I am always interested in reading publisher Keith Hammonds’ “Annual Report” for the Monitor, which reflects on the past and plans for the future. As a resident living near Jefferson City, I was particularly keen through the past year to follow the saga of the Montana Tunnels Mine. Looking forward, I am intrigued by Keith’s plan to go non-profit, The Monitor’s involvement with Report for America, and its imminent launch of an online news site in East Helena.
All of this has caused me to pause and reflect on my own small contribution to The Monitor. In 2024, Keith and his editor, Conor Reilley, saw fit to publish 10 of my columns under the “Faith Matters” banner. Although I write these myself, I have been grateful to Keith for his clearcut editing expertise in refining my contributions. Clergy types can tend to get verbose.
In looking back, though, I wonder what value these columns have added to the lives of people in Jefferson County. Comments rarely, if ever, appear on the paper’s web site; in fact, there are very seldom any comments on the site for any article, so I am not alone in the feedback void.
