Wow, 2024 is almost over! Was it good for you? Did you experience happiness or stress? You probably experienced both.

The presidential election, perhaps a health issue, the weather – those could have been stressors. Happiness may have come with family milestones – a birth, a wedding, a birthday – a financial windfall?

Our work family, the Boothbay Register/Wiscasset Newspaper/Pen Bay Pilot, experienced the highs and lows during 2024. We won over 30 awards in the Maine Press Association Better Newspaper Contest; we hired a local young person as a reporter, Isabelle Curtis, who is doing a fine job; our advertising remained steady; and we haven’t shut down after 148 years – that’s quite a milestone. And, as my assistant editor, Susan Johns, has pointed out in her column, thanks to all who contribute to our newspaper.

Some of the stressors have been dealing with the new web-entry system but it seems to be getting better all the time, thanks to those who know how to fix the problems; we have also lost a team member, Dave Parkhurst, who had to retire due to health problems – thanks Dave for your several years of hard work here at the newspaper; and, even if we have to, stress comes with reporting the bad news, such as fires, accidents and murders.

Here’s hoping there are more positives than negatives in 2025!