PUBLISHER’S CORNER:
[January 2020 | San Juan Silver Stage] By Kathryn R. Burke, Publisher
New Year. New starts and new ideas. The Silver Stage has been on the trail again since March, and it’s time to broaden our routes. We’ll be heading north to Grand Junction, south to Durango and New Mexico, and west into Utah. We’ve been there before.
What’s New for 2020?
History. In 2020, follow along as we track the progress of two historic projects involving local schools: the expansion of Montrose Botanic Gardens with a new feature involving an old orchard, and the restoration of historic plantings, with the help of the Utes.
Our focus on history continues as we share the saga of a vintage structure in a different location each month. This month, it’s the Lathrop Building in Montrose. Watch for more stories from Marilyn Cox, Don Paulson, and others from local historical societies.
People. At our core, we are a lifestyles publication that focuses on community, and in Western Colorado, we are home to some amazing women who have been in business here for over a quarter century. Throughout the year, we will profile one of them each month. This area is also populated by an usually large number of talented people, the “Creatives,” we call them. Our music editor and art writers from Durango and Silverton, Ouray, Delta, and Montrose Counties, and the North Fork Valley will share their stories.
Arts & Entertainment. The Silver Stage began as a vehicle to follow Arts and Entertainment. A friend and I had a line of western clothing we made and sold at the summer arts and crafts fairs.
We soon discovered that too many of these fairs were held on the same day. I started publishing a calendar to track the when and where of those shows, which led to reporting on other A&E activities, and The Silver Stage was born. It’s our special niche, and we will continue to fill it.
Play Well & Stay Well. Over time, our content has grown along with our readership which—admittedly—is also aging. More retirees choose to call this beautiful place home, hence our “50+” added to our masthead. To address a broader spectrum of readers, both in print and online, we will keep you up to date on where to play and how to stay healthy while doing it. Ninah Hunter, our editor for recreation as well as real estate, reports on snow sports this issue with help from one of our newest writers, Karen Prather. Our new Health and Wellness section includes some great suggestions, as does our new Tech Tips column. Region 10’s Eva Veitch reports each month on issues related to aging. Jim Elder, our finance editor, and John Leu, mortgage lender, will help you stay on top of your money.
Regional Calendar. Our assistant publisher, Debra Lueck, working with Cindy Marino at the Recreation Center, will let you know what’s going on and where to sign up for classes and activities. Debra manages our comprehensive calendar, the same calendar that started the Silver Stage 30 years ago!
Kathryn R. Burke, Publisher
