Ron and Helen Slechta Return as Publishers of The News

Blindside

By Ron Slechta
Posted 6/24/20

Greetings. Helen and I did not anticipate becoming publishers of this newspaper at age 78, but we are going to strive to give our subscribers and advertisers the best local newspaper. 

Jim …

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Ron and Helen Slechta Return as Publishers of The News

Blindside

Posted

Greetings. Helen and I did not anticipate becoming publishers of this newspaper at age 78, but we are going to strive to give our subscribers and advertisers the best local newspaper. 

Jim and Bridget Johnson have decided to go a different direction and have asked us to re-assume ownership of The News. The novel corona virus, also called COVID-19, has compounded an already tough economy. We wish Jim and Bridget the best in their future endeavors.

With your help and support, we will do our best to give you a quality newspaper in which to advertise and place your news items as well as classifieds.

We appreciate that the staff has decided to continue to stay with us and to help us produce a quality weekly newspaper serving Kalona, Wellman, Riverside and Lone Tree.

Some changes will have to be made. This week we are bringing back the frontpage briefs. Many of you expressed to us that you missed that front page column. Now, we would appreciate it if you would notify us by noon every Monday of any event you want list in the briefs.

We appreciate the many positive comments we have received welcoming us back as publishers. While I will miss helping to promote our community while I worked at the Kalona Area Chamber of Commerce the past couple years, my mission is still doing the best I can to promote our communities. We will work hard to cover the news and promote Kalona, Wellman, Riverside and Lone Tree communities.

Working together, we will survive and prosper.

• • •

With the rapid spread of the COVID-19 in the larger cities and the unrest in our country, I am sure the smaller communities will be seeing some positive growth in population and businesses.

The death of George Floyd in Minnesota was tragic, but it doesn’t warrant the unrest in our country. Time has come for more levelheaded minds to put an end to the destruction of businesses, historic monuments as well as the killing of innocent people.

Let’s work through this together in a more conservative approach and the same goals can be accomplished without destroying our communities. It has gotten to a point the protesters are working against what they are attempting to accomplish.

All lives matter.

• • •

It was a disappointment to hear the Kalona Fall Festival, like many other events, has been canceled. The festival helped to finance the Village for the rest of the year. It was also an economic stimulus to many of the businesses in Kalona as well as this newspaper.

Now, it is going to be up to the community to support the Village and the events they are planning to help them survive. Working together for the betterment of all will make it possible for all our communities to survive. 

Plans are already underway for a 50th Anniversary celebration next fall. I’m sure your ideas and suggestions will be welcomed by Director Nancy Roth and the entire Kalona Historical Society Board.

• • •

The News offices is now open and welcomes your visits for news and advertising. Our staff works 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday. I will be in the office most days from 9 am.-5 p.m. and on Saturdays by chance as I do cleanup work.