By: Forrest R. Church, Publisher
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
WINTER’S CHILL ARRIVES
We should have seen it coming. Winter’s chill has finally descended upon our corner of Ohio and the surrounding regions. Snowfall enthusiasts have likely found themselves disappointed once again this year.
It brings to mind the late ‘80s and early ‘90s when, as a middle schooler, I would spend hours watching the radar, hoping for a small band of flurries to grace us with enough snow to venture outside and perhaps indulge in a bit of snowmobiling. Year after year, we received next to no snow, and when it did arrive, it would melt quickly. As a kid, it was disappointing. The current weather pattern bears a striking resemblance, as our friends down south are receiving heavy bands of snow in recent storms while we have been spared to the north.
As an adult, I still appreciate a snowy landscape during the holidays. But honestly, once the Christmas decorations are put away, it could return to the 70s, and I would be thrilled. Maybe the snowbirds who holiday locally and then venture south in early January have the right idea?
I’ve observed a peculiar pattern over the past few decades since taking on this role as a newspaper publisher, especially when comparing current weather with our decade-by-decade reflections dating back to the late 1800s. In the last 20-30 years, we seem to get a taste of winter in early to mid-December, only to be met with a warm spell when those who adore snowy holidays truly desire it. Then, as we enter this odd mid-January to mid-March period, when the weather is generally dismal and our longing for snow may have waned, it returns.
I’ve read articles suggesting this is a particularly depressing time of year, marked by gloom, a lack of Vitamin D from the sun, low temperatures, and who knows, the arrival of property tax bills. This odd time of winter weather likely doesn’t help. But on the flip side, those who cherish spring might not fully appreciate the greening and return of life if we didn’t endure these dreary months first.
Though my love for snow has waned somewhat since childhood, if given the choice between a snow-covered Northwest Ohio landscape or a brown, muddy field stretching to the horizon, I’d still choose the snowpack.
Watching our children abandon their “smart” screens to build snow forts truly warms my heart. If I were to be honest, I like being snowed in with a two-day slow pot of chili cooking and good old-fashioned board games. Remember the winter of 2013-14? One of my favorite memories was being locked in and having quality family time. It was kind of strange how many births were reported 9-10 months later after the extended home stay for many Northwest Ohioians.
CHRISTMAS HOLDS ON:
Each year, I enjoy decorating the house with the kids, focusing on outdoor lights. We favor traditional white lights, lining our driveway and adorning everything with icicle lights. Unfortunately, due to our schedules, we couldn’t take them down when it was warmer and less windy this year. Last Friday, overwhelmed by technology and the barrage of emails with the pattern of responding to one email and ten more arriving, I took a break. As two inches of snow began to fall—believed to be the biggest accumulation of the year—I clambered onto the roof to remove the lights. It’s always fun when people are yelling at you to get off the roof at my age, even though they were absolutely correct it was a bad idea. Telling me not to do something tends to have the opposite end result.
Anyway, about 75% through, I discovered that plugged eavespouts had frozen the remaining lights in place. Those who know me understand my tendency to feel overwhelmed by endless projects. It would have been satisfying to fully pack away the decorations for Christmas 2024, but the holiday will linger, at least from part of our roof until the ice melts, releasing the locked-down lights. Given the current cold weather pattern, I doubt that will happen soon.
So, if you enjoy snow, hold on. I’m no meteorologist, but the patterns suggest cold weather, and if we encounter any moisture, we may quickly make up for the lack of normal snowfall thus far this winter. Time will tell. I wouldn’t mind being on “some beach, somewhere,” even with a laptop in my lap writing this column, if I were honest.
INAUGURATION:
I may sound older than I actually am as I say this, but there is not much I haven’t covered as a newspaper reporter and publisher since I began in 1992 as a high school sports writer. One of the perks of the job that can somewhat balance the negative aspects (death, tragedy and division that I do not enjoy) is having the opportunity to be front and center at some pretty big events.
I’ve been four feet off the sideline of major college football games with 100,000 fans going crazy behind me. I’ve covered Presidents and candidates from all parties. I’ve had some pretty amazing exclusives given. I shared a drink and swapped stories with one of the biggest reality TV show stars of the early 2000s. I have had the chance to speak directly to House Members in D.C. over coffee concerning postal reform and small business struggles. I’ve probably forgotten a lot.
While this line of work can drain you to your mental core and sometimes all you hear are complaints about not being good enough, I’m grateful for these amazing opportunities I would have never had in my lifetime if I was not a member of the media.
One of the things on my bucket list has always been to cover the Presidential Inauguration. No matter who has been elected President, I have always watched these ceremonies closely on TV or YouTube streaming, amazed at the transition of power. Even if my preferred candidate did or did not win, I always feel optimism that a new season is upon us. It is a very rare window of time in American politics when there is a small amount of hope on the horizon. Usually, by that night or the next day, my colleagues in the larger media outlets replace this hopeful light with doom and gloom, but it is still a refreshing few hours.
I love seeing hundreds of thousands, if not over a million, gather to be a small part of that hope. If peaceful, I love seeing protesters given their American right to express their opposing voice. I enjoy seeing the interaction of politicians who did everything but call their opponents just a few months before everything but the anti-Christ (or Nazi), sitting and joking next to one another like old college golf buddies. It is an amazing time in America. (And I’m choosing not to expand on that prior sentence, though I would like to).
Covering the event has always been a top professional desire, and Lord willing, next week, I will have the opportunity as we were blessed with some amazing credentials to cover the election of President Donald J. Trump and Ohio’s own Vice President J.D. Vance, and since my credentials have been locked in place, some additional ministry opportunities outside of newspaper responsibilities are lining up.
As politics have gotten more and more toxic on all sides of the aisle, often in the old childish word battle of “I know you are, but what am I,” I hope to experience first person a step towards unity in our amazing country next week no matter how long it may or may not last. Watch for future coverage, including, for those of you on social media, an open invite page to a private group to see expanded coverage above and beyond our foundational coverage provided.
I know that many in my circle, and I suppose the readers who opposed those who won the election, have ill thoughts right now and are manifesting internally reading these words. There is even self-proclaimed “media” within Northwest Ohio that only report tidbits in order to try to get their biased political agenda points across (here is something free, now listen to my political viewpoints). I actually enjoy and typically respect those with opposing views and I would stand with them for their right to believe how they want, not make attempts to mock and belittle political opposition. I believe that is how unbiased media should operate, which is why I have never endorsed a candidate within this newspaper nor will I. In this spirit, I would invite those who voted for whomever to experience our expanded coverage next week online, as this is always a special time in American History.
Stay tuned, as they say, and since I will publish the next edition largely remotely, please give extra grace if an additional typo or two slips through in what will be a chaotic time.
Now I retract anything I said prior in this column about any positive desire for winter weather—may it be 70 degrees, sunny with no wind on Inauguration Day.
That is it for this week. I’d love to hear from you. As always, feel free to reach out to me at publisher@thevillagereporter.com or via mail at 115 Broad Street, Montpelier, Ohio 43543.