Editorial: Independent doing better, thanks to your support

Prices were going up on everything. Businesses were suffering from COVID mandates and fewer employees wishing to work and so didn’t advertise. Things were getting tight in our business office.
The eleven members of the Independent’s LLC board, all local residents, agreed to ask the public for donations and so a letter was written and published.
Our readers responded and donated funds to help us survive. Some people walked in, handed us a check or cash, and said they were glad to help.
Others sent checks in the mail with messages on how important newspapers were to keep the public informed.
They thanked us for our work.
Several people put cash in envelopes and dropped them in our mail slot in the door when we weren’t here. No names. No one to thank. Just a gesture of support.
We want to thank everyone that has been helping us and to report that things are looking up. We raised our advertising rates and our rates for obituaries. Our rate for legal notices will go up on May 1, with the blessings of the City of Belleville and Van Buren Township.
The local economy is picking up, as well, which should help everybody. It looks like our little local newspaper will stick around for a while longer to let you know what’s going on.
Thank you for making it so.