The Indiana Publisher

Publishing. "I've never experienced anything quite like this." Johnson's paper, the Herald Journal (Monticello), is sponsoring an e-learning photo contest where students and parents can share images from their home schooling experi- ences for a chance to win cash prizes. Sports and marching bands are big in Johnson's community and the paper is commemorating high school seniors whose experiences have been cut short by the pandemic. The Herald Journal has plenty of file photos, Johnson said, and students are asked to share their memories for publication. Cassie Roth-Garrett, content and newsroom team leader at Whitewater Publications, said her staff's first goal was to establish that they were there for the community — readers and advertisers. As schools closed and events were canceled, Roth-Garrett said her staff re-committed to filling pages with relevant coverage. "One of the things I'm most proud of is there was never an option of less." On a kids page, for instance, teachers wrote notes to children they couldn't be in direct contact with, the next week grandparents did the same. "We're going to make sure that our community isn't being cheated because of this." Her staff is also working on a sponsorship project with local tourism and the chamber of commerce called "One Community" where large corporate sponsors can buy space in the paper for local businesses. Roth-Garrett said she and her staff have drawn and built on relationships with readers and advertisers. This experience, she said, has illustrated how important community newspapers are. Don Hurd, founder and CEO of Hometown Media, Inc. and Hoosier Media Group has shared what he calls a "buffet" of ideas. "I like to try a lot of different angles and I like to be proactive," Hurd said. Since the,start of the pandemic, Hurd's papers have provided thank-you promos, a coronavirus special section, daily inspirational quotes and more. His next engagement promotion is "Couch Potato Trivia Night." The Facebook Live event from the flagship paper in Wabash County will feature prizes including restaurant gift cards and 15-second advertising spots. "You just have to use all the mediums, all the platforms available to you to continue to build your brand as being the information leaders in the communities that we serve," Hurd said. He wants the people in the community to know they're not alone. "We're here to help you get through this. We're in the same boat you are. Let's work on this together." Clintonian Continued from Page 9 We have to call a flag on the field for actions of the County Commissioners last Tuesday, March 31. They held an "admin- istrative" meeting – in private, in the closed-to the-public court- house. "Administrative" meetings are, by definition, public meet- ings. A "public meeting" cannot be held in a building that is not open to the public! According to the minutes of the meeting, which have not been approved, Commissioner Bill Brown met with Auditor Beth Myers in Myers' office, in the courthouse. Commissioner Loren Hylton phoned in his contribution and we don't know where Commissioner Steve Pearson was. The items listed as being discussed loosely fit the Indiana Open Door Law's restrictions for an administrative meeting. But again…a public meeting can't be held in a building that is closed to the public. No one really knows every- thing that was discussed at the meeting. As far as we know, there was no recording made of the meeting. When an "administrative" meeting happens legally (and let us be clear, Commissioners were admonished by the Public Access Counselor not many years ago for conducting "administrative" meetings for things which the law does not allow), people in the courthouse can wander into the meeting room, sit down and can listen to what is going on. That could not have happened given that Brown and Myers were holed up in Myers' office. Commissioners should set the example of how to keep meetings in the public purview, even during the COVID-19 crisis. But Carroll County Commissioners do not do that…and this is an election year! — Carroll County Comet know intimately the community, Waugh is concerned the public's interest and right to know will suffer. "Our newspaper kept our communities informed," Waugh said. "And maybe more important, it kept politicians honest." Sonny said the paper has received an outpouring of love and support from the community in the days since he announced the paper's closure earlier this week. "Everyone is telling us they love what we do," Sonny said. "Loved what we did." But Diane, fighting back tears, wasn't about to make the paper's final day of publication one of pitty. "The Daily Clintonian made a difference," said Waugh with a crack in her voice. "Everyone thought we'd be here forever. "And we almost were." For more photos, see https:// tinyurl.com/ybrhakau. Editorial Flag on the field against Carroll County Commissioners April 2020 Page 12 "Our newspaper kept our communities informed. And maybe more important, it kept politicians honest." Diane Waugh, co-owner, The Daily Clintonian Engage Continued from Page 1 Hoosier Media Group/ Hometown Media sent in a variety of ideas including a promo to thank frontline workers in the community and a 12-page special section filled with informative material for readers about the COVID-19 virus.

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