ELLEN MORTENSEN / LYNNE LANCE, NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

October 4-10 marks the 86th celebration of National Newspaper Week, a week-long promotion of the newspaper industry in the United States and Canada.

In small towns, suburbs and cities across America, local newspapers are there for the moments that matter — elections and ballgames, new businesses and school decisions, celebrations and tragedies.

How we deliver the news has changed. Why we do it hasn’t. Newspapers inform our communities, hold government accountable, and tell the stories no one else will. That commitment is at the heart of National Newspaper Week 2026 and this year’s theme: “Rooted in Community, Committed to Truth.”

Two words in particular in the sentence above epitomize what drives me to do what I do - community and truth. In this world of AI and “fake news,” the combination of those qualities has become more essential than ever. Our local newspapers have become more essential than ever. Of course, we rely on our local newspapers to provide photos and coverage of student activities and athletics. We still gather clippings from the paper about our kids and share them with grandparents. The newspaper is also the most reliable source for keeping up with what is happening in your town - your school board, city council, new businesses, closing businesses. The things that matter

to you matter to us. I frequently use old newspapers for research, from news stories to obituaries. As I thought about that one day it dawned on me…how will future generations access information about their communities and families if there are no newspapers? Sometimes we just take for granted that things like that will always be there; but have you ever thought about what the world would be like without us?

I put together a special section in the Callaway Courier each week titled “Blast From the Past”. To do that, I go back through the archived hard-copy papers. How sad it would be if my grandchildren one day did not have the opportunity to research our life and town through the local newspaper.

Strong local journalism doesn’t happen by accident. Subscriptions, advertising, and community support help keep reporters covering the people, institutions, and decisions that matter.

Our team at the Callaway Courier and Gothenburg Leader may be small, but we work diligently to try to keep you informed on the people and decisions that impact your community. Call me old-school, but everything you read that has my byline on it was generated by me without the use of AI! So I guess if you disagree, I can’t blame the robot.

During this National Newspaper Week, I hope you will truly take the time to appreciate the importance as well as the nostalgia of the paper you are holding. Local newspapers are characterized by truth and integrity, and the need for that will never go away.