Editor:

My wife and I bought  our cabin in Pine Cove in 2012. The cabin was a bank repo and required a lot of work. I wanted to use local “Hill” businesses but sources of information were hard to come by and not always reliable.

The Town Crier was the exception and became my primary source for almost all my “Hill” information. I turned to the Classified section and there I found all the information I needed. I hired contractors listed there to replace my septic system, replace the flooring, repair the plumbing and electrical, install a new roof, paint, sweep the chimney, repair the furnace and even an ongoing cleaning service.

We used the ads to learn which movies were playing and for help in choosing a restaurant. In 2012, the paper was filled with ads for local businesses. I would have been lost without that resource.

While reading the most recent edition, I noticed many fewer ads for local companies seeking my business. Why? Don’t they still need or want new customers?

Our local paper is needed by everyone and, currently, the owners publish it at a financial loss. Where would the local businesses be financially if there were no local rag to advertise? If local businesses don’t support our paper by taking out ads, how can it sustain itself? What will ultimately become of the businesses?

I believe our Hill communities need the Town Crier to survive. With no ads, businesses will fail; with fewer businesses, tourism will drop and more businesses will fail. Property values will drop and the local economy will collapse.

The Town Crier, residents and businesses all depend upon each other for economic survival. If we lose either, we lose everything. Reader support will never be enough. Ask any publisher: Advertising is the life blood of any paper and the loss of our local paper will have serious consequences. Think about that next time you wonder why sales are down.

Albert Bates

Pine Cove/San Diego