Editorial

Publishers Pen

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

As Publisher of the Mountain Home News and the Patriot I am excited to announce some changes with the coming of the New Year. Our partnership with Mountain Home AFB is, and will continue to be, important to myself and the staff of the Mountain Home News.

We have published the Patriot since 2005, when the mission for the bases changed and a publication produced soley by the Public Affairs Office was eliminated. Military contracts Air Force wide were discontinued and it was left with local publishers, like me, to either have no military orientated paper due their contracts being cancelled, or as we did, start the Patriot which replaced the Gunfighter, which was still a free standalone product distributed on base and in town where the military frequented.

The mission of our 366th Gunfighters has caused their ability to release information and news to be scaled down in quantity, so I, as a publisher, must adjust. That being said we will cease production of the standalone product “The Patriot” and incorporate the news, events, and awards into one publication.

As a community with the great advantage of having a military installation in our immediate proximity, we will continue that partnership with Public Affairs support and input for the future. However, what you will see coming January 1st, is dedicated space within the Mountain Home News called “Inside the Gates” which will highlight the news and accomplishments of our military neighbors as we have always done. Stephanie, the Mountain Home News Editor, will collect information still provided in partnership with continued submissions provided by Public Affairs that will highlight those accomplishments and events for our Gunfighters.

I appreciate the input and support we received in this transition from Mountain Home Air Force Base and I am dedicated to producing a local community publication that not only provides our readers their hometown news, but continues to support our Gunfighters as well.

Our military and veteran population is an integral part of our community that I have always acknowledged and supported. I am a proud “Air Force brat” myself, having a veteran husband and father and all of my staff has military ties, so this was not only a business decision, but our effort to continue the partnership in another way. This is a model followed by other communities in their effort to continue to incorporate the news of their local bases.

We thank you in advance for your support of local small businesses and welcome you to our readership. Our advertisers thank you for your support and appreciate your business, as well. I cannot speak for everyone, but my heart hears and appreciates the “sounds of freedom” as you soar over our heads.

To all our readers, do not hesitate to reach out with your events and activities that are important to you and we will facilitate in helping you in reaching our already established circulation of 2300, which I hope to see grow with new subscribers this next year. The Mountain Home News is a mailed publication and is delivered with your normal home, business or office addressed mail.

Sincerely,

Brenda M Fincher

Publisher

Mountain Home News

Stephanie Root

Managing Editor

Mountain Home News