The Town Meeting

In high school, I wrote for the Traverse City Record Eagle and The Town Meeting. I learned a great deal about journalism writing for both papers and working with different editors in different departments. I headed up the Record–Eagle Student Report Page my junior and senior years.

Mary Hockstad, editor and founder of The Town Meeting in Elk Rapids, was married to one of my communications teachers, Jerry Hockstad. I ended up writing several articles for the the paper. One season when the Elk Rapids High School boys' basketball team went 23–1, I covered the team from day one. It was a fun season and I learned a great deal about journalism — interviewing coaches and players and reporting "what was happening."

Hockstad sold the paper when Jerry retired and they moved away from the area. I have enjoyed keeping up on Elk Rapids happenings by reading the paper online and whenever I visit with my parents. I was saddened, then, when I read this:

"ELK RAPIDS -- A weekly newspaper that's covered the Elk Rapids community since the mid-1970s published its last edition.

The Town Meeting in Elk Rapids, published by Up North Publications Inc. and owned by Journal Register Co., is closing its doors and is among several JRC publications around the country shuttered in recent months.

The shutdown was disclosed to readers in a two-sentence advertisement that appeared on page 2 of Thursday's final edition:

'Today marks the final issue of the Town Meeting. We appreciate your loyalty over the 30-plus years the Town Meeting has served your community.'

The Town Meeting started publication in June 1975. Its weekly circulation totaled more than 2,100, according to the company's Web site. The paper's business office at 204 River St. in Elk Rapids will shut today at 5 p.m."