Letter by Jerry Orten
Colorado Central – June 1999 – Colorado Central Magazine
Paradoxes of publishing
Dear Martha and Ed:
I very much enjoy your magazine and look forward to receiving each and every issue. It has been interesting to see how your magazine has grown through the years, including the types of articles included, and the advertisers. Certainly, you have a successful magazine on your hands, and the topics and content continue to be of interest to me and many others.
I find it somewhat paradoxical that your magazine’s growth reflects many of your articles: That is; how do we preserve the entire spectrum of Colorado’s resources (natural, historical, scenic, agricultural, tourism and development) without diminishing any one of these. You will note that tourism and development are frequently covered in your magazine, in the context of community resources, which is in itself a paradox.
These interests are not always cooperative and often are very competitive, but that is the nature of Colorado, and apparently the nature of your magazine.
Your magazine has followed much of the recent growth of the new west, as the rest of the county has returned to financial and capital success, and has also returned to expansion into the west. While the west expands and grows, it takes on characteristics which conflict with all the reasons why many want to be here. Your coverage of this ongoing conflict and how it plays out in so many contexts is of value and is sought by me and others. Keep up the good work and effort. It is with efforts like yours that greater contributions are made to the region and Colorado.
Most of us appear to want to enhance the local environment, while enhancing economical values and business interests, can we both preserve and develop? Hopefully, these are not always exclusive, but have some commonality. Meanwhile, the battle against homogenization goes on and also plays into this inquiry. The lure and attraction of small towns appears to be increasing while the growth of the inner cities is also on the increase. In the meantime, it sure is a pleasure to receive and read the articles in Colorado Central.
Gratefully yours,
Jerry C.M. Orten
Wheat Ridge
