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LAUREL – Bob Dickey has been reading the Laurel Advocate for 60 years.
“The first thing I do is always read the front page. There’s usually some nice pictures there, sometimes even in color, too,” the Laurel man said. “I like to know what’s going on in the community.”
And there’s been plenty to fill the Advocate’s pages every week, he said, with such newsworthy items like the new Laurel-Concord-Coleridge school facility and the new building for the Laurel Fire & Rescue.
Dickey, along with the LCC Alumni Association, worked with the Laurel Advocate in the past to provide information on the association’s scholarships.
He’s also part of a group of veterans working on getting a new veterans memorial in town. So he hopes he has some information to share with the newspaper soon on that project.
“I really appreciate any articles that are in there about the school and also know what’s going on in regards to the churches,” Dickey said. “Those are huge plusses.”
In recognition of National Newspaper Week Oct. 1-7, Dickey and others shared thoughts on the role of local newspapers from government watchdog to community advocate and storyteller.
Local events, meetings, celebrations - the newspaper prints all the issues relevant in the community, said Superintendent Jeremy Christiansen.
“In many ways, the local newspaper helps to keep residents connected to one another,” he said.
Christiansen especially enjoys the focus on positive stories of local interest.
Craig Gutz, co-president of the Laurel Chamber of Commerce and branch manager of Citizens State Bank, said he likes to see local businesses highlighted in the newspaper.
“In bigger cities, you don’t get that community feel,” he said. “The Omaha World Herald isn’t going to reach out to every new business so it’s important to have the (Advocate) that does that.”
While the press has a watchdog role over public officials like Christiansen, he doesn’t see it as an adversarial relationship.
“We are certainly fortunate that we have a stronger, more collegial way of working together,” he said, pointing to an example of all of the efforts by the Laurel Advocate to report on the school district’s facility improvement project which included a bond issue and vote. “As a public official, it’s important to be open and willing to share information.”
Gutz said he appreciates the Advocate’s efforts on getting the story right. “They may not be the first out there but you know the information is gathered with multiple reliable sources,” he said. “That’s important in small towns, any city, the wrong rumor can ruin someone’s reputation in a matter of seconds and not even have anything behind it. Being the first to the party isn’t always the smartest move.”
Christiansen said the Advocate consistently requests information and points for clarification when developing stories about the school, its efforts and activities.
“The structure of a weekly or even daily newspaper, including the roles of reporter and editor, allow for newspapers to carefully consider and, in some ways, filter, what is published,” he said. “Instead of posting information or opinions in the height of emotion, a newspaper tends to seek the varied perspectives of all those involved.” Many may be surprised to learn that Laurel had a newspaper before the town was even incorporated with the first issue dating back to 1893. Rob Dump and Peggy Year have published the paper for the last 28 years.
Along with the Advocate, Dump and Year own the Cedar County News, based in Hartington; Randolph Times; Wausa Gazette; and Osmond Republican.
Dickey, Gutz and Christiansen agree Laurel is fortunate to have a local newspaper in town especially one that is dedicated to the community and its residents.
Unfortunately, there are several counties in Nebraska without a newspaper. More than 40 of Nebraska’s 93 counties have only a single countywide news publication.
“Having somebody present in the community, it’s important,” Gutz said. “It’s important that in Laurel, with the Advocate, you have people here in town. You have that personal service as well and people that are involved in the community, it makes a big difference.”
