I write this a few days removed from another terrific Taste of East Cobb, where we were a sponsor once again, and as National Small Business Week begins.

Running a small business can seem like a roller coaster, and those two events exemplify the emotional ride that can take place perfectly.

It was heartening to hear from readers who stopped by our table on Saturday to tell us how much they appreciate East Cobb News, and the deeply hyperlocal approach we take to covering stories and promoting local businesses.

On the other hand, it was head-scratching to learn what amounts to be lip service once again being paid to small business from the political and business establishment.

When asked during an interview recently about offering tariff relief for small businesses, President Trump was annoyed by the question. “You pick up a couple of little businesses? What about the car business? They’re going to make a fortune.”

With all due respect to the auto industry—which has received government subsidies the Moms and Pops could never dream of—so much for looking out for Main Street over Wall Street. This isn’t a partisan complaint, because previous presidents of both parties, as well as members of Congress, have demonstrated the same lack of concern for many years.

Already in the chaos of the tariff rollouts we’ve seen the corporate rich get exemptions in China (Apple) or ask for them (Nike, Adidas, etc.). These are multi-billion global brands that spend lavishly on campaign contributions and lobbyists to get what they want from politicians, at a minimum concessions to cover their lost profit margins.

But as we reported last week with the story of The Queen’s Pantry import retailer here in East Cobb, small businesses are facing uncertainty that could sink them entirely.

Some think it could be as devastating as business shutdowns during COVID. I hope that’s not the case.

I write this as a small business owner who didn’t stop publishing during the pandemic, even as my financial sustainability was seriously threatened. Advertisers were facing extinction as well, and I know some business owners who had to shut down for good after having lost everything.

At East Cobb News, I felt like we owed it to our community to provide all the latest updates, and we did this for months. There were times I wondered how much longer I could shoulder on.

But we’re not just a local news provider, we’re one of the hundreds of small businesses in East Cobb that persevered and carried on during a very difficult time, and grateful to still be around.

Looking back, that’s when I probably should have begun asking readers for their financial support, like I’m asking for yours today.

Please donate today!

The value of what we do every day was noticeable by so many of you during COVID, and on so many other occasions, and you have told us so.

I know and have met so many local business owners in East Cobb, including Sam Garmon at The Queen’s Pantry, who bend over backwards to serve their customers and who want to make an impact in the community.

They volunteer their time, show up at community events, give away products and services and reach out to truly help others, especially those in need.

Whatever you do this week, please patronize your favorite local businesses, and tell them how much you appreciate them! The next few months could be make-or-break for many.

What we do is about so much more than the bottom line, but some admittedly are seeing a bottom line that could be looking very grim real soon.

As newspapers continue to decline or just wither away altogether—a 157-year-old publication in upstate New York folded recently with newsprint tariffs being the final straw—the prospect for local news is getting more challenging as well.

At East Cobb News, we’re not expected to be affected by the tariffs, and we don’t have the kind of overhead that a newspaper requires.

But we do ask readers to consider what they appreciate when they visit our site, get the newsletter, or check our social media pages for updates.

What you get is unlike anything else in this community—daily news as it happens—without being charged for it. There’s no paywall, and we want to keep it that way because our mission includes making local news accessible to all.

If this really matters to you, we’d like for you to become a regular supporter of our community-driven approach to local news.

If you could take just a moment to set up a recurring donation on our payment system linked just below—we’re suggesting $6 a month, but it can be any amount you like, monthly, annually or one-time—we would appreciate it very much!

Become a regular supporter!

 

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