A newspaper is the fabric of a community. Big stories, features, weddings, births and deaths are chronicled for all to see and remember. It’s easy to take a newspaper for granted, just for the simple reason that it’s always been there, providing readers with stories about their community and even fodder for coffee hour. Once it’s gone, the pieces that made a publication great are difficult to recover.

A newspaper is like an old friend. For our readers, picking up the paper is part of their daily routine. Catching up on local happenings is part of what binds a community together because of the shared experience. Everyone wants to be in the information loop and staying abreast of local happenings is critical to longtime residents and newcomers alike. Who made the honor roll, got married or ended up in jail are all important things to know.

In the community of Othello, the weekly Othello Outlook is closing its doors today after 108 years of business. We are sorry to see the Outlook go and wish its employees the best in their future endeavors.

We want to remind Othello there is a plan in place to accommodate readers, subscribers and advertisers.

The Hagadone Corporation, which owns the weekly Sun Tribune and daily Columbia Basin Herald, will serve Othello readers to prevent gaps in news coverage and continue services to advertisers and subscribers. The Sun Tribune currently covers south Grant County and will expand its coverage to Othello effective Aug. 1.

The Herald, which publishes Monday through Friday, will continue to provide Othello readers with more time-sensitive news. And Othello-related stories will be shared between both publications as long as there’s room to do so. (Sorry, I have to add that caveat because of our fluctuating news space. It’s just a fact of the business). In between deadlines for both publications, breaking news can be found on the Herald’s website at www.columbiabasinherald.com.

Either way, Othello will be served and residents will stay informed of local news that affects them the most. We want to remind Othello readers they have options and we’re here to serve the community.

To submit news tips to the Herald, please email me at editor@columbiabasinherald.com. A reader service, the Herald’s meetings calendar, publishes daily, typically showing events two days out and is free of charge. Our arts and entertainment calendar publishes every Monday on the Basin Life page and is also a free service.

Do you have a photo to share? We accept photo and video submissions from readers. To read the Herald’s criteria for photo submissions and Frequently Asked Questions, which covers our deadlines and editorial page guidelines, please visit the “Notes” portion of our Facebook page, at www.facebook.com/cbh?erald/notes.

Othello, we’re here for you. Again, please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions, comments and concerns.

Managing Editor Lynne Lynch can be reached via email, editor@columbiabasinherald.com, or phone, 509-765-4561, ex. 131.