Claresholm is a cool little place, a small town straddling Highway 2, about halfway between Calgary and Lethbridge, and I popped in to visit Rob at the Claresholm Local Press, where he worked as a reporter. (Rob has since become the paper's editor.) The paper is as old as Alberta itself, with a long, rich history.
I couldn't stay for long, but Rob was kind enough to show me around the office. I was awestruck by this gorgeous old printing press.
Local papers are a vital source of information and cohesion for small communities. Rob's story here on provincial budget cuts to education illustrates how decisions made in the provincial capital impact people hundreds of kilometres distant.
The Internet is challenging print media of all kinds, from magazines to books to newspapers. Even small community papers like the Claresholm Local Press have an online presence now, and perhaps the decline of printed reading material is inevitable. I'll be sad when that day arrives. Although I love the convenience and portability of the Internet, I don't think I'll ever lose my love of paper and ink.
