More violence and mayhem — that seems to be what the recent editorial bias is in our once great PT Leader. Crime is not the “lead” story in Jefferson County. Culture, peace, and harmony is, was, and shall be the ongoing essence of our county.

Yes — I of course realize that crime and violence is news and must be reported. But as a 45-year subscriber, I definitely see the shift in coverage and emphasis that has taken root at the center of the Leader, and I don’t like it.

If you want to speak as the editorial voice of our community, there are many great stories here that deserve to be above the fold and on the upper right; the whole front page, actually. I shudder to think that first-time visitors walking past a newspaper vending box catch your headlines and get a thoroughly off-the-mark impression of who we are.

Bury your grim news onto Page 2 or beyond. Shrink the police reports to what they once were; highlights of actual criminality that public safety requires of us to know about, and omit the items like “two people were arguing but had shaken hands and made up before the deputy arrived at the scene.” More column inches of family, art, and culture.

We are a peaceful people.

Forest Shomer
PORT TOWNSEND