You probably already know this — but things are going to get weird for awhile. The only question is degree.

The Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter has always prided itself on being one of the leading weekly newspapers in Kansas. Good stories. Better than average photographs. Handsome front and inside pages. Strong editorial page.

In this time of Covid-19, we still strive for those things; however, our main goal is simply to produce a paper with information relevant to our readers.

That means, for instance, the front pages may be a little less attractive. Or the photo you see on Page A1 of this week’s edition could become a signature look for city, county and school board officials as far as the newspaper. There may be no photo at all or a “Thursday Throwback” from our files.

“Zoom” has all of a sudden become a part of our daily vocabulary.

Everybody wants to do their part in this time of local and national uncertainty. That’s why we believe it’s especially important for the Independent-Reporter to keep delivering the news, as it has done for the past 149 years. The way we deliver education is changing. The way we meet and conduct business is changing. Certainly the newspaper will change, too, but not to the extent we will no longer recognize it. Stability is not a bad thing in times such as these.

At the same time, the safety of the newspaper’s employees and those we write about must be uppermost in our minds. To that end, this past Monday we closed the doors of our office to foot traffic. Two of us will continue to work at the office, answering the phone and performing other duties. Three of us, myself included, are working remotely from home.

The arrangement will be reviewed at least weekly.

We will continue to cover public meetings. Monday night, for instance, advertising director Alan Rusch listened to the meeting of the Ellsworth City Council on the earlier-mentioned Zoom. Others also are using the devise as a means of communication.

As a result, you will see many of the same kinds of stories in the I-R you have seen in the past. Here, in no particular order, are a few differences:

• Starting with the first edition in April, the I-R will publish a weekly “Kids Scoop” page with activities for students. When the kids are home, as they are now, you can never have enough for them to do. The feature will be part of our Newspapers in Education program.

• We also are putting together an audio version of the newspaper in abbreviated form. The feature will be open to all, but we ask that you send us an e-mail at indy@eaglecom.net so we can give you access. There will be no charge for the service but the newspaper will accept free will donations.

At the same time, if you have a neighbor who has self-quarantined, is lonely and could use news about family and friends from the outside, please call us at (785) 472-5085 or send an e-mail with the name and address to indy@eaglecom.net. We will provide a free three-month subscription, no questions asked.

• The newspaper will include a weekly directory with important telephone numbers and updates on local businesses.

• Future editions will unfortunately focus on Covid-19 and its impact on Ellsworth County. It’s a huge story. But we also want to focus on the many good things in our community. Send us your stories of good news and suggestions on people we should be writing about. Interviews will be conducted via telephone, of course, so include numbers. We’d like to have one major non-Covid-19 story in the paper each week.

In closing, we salute the many in Ellsworth County and elsewhere who have risen to meet the challenges of a time no one can remember ever experiencing. Rural Kansas always seems at its best in times of adversity.

On a personal note, you will find photos of the I-R staff with this editorial. This newspaper is the result of their dedication, hard work and commitment to Ellsworth County.

This editorial was written by Linda Mowery-Denning, editor-publisher of the Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter. Her e-mail address is ldenning@indyrepnews.com. Telephone: (785) 472-7339.