by Melanie Jongsma, Managing Editor
LANSING, Ill. (November 2, 2020) – One of my jobs at The Lansing Journal is to publish COVID-19 data each day. Every afternoon I receive an email from the Illinois Department of Public Health with state-wide COVID numbers, and I visit a couple of other websites to gather Lansing-specific data. Then I compile that information into a summary post.
During the month of October, I watched the 7-day average of cases in Illinois grow from 2,000/day to nearly 6,000/day.
As we reported on October 26, the increase in COVID cases forced a return to tighter restrictions in our region, particularly for restaurants and bars. The local economic impact is worrisome, and we reported that as well.
The Lansing Journal is a small business too, and we have worked hard throughout this unprecedented year to keep providing the services we know our community depends on. We are able to do this because so many individuals and businesses in our community invest in this newspaper.
So as we enter the Thanksgiving season, I want to express my personal thanks particularly to the people who made contributions in October. These people provide an underlying base of support that enables us to keep publishing even when our local businesses are hit hard and are unable to advertise.
I’m feeling thankful for this base of support, and I’m also feeling hopeful—hopeful that no matter what the coming months bring, we as a community will get through it together.
Feeling thankful for October supporters
- Lindsey and Saad Abbasy
- Karen Adams
- Judith Beezhold
- Barry Bergstrom
- Susan Bovino
- Carla Bucci
- John and Elizabeth Bush
- Maryann Centracchio
- Laurel Clausing
- Greg and Jane Compeau
- Marlene Cook
- Diane Costello
- Denise Cox
- Kerry Czarobski
- Lauragene Davia
- Christopher Deckinga
- Debbie DeNardo
- Sandy DeVries
- Barb Dust
- Rich Dust
- Roseann Dykstra
- Frank Fetters
- Jim and Judy Friesema
- Tina Funchion
- Debbie Furmanek
- Jacob Gourley
- Tony and Maureen Grady-Perovich
- Patty Grigutis
- Lawrence Grzywinski
- Joyce Haak
- Ted Hnatusko
- Marjorie Holme
- Mark Hornung
- Jim Janssen
- Melanie Jongsma
- Jean Klacik
- Judith Koch
- Pat Kremer
- Pamela Lancy
- Jim and Suzanne Long
- Luci Lugowski
- Kathleen Maanum
- Roberto Mendoza
- Christine Merchat
- Joyce Mulder
- Chuck Murach
- Nauta Enterprises
- Marilou Ooms
- Donald Palka
- Mary Beth Palka
- Thomas Panichi
- Robert Parrent
- Moira Peterson
- Richard Podgorski
- Rosemarie Polgar
- Jay and Chris Popp
- Joanne Pritchard
- Lorraine Przybyl
- Jean Qualls
- Unknown Supporter
- Penelope Rellis
- Jane Roseen
- Jennifer Saia
- Carol Schaap
- Peter Schurman
- Dave Schurman
- Irene Sepiol
- Tanja Simic
- Slaughter & Associates
- Michelle Smith
- Kelsee Stallinga
- Tara Stewart
- Linda Todd
- Anonymous Friends
- Virginia and John Ulaszek
- Leo Valencia
- Phyllis Warsen
- Waters Edge Aquascaping
- Ron Wolford
- Robert Wood
- Patricia Yos
- Chris Zdanowski
Feeling thankful (and hopeful) for our local businesses
Readers, I hope you will also pay special attention to the advertisements on our website. Those ads represent local businesses who are trying to stay in front of their community during these uncertain times. They have invested advertising dollars in their local newspaper—not only as a way of reaching local customers, but also because they too believe it’s important for a community to have its own newspaper. Please patronize these businesses any time you can.
Will you help us continue the work?
Community news keeps a community informed and connected—in good times and bad. Your contributions enable us to keep posting news daily, delivering it to email inboxes, and paying our reporters a small stipend. Will you help us continue the work?
Monthly support:
One-time gift:
We want news to be accessible to everyone, so payment is not required. (But it is appreciated!)
