Opinion

The deserts are expanding.Not the ones with cacti and sand, but the ones associated with newspapers.News deserts are areas without local newspapers, and according to the Medill State of Local News Report 2024, the number of local news deserts in the United States expanded this year with 127 newspapers shuttering, leaving nearly 55 million Americans with limited to no access to local news.However, not all is bad news in the news business, researchers learned there’s been a net increase of more than 80 stand-alone local digital news sites in the past year.Now, I am obviously pro-newspapers, but you have to take your wins where you can get them.For the third consecutive year, the Medill Local News Initiative at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, conducted a nationwide, county-by-county study of local news outlets to look at trends in the local media landscape.According to a story on the report, this year’s report is the most comprehensive undertaken by Medill, with the research including the growing number of national network news sites providing local coverage.

It’s always funny when someone else’s kids act up — even when it’s your granddaughter.Lyla, 2, had a rough day at daycare last week, well, actually, the other kids had a rough day thanks to Lyla.The daycare called to let Alek and Anna aware Lyla was hitting, biting and scratching the other kids.They told the daycare to put her in timeout.When Alek picked her up at the end of the day he had a conversation with her:Alek: Lyla, did you hit other kids today?Lyla: Yes.Alek: Did you bite other kids today?Lyla: Ya.Alek: Lyla, do you scratch other kids today?Lyla: Yes.Alek: You can’t do that to the other kids.Lyla: OK.When Alek called and told my wife and I about Lyla’s day, we couldn’t help but laugh.It’s her responses that got me.