From the Editor: The Record Needs You!
An appeal for writers and photographers and some instructions on how to navigate this new home of ours
By Geoffrey Gevalt
The Record Managing Editor
Readers, we have some news and an appeal for you this month.
First, the appeal: We need stories, tips and volunteers to help!
As you may have noticed, The Record is trying out some new things. But we need your help:
Do you know a Hinesburg resident who has a great story to tell? Let us know; we have a new feature we’re working on called ‘Oral Histories’ and we’re going to record a Hinesburg resident — old or young, newcomer or native, artist or tradesperson, clerk or executive. We want your ideas on someone you know who has a story to tell about their lives or maybe wants to tell a story about Hinesburg long ago. Comment here or send me an email. (If you use the link, click ALLOW when you get a message.)
ALSO: have any news tips? Have a story you want to write? Want to cover some event or part of town government. (For assigned stories, we do have a small stipend.)
You do not need to be a professional writer — we’ll help you hone whatever you send. And if you’d rather tell a story than write it, I’ll come over with my audio recorder and we’ll go from there.
Beyond that, we’d love more Letters to the Editor (our only stipulation is that you remain respectful to anyone mentioned by name in the letter) and more information about things you do or groups to which you belong.
Remember our ability to provide you the most relevant news and most useful information is entirely dependent on you — your tips, your ideas, your needs. We need to hear from you. Consider this your publication. Tell us about things we should be covering, stories we should do, news that we don’t know about.
Some other news:
We have a new home on the Internet! (which of course you knew if you’re reading this!)
You are now on our new site on Substack.com; it has the same address — hinesburgrecord.org — but is different. It looks much different, there are a few things that don’t work quite as cleanly as the old site, but the new site will offer many more opportunities for us to:
• Update you with the latest news via our weekly Newsletter and, occasionally, with breaking news or important public service announcements;
• Connect you to our thorough, interactive Google calendar of events;
• Have stories that not only have images but also sound and video;
• Allow for us to take in media submissions from you.
• Offer new ways for you to comment, interact with other community members and share stories and news.
• The move also is going to save us money: the new site and Newsletter mailing is free which will allow us to put about $700 a year towards bringing you more news and information about Hinesburg.
NOTE: To take full advantage of the site — AND to sign up for our weekly Newsletter — click the subscribe button or enter your email when you first come to the site. (It's free).
ADVICE: When you first go to the site it may ask you to subscribe; go ahead and put your email address in the box; it’s free. You will then be asked to create an account — name and email is all that’s needed so SKIP the rest. You should then be sent to the The Record home page. (If you don’t, just type in hinesburgrecord.org in your browser. Who said computers were going to make our lives easier?)
REASSURANCE: Your next visit will be more straightforward.
A word about The Weekly, our Monday morning newsletter
With the new site, we are sending out the weekly newsletter from a different email address — hinesburgrecord.substack@substack.com. If you have subscribed and have not seen our Monday Newsletter, please check your spam folder and if it’s there, mark it as ‘Not Spam.’
It may also appear in Promotions or Updates or some other spot, so do a search in your email for that address and then direct it to your Primary basket. And, again, by subscribing to this site, you are also signing up to the Newsletter.
Thank you!