By Eliza Hallabeck
Published: Jun 05, 2020 11:00 am
The Newtown Bee’s presses are once again rolling, and a small but determined staff is making that happen.
The local paper temporarily suspended its weekly print publication and that of its sister publication Antiques and the Arts Weekly in April due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as announced by The Newtown Bee’s Owner and Publisher R. Scudder Smith on April 2. Leading up to that decision a small crew continued working, as highlighted by an April 7 online article.
The websites for both publications continued to be updated to keep readers informed throughout April and May.
Publishing the papers would not be possible without staff members returning to the red 5 Church Hill Road building. So for June 1, a first wave of writers, editors, and staff donned face masks and adhered to social distancing precautions in order to work toward the June 5 return to print for The Newtown Bee and for the June 19 return to print for Antiques and the Arts Weekly.
Many desks around the building remained empty, however, as more employees are expected to return in two more waves in the coming months. Photos from around the office, published above, show some of the staff hard at work.
Subscriptions to The Newtown Bee and Antiques and the Arts Weekly are being extended by 12 weeks for subscribers, to reflect the roughly two-month absence of the print publications. Subscriptions to The Newtown Bee’s print paper can be placed online, using the Subscribe tab at the top of the homepage at newtownbee.com, or by calling 203-426-3141. For information about subscribing to Antiques and the Arts Weekly go online to antiquesandthearts.com and click Subscription at the top of the page.
Office dog Libby Baggett assists Bee Publishing Co Production Manager Scott Baggett at his desk. —Bee Photos, Hallabeck
The Newtown Bee Editor Nancy K. Crevier, shown at her desk through an office window ahead of the paper’s June 5 return, steered news coverage even through the publication’s pause.
From left, The Bee Publishing Co office worker Ali Albini Baggett, and Business Manager Sherri Smith Baggett pay close attention to Bee office dog Piper Baggett.
The Newtown Bee Associate Editor John Voket never took his eyes away from covering all the news in Newtown between the paper’s temporary pause in production and its return on June 5.
Bee Publishing Co Sales Manager Ellen Therrien works at her desk.
The Bee Publishing Co Sales Representative Jeff Williams at his desk.
Within hours of returning to work following a furlough, The Newtown Bee Associate Editor Shannon Hicks’s desk was swiftly covered with two coffee mugs, necessary clutter, and her rubber band ball, right.
Antiques and the Arts Weekly Editor Greg Smith, pictured working diligently, stayed at the publication’s helm through the temporary pause of the print product.
Antiques and the Arts Assistant Editor Madelia Hickman Ring maintains her focus on producing the paper, even while working from home both during the pause in publication and ahead of the June 19 return. —Connor Ring photo
Antiques and the Arts W. A. “Will” Demers works from home.
The Newtown Bee education reporter Eliza Hallabeck turns away from her computer briefly, before returning to filing stories.—Bee Photo, Hicks
The Bee Publishing Co Graphic Designer Lynn Remson works ahead of the June 5 print edition of The Newtown Bee’s publication.
A view of a hallway with decorations in the building.
Bee Publishing Co Graphic Designer Anna Kalinowski at her desk.
Bee Publishing Co copyeditor/production department worker Linda Baur at her desk.
A sign on The Newtown Bee's 5 Church Hill Road building reads, "Please knock to enter or call 203-426-3141 to reach the front office. A mask must be worn to enter the building."
Magnets are used to note when staff are in the building.
