Hello, I am Steve Briggs, News Director. I am excited to help provide Burnett County news to more people through this brand-new digital news service called Burnettwire.com. It brings free local news to your smartphone, tablet and computer, and allows us as news providers to see what most interests you, the reader.
We want this site to offer current news to help keep you informed about county government, municipal government and schools, plus events and activities. We know you also want the weather, court news and state/national news. We plan to run features about local businesses, local people and our beautiful woods, rivers, lakes and communities.
Since childhood I have been fascinated by the news and the news business. My first daily job was as a 10-year-old delivering the Minneapolis Evening Star and Morning Tribune. At college I earned a communications degree with focus on newspapers. For the first nine years of my career I was a reporter/editor/photographer, plunking a manual or electric typewriter at daily and weekly newspapers.
When personal computing arrived in the early 1980s, I joined a Kansas company that built the first successful computerized news system for small daily and weekly newspapers.
As a new husband and then dad in the 1990s, I quit traveling for work and returned to community journalism as editor of the Burnett County Sentinel. My wife is Grantsburg Schools Vocal Music Teacher Linda Benge. We raised three daughters in Grantsburg and have resided here 23 years. While working in other fields I have covered meetings and written feature stories about you or your county neighbors, government and events for the Sentinel.
I love newspapers and hope they are around a long time, but I recognize that today’s younger readers want news that is mobile, immediate and free. Realistically, you know that reporting news isn’t free. There are equipment costs, internet development expenses and frequent updates, plus salaries for those who work lots of hours including weekends to provide you the news.
We hope as you visit Burnettwire.com for news that you will also read, appreciate and support the advertisers who help make it possible. Please contact us if you want help in reaching Burnett County residents plus our cabin and lake homeowners and visitors too. Thank you.
In the meantime, what we want most from you are 1) your feedback on what you want to see here and 2) to provide us with news tips and story ideas. Please tell your friends about Burnettwire.com.
BurnettWire.com officially launches on Monday, December 4, 2017. You can also follow us on Facebook.
Last Update: Nov 30, 2017 8:54 am CST
