Since the pandemic, there has been this shift in the labor market. There are consistently dozens of job openings listed with Job Service. It seems as almost every business in the county is constantly looking for help. Then comes the dilemma of how to run your business with reduced staff.

We see it in businesses across the county. Restaurants have reduced hours, even closing certain days of the week due to staffing shortages. Some businesses you see a different employee every time you walk in.

The workforce has changed since our parents' and grandparents' generation. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average person will have 12-15 jobs in their lifetime. That number was 5-7 in the 80s and 90s. People don't expect to have the same job forever any more. It is more acceptable, and almost expected, to switch careers and jobs.

We have written about these issues as your local newspaper, but it doesn't mean we are immune to the same struggles. As a small business owner, it seems I've had at least one position open at any given time in the last few years. Recently, almost every position was open at The Ledger.

Part of owning The Ledger has been diversifying the types of services we offer. We have a print shop. We offer UPS shipping. We take passport photos, make copies, create signs and offer a variety of other services. In a small town, we try to meet whatever need customers have. As we go through the same struggles as other small businesses, however, we will be doing some restructuring.

At its core, The Sanders County Ledger is a newspaper. At my core, I am a journalist. When I was at Colorado State University, I remember sitting around with fellow journalism students dreaming of buying a newspaper somewhere in the mountains, working together and running it the way we wanted. I love newspapers, and I love living in my hometown.

No matter what changes come to The Ledger, be it staffing or services, my commitment to local news remains strong. You might see reduced storefront hours if we are out conducting interviews or covering meetings, but know that just like every other small business in Sanders County, we are doing our best to provide for our communities.

— Annie Wooden