We sometimes get comments on stories posted to our Facebook page from people wondering why they can’t click through and read the whole story for free online. Well, the answer is pretty simple: subscription revenue is an important part of our business model, so our website has a paywall that limits the number of free page views that non-subscribers can get. The default is two stories per month; readers who hit that limit are offered the opportunity to register their email address, which raises the limit to five page views per month and gets you on the email list for this newsletter (where I can pester you with my subscription sales pitch).

So yes, we want you to subscribe because we need the revenue to keep gathering the news. But as the only comprehensive source of local news in Grant County, we also recognize that we have a responsibility to inform the entire community — subscribers and non-subscribers alike — on the most crucial issues. 

When the pandemic started, the Blue Mountain Eagle (like a lot of newspapers across the country) adopted a practice of putting most stories about COVID-19 outside our paywall. We’ve done the same with stories about wildfires (and other emergencies) in our area, and we’re also making much of our election coverage free to read online. 

In fact, four of the stories in last week’s edition were tagged to appear outside our paywall. We hope we’re striking the right balance between getting paid for our work and serving as a centralized source for reliable, free information on urgent community matters.

Last week’s paper carried a story about Sam and Bailey McCracken, a pair of local young people who have made a name for themselves on the Oregon high school rodeo circuit. It was the second installment of “Grant County Neighbors,” our new feature that brings you upbeat stories about everyday people in our community. We believe that everybody has a story to tell, and by bringing you stories about ordinary people from every corner of Grant County, we hope to give all our readers a greater sense of community. Do you have a Grant County neighbor you’d like us to profile? Email your suggestions to editor@bmeagle.com.  

In case you missed it, last week’s Eagle also featured stories on Cycle Oregon, plans to restore lost work hours for county employees, a fundraiser for the Blue Mountain Hospice Center and a pivotal prep football matchup between a strong Prairie City team and reigning state champs Wheeler County.

In this week’s edition, look for stories on the recently reopened Austin House, the first-ever Oktoberfest celebration at Sels’ Brewery in Canyon City, and Grant Union’s home football game against Umatilla.

As always, I want to take this opportunity to thank our subscribers for their support. We can’t do this work without you!