It was with a heavy heart that I read about the Four Corners Free Press going out of publication. It felt like learning about the death of a dear friend.

For 20 years, I have depended on the Free Press to appear in my mailbox every month, bringing me the very best of investigative reporting, updates on community events and of course, the irrepressible Crime Waves.

I have become attached to several of the talented column writers: John Christian Hopkins, Zach Lively, David Feela, Burt Baldwin and Nancy Schaufele, to name just a few. Their columns frequently brought humor into my life or inspired me to some serious self-reflection. For a mere $12 a year, the Free Press was a true treasure.

I often spent a whole month slowly reading it cover to cover, lingering rather than voraciously consuming. Every time the Free Press received another award, I felt that was a great reflection on our whole community. We had something very special to be proud of.

In a world where we are now bombarded daily with news that masquerades as “journalism,” the Free Press reporters always maintained high standards for covering local issues. So, thank you, Gail Binkly, David Long and Wendy Mimiaga for a job well done.

You and the Four Corners Free Press will be missed.

Terri Helm

Cortez