Small Town News

Springville, Alabama (pop. 5,043). I am downtown with a few minutes to kill. I pick up a copy of the Trussville Tribune, sit on a bench by the antique store and count cars.

I count four.

I shake open the newspaper beneath an angry noontime sun. The Tribune is a slender paper. Not much to it. You’d need at least three to line a litter box.

The Tribune is your typical small-town paper. Just like small-town papers used to be. The paper is not loaded with reports of stabbings, shootings, and senseless acts of politics. Just local stuff. It reminds you of a bygone age.

The front page, for example, features important breaking news from nearby Argo (pop. 4,364). The headline reads: “Ann ‘Granny’ Grimes celebrates 100th birthday at Fox’s Pizza Den.”

“God has just been good to me!” Granny is quoted as saying.

Granny has nine grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren, and six great-great grandchildren. She also ties down a full-time job at Fox’s Pizza.

She works in the kitchen, preparing her special spaghetti sauce, prepping food, and washing the dishes in the three-compartment sink.

The article goes on to say that if you should ever visit Fox’s Pizza, you should ask Granny for proof that she’s 100 and “she will gladly show you her current driver’s license!”

That’s what you’ll find in a small-town paper.

There’s also the weather forecast, sponsored by Trussville Water and Gas. This week’s forecast: you’re going to die of heat stroke.

In other news, the Winn-Dixie in Pinson is remodeling. And, in case you were wondering, 2,000 people attended the rodeo. More on Page 5.

There’s the classified section. The first three for-sale ads are advertising adjoining funeral plots. Get’em while they’re hot.

The community calendar of events is slamming. Visit the Trussville Public Library for summertime stories, read by Ms. Alicia. And don’t forget, ladies, the “Yarn Manglers” knitting club meets on Thursday for “fellowship and creativity!” Be prepared to get a little crazy. Bring your own needles.

Football season updates. The Huskies are looking good. The Blue Devils are struggling, but Coach Ganus is working on it, so get off his back.

And the obituaries.

Jerry Cross, 80, of Northport. Passed away in Fayett. “He served the Mountain Brook Police Department… and retired after 27 years of service.”

Jackie Dewayne “Wayne” Frederick, 55. “Wayne was an avid wrestling enthusiast, and a particular fan of Hulk Hogan.” “To our brother Wayne, your laughter, love, and kindness will be greatly missed, but never forgotten.”

Betty Carol Goss, 76. “Betty worked as a hairdresser and later moved into working retail.” “She loved the Lord with all her heart.”

And my favorite line: “Betty loved her family more than she loved herself.”

America is losing two newspapers per week. At this rate, experts predict we will have lost a third of U.S. newspapers by next year.

In another 20 years, experts don’t think there will be newspapers. Most local papers have either vanished or reduced operations, publishing weekly or bi-weekly.

But for today—just for today—I was caught up in the olden charms of newsprint. Just for today, I touched soy-based ink and recycled paper. And I miss it all.

So, I’m going to hope the experts are wrong about newspapers. I’m going to pray the huge media outlets don’t win. And most importantly, I’m going down the street to ask to see Granny’s driver’s license.