I love our loyal, longtime readers.
How do I know who they are?
That's easy. Inevitably when we are discussing the newspaper and our coverage of local events, they make reference to our proud predecessor.
It usually goes something like this: "I've been reading your newspaper since it was the Chester Times."
Yes, we have a proud legacy, one I am acutely aware of. Readers are quick to let me know when they think I am putting that stature in jeopardy. A couple of them did so on Saturday.
They did not care for our front-page treatment of the first presumed case of coronavirus here in the county.
"The photo on the front page is designed to scare," one longtime reader said in an email."
Let me make this clear. I am not in the fear-mongering business.
Having said that, the arrival of the coronavirus here in the county was big news. That's the way we treated it here.
I only needed two words to broadcast the news on our front page: It's Here!
This wasn't even a tough call. It was the dominant story of the day - and the entire weekend.
The reader focused on the use of the image of the coronavirus, which dominated the page. We also cut in a shot of county officials talking about their reaction.
The story also appeared on the front page both Sunday and this morning, although I did not use the photo of the virus itself. That was appropriate to announce its arrival, but wasn't really needed with the follow-up days of coverage.
I got the sense this was not really what was bothering the reader, and many of the similar critics over the weekend. He quickly confirmed my point by veering off into the usual old tripe, that this was all some kind of media conspiracy to sink the economy.
"Your organization along with so much of the media today is destroying us. Why do you need to go so far when we all know it's another virus just as in the past that will come and go. The media is sinking the stock market singlehandedly.
"They continue updating the death rate and as they discover more cases the rate continues to drop and mostly effects low tolerance people as in old and sick. Same as any other virus flu. You know the stats. You know you all like to exaggerate for readership. It's sick."
I responded that I could not disagree more. We are simply reporting what county and health officials, as well as medical experts, are telling us. And none of them is saying that this is "just another virus."
My critic then added one final flourish, another one I hear all the time.
"These last years of the "Chester Times" are YOUR legacy," he chided me.
I've said it a million times. I happen to hold down the job that every person in the county thinks they can do better than I can.
We will continue to cover the coronavirus as it affects Delaware County, the region and the nation.
It is easily the biggest story of the year so far, at least for a few days eclipsing our focus on presidential politics.
And I suppose our front page will reflect that in the days to come.
Even for those who have been reading us since we were the Chester Times.
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