We need you to share your stories

East Bernard, this is for you.

Earlier this month on our Facebook page a longtime subscriber rightfully took us to task for a recent edition that had only one local story in it. As I was putting that particular paper together, I was sick to my stomach for the lack of local content. I know our readers deserve so much better than that.

As I explained in a private message to the subscriber, I need help and lots of it. On the editorial side of the business (meaning all stories, pictures, page layout and such), I am the only full-time employee for both Wharton and East Bernard. I share a sports writer with El Campo and I have a couple columnists. Other than that, I have the responsibility of putting out two newspapers a week in Wharton and one a week in East Bernard. I simply lack the time and resources to devote to the news coverage that East Bernard deserves. On top of that, the city and school board meetings conflict with governmental meeting times in Wharton.

That being said, it’s nothing more than an excuse. The good people of East Bernard want and deserve so much more than I can deliver. I need your help. We are looking for stringers, people who can write stories and take pictures of local events. If you can attend city council and/or school board meetings and write a story or even a summary of what happened, we need you. We pay on a per story (and per photo) basis.

We also need someone who can write feature stories, take pictures at local events, cover school functions, attend ribbon-cutting ceremonies, write about the comings and goings of local businesses, and so on. If that’s you or someone you know, please contact me.

This is also a great opportunity for churches, civic groups and other nonprofit organizations to get their information published. Please send write-ups and pictures to us. We will gladly publish them, assuming they meet publication guidelines and community standards, which most do.

Essentially, this must become a community paper in the truest sense. It’s going to take contributions from the community in order for the pages to be full of local content. It’s not that I’m shirking my duties – I’m not – it’s that I’m already overwhelmed taking care of Wharton.

When you look at the trend of so many newspapers going out of business, that last thing we want is for East Bernard to lose its local voice. In fact, we want to increase it. That’s the reason for my appeal. East Bernard is a special place with stories to tell and information to share. We don’t want any of them to be left out. The newspaper is a first draft of history, and in many cases the only draft. We don’t want who we are and what we do to be lost to future generations.

I hope that you will take this message to heart and help me help you tell the stories of East Bernard. The best way to reach me is by email at news@journal-spectator.com. I can also be reached by phone at 979-532-8840 or 979-532-0095. I hope to hear from you soon.

Joe Southern is managing editor of the Wharton Journal-Spectator and the East Bernard Express. He can be reached at news@journal-spectator.com.