Publisher’s message: an update

If you are one of the more than 3,400 folks who are friends of Chelsea Update on Facebook, you may have noticed a lack of social media presence from me during the last few months.

Previously, I tried (to remember) to post one of the top stories of the day on Facebook to draw more attention to whatever the topic happened to be.

Since September, as I watched and read and listened to other media outlets and kept an eye on what folks were posting on social media, I made a conscious decision not to post on Facebook.

And, most of you can probably guess the reason – I did not want Chelsea Update caught up as collateral damage during the very polarizing election cycle.

I launched Chelsea Update for this community 4.5-plus years ago as a way to inform readers about what was going on in this community, and I’ve worked very hard to ensure that every group is given equal access to this publication.

I’ve also worked very hard to be accurate, fair, and unbiased in every story that’s been printed. I’ve run letters to the editor for and against candidates and issues. I’ve printed comments that were both positive and negative about the stories that have been published on the site – provided, of course, the commentor gave me their name. And if they didn’t, I contacted them directly with the rules for posting comments on Chelsea Update.

During that time, there have been a handful of instances where I’ve turned a request away and for the most part, it’s because the focus of the information wasn’t Chelsea-centric. Or because some folks have chosen not to give me their name when attached to a comment. If that was the case, I responded to them personally.

In sum, I’ve made it my mission to keep the information published on Chelsea Update focused on the Chelsea community, specifically, the Chelsea District School District and to do my very best ensure its accuracy.

Have there been mistakes? Absolutely.

Have I immediately acknowledged, taken responsibility for them and corrected them? Absolutely.

With the election behind us, I plan to resume posting key stories on Facebook (when I remember) and move forward with the same integrity as I’ve shown during the last 4.5 years.

I sincerely hope that whether you agree with or disagree with the results of this election that all of you will resume caring about, trying to understand, and rallying around each other and this community.

We are all truly blessed to be a part of it, and I, for one, have taken that responsibility to heart by believing in this community and doing my part by publishing all the news that’s fit to post on Chelsea Update.