Twenty-seven years ago, when we started the Lovely County Citizen, we would bray and hop when Jay Leno or CNN’s Aaron Brown put us on national TV. We never knew how they got our paper, but they found it amusing or notable enough to mention. Virginia Voiers moved Baby Jesus to a warmer spot, a third-grade Citizen of the Week donated her lunch money to the animal shelter, and Ray Charles read a Braille edition of our paper before performing at the Aud. Odd but memorable sketches of small-town America.
We were reminded of Vance Randolph, a folklorist who was hired by a California production company in 1933 as their technical adviser on hillbillies. Randolph was so dismayed at Hollywood’s portrayal of hillbillies that he quit and moved back to Eureka Springs, saying he didn’t like feeling “assigned” to hillbillies, he simply loved them. He wanted to inform, not sway.
A newspaper would have no reason or clout if it weren’t for those who read it. Thanks to all of you. You all complete us. Good job!