Time flies.
It seems like just yesterday that I met Leslie Manning at the community Easter Egg Hunt in Canton and learned she was starting a local newspaper for the Canton and Galva communities, but Manning and her publication — The Santa Fe Way — have achieved five years of serving local and reliable news to area residents.
It’s awe-inspiring.
Five years may not seem like a long time, but in today’s media landscape, where local newspapers are vanishing at an alarming rate, reaching a fifth anniversary is an accomplishment worth celebrating.
That is why this milestone for The Santa Fe Way deserves recognition.
Starting this publication took vision, determination, and a community-minded spirit.
Manning has those attributes in droves, and she leveraged them to produce local journalism.
She saw the need for Canton and Galva to have a news source, so she sprang into action.
She activated the irrigation system of reportage. She transformed an area that was in an informational drought and on the cusp of becoming a news desert into a flourishing, enlightened oasis.
She believed the community deserved a newspaper dedicated to telling its stories, documenting its history, and keeping residents informed about the issues that affect their daily lives.
That belief became The Santa Fe Way.
Starting and sustaining a local newspaper is not easy. It requires long hours, financial commitment, persistence, and faith that quality journalism still matters, and yet Manning found a way.
As someone who has had the privilege of writing for The Santa Fe Way, I have seen firsthand the support and encouragement Manning provides to those around her.
She has given me a platform to produce features and share my thoughts via my column. Over the course of these five years, I have proudly written 61 columns and four feature stories, totaling nearly 41,000 words.
No matter the topic, she has supported me and my musings, and for this I am grateful.
Every writer hopes to find an editor and publisher who believes in their work and encourages them to grow.
Leslie Manning has been that person for me. Her confidence, guidance, and commitment to the newspaper have made it possible for voices like mine to connect with readers throughout the community.
And she has become a trusted adviser and friend, which is invaluable to me personally.
Beyond the impacts on me directly, her work has ensured that the stories of this community continue to be told, and that is the true value of local journalism.
It provides transparency in government. It preserves community history. It creates a shared sense of identity. It shines a spotlight on both challenges and successes.
Most importantly, it reminds us that the people and events closest to home matter.
When people pick up The Santa Fe Way, they are reading about neighbors, friends, schools, organizations, and businesses that shape the community.
They are connected and engaged.
As such, the newspaper serves as a gathering place. It’s a forum where the community can celebrate accomplishments, discuss concerns, and share its collective story.
That role has never been more important.
Throughout the country, communities without local newspapers miss more than a source of information. They lose accountability. They lose civic engagement. They lose a historical record of who they are and how they came to be.
Local journalism helps bind communities together, and when it disappears, something valuable disappears with it.
Fortunately, this community continues to have The Santa Fe Way.
For five years, the newspaper has informed readers, highlighted local achievements, and chronicled the events that matter most to residents. It has provided a platform for local voices and a record of community life. That is an achievement worthy of celebration.
Though anniversaries are an opportunity to look back, they are also an opportunity to look forward.
The first five years of The Santa Fe Way have demonstrated what can happen when someone believes in the importance of local journalism and is willing to invest in its future.
Manning deserves tremendous credit for that accomplishment.
The newspaper’s success reflects her vision, dedication, and commitment to serving the community. It also reflects the support of readers, advertisers, contributors, and countless others who recognize the value of having a strong local newspaper.
Communities need local journalism now more than ever.
They need trusted information, thoughtful storytelling, and a publication dedicated to serving the public interest.
For the past five years, The Santa Fe Way has provided exactly that, and I can’t wait to see the great things that will be accomplished in the next five. I just hope I get to continue being a part of it.
So here’s to the stories already told, the stories yet to come, and to the people who make them possible.
Happy fifth anniversary, The Santa Fe Way. And thank you, Manning, for believing that local news is worth fighting for.
Todd R. Vogts, Ph.D., is a native of Canton, a resident of McPherson County, and a media researcher and educator. He can be contacted with questions or comments via his website at www.toddvogts.com.
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