17. June 2010 by pat desmond.

The core mission of the National Newspaper Association is to protect, promote and enhance America’s community newspapers.

As the owner of Milton’s newspaper of record, The Milton Times, I am excited about the opportunities that working on the NNA board can create.

Last week I spent a few days in Michigan - it was my first chance to sit with the other members of the NNA board.

I have Cheryl Kaechlele, association president, to thank.

As a board, we spent most of our meeting working on a plan to reset priorities.

It’s always a good idea to take a look at goals and decide if current strategy is working. So we’re moving in a new way to achieve our mission.

We talked about concentrating on the basics. After all, isn’t that what usually leads to success?

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15. June 2010 by pat desmond.

Last week I was in Michigan meeting with the other members of the Board of Directors of the National Newspaper Association.

Cheryl Kaechele, publisher of three papers in Michigan, is president this year and she wanted to show off the interesting side of her state. Ease of transportation is not part of the picture.

What I learned when I arrived at Logan Airport is that the body scanning devices are in place in the security line. Despite the fact security lines move slowly through the body scanners, four TSA people decided to randomly check people at my gate. The plane was heading to San Diego with a stop in Detriot. (Obviously, I was getting off in Detriot.)

I was in Zone 3, which means I wasn’t the last to board the aircraft, but in the time I watched the special screening, I saw several the TSA people go through the carry on luggage of several women in my age range.

Are any of the known terrorists women in their 60s?

Does the government think this makes anyone believe they have a security plan that works?

I remember traveling to Israel back in the 1970s and wondering why there were so many soldiers walking in the cities. Why people were searched before they could board a plane. Why there were fences topped with barbed wire near the sandy beaches.

It seems we are moving back in time.

Anyway I will be doing more airplane travel this year as I finish my year on the NNA board. I head to Omaha in September for the annual convention.

Will the Milton Times improve because I will be traveling more? Maybe. There are some wonderful ideas employed at other small newspapers.

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