Eleven Years and a Day

The Gossips of Rivertown marked its eleventh anniversary yesterday!

When I launched The Gossips of Rivertown on January 20, 2010, it didn't occur to me that January 20 was Inauguration Day and every four years Gossips' anniversary would share the day with the swearing in of the president of the United States. In 2013, for the second inauguration of Barack Obama, it turned out there wasn't a conflict. That year, January 20 fell on Sunday, and the inauguration was postponed until Monday, so January 20 was free for celebrating the launch of Gossips. In 2017, when Donald Trump was inaugurated, I figured my readers needed a consoling alternative to what was happening in Washington, so the Gossips celebration went ahead. But this year, I didn't want to detract from the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, and so commemorating the anniversary of The Gossips of Rivertown was postponed until today.

In the eleven years that Gossips has been in existence, it has earned a reputation for being a reliable and trusted source of local news, information, and history. In the past year, during the pandemic, readers have turned to Gossips more than a million times. Gossips is even quoted on occasion at Common Council meetings. The ability to search its more than ten thousand posts makes Gossips a storehouse of institutional memory. So today, as I do every year on Gossips' anniversary, I humbly acknowledge all the readers who have made Gossips a success and offer my deep and sincere gratitude to the Gossips supporters and advertisers whose financial contributions help pay the bills and continue to make Gossips a joyful endeavor.

Today, I invite readers to celebrate eleven years of sharing news, history, and occasional gossip about the events, machinations, troubles, and triumphs that happen right here in our little river city by joining the folks who have already shown the support for The Gossips of Rivertown in the new year. For those who read Gossips on a computer, the process is easy. Just click on the "Donate" button near the top of the right column. For those who read Gossips on their phones, the process is more complicated. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and touch "View web version." Then find the "Donate" button in the right column.

Your support--in any amount--will be gratefully acknowledged and will ensure the continuation of Gossips for yet another year. 

COPYRIGHT 2021 CAROLE OSTERINK