Local newspapers like the Athens Banner-Herald aren’t just good for covering boring government meetings, high school sports and the local entertainment scene. They’re also good to have around when something happens to a historically and psychologically important local institution—like the recent fire at the Georgia Theatre.
Of course, the paper reports the news—the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the fire. But that straight news reporting, especially when it’s supplemented with historical accounts, photos and collections of first-person anecdotes, really helps weave together memories and strengthens community identity.
Doing that for a community takes a lot of work, and it’s not easily replicated or replaced. Local bloggers Hillary Brown and Johnathan McGinity posted similar observations earlier. Let’s hope our local daily survives.
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