Apology for Late Paper
By NAP
We apologize to readers and advertisers for the late printing of the March 10 newspaper. Normally in the first racks the afternoon before its printed date, the issue actually arrived March 16.
By contrast, web posting of the newspaper proceeded on schedule. It begins on the printed date and takes 8-10 days to complete.
When A Newspaper Doesn’t Appear
By David Yamaguchi
The North American Post
In theory, it should matter little when a community newspaper like this one prints late, or not at all. After all, most of our content falls into the “non-essential” category of topics ignored by larger media outlets.
Yet, when I first learned that the printing of the March 10th paper would be delayed, my thoughts went to the two time-sensitive stories in the issue that would be hurt by the NAP’s 5000 copies not appearing on time in newspaper racks throughout greater Seattle, in Portland, Oregon, and in subscribers’ mailboxes.
First, there was the key news that the comment period for the Lava Ridge Wind Project was extended to April 20. It concerns the proposed development of Bureau of Land Management land adjacent to Minidoka National Historic Site. The lead article on the topic in the issue was written by Erin Shigaki, one of the most inspiring Seattle Japanese Americans today.
The second story falling through the cracks was “Friends Across the Wires.” It is a theatrical play that opened March 17 centered on a lifelong friendship of the late Louise (Tsuboi) Kashino.
The late March 10 newspaper illustrates how the NAP indeed matters because it focuses on stories that affect and inform the quality of readers’ lives. In doing so, it is also keeping alive many worthwhile nonprofits. How would large numbers of people learn of their events without these pages?
Besides covering community news, the NAP serves at least three additional functions:
(1) It is a platform where seniors can share their life stories and perspectives. Notable examples here include “Tokita Tales” writer Shokichi Tokita and “North American Times” translator Ikuo Shinmasu. From them, we learn more about our community’s past. How many other newspapers have incarceration camp survivors like Tokita still actively contributing?
(2) Japanese cultural enrichment. Many present-day readers are sufficiently removed from Japan that we need to study to know our roots. Issue by issue, these pages provide an education in Japanese history, language and culture.
(3) Youth development. These pages are helping young people hone their writing craft. Here, “Diversity Daigaku” columnist Tiffany Nakamitsu and food writer Raechel Kundert are both in the March 10 issue. Kundert is starting to be tracked by the journalism site, muckrack.com.
If you like what the NAP is doing and see us moving in the right direction, then I appeal to you to continue supporting us with advertising, subscriptions, article submissions and volunteer work.
