Ed. Note: Very sad story that the Eagle Times closed last Friday. We miss it in Walpole, but I imagine the people in Claremont, Charlestown, Springfield and a number of other communities are REALLY missing it today! Sue and I have had a very enjoyable freelancing relationship with the Eagle Times for five years, and I have great respect for the people I have worked with there. Particularly local news editor Patrick O'Grady and Managing Editor Maryellen Apelquist who only joined the staff in February. I'm sorry to know that these two professionals have lost their jobs, especially in the teeth of a deep recession, after such dedicated work on our behalf.
None of us can say that we were compeletely surprized at this turn of events, but we sure didn't think it was going to happen last week or this week.
I am disappointed that the owner of the paper apparently did not communicate with his subscribers or with the powers that be in the towns the paper served. Perhaps, with a little more tranparency, a way could have been found to continue a century old institution that was very important to the area. CCB
