Kevin Hensley
A never-ending pile of paperwork can often be spotted on my “corner” desk at the office – an extra appendage used to help spread out the weekly duties of the editor at The Graham Star.
The Stanley Furniture special features the office’s police scanner, a small library of past specials for reference and – among other items – a stack of regional newspapers, sent weekly by many of our sister publications under the Community Newspapers Inc. umbrella.
Depending on how much free time (ha!) I am afforded, the stack grows and shrinks. The system (my system anyway) dictates that I read them cover to cover for a variety of reasons. The oldest ones stay on top, partially as motivation to complete the task, while my brain requires I read them in the order they were received. (Have I mentioned I’m weird?)
Keeping tabs on my hometown is a must, so when I get to a copy of the Times-Courier in Ellijay, Ga., I do what many of you do each week when you pick up your copy of The Star: I look for familiar names in the arrest report and obituaries. As you can imagine, this often produces a negative feeling.
In other newspapers, I find articles that catch my eye: items in the Cherokee Scout (Murphy), Clay County Progress (Hayesville), Smoky Mountain Times (Bryson City) and The Franklin Press often end up within these pages. This also gives me a chance to reach out to our other hardworking publishers and editors and chat, while asking if they will share all the nuts and bolts so it can run in our publication. A time that my request was denied does not come to mind, and I am always happy to return the favor.
On Friday, I took an hour or so to eliminate the latest stack from the corner desk. Another reason for meticulously combing through the publications is to find ideas on how to improve The Star. I have always subscribed to the belief that if you think you have learned everything, you need to step back and take a look in the mirror – arrogance comes on quick and can be consuming.
Admittedly, I have seen things in other newspapers and incorporated them into these pages during my time at The Star. Running a list of contact information for elected officials; shifting the appearance of our faith directory from two half-pages to one full page; and even looking at different styles of pagination, while taking note of how it could positively impact your hometown newspaper – it all came from perusing other publications.
So, believe it or not, there is a method to my madness. I also have to juggle reality, though: sometimes, there is only so much space to introduce something new. Sometimes, news takes precedence and will alter the plans for an upcoming edition, but most of the time we try to produce the best “bang for your buck” – for you, the consumer; and for us, the business. As we enter 2025, let’s all work together to make our “community” newspaper just that; and in turn, make this the best year for The Graham Star yet. Thanks for reading.
Kevin Hensley is the publisher/editor of The Graham Star. He can be reached by phone, 828-479-3383; email, editor@grahamstar.com; or on X, @KevinHensleyCNI.