Each October I celebrate more years than I want to admit in the newspaper business.
I guess you could say it started in West Point with a paper route. It went on to Mississippi State University and my first job at the Starkville Daily News in the fall of 1986.
There was a move to Tennessee and Texas and Sara and I have lived and I have worked at four newspapers in Mississippi, with Clarksdale the latest stop.
I’m always amazed at the amount of news produced by a small town.
As I have said before, in a town where people say nothing ever happens, we sure have a lot going on.
And I’m the lucky one who gets to report on it all.
Today’s news
Please thumb through today’s Clarksdale Press Register. You might be surprised how packed it is.
The Tennessee Williams Festival is big news this week. It is a unique side of this community that shows the depth of Delta culture and our love and value of great art.
How Clarksdale is handling the COVID-19 crisis is still big news to city fathers. There is also other business dealing with panhandlers.
We continue to build sidewalks and the college has started a building program.
And that is just on Page One.
Page 3 has obits and the weekly crime report. It’s not good news, but it’s our job to report the good, the bad, the happy and sad.
Page 4 has this column and an Editorial about your charter school.
There is a story about voting on Page 5 and three pretty girls on Page 6.
We have stories about Jonestown, Friars Point and a couple of cyclist who pedaled through Clarksdale. We’ve also got a plum of a story about a couple of lovebirds on Page 12.
I am also proud of our sports section this week and we hope you are, too.
The local football teams are doing well. There are a lot of faces and names on our sports pages of kids who just need a little encouragement.
There are photos and names of your children and grandchildren, friends and neighbors sprinkled throughout this paper.
We also have a Church Page every week and Classified pages where you sell your house, your car and look for a better job.
Your Clarksdale
Press Register
I use that phrase often. I don’t own this paper and I take my direction from managers, advertisers and people who have been reading the Press Register for longer than I have been alive.
It is your hometown newspaper and we run it as such.
We have standards and don’t let you buy space to run offensive ads or use foul language.
We work hard to spell names right and humbly admit our mistake when grandmother calls and tells us we didn’t.
We also spend time at city, county and school board meetings so you can help move your community in the direction you want it to go.
Yes, I’m one of the lucky ones in life who has found his calling and takes this job very serious.
We’ll publish another edition of your Clarksdale Press Register next week. I can’t wait to see what it says.
Floyd Ingram is proud to be the Editor of the paper you hold in your hand. You can find him at the next board meeting, community event or football game. Please tell him what you want to see in your Clarksdale Press Register.
