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Date: 4/4/2022
This newspaper is personal.
In the past five years of my employment with Reminder Publishing I’ve been witness to extreme change. When I was hired as an assistant editor, the company had two newspapers and a staff of four full-time journalists – including me.
That was it. That was the editorial department.
Today, as a managing editor, I proudly work alongside a team of 17 exceptional staff writers and editors who work exceedingly hard to cover the local news that matters most to our readers in our now 10 weekly newspapers.
Over the last four years, our company has launched eight newspapers, and I have personally worked on many of those launches. Imagine that – print is not dead. While I have connections to the other newspapers I run, this Reminder hits different.
I grew up in Monson, went through the Monson Public Schools system and graduated from Monson High School in 2013.
I spent countless hours on chilly winter days on the hills of Flynt Park sledding with my little brother and parents, who are still residents and business owners in the community.
I spent significant time wandering the aisles of Squire Lumber & Hardware with both my mom and dad, where they would – and still to this day – pick up home improvement supplies.
Starting at the First Church, I walked the downtown streets of Monson with my family in bewilderment – along with what seemed like the rest of the town’s residents – on June 2, 2011, after disaster struck the day prior when a tornado decimated miles of the town.
It was in my 10th grade creative writing class at Monson High with Mr. Kozikowski where I realized that maybe I did not want to be a news anchor – perhaps I wanted to be a writer.
Over the course of my childhood I also spent a significant amount of time in Palmer, as one set of my grandparents – along with numerous aunts, uncles and cousins – reside in the town. I have more memories than I can count spending hot summer days riding ATVs through the gorgeous, wooded community with my cousins, or going to John’s Paint Store in Palmer with my father to pick up paint for his business, only to follow our trip up with a stop at the lamented Chmuras Bakery Too for a donut larger than the size of my head. My first job in high school and throughout the majority of college was at Northern Construction, working at the front desk.
I’ve spent several spring, summer and fall days walking Route 20 in Brimfield with my mother perusing antiques and enjoying fried dough. I’ve shopped at Cluett’s, Wilton’s and enjoyed ice cream at Janine’s in Ware. I’ve drank wine at Hardwick Winery, purchased doughnuts and coffee at Dippin’ Donuts in Warren, gone on numerous field trips to Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary in Wales and spent hot summer days at Hamilton Reservoir swimming with friends in Holland.
This newspaper feels like coming home; it’s a full circle moment.
I’ve never been so strongly tied to communities in our coverage area. When I started working for a small newspaper company in 2017, I never imagined the business would grow to this extent.
I could not be more thrilled to be bringing high-quality, local journalism to my hometown and to so many towns that feel like home.
Many of the smaller communities in this newspaper’s coverage area may not get their due from other news outlets – we seek to change that. Our staff writers and correspondents are remarkable people who have significant talent. To submit a story or a tip, please email this newspapers lead reporter, Lauren LeBel at llebel@thereminder.com, or email me at pnorth@thereminder.com.
Thank you for welcoming The Reminder into your home.