Ed. — From the Sunday, Feb. 13, print edition.
BACK BAY — Knotts Island, N.C., was one of the first places I visited when I started this newspaper nearly eight years ago. My father-in-law and I put our first newspaper box out at Pearl’s Bay-Villa.
Not long after, I fell in love with Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge. Almost every visit to the island now includes a swing through the refuge with my camera.
But the reality is that the island, as much as I love it, is a small piece of our readership, and I presently do not have any advertisers in Currituck. I’m wrestling with where to put my resources this year.
This community newspaper is nearing what I think is its right size – a circulation of more than 4,000 that is paying for city coverage in Virginia Beach, particularly news about the important changes to our voting system and this year’s elections.
Our circulation is growing at the Oceanfront, which has been a natural place for this newspaper to expand over the past two years. Kempsville is where I am working to increase distribution this year. These areas appeal to advertisers, and it is relatively easy to reach readers. I see this when I deliver because the racks are empty.
But I haven’t forgotten the island. I plan to cover the Peach Festival, if nothing else, but I would like to get a better sense of what readers on the island or in southern Virginia Beach want to have covered on K.I.
That’s where you come in. Please reach out to me by cell at (757) 502-5393 or via email at jhd@princessanneindy.com.
I’d also like to hear from readers in Currituck County, particularly on the island or in Gibbs Woods, about where you are picking up your papers.
Is it worth delivering a very limited number of copies to Gibbs Woods when papers are available up the road in Blackwater?
Is keeping the box at Knotts Island Market enough distribution for the island, or should I keep delivering to other spots on the island, such as Sandy Point, the churches and the Senior Center?
Thoughts are welcome and appreciated.
I am starting to write about the City Council and School Board elections scheduled for this year in Virginia Beach, including naming likely candidates when I can.
Obviously, there is some uncertainty about the new 10-district system because of the city’s appeal of the decision that created it. But I am proceeding as though this is the system unless a judge says (or judges say) otherwise.
I’ll try to be clear about where candidates are in their paperwork process, though petitions are not being verified by local election offices, for the time being.
Please reach out with any questions or concerns.
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