A Note From The Newspaper⚠️

We understand that many readers are frustrated, and we want to address those concerns clearly and with the truth.

Some subscribers have not received their weekly newspaper in a timely manner. Some have received papers days late, and others have reported receiving older papers after newer ones should have already arrived. We know that is upsetting. When someone pays for a subscription, they expect to receive their newspaper on time. That is fair. We pay to have it shipped to you, and are just as disappointed when that doesn't happen. 

We want our readers to know this: our team gets the weekly newspapers to the Marksville Post Office around lunch time every Thursday. Once the papers are dropped off there, they are no longer in our hands.

From there, the papers are handled through the postal system. We have been told they are picked up and sent to Shreveport before being distributed back out to local post offices and then to subscribers. We understand that process may not make sense to many readers. It does not always make sense to us either. But that is the postal process currently being used. We have offered to bring them ourselves to the local post offices, but apparently they must be processed in shreveport.

The newspaper is not holding your paper. We are not delaying your paper. We are not ignoring the problem.

We pay the post office to deliver the newspapers to our subscribers, and we expect that service to be completed in a timely manner. When that does not happen, our readers are disappointed, and so are we.

Our staff has spent hours answering calls, listening to concerns and trying to get answers. Unfortunately, we do not always receive clear communication from the postal system. Many times, we are trying to find out what happened at the same time our readers are.

We understand frustration. What we ask is that the frustration be placed where it belongs.

Our employees are not the reason your paper is late. They are the ones trying to help fix it. Understand that we are doing everything we can to get our voices heard in Shreveport, and all other local post offices, to let them know how important it is to get the newspaper sent out. Know the facts before you make the ugly comments to our staff please. Some people have been very understanding, but some are very rude. Thank you to those people who have kindly asked what is happening, instead of assuming false information.

We also want to address rumors about the newspaper and who runs it.

The newspaper is not run day to day by Dr. Jay Callegari or Representative Daryl Deshotel. While they have helped support the effort to keep local news alive in Avoyelles Parish, they are not in the office each day writing stories, answering phones, building pages, handling subscriptions or making daily newspaper decisions.

The newspaper was purchased with support through the nonprofit organization Building A Better Avoyelles. The purpose was to help protect local news and keep a long-standing community institution alive.

That is the truth. They are not trying to take over the parish through the newspaper. They do not run the daily operations of the newspaper.

Rumors may spread quickly, especially on social media, but rumors do not make them facts. Before assuming something is true, we ask readers to contact us directly. If you have questions about delivery, subscriptions, ownership, advertising, pricing or anything else, call us. Ask us. Give us the chance to explain rather than believing the facebook comments that have no idea whats going on.

We would rather answer an honest question than watch misinformation spread online.

Avoyelles is served through two publications. The Journal is a free paper meant to share community news with as many people as possible. The Avoyelles Weekly is a paid subscription newspaper that helps cover the real cost of producing and mailing a newspaper.

Those costs are not small. Employees must be paid. The paper must be printed. Postage must be paid. Stories must be written. Photos must be taken. Pages must be built. Calls must be answered. Deadlines must be met. Every single week. Every single day.

Like many small newspapers across the country, we are not operating with a large staff or large profit margin. We are working hard just to keep local news available in Avoyelles Parish.

At the same time, this newspaper continues to help the community whenever possible. We regularly provide free or reduced-cost publicity for churches, schools, fundraisers, nonprofit organizations, small businesses, community events and new businesses. Many of these groups depend on visibility and public support. We are proud to help share their stories.

Our mission is not to divide this parish. Our mission is to inform it, and to build it up.

We want to highlight the good. We want to preserve local history. We want to recognize people who are working hard. We want to give churches, schools, businesses, organizations and families a place to share their news. We want to help Avoyelles move forward.

We know not everyone will agree with every article, every decision or every price. That is part of serving a community. Questions are welcome. Concerns are welcome. Accountability matters.

But fairness matters, too.

The people who work on this newspaper are working people. They put in long hours, handle difficult conversations, meet weekly deadlines and do their best to serve this parish. They deserve to be treated with basic respect. This is being said because we have received very rude calls and messages from people who do not understand that the post office delivers their paper to them, not us. They blame us because they do not understand. This article is meant to clear that up, and any other rumors, or fake information based off of some delusion or false information.  

Avoyelles Parish has enough challenges without neighbors tearing each other down over rumors and assumptions. If we want better for this parish, we all have a part to play. That starts with facts. It starts with fairness. It starts with choosing to ask before accusing.

Keeping a local newspaper alive takes support. It takes readers, advertisers, subscribers, community partners and people who still believe local stories matter.

To everyone who reads, subscribes, advertises, sends in news, shares photos, calls with story ideas or supports this newspaper in any way, thank you.

Avoyelles is our home. We believe it is worth working for, writing about and standing up for.

Email us: News@avoyellestoday.com