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May 14 , 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels December 8, 2003 I was talking to Mrs. Claus the other day about the fun she had helping Santa talk to the kids following the Festival of Light parade last week. She said the vibrancy of the children were infectious, far more powerful than one would expect. One particular kid really stuck out in her mind. As she tells the story, the little kid approached Santa with an earnest expression, hands clenched, body ram-rod straight. Once on Santa's lap, the child looked up at Santa with a serious expression and said, "Santa, I'm so stressed." He then proceeded to bend Santa's ear about the weight of the world on his young shoulders. He had recently moved to Ashland and was finding the transition tougher than he expected. It's a story that can be shared among many people in this city. As a newcomer myself, and having hired others to work here that become newcomers, I can say that any change can be tough. In a place that is so distinct as Ashland, that transition is even harder. Being a journalist's kid, my daughter knows all about change and transition. She has gone to six different schools - three different high schools - following me around the country. She knew exactly what the young boy on Santa's lap was feeling. Change is stressful. Any change, even positive change. A few years back, I was a foster parent to a Hispanic girl who was removed from a terribly abusive home. I will never forget the first night in our home. After a day of fun, playing with my daughter, meeting new people and eating big scoops of ice-cream, she calmly gathered all her things, including the new things we had bought her, and sat by the front door, waiting to go back to a hell-hole of trauma. Change can be that tough. For the folks here at the Ashland Daily Tidings, we have been swimming in change. New people, new management, and yes, a whole new look. Believe me, I understand the grief it causes. In the midst of the first week after the redesign - and the steady stream of calls from concerned readers - my best friend gave me a call. I told him what I was doing, and about the complaints. "Aww ... why would go and change the paper," he snarled. "I hate it when they change anything in my paper." Gee ... what are friends for. The good news is the changes are starting to work. We have made a bunch of small fixes to help our readers. We have started getting calls from people who are coming back to the Ashland Daily Tidings, pleasantly surprised. Mostly I want to take the time to say thanks, this week. Thanks to those who care enough to come in, write or call and let us know their concerns. Thanks to those who have had to accept some changes they didn't like. Thanks to those who have sent so much encouragement our way. And mostly, thanks for all of those who are making us feel more like we belong. Like the little kid on Santa's lap, we are glad to have our "stress" reduced a bit. The Ashland Daily Tidings is a gem of the community. We are the smallest daily paper in Oregon, based in the smallest town to have a daily paper, and the smallest daily paper in the Ottaway Newspapers chain. But we have been a staple of this community since 1876, and we know how much we mean to many in this city. Taking on the challenge of continuing that historic tradition, and continuing to uphold our place in Ashland is an honor and privilege. It's worth all the stress of change. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams