Here's to a new start and an offer of great thanks

Henry David Thoreau auspiciously and with forethought moved into his cabin at Walden Pond on July 4th. Some people locally may have heard that ahead of this July 4th the La Conner Weekly News changed hands, that Cindy Vest and Sandy Stokes turned over the paper’s ownership. That makes this July 4th a special celebration for them and for me, the News’ new publisher.

Fireworks are appropriate to highlight and appreciate and thank Cindy and Sandy for their having created, nurtured, and built the La Conner Weekly News into the newspaper that it is today. They have been gracious and generous to me as I looked into and researched their newspaper and considered becoming its publisher. Because of their commitment, time, and, yes, love, for both La Conner and journalism, the community is blessed with a weekly newspaper in 2017 – and now into the future.

Cindy and Sandy have been diligent and modest in managing the Weekly News over the last 10-plus years. They are leaving in the same dignified way that they have acted in producing and printing a paper weekly for over 564 issues. They have not missed a week. I believe the town will miss them as publishers. La Conner will gain them as community members. I am glad they will be available for advice, assistance, and friendship as I navigate my way both into the business of this newspaper and into participation in my new home town.

Next week I will introduce myself, my history, my interests, and my hopes for the Weekly News as its publisher and its editor.

I have a lot to learn and a lot of listening to do.

This starts my career as a newspaper publisher, but taking on the paper is a reasonable progression in my life as a citizen.

Since my teen years, I have actively engaged in my community, wherever I have lived, involving myself in my church, my neighborhood, with my fellow citizens, and trying to fulfill my responsibilities as a democrat and a republican, all in small letters.

I am a small-d democrat by participating in neighborhood associations, buckthorn busting and green clean ups, efforts for civil rights, and marching for peace nearby, nationally, and internationally.

And, as a republican, I go to council meetings, sometimes to speak.

I petition my elected officials, volunteer during elections over issues and candidates (local, state, and national), and vote as often as I can.

Through it all I have written freelance articles, editorials, and book and theater reviews.

Now I get to write more, and edit others, but I am as interested in hearing from you, your concerns, and having your participation in these pages in the weeks and years ahead.

You will see calls for and offers to share your strengths and passions and to shed light on goings on in La Conner and the region, be it your words, photos, or graphics to enlighten us on land, at sea, or the night sky, in the visual arts, music, film, theatre, literature, farms, food, flowers, gardening, geology, astronomy, wine, beer, or any interest you have that you helps me understand others need to know more about their neighbors, their community, and the world in which they live.

Some of it might be news: the unexpected happening somewhere, in our case, nearby.

I am looking forward to meeting you, hearing from you, getting to know you, and working together toward making La Conner even greater, again.

Please reach out to me.

– Ken Stern