And Now For Something Completely Different

Big Changes for the Wilmer Citizen. Is there a benefit to continuing? Are we providing a public service?

It's been a while since we last posted a story and this isn't really much of a news item at all. Some months ago I accepted an appointment to the Wilmer Economic Development Corporation. This is the body charged with spending the extra sales taxes we voted in a few years back. Thus I've been conflicted about the duties of public service and the obvious journalistic challenges that might occur as a result of receiving non-public information in the course of performing those duties. So I withdrew from publication for a while and as the laws of physics dictiate, I must now overcome inertia if I am to resume my former activities.

Fortunately, I don't see the same needs in the community that drove the inception of this august publication. While we may be an ornery bunch - and nobody wants any more taxes - it appears to most citizens that our daily interface with the city is less stressful and more consistent than a few years back when the Wilmer Citizen was conceived. Now you can visit the city web site, get all the information on meetings and hearings, budgets, press releases - although it does lack a certain editorial style and wit - the information is now openly available.

There is one area where we might be able to provide a service IF there is any community support (I'm not talking about money here folks).

Community Notices and "Member Generated Content" Here are a couple of examples I've neglected until it's too late (almost).

Click Here to View the Bike Rodeo Announcement for Saturday May 22, 2010 at 9:00AM at the Community Center.

Click Here to View the Red Cross Blood Drive Announcement for Monday May 24, 2010 from 11:00AM to 3:00PM in the Wilmer Community Center.

So here is my proposition to readers and supporters - send me stuff to publish and I'll get it out there - make it easy use email attachments and send it to reporter@wilmercitizen.info. If you've found an online article you want to let others know about please send the link with a brief description of the content so I only have to write a headline. Even better - send your article or link WITH a headline and synopsis (for articles) and a byline if you want one.

If you've really got some breaking news CALL ME at 213-244-7689 and we'll work on an article. That's about all I can do folks - other than redesign the interface so it's less "news oriented" and that can wait until there's something to publish from you, our faithful reading public.

Joe Aldrich