The Herald angels

Once upon a time there was a weekly newspaper. The Farmington Valley Herald. It was a gem of a rag and for 125 years proudly carried the responsibility for providing Connecticut’s Farmington Valley residents with truth and honesty.

Led by its Editor and Publisher Emeritus, Lou Ball, the paper’s peak business years were the 1970s and 1980s. Lou was a smiling and laughing curmudgeon with gifted assets of ambition, knowledge and a writing style whose editorial words could start a roaring fire in a rainstorm.

The Herald was blessed with a cadre of people known affectionately by Lou as, “The Herald Angels.” A rogue, fiery bunch of personalities, barely a notch above vagabonds…just a whisper short of being gods.

The Herald did what big newspapers could not do. Offer both big and small news. Personalized by correspondents who were your neighbors. Stories about corruption, politics, local groups, sports, school lunch menus. Life and death.

Folks could visit the paper to share and discuss their views and opinions face-to-face with any one of those “Herald Angels.” Usually over a cup of coffee and homemade cookies, compliments of the staff.

Why? Because, once upon a time, there was a weekly newspaper. The Farmington Valley Herald.