About the publisher: How sad that the Salinas resident’s only sign of life is the paid obituaries appearing in Gannett’s own newspaper, which no longer employs reporters.

The free press enabled colonial radicals to acquire a new form of government. Our Republican founders were brilliant at taking up press freedom protections. It was the only industry for which they were specifically protected in the Constitution. They knew that this innovative government needed well-informed citizens.

When the Salinas Californian and hundreds of other newspapers shut down their local news, the American experiment is nearing its end. In the age of new technology, we need to find new ways to protect local newspapers.

One option is to tell California lawmakers to enact the Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) California Journalism Preservation Act and allow members of Congress to pass the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act of 2022. We need foundations to support weak newspapers, a fund to provide free newspapers for students and free tuition for journalism students.

Yes, democracy dies in the dark. We need a healthy press and informed citizens.

Lloyd A Dent, Northridge

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About the publisher: What a sad story of the demise of journalism at Salinas Californian.

My family and I lived in Salinas in the late 1950’s and I delivered this paper to local residents Monday through Saturday (no Sunday paper appeared). The paper was always easy to deliver from my canvas bags, which clipped onto the handlebars of my bike and were thrown off the curb.

The only exception was the big track, which was released when the rodeo was in town. Before that, my father and brothers had to help me fill several boxes. The newspaper had to be carried by hand from the back of my father’s station wagon to each porch.

It’s hard to lose something in the midst of such a great memory.

Dave Schwien, Seal Beach