It is with great disappointment that I & other residents of the Clearwater & Clear Lake area are not getting the Coborn’s insert in our community paper, The Citizen-Tribune.

The Citizen is the vehicle that tells about what is happening in our communities. It features both the City of Clearwater & Clear Lake information, as well as that of several townships, including legal notices for all.

In addition, it features stories about our youth in school activities & other activities like 4-H. The Lions Clubs & Legion local service organizations have a positive role in our  community & you frequently feature things that they have accomplished & services they have rendered, not to mention you feature community based information about religious institutions.                                                                                                              

All of the aforementioned are what makes a community.

I did express my concerns to Coborn’s Advertising Manager Aimee Asp.  She tried to convince me that this change was for the good of the community & they would continue to support the community in any special publications the Citizen published.  My response to her & to others interested, is that If Coborn’s insert does not appear in our community paper The Citizen, I fear the Citizen will not be published much longer. Economically, it is impossible to maintain the publication without a major advertising anchor.  

Will Coborn’s become just another big box store like Walmart, Sam’s Club & Costco as opposed to a community based store where customers are greeted by first names as they support their local business, or will customers choose to shop elsewhere? 

I sincerely hope not, but a community newspaper is what binds us together. 

Karolyn Boucher

Clearwater, MN 55320