A colleague describes what we do at the Valley News as “a daily miracle” because so many people and procedures have to come together every day to produce our newspaper and deliver it to our readers. We manage to perform that miracle consistently enough that it is particularly important to acknowledge those times when we fall short in any aspect of the process.

In certain areas of the Upper Valley, our delivery to subscribers has been particularly troublesome for an extended period of time. We have a large number of dedicated delivery contractors who work extremely hard to get subscribers their newspapers 364 days a year. They are out in the early hours of the morning on all kinds of roads during all five seasons (including mud season). We also have a dedicated team of employees who assist with the delivery process and are called on to assist when delivery routes are not completed. The current employment market in the Upper Valley has made it extremely difficult to find drivers for routes and also more difficult to replace drivers who are not providing the service that you deserve and expect. We have had to give multiple routes to the same driver in order to get papers delivered. The downside to that solution is that papers don’t always get delivered on time.

I recognize that many other Upper Valley businesses also have struggled to maintain adequate staffing. What differentiates us is how directly it affects a fundamental aspect of what we do: When we cannot recruit good drivers, some of our readers don’t get their paper when they need and expect it.

It is important that you let us know when you do not get good service. We recently launched a program that gives all subscribers online access to their accounts through vnews.com. Once you log in, you can see your account balance and expiration date, make a payment or file a complaint. If you prefer to speak with someone, you can call us at 603-298-7739, Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and weekends, 7 to 10 a.m.

We are trying our best to enlist new drivers to improve the delivery service. If you are not receiving good service, please let us know and bear with us. Each and every reader is important to us, and we will do everything we can to get the paper to you in a timely fashion. If you know anyone looking for work in the early morning hours, 364 days a year, please have them contact us at the above telephone number.

Thank you for being a Valley News reader and supporting local journalism.

Daniel McClory

Publisher, Valley News