As it has happened for the past 128 years, it happened lastnight – stories were written, type was set, presses rolled.Newspapers were delivered. Later this afternoon, a computer chipwill awaken and a number of today’s stories with related photoswill be uploaded to our website. The events and history of ourcommunity were recorded and another edition of the LEADER hit thestreets.

It was Feb. 22, 1883 that the first edition of the LEADER wasproduced. It will be Tuesday that our staff will mark thatanniversary of those efforts, which since that day continuedweekly, then twice-weekly as the area prospered, and now daily.

Happy Birthday to us!

The newspaper you are reading today, be it the print edition orthe abbreviated web edition, did not just appear. It took hours ofefforts by a very dedicated group of local individuals – yourneighbors and friends. Local folks who have a stake in thiscommunity, who are proud to call the area home.

It took hours of the newsroom staff researching, writing andediting. Unlike the blogs, and social media where anything goes,our news staff has a responsibility to get things right – while notperfect, pretty accurate. When we do err, we are quick to correct.Credibility is our most important asset and we guard it with greatpassion.

While that writing and editing is going on, the folks in ourpre-press area are busy designing pages, building ads, downloadingcopy, preparing photos, manipulating software programs to bring ourtheir creative thoughts to visual use for our readers to consume.They work with the advertising sales staff who work with ouradvertising clients to help them market their services to thecommunity.

Back in our pressroom, that staff is busy preparing for theday’s press run.

Enjoy the full color in today’s paper? It takes a little bitmore than loading some color ink and flipping a switch to turn onthe press. Theirs is a delicate balance of mixing a bit of waterand ink onto a web of flimsy paper.

Ever notice how easily a damp page of your newspaper tears?Think about managing a continuous damp page running at over 30miles an hour and not allowing it to tear! Ever wonder how we getso many vibrant colors in a photo? Every color is made up of fourbasic ones. With much precision, our press crew mixes those fourcolors while trying to keep a damp ribbon of paper, which isrunning by at 332 copies per minute, from tearing.

Just three weeks ago our press crew was recognized for theirexpertise with a third place award among ALL newspapers inMississippi. Not bad, especially considering they lost out tonewspapers printed on fully computer-automated presses. Ours, whileautomated, still requires a precise human eye to do the finetuning.

Of course we can do all of this work, but nothing happens if thepaper does not get to the rack or to your door. Our mailroom staffand independent carrier force handles that job.

Organizing the financial side of all of this is our accountingstaff. They track the expenses, count the hours, invoice customersand ensure the checking account balances.

All in all, it took the efforts of almost 40 people to produceThe DAILY LEADER today and the efforts of another 25 or so todeliver it to you, our subscribers. And it was all brought to youfor less than 46 cents.

Turning 128 years old does not come without some bumps andbruises along the way. The digital world is changing everything andwe are adapting to it.

We thank our readers and our advertising partners for yoursupport these 128 years and those years ahead. And if you noticesomeone who does not subscribe, tell them why you do, and thenencourage them to do the same.

Happy Birthday to us and Happy Birthday to you!

Write to Bill Jacobs at P.O. Box 551, Brookhaven MS 39602,or send e-mail to bjacobs@dailyleader.com.