Long gone is the Evans Journal. The Town of Evans now learns that the Angola Pennysaver is facing the same fate. New Era, the Evans National Bank headquarters, H&K, and a piano roll of other businesses have left town or gone out of business. Google, Facebook groups, and a younger generation glued to their phones are contributing factors.
Still, businesses like the Pennysaver are what make small towns unique. This weekend, neighbors will help neighbors during the wind and snow storm. As a town, we should help the Pennysaver. We would be saving not only a local business but the jobs of friends and neighbors.
A newspaper in another city, in another county, is the town’s legal or official newspaper. Upon that designation, there were six subscribers in the Town of Evans! Everyone in the Town of Evans receives the Angola Pennysaver at no cost, 100% FREE!
According to GCL, §60(a) and POL, §70-a, to constitute a “newspaper” that satisfies the conditions precedent for designation as an “official newspaper” a publication must:
(1) be in general circulation;
(2) be established and ordinarily printed and distributed at least weekly for at least one year;
(3) contain news, editorials, and other matters of “current interest”;
(4) have a paid circulation; and
(5) be entered as second-class mail matter.
Any publication that does not satisfy these threshold requirements may not be designated an “official newspaper” (see, e.g., 1984 Opns St Comp, No. 84-58, p 73; 1981 Opns St Comp, No. 81-70 p 71; 1980 Opns St Comp, No. 80-307, p 93).
[ Click Here To Read The 1988 Legal Opinion ]
A half-century or more ago, when these laws were written, there was no Internet. As times change, so should outdated laws. The only missing requirement of any importance is editorials.
One could argue the law could be changed to allow the town to post legal notices on the town’s website to comply with legal notice requirements. The opposing argument is that everyone gets the Pennysaver for free while not all residents have Internet access.
Most Evans residents would rather see their tax dollars spent locally and not out of town. Designating the Angola Pennysaver as the town’s “official media outlet” would not cost the taxpayers any more money than is being spent now.
The new town board should work with our state assemblyman to bring “official newspaper” laws into the 21st century.
Residents could help out by purchasing ads a few times a year in addition to posting online.
QUOTE: “They have all rights to come to the town board and take the privilege of the floor and ask US questions.
I answer the questions.
I feel like a broken record.“
Mary Hosler
“The Mary Hosler video is 17 seconds long. The Tommy George video is 36 seconds long. Can you watch these two short videos and tell me that Evans has open government?“
QUOTE: Deputy Supervisor Tommy George On Privilege of the Floor: ” . . . each individual . . all your remarks should be directed to the town board as a body and not to any individual member. Please remember this not intended to be a question & answer period but rather an opportunity for the board to gain input from the general public.” Tommy George
When to talk at Hamburg public meetings: Town supervisor capitulates: Click-Here
Censorship in North Korea – Wikipedia: Click-Here
QUOTE: “They have all rights to come to the town board and take the privilege of the floor and ask US questions.
I answer the questions.
I feel like a broken record.“
Mary Hosler
“The Mary Hosler video is 17 seconds long. The Tommy George video is 36 seconds long. Can you watch these two short videos and tell me that Evans has open government?“
QUOTE: Deputy Supervisor Tommy George On Privilege of the Floor: ” . . . each individual . . all your remarks should be directed to the town board as a body and not to any individual member. Please remember this not intended to be a question & answer period but rather an opportunity for the board to gain input from the general public.” Tommy George
