I saw on Facebook that our Belmont Patch editor's last day is today (Jan 29th). Although not unexpected, this makes me really sad. Part of the reason is the Patch mission, and part is that I really like our editor, Franklin Tucker.
Patch, owned by AOL, strived to bring "hyperlocal" news to hundreds of communities across the country. For a local news source, you cannot beat a reporter and editor living in town, having the history, personal interest, an immediacy of a neighbor. Franklin Tucker, our Patch editor, provided that. Franklin lives in Belmont, and he was always here for relevant stories, whether local government or school events or fun stuff going on or microbursts that bring down trees in my neighborhood, he was there.
Yes, I know we have the Citizen-Herald. In my opinion, an earlier editor, largely forced by his corporate overlords, sent that downhill. It is owned by another large corporation that squeezes the resources needed to respect local towns' needs. I know that local news is not a money maker anywhere. But Belmont, and thousands of other towns, are diminished but corporations' need to turn a profit.
Thank you, Franklin, for your service to our town.
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