Some of our past subscribers don’t understand why they can’t buy a subscription for $29 anymore. The short answer is that $29 included the price of mailing 52 issues to you. Simply put, $29 wasn’t making it.

The long answer involves the nationwide fact that, in general, newspaper advertising has been in decline for several Internet years now, and the Town Crier is no exception to that. And now, the newly imposed tariffs on Canadian newsprint will be raising our printing costs.

So, we had to leave it up to our readers: When Becky and I retire (and I’m 72 and have retired once already), is it OK if the Town Crier retires with us? Because, if it does, there will be no community watchdog that publishes the bad with the good, warns of danger, advises of opportunity, challenges authority, praises accomplishment, investigates irregularity, marvels at art, exposes abuse, celebrates life and publishes its readers’ letters.

Perhaps most importantly, if the TC were to retire, there would be no monitor of the nine public-agency boards we have up here on the Hill.

But, so far, 514 of you have become Members, clearly showing that you want the Town Crier to continue with new, younger owners willing to carry on publishing a real newspaper for our community. Thank you, all!

Please join us at our public news meetings, each Wednesday at 8:30 a.m., at the TC office at North Circle and Cedar.

Town Crier Charter Members

Saving and Supporting the Town Crier for our Community

(514 Charter Members as of May 14, 2018)