Letters to the Editor Policy

• Publication of any given letter is at our discretion. Letters are published as space is available.

• A letter to the editor should be organized as follows: First, a brief reference to the news story or current trend or development to which you are reacting. Next, a quick recitation of the argument you are supporting, opposing or correcting, followed by a statement of your own position. It is good to include an article title and date if you are responding to something specific. Then present your evidence.

• We will edit letters for clarity, grammar, punctuation and length and write headlines (titles) for letters at our discretion.

• Please don’t send us more than one letter per month. First priority for publication will be given to writers who have not submitted letters to us recently.

• Include your full name, mailing address, email address and day-time phone number. We will publish only your name and city or town of residence, but all of the information requested is needed for us to verify you are who you say you are.

• Letters will be considered only from people living in our area.

• Keep it polite: No name calling or “mudslinging.” Editors will discard letters containing personal attacks on individuals.

• Include a source — and a link to that source — for any information that is not common knowledge. We will not publish information, including quotes, that cannot easily be verified.

• We do not publish speculation about other people’s motives or thoughts. Please keep your comments to a person’s actions or statements.

• Generally we will not publish multiple letters that make the same point in a given week. Only submit ideas and opinions that are your own — and in your own words. We will not publish any letter that appears to be part of a letter-writing campaign or that copies text from an outside source, such as a website.

• We do not publish letters promoting a business, product or commercial service.

• Letters advocating for a political candidate are considered paid political speech. Please contact our advertising department for assistance.