LebTown is on hiatus for the holidays, and this year we’re going to take a bit more time off than normal.
Because our readers rely on LebTown and depend on us to keep them informed, essential LebTown coverage including obits, blotters, breaking news, and weather forecasts will continue to be published while we are on hiatus, but for the most part our focus will be directed towards resting and recharging so we can return in January and head into our fifth year of operation.
As we settle down to the website equivalent of a long winter’s nap, there are a few shoutouts I want to make.
To our advertisers and members: Thank you for supporting LebTown. Because of you, we are able to fund journalism dedicated to making Lebanon County a better place. Although holding in-person events has continued to be challenging with the pandemic ongoing, I remain singularly focused on the goal of creating an advertiser-supported, member-driven newsroom that is responsive and accountable to Lebanon Countians, and that always puts the community first in its decisions.
To our contributors: Thank you for the mental fortitude and courage it has taken to be a journalist in an extremely polarized time rife with complex and controversial issues, not to mention all the other attendant mental, physical, and financial challenges of the pandemic. Thank you for striving to produce non-partisan, unbiased, and independent journalism, something that takes far more concerted effort and discipline than most folks realize. Thank you for capturing the beautiful constellation of stories that make up daily life in Lebanon County.
And lastly, to our readers: Thanks for reading LebTown, for the comments, the tips, and most of the feedback. While some anonymous trolls out there honestly make me want to delete the server and let someone else have the pleasure of figuring out how to sustain news for Lebanon County over the long-run, I truly cherish the day-to-day interactions with you on the slices of life big and small that define our lives. Whether it’s helping your family with an obituary, publishing a profile about someone you know well, sharing details on your new business, or having a conversation with you to seek deep understanding of some policy issue or piece of news, these moments make LebTown worth the effort, expenses, and time. It’s an honor and a privilege for us to be “your” newsroom.
Although I can’t respond to quite as many of your emails as I’d like, and Lord knows there are dozens upon dozens of stories that we’d be covering faster and better if only we had more resources and journalists at our disposal (support us here!), I’m proud of what LebTown has accomplished since our founding in 2018 and I thank all our readers and supporters for their understanding as LebTown takes some extra time this holiday season to get ready for whatever comes next.
LebTown is local news produced for and by the residents of Lebanon County. Our team is proud to be continuing a long and honorable tradition of journalism in Lebanon County (see a list of outlets below).
Selected Lebanon County Newspapers, 1807 – Present
Der Freymüthige Libanoner (The Free Lebanoner) 1807 • Der Libanoner Morgenstern (The Lebanon Morning-Star) 1808 • Der Weltbohe und Unparteyische Libanoner Wochenschrift (the World Messenger and Impartial Lebanoner Weekly) 1809 • Lebanon Courier 1819 • Der Libanon Demokrat (The Lebanon Democrat) 1827 •Der Wahre Demokrat (The True Democrat) 1837 • The Lebanon Advertiser 1849 • The Star 1862 • Der Pennsylvaniaer (The Pennsylvanian) 1865 • Lebanon Valley Standard 1871 • Lebanon Daily News 1872 • The Annville Journal 1888 • Lebanon Daily Report 1890 • Fredericksburg Herald 1894 • Semi-Weekly Report 1894 • Lebanon Semi-Weekly News 1894 • Palmyra Record 1899 • The Star Advertiser 1900 • Evening Report 1901 • The Daily Republican 1903 • Lebanon Courier and Semi-Weekly Report 1908 • The Lebanon Tribune 1910 • Palmyra Citizen 1911 • Der Foulke-Freund (The Folk-Friend) 1927 • Swatara Times 1928 • Lebanon County Press 1928 • New Enterprise 1936 • Progressive Weekly 1937 • Lebanon County Bulletin 1939 • The Lebanon Evening Star 1945 • Lebanon Valley Register 1945 • Tomahawk 1951 • The Record 1964 • Lebanon Weekly News 1967 • Community Courier 1989 • Palmyra Chronicle 1990 • Mt. Gretna News 1990 • Fishwrapper 1995 • LebTown 2018
Give the gift of local journalism.
If you are thankful for what LebTown brings to the community, consider joining our cause as a member. Members get an inside look at our publishing schedule each week, plus invites to our members-only Facebook group and happy hours.
Sign up for an annual membership using the link below, and we’ll give you a free LebTown mug.
Learn more and join now here.
