Educators can help the next generation of readers recognize the importance of local newspapers by taking various steps to incorporate newspapers into their lessons. Valley News/Courtesy photo
TEMECULA – The COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on communities across the globe. Though many effects of the pandemic have been devastating, one unforeseen and potentially positive consequence of the spread of COVID-19 was a growing recognition of the invaluable role played by local newspapers.Responses to the coronavirus and strategies regarding how to combat it varied greatly, and local newspapers were a go-to resource for citizens who wanted to learn about rules and regulations in their towns. For example, in England the Bishop’s Stortford Independent, a local weekly paper in Hertfordshire, England, experienced a significant monthly web audience growth during the pandemic. Before the global outbreak in January 2020, the paper’s monthly web audience was 260,000. By October, that
