Hard to believe that the newspaper of record for Boston’s North Shore and the most historic city in the region — The Salem News — would ditch their one weekly columnist who is not only considered the city’s foremost historian, but who writes of this area’s amazing history in what had become must-reading in the newspaper’s Monday editions for many years.
But it’s true. Jim McAllister published his last weekly column in The News in October. I, as a local historian and Salem News staff alumnus, is dismayed beyond words as to this development. Granted, the newspaper publishing business has become a daunting task with the internet and the economy in general.
But to dismiss the paper’s local historian’s weekly column is shocking and disgraceful from this observer’s humble perspective.
I will print an explanation from The News upon receiving an email/voicemail reply from its editorial leadership.
I hope the perpetrators of this act will reconsider and bring McAllister back to its readers.