As of this week, the Dutchess Beat is suspending publication. The reason is simple. Our expenses exceed our income. In these difficult times, where no one knows where the economic bottom is likely to be and how long it will take to reach it, it would be imprudent for us to continue.
Having said that, I have every hope that the Beat will be back. The Dutchess community deserves the alternative voice the paper has been able to provide. We remain convinced that in normal times, the marketplace will support an enterprise like ours.
Because of the paucity of significant community coverage in the region, we feel the time has come for an expansion of the Alm@nac, our regional weekly culture, calendar and classified section. In that space, we will run feature stories of interest to a broadly regional audience.
In addition, we plan to introduce into Alm@nac two political columns, one dealing with Dutchess County and the other with Ulster. With recent demographic convergences and with the establishment of a county-executive form of government in Ulster, the two counties have more to learn from each other than ever.
Complementing the new columns, Alm@nac will continue to focus on cultural happenings on both sides of the Hudson, highlighting events of note throughout Dutchess and Ulster counties and continuing to showcase what’s taking place in our communities as a political and lifestyle touchstone. Our common interests are not only arts-oriented and informational but also more broadly cultural and political.
During this period of retrenchment, our company will continue to publish and distribute Alm@nac at almost all locations where the Beat has been distributed. Under the skilled guidance of Julie O’Connor, this widely respected publication has grown in content and reputation. It is now time for another step forward.
– Geddy Sveikauskas
Publisher