4A
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2020
The Observer
OUR VIEW
New year
a time for
reflection
As the new year descends upon us, it is fi tting to
step back and remember a few key items about our
community, state and nation.
That might be a tall order for some if a casual
glance at the news is any indication. For some in our
great nation, a great deal of bitterness lingers in the
wake of the impeachment of the president by the
U.S. House of Representatives. That is understand-
able, up to a point.
Fact is, though, Trump will remain president
through his four-year term. The Senate will not re-
move him from offi ce, and he will run for re-election.
It is time to move forward.
We are, it seems, bombarded with a steady diet of
“what is wrong” in our nation and communities. That
isn’t all bad. The fi rst step toward fi xing any issue is
a strong dose of the truth, and often the truth isn’t
very appealing.
Yet it is critical when we refl ect on the past year —
and eye the future with hope — we all realize that
overall, we are in a good shape as a nation. There are
problems — no doubt about it — but there also are a
lot of great things about America.
For one, regardless of the rhetoric piped into the
big pop-culture machine of Americana, we remain a
nation of laws and specifi c freedoms. We can, if we so
choose, congregate together and protest peacefully.
We still carry the right to defend ourselves. We are a
nation governed by laws and a system of due process.
We still can hold free elections.
In short, there is an array of good things about our
nation and communities that should be remembered
as the new year dawns. Locally, we remain a commu-
nity that cares. We are a community that embraces
change while preserving our most cherished tradi-
tions. We appear to collectively seek answers and
develop solutions to challenges that arise.
Write to us
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La Grande, Ore., 97850.
MY VOICE
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Send columns to La Grande Observer, 1406 5th St., La
Grande, Ore., 97850, fax them to 541-963-7804 or email
them to pwright@lagrandeobserver.com.
Moving into a new era of delivery
H
appy New Year. The calendar
has taken another faithful leap
from the end of one year to the begin-
ning of another and hopes are running
high. January is often prime time for
personal and professional refl ection on
the past 12 months and preparation for
the future. It’s also a month of resolu-
tions and improvement plans. We wipe
the slate clean from the challenges and
disappointments of the previous year
and begin laying the foundation for a
more successful and promising year
ahead with anticipation. It’s a month of
transition and change. If my newspaper
career has taught me anything, it’s that
change is inevitable — and necessary
— but there will be bumps along the
way.
Brace yourselves, loyal readers, as we
embark together on yet another excit-
ing adventure in newspapering.
One of my key initiatives for 2020
was to evaluate our customer service,
including how to provide more reliable
in-home delivery to subscribers and a
better overall product. So much of the
last few years of our operation and the
decisions we made were based purely
on survival. It’s refreshing to be able to
refocus our attention and energy into
rebuilding our brand and reconnect-
ing with our readers and communities.
Adding more value to your subscription
and providing you the best product and
service possible is once again our top
priority.
Without a doubt, the most challeng-
ing facet of our business is delivery. The
simple act of getting your newspaper
from our offi ce to your front door sounds
pretty simple, doesn’t it? But it’s a job
that has proven to be more diffi cult
with each passing year. Finding and
maintaining a carrier force has become
a daily struggle and a trend we haven’t
been able to buck. Our ability to provide
consistent delivery to our subscribers is
in constant jeopardy. It’s an exhausting
cycle.
You might not know that your car-
rier isn’t an employee of The Observer
or the Baker City Herald. They’re
contracted haulers and self-employed.
Gone are the days of the beloved “paper
FROM THE
PUBLISHER
KARRINE BROGOITTI
route kid.” Our carrier force is made up
primarily of retired folks and workers
who aren’t looking for full-time employ-
ment but rather a way to supplement
their income. Delivery of our product
is a vital aspect of our operation.
What good is a breaking news story,
a compelling photo or an advertising
campaign if it doesn’t reach the homes
of our readers? A shortage of carriers
and recruitment challenges have forced
the offi ce staff at both newspapers to
pitch in and deliver “down routes.”
There’s been more than one occasion in
which myself, reporters and advertising
staff have delivered newspapers. I am
fortunate our offi ce culture has a “all
hands on deck” mentality. While it’s a
nice change of scenery for those of us
who are chained to a desk most days,
it’s not a model that can sustain itself
long term.
And here’s where our adventure
begins.
Beginning Tuesday, Feb. 4, The
Observer and the Baker City Herald
will convert our delivery method from
contracted carrier to same-day U.S.
