Looking forward to 2015

Jeff Green | Dec 18, 2014

This is our final issue of the year, and we hope you enjoy the seasonal content, colourful drawings and Christmas greetings in it.

Even though we are taking our annual two-week break from publishing, we have lots in the works for 2015 and would like to give you a heads up as to what is coming.

We launched a new version of Frontenacnews.ca, and because it was built using contemporary site software as opposed to software from 2000, we are planning to bring more capacity to the site next year, including more frequent updates to content, video and an enhanced business directory and events section. We will also work to make more use of Facebook and Twitter to connect with readers and link to content on the website.

For advertisers we are determined to finally add web advertising to our repertoire. This will all be done without downgrading the core of our service to the community, which is delivered each week to over 9,100 post boxes in Frontenac County, Addington Highlands and the western edge of Lanark County. We remain committed to Canada Post and the direct relationship with readers that comes from putting the Frontenac News in the hands of readers.

Next year is also the 150th anniversary of Frontenac County, and we have embarked on a rather ambitious project of interviewing elders and others who have made Frontenac County what it is. We will be publishing articles, take from some of the interviews we have already conducted and will keep conducting in the new year. These will begin appearing in the paper in January and will run all through the anniversary year. We are being supported by Frontenac County for this project, which we hope will help promote the activities that are being planned by them for the spring and summer of 2015.

At this time I would like to take this opportunity to thank our advertisers, readers and the newspaper staff for another successful year here at The News, and to wish all a Happy Christmas and New Year as we take our annual 2 week break. Our first edition for 2015 will be published on January 8, 2015.

There is one piece of unfinished business I would like to try to clear up from this past year. It is a personal matter, in a way. Back on April 1st, I announced that the paper had been sold and included a doctored photo of me shaking hands with the new owner, which thanks to a bit of photoshopping, was also me, only clean shaven and wearing a suit.

This April fool's joke was generally well received. Unfortunately I have also had a number of people, right through the fall, ask me how it is going, working for the new owner, what my plans are for the future, etc. So I thought I should clear the air at this time. For those who don't yet know and happen to be reading this, the sale of The Frontenac News was an April Fool's hoax. I still own the business, and have no plans to sell (unless of course someone out there has a lot of money to spend and always wanted to own a well-loved small community newspaper and website.)

Making myself the subject of an April Fool's joke has made me realise the implications for people from these kind of hoaxes. They linger and linger.

It has almost made me reconsider whether to run April Fool's stories in the future.