As I reach my one-year anniversary of writing this column, I am appreciative of all the interesting stories that folks share with me. A friend recently sent me some information about the Arlington Rotary Club, which aligned with my concerns about access to local news. In this case, it started with an obituary in the club’s newsletter that highlighted the amazing story of a long-time club member, Joseph Lott, who was a survivor of the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. He narrowly escaped being in the wrong place at the wrong time, thanks to a last-minute gift of an art tie from a friend. It is a fascinating story that you can access with a word search of “Joseph Lott World Trade Center.”  

As Mr. Lott walked through the smoke and debris of lower Manhattan that day, he assisted strangers and friends in a remarkable journey that no doubt influenced his decision to join the Rotary Club, and to live with a strong commitment to service. As noted in the obituary, community service was central to Mr. Lott’s identity. He was a proud member of Rotary International, serving twice as President of the Arlington Rotary Club. He particularly enjoyed supporting the Arlington Rotary Educational Foundation, directing scholarship funds to local students. In recognition of his commitment, he received the Arlington Inter-Service Club Council Community Leader Award in 2014. 

I share this story about Mr. Lott as a follow-up to my column last week, where I wrote that there were three things I would like to see in our local news landscape in Arlington. Those three elements are (i) local sports news, (ii) letters to the editor, and (iii) obituaries. Of course, those items are an add-on to the need for basic community news on a daily basis. At this time, I am finding that, for daily Arlington news, I am generally relying on the online publication known as ARLnow, which provides newsletter emails with Arlington-focused articles. I also appreciate their “Early Morning Notes,” where they curate news items from other publications in our region. Their website has several separate sections, which include a listing of letters to the editor, obituaries, and sports. Those categories appear to be in the early stages of development for ARLnow; hopefully we will see an expansion in those matters. I must say that one potentially dangerous part of their system is that ARLnow accepts anonymous comments – I have mixed feelings about the usage of comments in publications. 

There are other online publications that send out newsletter emails, such as Arlington Patch (daily emails) and Arlington Buzz (a weekly email with a listing of local events).  Then there is Arlington Magazine, which covers Arlington and Falls Church with a print magazine issued six times a year.  And I am certain that I will hear from many of you of other suggestions for local news and information. 

In closing, it is appropriate to note the passing of William T. Newman, Jr., who grew up in Arlington, started a local law practice, and went on to become the first African American elected to the Arlington County Board in the 20th century. Newman became a judge for the Arlington County Circuit Court, where he was chief judge for two decades. His legacy includes being the founder of the Arlington Community Foundation, which has blossomed as an organization and now touches virtually every corner of the Arlington community.  It is my hope that you can find some comprehensive obituaries about Judge Newman that capture the extent of his life’s work. I would note that in one of my history columns last year, I shared a story about an experimental worship service held at Rock Spring Congregational Church in 1968, involving a play with “racial tensions,” written by a Wakefield High School senior by the name of Bill Newman. His commitment to justice started at an early age! 

The life stories of people such as Judge Newman and Mr. Lott are a testament to the value of making a commitment to serving the community, and to sustaining institutions that outlast any one moment. It is good to be reminded of such stories by way of our local news coverage.