OPINION: 60 years of headlines delivered to my door

The newspaper has been an important part of my life for almost 60 years. It all began in 1966 when my family moved from Albuquerque to Yokota Air Base, Japan. From the age of 10, when the weekly Stars and Stripes newspaper arrived, I would sprawl out on the floor or couch and read every page of that paper from cover to cover. From 1966 until 1969, I absorbed every major news story published in that paper.

When my family moved back to Albuquerque in 1970, the Albuquerque Journal became a must read for me until I joined the Air force in 1974. After my service in the Air Force and a few years of living in Florida, I returned to Albuquerque in 1984. Shortly after, I began subscribing to the Albuquerque Journal and continue to do so to this day over 40 years later.

It is no secret the Journal has changed in many ways over the years, but my reasons for my needing to read the paper every day have not changed. The most important of which is the need to keep current with the local and national news. Another is to know the pulse of the city of Albuquerque. I have always enjoyed the editorials, the letters to the editor, and the Speak Up sections so I can see and be aware of other viewpoints. 

The comics have always been a joy, both the syndicated along with the editorial and still love it when the next John Trevor treat appears. Today, there are sections of the paper that are not as important to me as they used to be since I am retired, but now the crossword puzzles and other games have given me a way to keep my mind challenged daily as I age.

A big thank you goes out to the Albuquerque Journal, the wonderful employees, and the carriers for 100 years of service to our community and for continuing to be an important part of my life.