Since the horrific shootings at Silver Rail Elementary on October 15, I have written various versions of this Editor’s Note in my head. One lamented the mental exercises in futility we as Americans engage in, every time one of our babies dies in a school shooting. Another was an attempt to examine the yawning social inequalities that lurk behind the alpenglow-y veneer of our friendly mountain town. Those versions were an attempt to zoom out, when I was really better off zooming in.
Bendites have been bombarded this week by the arrival of the national press corps, here to light on this tragedy, tell our stories for a while and then move on. In the glow of the flash bulbs, it has become more apparent how we, your community media, departs from that circus. Hours before police would confirm the deaths of three children and their teacher, national news outlets with anonymous sources were reporting their demise — all while Silver Rail parents still stood in line, waiting for the return of their children. One of those was a staffer here in our office. As we prepped for the first press conference, another staffer hurried home to be by the side of an educator at Silver Rail. And as we learned more tragic details about the innocent victims, we found that our 2017 intern, who went on to become teacher Megan Lambert, was among the dead.
Megan was, like so many of the youth who come through here, bright and motivated, helping us sort photos and prepare for our 20th anniversary issue. I wanted for her what I want for all our interns — to be inspired by the power of journalism and the written word, and to share that with others. I imagined her going on to college and a meaningful career, not dead at 25 from yet another American tragedy.
Unlike the press corps, we don’t just get to walk away from this. Like others in Bend, each of us has been touched by these events in one way or another.
When our staff arrived at work this Monday morning, we gathered together to acknowledge the helplessness that so many of us feel. We can’t right the wrongs or erase the hurts, but what we can do is put out this newspaper, in service to our community, which very much needs a healing balm as much as it needs trusted information.
When the splashy national headlines subside, we’ll still be here to ask the questions about what happened and how we can all do better. Inside the issue hitting stands Oct. 21, we’re using plenty of space to focus on healing, to share messages of solidarity through a poster (which we hope you put up!) and to remember the power of community. Thanks, as always, for reading.
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