Feb. 27 – March 26. The open period for filing as a candidate for political office. All will be candidates on the August ballot. The successful candidates will advance to the ballot in November.

In 1994, I filed as a candidate for the Missouri House. Those who filed for state-wide offices would receive media attention. I and others who filed for local positions were likely to be invisible candidates if it were not for the community newspaper, a valuable asset and resource for the electorate.

The community newspaper is more than ink on paper. It understands the pulse of the community, and acts as a spotlight that shines on the political issues important to the community. It informs the community where the candidates stand on these issues important to them.

As a candidate for political office years ago, I recall responding to questionnaires sent by the community newspaper seeking my opinion on local issues. My responses and those of other candidates would be published so that voters could make informed decisions on election day.

What decisions community officials make have a strong bearing on our daily lives. Often the only reporting source of such local decisions is the community newspaper.

But the community newspaper is more than a political paper. The community newspaper informs us what is happening in our community, our schools and with our local businesses. Sources of information not found elsewhere.

The local newspaper is the only media that understands a community’s context. It chronicles the lives, the challenges and the successes of local residents. It informs readers how their local school sports are doing and what honors their neighbors’ children have received.

Small businesses connect with community residents through the local newspaper. The vibrant small business assists the community by creating jobs and contributing tax revenue to local government entities.

Community newspapers assist local businesses by providing affordable and effective advertising space. This is one factor that helps the small business community to prosper and grow.

For these and other reasons, the community newspaper must be supported. The loss of the local newspaper will mean the loss of the collective memory of the community. No longer will there be a media source that serves as a spotlight on issues important to the community.