1. Files uploaded
by Melanie Jongsma, Publisher
LANSING, Ill. (March 9, 2021) – As of 3:00pm Tuesday, March 9, the high-resolution files comprising the March print edition of The Lansing Journal are in the possession of Blue Island Newspaper Printing. The newspaper will be on press first thing Wednesday morning.
2. Extra pages
Managing Editor Josh Bootsma and I decided Monday morning to add four pages, bumping the page count from 20 to 24. This issue contains information about all the local elections, and we needed extra room for that as well as a broad range of other local news. The March print edition will be the only comprehensive source of election information for Lansing, Illinois, voters. Those lists of candidates are not exciting reading, but we hope readers will consider the paper a useful reference.
3. Envelope insertion
We’re trying something new with this issue—a giving envelope. Many Lansing Journal supporters still prefer to mail a check rather than giving online, and the pre-addressed check-sized envelope is our way of acknowledging and accommodating them. The giving envelope will be inserted within the first few pages.
4. Early delivery
Also Tuesday afternoon, our new delivery company (Door to Door Direct) emailed to ask if their crews could begin distributing the March print edition on Friday, rather than Saturday. “That’s fine with me,” I replied.
5. Green bags
Door to Door Direct specializes in porch delivery for their customers. That’s important to me because when I walk around Lansing, I see a lot of pink-bagged papers littering driveways, sidewalks, lawns, and curbs. I never want people to confuse The Lansing Journal with that mess. We used clear bags for the December issue, but clear bags were not available for the March print edition. I requested green instead, to distinguish us from the pink.
6. Every home in Lansing
If you live in Lansing, you will automatically receive the March print edition by March 16. We are paying to have enough printed so that every residential address can receive one. If your home is missed by the delivery team, let me know. It takes the crews a few times to learn all the dead-end streets, hidden neighborhoods, and outer edges of our town. We gave them feedback in December, so March delivery should be even more accurate.
7. Every supporter/subscriber
If you live outside of Lansing, and you’ve made a contribution in the past year, we will mail you a copy of the March print edition.
8. It takes a community
When you receive your copy of the March print edition, please make sure you notice the ads on those pages. Those advertisers paid to be in this issue because (1) they know it’s a good way to reach our community, and (2) they know their advertising dollars support community journalism. Those advertisers deserve our support in return.
Also make sure you notice the names that will be printed on page 5. Those are the hundreds of people who have given money to support this community newspaper. Some give a little; some give a lot. Some give monthly; some occasionally. Most give online, but many mail in checks. All those people have a special ownership of The Lansing Journal—because they help make it happen.
I’m glad to be part of a community that is glad to have a community newspaper.