Dear editor:

I personally want to thank Wood County Monitor editor and staff for producing an “in print” newspaper.

Many newspapers and magazines are no longer “in print” such as “Sports Afield,” “Field and Stream,” “Time” and even “Thrifty Nickel.” The loss of “Thrifty Nickel” cost East Texas economy millions of dollars a year and inconvenienced or shut down many small business.

Think you Phil Major for still publishing a newspaper! Thank you Kelly Reeves for having the courage to produce an “in-print” magazine for landowners and sportsmen, “Life and Land,” when everyone told you it would fail. Boy, were they wrong!

Not everyone reads and shops “online.” Written print, written record, holds history and knowledge and are not destroyed by identity theft, cyber attacks, solar flares or warfare on electronics and satellites.

Written journalism properly done documents both sides of every story. It helps the environment and prevents forest fires by selective cutting of our renewable forest, for pulpwood reducing tender in dry years and increasing production of larger trees and feed for wild birds and animals.

It increases agricultural use and wildlife habitat and helps local landowners reduce their tax burden.

My hope is for local businesses to advertise both online and in print.

Thanks again and God bless you all.

Mark McDonald

Hawkins