Otterblog

The definition of an office used to be pretty simple. It was the place where you went to work if you had a job that was behind a desk. Technology has changed that, and in a larger sense, an office is anywhere you can do work. It’s a state of mind, rather than a place. It can be at your home. Or at the coffee shop down the street. Or in the car (although not while driving.)

The Journal has for years maintained offices in Mount Airy and North Wilkesboro as part of our coverage of Northwest North Carolina. Beginning next month, those offices are closing. The reporters who work from those offices—Monte Mitchell and Sherry Youngquist—are staying. Readers have come to rely on them for their graceful and insightful coverage of the people and issues of the mountains and the foothills. But the office has become archaic. It was a place where your phone was. And your fax machine. You got your mail there, or at the nearby post office. Technology has changed all that. Most faxes are junk. Important documents get emailed. And the phone rings in your pocket. Wherever you are. Frequently at the most inopportune times.

This transition has been in the planning for some time. Monte and Sherry each say the best part of their job is getting out and meeting and talking with people about the issues that are important to them. We don’t expect that to change. If anything, we think this added mobility will give them more time to do the journalism we and you value.

Gas on the Web: We put out a request for help at about 2:15 for places t hat were charging ALOT for gas. Within 5 minutes, somebody emailed us a photo of a station in Lexington charging $5.35 a gallon.  Yowza.