I was saddened to learn the Sun & Record’s last print edition was this past Thursday, December 26.

According to Sun & Record/Wayne County Mail Managing Editor, John Addyman, the Thursday edition of the paper calls an end to 143 years for the paper, under several name and ownership changes.

So, why would I be upset with a competitor calling it quits?

The end for the Sun & Record is just another casualty to the changes in society. Competition in newspapers is another force for moving on, becoming better at what we do. Losing another local paper wakes us up to the reality of today’s rapid landscape change.

The dynamics of journalism have  evolved drastically, especially with the introduction of online social media. Too many local newspapers have ceased to exist under mounting pressures of rising costs in print, circulation, ad sales, and as prior Sun & Record owner/editor Wilma Young stated, “This is a calling, it’s not a job.” Journalism and the newspaper game is no walk in the park.

There were several times during the early years of this newspaper when I questioned my sanity. There were and are ways of making a living so much easier. This commitment is a calling, one I have felt since my early days.

I loved newspapers and even TV journalism. Walter Cronkite, Chet Huntley and David Brinkley, the early Edward R. Murrow’s ‘See It Now’ and ‘White Paper’ reports on the state of America  all drew me to this passion. I knew from a very early age that journalism was for me.

Frank Gannett would roll over in his grave to see what has become of his beloved company.

Remember when Rochester had more than one newspaper? Remember when the afternoon edition of the Times Union followed the morning Democrat and Chronicle?

The Post newspapers, originally out of Pittsford, covered many towns with local news  that was often overlooked by the dailies. Most have disappeared and even the Democrat and  Chronicle is a shell of its former glory.

Luckily, we stayed on top of the changes. The Times of Wayne County was using digital cameras before even Gannett photographers. We established a website years before the rest and tried innovative ways to keep people reading.

Were we always on target? Nope, but we kept on pushing, even during the very, very lean times. Yes, our demographics are changing. We have an older readership and have sometimes failed/succeeded in getting younger readers onboard.

As of this morning, our actual hold in your hands newspaper readers far outstrip online subscribers 10 to 1, but what about the future? Yes, it is changing - perhaps not as much for us, partially due to our format and partially due to our unique audience.

I would like to think we are giving our readers, something they want to read. Something beyond the less formalized, often obscure, often erroneous social media.

As I mentioned recently, I am beyond the age of ‘normal’ retirement and still have no plans on calling it quits. Son Devin, is a partner and is awaiting his chance to take over the helm. We are still profitable and ever eager when a breaking story rises to the surface.

Last week Palmyra Supervisor (and Board of Supervisor expected chairman) Ken Miller called me with a question. He wanted to know what Wayne County newspapers were left for consideration ad legal newspapers.

Locally, there are two other newspapers serving Wayne County, in a partial manner. The Lakeshore News out of Red Creek that serves the most northern part of the County, and the Wayne Post out of Canandaigua, that serves the far southern portion.

The Times of Wayne County covers the whole county, but two newspapers are needed for legal notices. The two daily newspapers, the Finger Lakes Times, covering the eastern part of the County and the Democrat and Chronicle, the western section. Both papers still miss the target on full coverage and ultra-local news and have dropped numbers and writers. Both papers are also much more expensive for legal notices, subscriptions, obituaries and the like.

We will continue to fill the gap, both in the printed and online editions, with both news and a bit of controversy we hope will entice the reader.