Reader Ribbets / Letters to the Editor

If you feel strongly about an issue, and you want to let people know what you think, please submit a letter to the editor.

General Letters to the Editor Guidelines

Letters to the editor should be on topics of public interest. (Private disputes are not acceptable.)

To accommodate space limitations, letters to the editor must not exceed 300 words.

Letters to the editor must be original, previously unpublished and written by the person whose name appears on the letter.

The letter must include the writer’s name and their city of residence. A daytime phone number is required for verification purposes only and will not be published.

Writers must have a direct connection to our circulation area — resident, former resident, recent visitor, etc.

Passion is good. However profanity, name-calling or personal attacks are not allowed.

Letters are fact-checked and edited for style, clarity and potential for libel. We communicate with the writer prior to publication when editing is significant.

Thank-you letters are not acceptable, those are considered paid advertisements. Contact us to request rates.

Letters on behalf of organizations or groups will not be accepted. Group endorsement letters will not be accepted, those are ads. Contact us to request advertising rates.

Publication dates are determined by NewsHopper management. Final decision for publication of any letter rests with management of the NewsHopper and may be published dependent on space limitations.

Photography Standards

Understand the guidelines for submitting high-quality images with your stories.

General Photography Guidelines

A good way for your information to get published and get noticed is to submit a photo. Make sure the subject of the photo is closeup and easily seen.

• Photographs should be at at least 300 DPI

  
  • Photographs should be submitted as a .jpg or .jpeg as an attachment to the email (not as a windoc.)
 Email your photo(s) to hopper@crosbyironton.net.
  
  • Provide a detailed caption: include the full names and titles of all individuals featured in the photograph, along with the city where the photo was taken and a brief description of their activity or event. Clear and informative captions are essential for context.
  
  Final decision for publication of any community event or news rests with management of the NewsHopper and may be published dependent on space limitations.

Got a story to tell or a community event to publish?

Learn the step-by-step process for submitting your news effectively.

General Story Guidelines

To craft a compelling story, it’s essential to address six key elements:
Who?   What?   Where?   When?   Why?   How?
Every complete news article or community event announcement should answer these fundamental questions.

The Inverted Pyramid

This journalistic approach prioritizes the most critical information at the start. The opening paragraph should offer a clear and concise summary of the entire story or event. Subsequent paragraphs should build upon and elaborate on this foundation. Ask yourself: if only the first two paragraphs were published, would the story still make sense? If not, restructure it to ensure clarity and coherence.

Keep it Objective

Ensure that your narrative remains entirely neutral, presenting all perspectives fairly. Address each viewpoint with equal weight when multiple sides exist. Avoid using first-person pronouns such as “I” and “me” unless directly quoting someone. (See below.)

Quote People

For a more engaging story, include quotes from group representatives to add a personal touch. For instance: “This competition has us all really energized,” shared Club President Bob Bestus. “It’s an ambitious challenge we’ve taken on this year, aiming for a record-breaking goal of over $10,000. It’s the most ambitious target we’ve ever pursued, and we’re confident in our ability to achieve it!”

Don’t Get Flowery


Keep your sentences and paragraphs short and to the point. Don’t use heavily descriptive and flowery language. When you’ve finished, go through the entire story and try to remove any words which aren’t completely necessary.

Publication dates are determined by NewsHopper management. Final decision for publication of any story rests with management of the NewsHopper and may be published dependent on space limitations.