The paper must go on, even if it is a little late

Dearest Readers,

As you read this, you might have noticed that this week’s paper has landed in your hands a little later than usual. It’s not your imagination. Rather than hitting newsstands and the post office a day early like normal, this week we have arrived exactly on our official Thursday publication date. We don’t take a day’s delay lightly. Particularly when we are so honored to be a part of a proud journalistic lineage.

Since 1878, The Times has been produced by an esteemed line of tireless publishers and editors, each of whom stamped a little bit of themselves onto every page. Each week, these pages have been brought to life by small teams of contributors, journalists, and everyday community members; robust teams that over the years have been both literally and figuratively families. As with any small family, a little disruption can have a big impact on the regular routine.

Earlier this week, our Publisher & Editor, Lane Gwinn, had a late-night trip to the ER followed by an early-morning emergency surgery. Thankfully, she is doing great, and on the mend. However, as she is the team member responsible for the layout and sending the final draft to the printers, we missed our usual deadline. Between calls from loved ones and the occasional interruption from her marvelous nurses, my mother has been steadily recovering in hospital, while I have been at her bedside on my laptop helping to apply the finishing touches to this week’s edition.

This experience has made me really appreciate the humanity of what we do each week. The Times brings together the histories and current stories of our community. From fifth- and sixth-generation families to new area transplants, a snapshot of our blended lives is archived within these pages. Lovingly assembled by a small team of locals, these photographs and articles reflect the things that make this place we call home feel so special. This humanity is something I believe big tech and generative AI can never fully replace. Algorithms and data center exhaust will never replicate the human touch that makes what each of us do so unique. It gives me hope.

Expanding on an ancient Latin proverb, the eighteenth-century English poet, Alexander Pope wrote, “to err is human, to forgive, divine.” To celebrate our humanity is to forgive the occasional typo, the smudged ink, and yes, the extremely rare delay in printing.

Thank you for your understanding, and for being a part of our community of readers and supporters.

With gratitude,

Luke Chavez

Editor