the foreseeable future, and is preparing to do what it did so well for 52 years—reporting the issues and events in the town.
It will take time for us to hit our stride. Starting a newspaper from scratch is labor intensive and costly. Town residents have indicated that they are eager to have a hometown newspaper again, but a paper cannot exist in a vacuum.
We will need the help and support of the community to make it thrive. As a nonprofit organization, the paper will rely on donations and grants, as well as a limited revenue stream from advertising. But happily, that is not my bailiwick. I am a newsperson so my plea is that you help me to help you by sending me leads to stories that should be covered, announcements of your civic events and special occasions—whether they be a wedding, an obituary, birth announcements or graduations—to editor@kentgtd.org. And be sure to follow all the news on www.kentgtd.org.
