Fielder’s Choice

Last week’s snow picked the wrong days.

The newspaper must go out, and it did, but getting snow in the early part of the work week makes the production and delivery a lot more difficult on our end.

Missing Mondays and Tuesdays is basically not an option in this business. Or if someone is going to miss,  we all have to work ahead to meet our weekly deadlines.

We came in Monday looking at the forecast for Tuesday and knew we pretty much had to combine two days of work into one – just in case.

Working with our printer, The Pigeon Roost News was delivered a little earlier (Monday night) in anticipation of dangerous road conditions. That was a wise move.

Tuesday morning, with lots of snow already on the ground and more falling, some employees couldn’t make it – which was understood. But they left us in good shape.

Tuesday, we had to get The Pigeon Roost News ready for delivery to the post offices and then delivered, plus we had to wrap up the pages of The South Reporter and send them to the printer. Enough of us made it in to work that day to accomplish the mission without difficulties.

Delivery of The South Reporter from the printer stayed on the same schedule (early Wednesday morning) and things were rolling full speed ahead at the office of your community newspaper later that morning despite the weather.

And that was without the publisher, who was sidelined with a painful back problem.

Thanks to a dedicated staff and help from our community, we were able to pretty much meet our regular distribution schedule Wednesday. However, we did have to wrap up things by making a few more stops Thursday morning on our route which stretches throughout Marshall and Benton counties.

And, like I said, we couldn’t have pulled it off without some assistance from our friends and family.

Those assisting along the way included David Cook, Kelly McMillen, Ethan Davis, Johnny King, Bobby Taylor, Jonathan Moore, Kerry Reid, Eddie Thompson and Cody Teel.

Some drove employees to the office and/or carried them home. Some provided photos from the winter storm. And one helped with carrying newspapers to the Holly Springs Post Office so our subscribers would be able to receive them on schedule.

This emphasizes once again a big benefit of living in a small community. Neighbors help neighbors. Friends help friends.

I don’t like ice. I don’t like snow.

And I particularly don’t like it on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.

Once again, a big “thank you” goes to all who chipped in to help (sorry if I missed anyone). And a big “thank you” goes to our readers who were patient with us during the delivery process.

This newspaper thing takes teamwork, and that team consists of far more than just the newspaper’s employees. You are all a part of the team. You advertise in it; you read it; you contribute to its content. This is your community newspaper (since 1869).