Looking BACK, Looking FORWARD

I was reminded recently by my kids, that every year personalities and leaders come up with buzzwords and spout high expectations for the coming new year.

I remember in 2020, people were abuzz that it was going to be the year for fresh vision; that it was the year where things finally turned the corner.

Well as you know COVID hit in full force, and it changed the lives of everyone.

I think this year people’s expectations are a bit more guarded. Personally, I think there are reasons to be optimistic here at home in Cass County.

As I noted last week, we can look forward to Linden’s streets and infrastructure continuing to get better in 2023.

In 2022, they held the first Cass County Economic Development Consortium. With the internet, small town life continues to change. There are new challenges and opportunities that small towns have never had before.

The Consortium has invited Cass County economic developers and other officials to work together to meet some of those needs in Cass County for the first time in years. 2023 should see communities within our county to work together more often.

There are new businesses that will be popping up around the community including a new restaurant. We will be covering those ribbon cutting events as they happen.

At the paper we will continue to move forward on more video productions such as our coaches shows, and other video communities. We plan to also introduce more interactive content like surveys and contests.

We will begin to introduce new paid and subscription only events in 2023. More on that to come!

Editorially, we plan on continuing to report on some of the missing people in our community that have never been found.

Moreover, we will continue to investigate and report on the three girls found in the pond, Zi’Ariel Robinson Oliver, 9, A’Miyah Hughes, 8, and Te’Mari Robinson Oliver, 5.

In the upcoming weeks we will be reporting on the condition of Blake Sampson and giving an update on Charles Brooks, Jr., the former stepfather accused of abusing Blake.

This year you will see more coverage of City Council Meetings, and County Commissioner Meetings.

In 2023 we will interview our local officials so you can get to know them better. This will include reaching out to our new district 1 leaders like Senator Moran, and House Representative Louie Gohmert As mentioned last week, we are raising our rates in 2023. Due to increased costs, we have to raise our rates to keep up with production and mailing costs of the newspaper.

Our in-town/online rates are going up from $40 to $45. Out-of-town rates will also go up $62 for outside of Cass County, and $85 for out-of-state. We will also increase the cost you can purchase the paper at our newsstands as well to $1.25 shortly thereafter.

That said we are allowing those who renew their subscription before February 1 to keep their costs the same for up to two years. You can go online now directly to our website (casscountynow.com) to start or renew your subscription for our special online price of $37.

You can also call the newspaper office at 903-796-7133 if you are an out-of-town subscriber or wish to subscribe through the newspaper office. For those who have already paid and would like to lock up the current price for another year, you can call and renew your subscription for our standard $40 price (in town).

As an online subscriber, after the first of the year, you will begin to get special content that no one else will in the community. If you also decide to also be a postal subscriber, you will also get special sections and promotions that those that get their paper from the newsstand won’t.

We hope to make 2023 a special year at the newspaper. If you have any suggestions or questions please contact Publisher Shawn Larson at shawn@casscountynow. com.