Leonna Heuring: Newspapers are still your No. 1 quality news source

I grew up in the1980s and 1990s when newspapers were well respected and regarded as a community’s top news source. Well, at least that was the case in the TV shows I watched as a youngster. Natalie Green from “The Facts of Life” worked for the school paper and was always trying to get the scoop on something. Arnold Jackson from “Diff’rent Strokes” also worked on the school paper, even writing an expose on steroid use in the high school.

And, of course, I cannot forget my favorite show of all time, “Beverly Hills, 90210,” where Brandon Walsh (I was Team Dylan, though) and Andrea Zuckerman were at the helm of their school paper, “The West Beverly Blaze.” Brandon even went on to work for “The Condor” student newspaper in college.

I know. These are all fictional characters and shows, but they definitely influenced me growing up and the more I’ve thought about it, the more I think they may have subliminally led me down the path to journalism — although they aren’t the sole reason I went into it.

Of course, I still believe newspapers (and other media) should be respected and regarded as a community’s top news source. I know national media does not have the same respect it once did, and I’d like to think local newspapers are still respected in their communities, although, sadly, I know that’s not always the case.

The bottom line is this: Newspapers, especially, the Standard Democrat, still provide and want to provide quality, local news to their communities. We aren’t perfect, but we are always striving to be better. That, I can promise you.

We keep you informed on city and school news, and we’re making a bigger effort this year to bring more countywide news to you, too. Of course, we always accept submitted news items. Wedding and engagement announcement submissions have dropped dramatically over the years, but we welcome —and want —those, too. We continue to print court record and birth announcements. A lot of the news we provide you with, you can’t find anywhere else — at least not all in the same place.

We know the newspaper industry has changed, specifically more and more people want to read the paper online and from their devices. What others may not realize, though, is advertisement sales and subscriptions are our sole revenue sources, and so we need our community as much as it needs us.

Did you know you can subscribe to the electronic version (which includes unlimited online access and the entire paper in the digital format and a subscription to semoball.com) for only $4.60 a month?! Again, you will not find all of the quality, local news we provide in one place — whether it be via our print edition, electronic edition, website or Facebook page.

The Standard Democrat’s Facebook page has over 11,000 “likes,” and we appreciate each and every one of you for following us. If you haven’t yet liked our Facebook page, please do! It’s “Sikeston Standard Democrat.” In the past 30 days, we’ve had more than 220,000 views on our website: www.standard-democrat.com. Call (573) 471-6980 or email us at news@standard-democrat.com if you have any news tips, stories or submissions. To subscribe, call (573) 471-1137 or visit our website.

For those of you who have found us and subscribe to us, you already know what I’m talking about — and I thank you for your support and appreciate you. You get it.

Check back next Wednesday when Sikeston Department of Public Safety Chief James McMillen will publish his first monthly column in the Standard Democrat.

Leonna Heuring is co-editor of the Standard Democrat.