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A taste for irony has kept more hearts from breaking than a sense of humor, for it takes irony to appreciate the joke which is on oneself. – Jessamyn West

Talent in writing is helpful, but guts are absolutely necessary. – Jessamyn West

I really thought that I had had a bad day on Friday, February 12, 2010.

A few dishonest souls (Brockheads) tried their level best to make it a bad day.

For one thing, it was a Friday. One day after our print deadline. That, typically, indicates that I am one tired son of a gun. (My Pappy was a pistol, don't you know.)

For another thing, I had to visit with former Hillsboro Police Chief Nick Thompson on that particular afternoon to report yet another theft of our services and from our advertisers.

The Highland County Press was just beginning its sixth month under new ownership. For anyone who cares to recall the Ohio economy of 2009, let me remind you: It was not booming.

And for any poor soul who wanted to borrow money to buy a newspaper in 2009, let me also remind you: Lenders were few and far between. Probably with good reason.

Looking back to August 2009, I remember meeting with my own bank – one that I'd been doing business with for more than 30 years – longer than any bank employee on that particular day – in hopes of securing a loan.

No deal.

I walked over to another bank, into the office of the late Ernie Blankenship. Ernie offered his best advice, as he always did. Ernie had hired me in 1980, and we'd known each other since the early 1970s when I was still a snot-nosed little kid playing baseball in Hillsboro.

He suggested that I sit down with Tom Schoettle at Merchants National Bank. If that didn't work out, Ernie told me, come back and we'll make it happen.

Ernie was all about making things happen for other people. Believe it.

In August 2009, Tom Schoettle and Merchants National Bank were all about making things happen. After applying for a loan in order to purchase The Highland County Press from William Latham in August 2009, I went on vacation.

No kidding.

I figured: Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot.

A day or two later, Pam, Caitlin, Meghan, Colin and I pulled into a beach-side diner near Nags Head, North Carolina for breakfast on a Saturday morning.

As we all know, I do not own a cell phone.

Pam's cell phone rang. It was Tom Schoettle. The loan was approved.

We had bacon and eggs for breakfast and went swimming.

* * *

Less than a year later – and after more trials and tribulations than most people can imagine – we endured the second significant theft of our community newspaper. (See www.highlandcountypress.com/main.asp SectionID=2&SubSectionID=20&ArticleID=2037)

As we reported, "For the second time in four months, a woman has been seen taking copies of The Highland County Press from Great Scot Supermarket in Hillsboro. At 12:02:50 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12, at least two Great Scot employees witnessed a woman removing all copies of the Feb. 13 edition of The Highland County Press from the store. A store security camera video shows a woman entering the store, walking directly toward the newspapers, then turning around and leaving the store. The woman did not make any purchases nor did she take any other publications. A similar theft occurred at Great Scot on Friday, Oct. 9, 2009."

But as Jessamyn West said, a taste for irony can be a good thing.

Because, as bad as my day was on Friday, Feb. 12, 2010 (similar to Friday, Oct. 9, 2009), I realized two things:

• The thief or thieves must think very highly of us.

• And they only steal on Fridays.

Gotta love a challenge, too. Indeed, it was on.

Fast-forward to 2014

Thanks to an unbelievably supportive community, a tremendous staff and many, many loyal advertisers, we're still here – in spite of the thefts.

This week, The Highland County Press has the dual celebration of its 15th year in Hillsboro and its five-year anniversary with the current team that includes Angie Matticks, Lisa Wharton, Stephen Forsha, Caitlin Ryan, Rosemary Ryan, Mickey Parrott, Colin Ryan, numerous contributing writers and photographers and the best circulation team in the business. My thanks always to Debbie and Larry, Janet and Chris, Candace and Frank, David and Pam, Jarryca and her family, Kellie and Micah, and Colin.

Pam, the Cameco Communications LLC Chairman of the Board, has my thanks, as well.

On the occasion of our one-year anniversary, my good friend and former co-worker Gita Balakrishnan wrote (as a favor to me):

"In an era in which some newspapers are seeking bankruptcy protection and others are slashing payroll, mandating furloughs and reducing publication days, there still are an optimistic few. These optimistic few, the die-hards, if you will, refuse to envision an American future without newspapers.

"Rory Ryan is one such die-hard. Ryan, who has surpassed his 20th year in the newspaper business, with a decade of printing experience before that – one year ago this week formed Cameco (derived from his children's names) Communications, LLC and purchased this weekly newspaper in Highland County."

That was written in August 2010.

So was this from former Ohio Senator John Carey: "When I began serving the 17th Senate District, which includes Highland County, Rory made it clear that he had certain expectations as an editor. Rory has been critical at times of some of my columns. It has been on content or wording or length. I have found Rory's comments to be very helpful. I take his criticism seriously, and I think that I write a better column because of it. I appreciate the fact that he is interested in what I have to say as a local legislator. He is someone whose respect that I covet and advice I value."

I once wrote that Ohio's General Assembly could use a few more people like John Carey. I still believe that. He's one of the best.

And then, there was this from my dear friend Professor Bill Horne: "Congratulations, on your first anniversary. It has been a pleasure to stop by each week and watch your team work to make this endeavor a success. Everyone working together, doing multiple jobs and just making it happen. You are producing an excellent local paper with a staff that is second to none. It is an honor for me to be a very small part of this exciting venture. May the success that you have earned this first year continue for years to come."

We lost Bill not long after his interview with Gita. It was, to be sure, our most challenging deadline. Enough said.

Five years ago this week, my family purchased The Highland County Press from Mr. William Latham and the Sun Newspapers Group in Batavia.

Bill Latham is among the recipients of the First Families of Ohio Newspapers Award. He has earned well-deserved respect in the newspaper industry.

Mr. Latham displayed genuine concern for my business plan – and relatively limited financial situation. He really cared about what I was wading into five years ago. I'll never forget that.

Our plan was to maintain the majority of the community paper's local content, while adding more news of local government, local sports and much more local commentary. We've done that. And we have provided more free public service announcements that you can imagine.

On the morning of this writing, I received a call from the Tobias Funeral Home in Dayton. After we published their local obituary, I received a follow-up e-mail asking about the cost.

I replied that The Highland County Press does not charge families or funeral homes for obituaries, and that we hope to continue that practice.

Stacy Tobias responded: "That is awesome. I will pass that on to the family."
 
As I said a few years ago, the corporate "bottom line" isn't the end all, be all.

One of the problems I see with our once-noble industry is that too many daily newspapers are indistinguishable from one another. Too many papers lack a distinctive community voice.

We do our best to have that local voice – and community service.

Too many decisions these days are based on nothing more than the current profit margin. Profits and cash flow are essential; we all understand that. But let's be reasonable. One of my former publishers, Phil Roberts, used to say: "Pigs eat. Hogs get slaughtered."

I still believe in good, local newspapers. And so did our Founding Fathers.

We've got one heck of a team here, too. With experienced, intelligent and customer-oriented people like Angie Matticks, Lisa Wharton, Stephen Forsha, Mickey Parrott, Caitlin Ryan, Rosemary Ryan and a few other Ryans, I think we'll be OK.

Lastly, and most importantly, we owe our most sincere thanks to you. Without our readers and advertisers, we could not possibly provide this essential community service.

Lord willing and the creeks don't rise, we'll keep doing what we do.

Thanks, everyone.

Rory Ryan