A word from the publisher

In my line of work, second chances are almost nonexistent. No matter how much care and effort I pour into my work, I can never lift the ink from the page. In the three years since I have written the majority of this newspaper, I have made mistakes big and small. For most of them, there’s no going back. My typos, inexperience, and (sometimes) poor judgment been displayed to the community in these pages. Some of these mistakes keep me up at night. And no, I don’t mean the typos. 
Last week, I had a second chance at one of those stories that has kept me up at night. We had owned the newspaper for about two weeks when Zach White and Jonah Smith lost their lives in a tragic car accident. I was brand-new to news reporting. I felt completely unprepared to cover a story with such an emotional weight. I did my best, and I wrote from a mother’s heart. My only goal was to be respectful in the wake of such deep and heavy grief. 
Last week, I had the chance to report on the outcome of the civil suit prompted by the accident. I had the chance to interview the families. In a way, it was a chance to tell the story again, and get it right. I won’t pretend it was perfect, but I’m sure it was better. 
To the parents who trusted me with your story again: thank you. I treasure the trust you placed in me, and I took it very seriously.
To my readers who have been with us for the last three years: thank you for sticking with me as I figure it out. 
I never want to stop improving, and I would love to hear from you with your suggestions. Stop by the office any time, or email me at editor@howellcountynews.com
-Amanda 
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Howell County News

110 W. Main St.,
Willow Springs, MO 65793
417-252-2123

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