Postal Service mail delivery. At the
same time, we will shift our publishing
days to Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sat-
urdays. Shifting publishing days allows
readers the advantage of receiving their
coveted grocery sales ads on the day the
sales start, expands our late-breaking
news opportunity and puts us in a
position to provide Friday night sports
coverage and scores in our Saturday
editions. It also sets the stage for get-
ting your newspaper to the post offi ce
in time for same-day delivery by mail.
A partnership with USPS allows us to
hand off the delivery of our product to
the experts, freeing up my staff to do
what they do best — reporting on local
news and events and helping promote
and market businesses in our
communities.
Shifting our publication days and
moving from afternoon carrier delivery
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
Stopped account balances less than $5 will
be refunded upon request.
Subscription rates per month:
By carrier...............................................$11.80
By mail, all other U.S. .............................. $15
A division of
Karrine Brogoitti is the publisher
of The Observer.
STAFF
Phone:
SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE
NEWSSTAND PRICE: $1.50
You can save up to 34% off the single-copy
price with home delivery.
Call 541-963-3161
to subscribe.
to same-day delivery via postal carrier
is a natural and industry-wide solution
to delivery challenges and gives us the
ability to fi x inconsistencies. This is not
a cost-cutting measure. There are no
savings with this switch. It’s a decision
based purely on our desire to ensure
our valuable subscribers get the news-
paper delivered to them, three days a
week, on a consistent and predictable
schedule they can rely on and with the
most vetted, accurate, up-to-date local
news coverage and advertising we can
provide.
The conversion to mail distribution
does mean the end of an era for our
newspapers in terms of our delivery
force. After nearly 125 years for The
Observer and 150 years for the Baker
City Herald, the last carrier-delivered
newspaper will hit your doorstep Jan.
31. Our dedicated carriers waged war
against unpredictable weather, late
press times, aggressive dogs and dis-
gruntled subscribers. It’s a diffi cult and
often thankless gig — even under the
most ideal circumstances. And rarely
are the circumstances ideal.
There are few words that can express
the gratitude we have for our carriers,
past and present. They are truly the
unsung heroes of our operation, and
although we think that partnering for
postal delivery is the right business
decision to make, it is not easy to say
goodbye to our delivery partners. I hope
in the coming days and weeks as we
transition our delivery that you will
take a few minutes to visit with your
carriers and to thank them for their
service.
The foundation of a successful news-
paper hinges on its commitment to its
readers and customers. It’s my sincere
hope our readers will embrace and
appreciate these changes as inherently
positive transitions in which The Ob-
server and Baker City Herald fulfi ll our
promise of providing the best product
and delivery service possible — not just
for the short-term, but in a way that is
sustainable long into our future.
541-963-3161
An independent newspaper founded in 1896
(USPS 299-260)
The Observer reserves the right to adjust subscription
rates by giving prepaid and mail subscribers 30 days
notice. Periodicals postage paid at La Grande, Oregon
97850. Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
(except Dec. 25) by EO Media Group,
1406 Fifth St., La Grande, OR 97850 (USPS 299-260)
COPYRIGHT © 2020
THE OBSERVER
The Observer retains ownership and copyright
protection of all staff-prepared news copy, advertising
copy, photos and news or ad illustrations. They may
not be reproduced without explicit prior approval.
Toll free (Oregon):
1-800-422-3110
Fax: 541-963-7804
Email:
news@lagrandeobserver.com
Website:
www.lagrandeobserver.com
Street address:
1406 Fifth St., La Grande
POSTMASTER
Send address changes to:
The Observer, 1406 Fifth St.,
La Grande, OR 97850
Periodicals postage paid at:
La Grande, Oregon 97850
Publisher........................................Karrine Brogoitti
Classifieds ........................................ Devi Mathson
Regional circulation director ....................Kelli Craft
Home delivery advisor.................Amanda Fredrick
Editor .....................................................Phil Wright
Customer service rep ......................... Mollie Lynch
News clerk....................................Lisa Lester Kelly
Advertising representative...............Juli Bloodgood
Sports editor .......................................Ronald Bond
Advertising representative...................... Amy Horn
Reporter................................................Dick Mason
Graphic design supervisor................Dorothy Kautz
Reporter....................................Sabrina Thompson
Graphic design ..............................Cheryl Christian
IT support ........................................Nicole Gilbride
Chris Rush, Regional Publisher