Changes—they are on the way

Do you hesitate to make changes in your daily routine, or do you like things to stay just the way they are now? Well, the latter is not always possible, as we all know. Some changes are inevitable, like getting older or having to finally replace that pair of old and comfortable, but falling-apart shoes. You might have a favorite chair that is so comfortable that it conforms to every part of your aging body.

Well, it’s getting close to the time when we will be making a major change in our newspapers. On Wednesday, Aug. 1, you will be looking at the Custer County Chronicle and Hill City Prevailer News that somewhat resemble a miniature version of their former selves. If you think they look like the same size as the Rapid City Journal, you would be correct.

 Due to the fact that we are the only weekly newspaper printed at the Journal still on the wider 29.5 inch web size, we will be conforming to the Journal’s narrower page size. Don’t be upset with us as we have put this off longer than you would ever imagine and we are not being forced to do it.

Please don’t confuse us with the Journal. We will still be the same people putting out your local newspaper that you have come to look forward to receiving and reading. We will still be that old friend with a newer, polished look. We know it will take a little time to get used to, and, you can be sure it will for us also.

Several years ago, the Journal switched to the narrower (and now pretty much standard) 22-inch web, which means the page size is 11 inches wide and 22 inches high. Yes, our papers will look strange to you, and to us, for a short time, but we should both get used to it before too long. And please, don’t tell us we look like the Rapid City Journal. We already know we will be the same size because we are printed on the same size newsprint as the Journal and on the same press that prints the Journal. We may be the same size, but we certainly won’t look like the Journal.