A newspaper is a mirror to the face of the community, reflecting the joys, the sadness, the successes and the failures for all to see.

Sometimes, it even painfully brings some warts and wrinkles into focus.

If you are reading these words, you are among the first faces to look into the mirror that is the Oxford Observer. This free online newspaper reflects what is going on in our community and allows people who live here to share their thoughts, frustrations and wisdom with the public.

The Oxford Observer is produced by the students, faculty and staff of Miami University’s Department of Media, Journalism & Film. Initially, we will be publishing on the site every Friday morning beginning Aug. 31, with more frequent updates as dictated by breaking news. Our stories will include coverage on local politics and government, education, sports and recreation and business, among other relevant topics.

My name is David Wells, and I am the editor for the Oxford Observer. I began teaching journalism at Miami University in 2011. My students, and those of my faculty colleagues, will be reporting and editing most of the stories found here. These student reporters and editors are young and relatively untried. But they are excited to be part of this project and are dedicated to the goal of providing Oxford with accurate, fair and dependable coverage.

To truly succeed, the Oxford Observer will need the voices and input of the community. We want our readers to share their news with us. We want to hear from you about the events, milestones, celebrations and disappointments that make up life in Oxford. If you have news you feel inclined to share, please contact our community editor, Sara Christman, by telephone at (513) 529-0156; or by email at [email protected].

If you have a letter to the editor, or an idea for a guest column you would like to submit, you can mail it to Oxford Observer, 120 Williams Hall, 350 S. Oak St., Oxford, OH 45056, or email it to [email protected].

We look forward to getting to know you.

David Wells was a reporter, editor and opinion writer at the Cincinnati Enquirer for 35 years. He has been teaching at Miami since 2011. Contact him at [email protected].

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