Ridin the Rapids

to put in Volume 45, Issue 1 of McKenzie River Reflections. It will be the first issue of this publication’s 45th year but the last one that will be mailed to subscribers.

Why? Because at close to $700 every week to print and mail Reflections it simply isn’t penciling out anymore.

I know there are plenty of people who wish that wasn’t so. Several of you have told me that. Those discussions were behind the plan to produce “Reflections v2.0.”

Because it will be produced on my in-house 11” X 17” laser printers, “RR v2.0” will be smaller and only 150 a week will be available on area news stands.

What will be in that trimmed-down publication? Much depends on the responses from an ongoing survey. Of the 750 people who get Reflections in the mail or buy a copy at a store, only about 60 have responded. Please let me know what you think at surveymonkey.com/r/YVT9X9C.

Since I’m in the asking mood, how about sending your email address to [email protected]? 1/3 of US Postal Service sub-scribers have sent their email so far but more are needed before that last big print edition on August 18th.

What will you get? Both existing - and new - digital subscribers will continue to receive a full-size 8-page tabloid version of River Reflections. They’ll also have access to additional articles and features that haven’t been part of the regular print version. Other benefits include the mckenzieriverreflectionsnews-paper.com website’s searchable database if you want to locate something from a past issue. And, the “Store” section of the site includes hundreds of downloadable prior editions - going back to Volume 31, Issue 19 - from January 1st of 2009.

In other words, River Reflections isn’t going away. My goal is to continue to cover our River community as best I can. And, I hope readers will continue to read and support “The McKenzie Connection.”