The world isn’t just about you or I.
Community matters.
And because it does, the Bulletin exists.
Newspapers we are told by futurists are no longer relevant. They said so in the 1920s when radio stations started multiplying. They said so in the 1950s when TV stations started popping up. They said it again in the 1990s as the Internet exploded.
Ironically, each of those electronic-based mediums rely heavily on print for their news.
It’s because newspapers are the most concentrated aggregate of a community’s news.
What happens in Manteca, Ripon, and Lathrop is the heart and soul of the Bulletin.
Yes, you will get state, national and world news. But the Bulletin’s entire reason for being for the past 106 years is to serve as a chronicle of news focusing on the community and individuals plus serve as a users’ guide, if you will, to enjoying life in the three communities whether it be for entertainment, shopping, or other endeavors. It is also to strengthen the community by instigating and encouraging debate over issues in a bid to find effective solutions.
Ten years ago at the height of the cantankerous debate over whether Manteca should pursue Big League Dreams there were those that accused the Bulletin of “cheerleading” the project. In reality, from the first time it was suggested as a way to make municipal services more efficient by former Councilwoman Denise Giordano to when the first ball was pitched, arguments pro and con were based on countless stories, columns, and letters that were carried in the Bulletin.
At one point a frustrated city hall staffer mused that if someone sneezed and it was connected somehow to BLD it would be in the Bulletin.
By printing projections and proposed contract details not just in one big full-page presentation but every time they surfaced in public discussions, BLD was arguably the most debated project ever in Manteca history. It was hard not to find someone who didn’t have an opinion during the course of the six-year public debate.
The same approach is being used with our coverage of the proposed Great Wolf Resort Lodge and other endeavors ranging from the epic battle between the South San Joaquin Irrigation District and PG&E plus the envisioned Austin Road Business Park to homeless concerns.
Such information my pop up on blogs, TV stations, or other newspapers from time-to-time, but no one pays as much attention to Manteca, Ripon, and Lathrop as the Bulletin.
The reason is simple: The Bulletin exists because of — and for the — community.
And it’s not just issues like school bonds, water conservation, Going Digital, or River Islands that matter.
What also matters is the Almond Blossom Festival, a family needing help dealing with a medical condition of a loved one, the Pumpkin Fair, high school sports, service clubs, non-profits helping the less fortunate, church endeavors, school fundraisers, and a long list of other things that cynics dismiss as not being news.
If you live in Manteca, Ripon or Lathrop all of that is important.
From time to time the Bulletin has emphasized that “we live here, we work here, and we play here.”
It doesn’t just underscore the perspective and purpose of the Bulletin staff from reporters and ad sales to delivery personnel but it illustrates a commitment.
When you pick up the Bulletin or click on our website you are doing so to find out about the community that we all have a huge stake in.
We may disagree. Some of us are old, others young. There are newcomers and natives. Regardless of our differences, we all share the same bottom line: Manteca, Ripon and Lathrop are our home.
It’s your passion. It’s our passion.
Occasionally someone will muse about a story, short tidbit or even a column and say “you won’t find that in any other newspaper.” They often mean it as an insult inferring we don’t follow the cookie cutter concept of most other newspapers. We take it as a compliment. We’re different because we are about Manteca, Ripon, and Lathrop and the people who live here and not about Anytown USA.
That’s exactly why we are starting our 107th year on Friday.
This column is the opinion of executive editor, Dennis Wyatt, and does not necessarily represent the opinion of The Bulletin or Morris Newspaper Corp. of CA. He can be contacted at dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com or 209.249.3519.
