For going on 25 summers, this monthly publication has been previewing upcoming events instead of reviewing what’s already happened.
In other words, PN leaves “covering the news” to the daily newspapers, an old-fashioned way of communicating, we’re told.
Not that long ago, early morning walks revealed what neighbors were reading by the publications tossed on their driveways. Fact is, many neighbors subscribed to at least two newspapers every day and three on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday.
When we first moved here in early 1993, we subscribed to the Daily Herald, Chicago Tribune and Naperville Sun. Then the dot.com bubble began to blow up. And with the steady onset of the information highway, by the end of the millennium, fewer driveways reflected what our neighbors might be reading.
By that time, I had begun writing a weekly column every Tuesday in the Neighbor Section of the Daily Herald. Reader feedback via FAX was enlightening. (Email was yet to be the way to constantly contact friends. And who imagined texting!)
Throughout the day, FAXes would come through with press releases about local events. And that’s when the idea for a monthly newspaper, supported by local independent businesses and featuring good things happening in our community began to see the light.
Not long ago, a PN reader asked if I were still writing for the Daily Herald, a job I was happy to hold for more than 18 years. He mentioned his family had stopped subscribing to the print edition about 10 years ago. And he’d recently read that the Chicago Tribune had purchased the Daily Herald. He wondered what I knew.
All I knew was the Tribune Company, now owned by Alden Global Capital, had acquired the 150-year-old Daily Herald that serves much of Chicagoland. In recent years, Alden Global Capital also had acquired the Aurora Beacon, Naperville Sun and Daily Southtown, to name a few.
Quite frankly, it’s been disappointing to observe how newspapers have changed, blatantly placing editorials on every page. A time not so long ago, those pages were reserved for stories by journalists who appeared to present both sides of the story and the “Editorial Page” was devoted to flat-out opinion.
Just the other day I chuckled when a commentator said, “There are two sides to every story. And then there’s the truth.”
Truth or Consequences
Truth is, our aim has been to engage residents in the generous heart of local culture by highlighting traditions, parades, events, the arts and our city’s rich history—all that’s been celebrated as the contagious “Naperville can-do spirit.”
We try hard to keep up in this competitive, always developing market, where changing ways to communicate compete with the challenges of controlling AI and AI-generated images. Quite frankly, when we began keystroking a word, we hadn’t expected AI to anticipate what we were going to say. AI’s wrong word choice has made editing more complicated with unintended consequences, to say the least.
Moving right along…
Still, some things haven’t changed.
Our residents love the outdoor summer concert season!
Our much-appreciated advertising sponsors are mostly independently-owned enterprises that welcome your inquiries and your business.
Our contributing columnists bring unique perspectives and experiences to our pages. And we’re happy to note our teen columnists tell us they’re convinced writing for PN has helped them find jobs in their fields of endeavor and get into the college of their choice. Just ask Hannah Leong. She’s headed to Harvard this fall! We’ve definitely been impressed with Hannah’s insights these past few years and we’ll miss her.
Our stories are mostly brief. Our website complements our printed pages with our Daily Square Scoop. We’re open source. We have no paywall. Public access to reading our posts is free of charge, thanks to our supporters.
As our city has grown, so have giving opportunities. Volunteerism continues to connect residents working toward common goals, always learning and gaining from the experience while most aim to create a better city.
The point is, you’ll meet some of Naperville’s most interesting people, past and present, when you volunteer.
Reminiscing with longtime friends is a joy. Testing memories from shared experiences is good for the soul. Introducing new acquaintances to the city’s many attractions that may seek support keeps the community moving forward.
Take time this summer to be creative and enjoy outdoor activities. And remember to take volunteer spirit wherever you go. You just never know when somebody needs a hand.
– Stephanie Penick
PN Publisher
