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We've had many calls from readers who are unhappy about our change to a five-day-a-week publishing schedule — with the sixth day on the Web.

I expect we'll hear from sports readers, too, after we move the sports pages back inside the paper, instead of upside-down and on the back.

The first change was an extreme cost-cutting move, and the second was a revenue-enhancing one. Advertising pays our bills, and the back page is prime ad space. I think these business decisions will strengthen our family-owned company, and I'm excited about the prospects of using the Web site for breaking news. But change is difficult.

I'll likely write more about this in the next few days, but I'd like to hear from you, too. If you have questions, feel free to post them, and I'll try to answer them.

Thanks,
Cheri

Posted by cmatthews at February 27, 2006 10:11 PM

Totally off topic ...
I read Bill Burdette's obituary yesterday, and it reminded me of when I found the Byron Hot Springs. That place has always captured my imagination. I wished I could have picked this guy's brain, because at first I had a hard time researching the hotel. I discovered the place about 6 months ago when I was looking for the closest, natural hot springs. I walked the property, and it is amazing. There’s a huge 4-story brick hotel with a grand walkway and what once was a beautiful fountain.
When you walk through it, you get really eerie feeling because it’s been vacant for so long. It’s just a big old 4-story hotel out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by hundreds of cows grazing. It’s funny that the rich and famous would visit the place at the turn of the century when mineral waters would cure anything. In the depression people lost interest in such things and the place went bankrupt. Then shut down for years. Then the government acquired the property because of its size and location modified it and reopened for service as a prison camp. During this time they also capped off the well to the hot springs for security reasons. I bet they just did not want the prisoners to go swimming in the big old indoor and outdoor mineral pools. Now it is owned by a rancher who hopes to sell the property to some developers. There is also an awesome craftsman home next to the hotel that recently burnt down. I think I was one of the last ones to see it because it burnt down like a week after I walked the property. I did find the salt water hot springs its still there it’s a small pond and very salty. I just think it would be a good story from a historic prospective.

Posted by: Brian Barringer at March 2, 2006 11:08 AM

I was not aware of its prison camp status. I was always under the impression the government used it as a Sanitarium possibly to treat TB or something like that.

Yes, some accurate history from some of our local historians would be nice before such history is lost forever.

I can think of a couple of Tracyites who have lived here all their lives and have the expertice to provide such histories. But I will not mention them here until I have spoken with them. The Museum folks, members of the West Side Pioneers, would be a great place to start.

Posted by: Dave Hardesty at March 7, 2006 07:24 AM

I understand the interest in cutting costs; you are, after all, a business. I am finding in my advanced age that any time you make a change, there are people who are going to react. There is no way around it. As far as having no paper on Monday mornings? It just gives me less to do, and more time to get ready for my work week.
In other words, I am sure we will all survive.

Posted by: Ed Gable at March 20, 2006 09:11 AM