National Newspaper Week is being celebrated Oct. 5-11.

The theme "Newspapers: The Foundation of Vibrant Communities" is the perfect time for the editors at the Lehigh Valley Press to thank our loyal advertisers and readers, and to pat ourselves on the back for helping contribute to the longevity of the eight weekly papers.

On April 9, 1959, the first issue of the Emmaus Free Press, now the East Penn Press, made its debut. The Pencor family, to which the weekly papers belong, purchased the Emmaus Free Press in October 1987.

Editor Debbie Galbraith, now at the helm of the East Penn Press 55 years later, oversees community coverage of events in Emmaus and surrounding communities.

Two years later, the Parkland Press, celebrating a quarter-century of publishing this year, made its debut.

The Whitehall-Coplay Press, now with Johanna S. Billings as editor, followed in 1992, and, in 1994, the Northwestern Press, now in its 20th year, hit the streets.

The Northampton Press, of which Johanna S. Billings is also the editor, debuted in 1998.

This was followed in 2000 by publication of the Salisbury Press, now edited by Debbie Galbraith, and the Catasauqua Press, edited by Johanna S. Billings and Associate Editor Linda Wojciechowski.

On Oct. 5, 2005, the youngest of The Press eight weekly newspapers, the Bethlehem Press, began reporting that community's local news, with George Taylor guiding its growth.

Beginning with the Emmaus Free Press and now continuing 55 years later, The Press weekly newspapers have focused on their mission to provide quality in-depth local news that will foster and strengthen a spirit of community within each of the eight school districts for which we provide coverage.

In these difficult economic times newspapers across the country are closing their doors or going strictly online, the question is: "What is the future of our weekly newspapers; what direction will we take?"

According to Fort Worth Press Editor John H. Sorrells, in his 1930 book, "The Working Press," the news is what interests people – money, struggle, adventure, success.

Sorrells stated a newspaper must serve its audience: the mother, the store owner, the banker, the educated and the uneducated.

A newspaper must talk to different people but all of whom are "human."

Sorrells said a newspaper must be "human": kindly, intimate, honest, friendly, "just folks."

He said in order to talk to a complex audience, the newspaper must get close to the readers, know them and mingle with them.

The owners, editors, reporters and photographers of The Press weekly newspapers are part of the community we serve.

The freelancers for the weekly newspapers include retired teachers, principals, volunteer firefighters, lawyers and housewives.

They live in the community, work in the community, have kids in the local schools and go to the local houses of worship.

We, just like the large city papers, serve the vital role as the public watchdog of governmental affairs.

You see our reporters at borough council meetings, at township supervisors' meetings, at county commissioners' meetings, providing news on grassroots politics at its very core.

Community newspapers are of the community, by the community and for the community.

According to Steven R. Knowlton, formerly of Penn State: "At large metro papers, when a bad guy is caught with his hand in the public till, they report it with almost a sense of triumphant glee.

"But at the community paper, when a bad guy is caught, it is still reported, but with a sense of certain sadness."

That "bad guy" could be our neighbor, a member of the PTA, our church or the local service club.

The eight weekly newspapers of the Lehigh Valley Press deliver local news centered around government activities affecting our advertisers' and our readers' daily lives.

We provide coverage of events in the local school districts and houses of worship for the families who buy our newspapers.

The future is looking good for us at the weeklies, thanks to the businesses in and members of the community who support us.

May we continue to be blessed for decades to come.

Deb Palmieri

editor

Parkland Press

Northwestern Press