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COVID-19’s global reach has hit the nation like nothing we have ever seen.

Looking back at the last 102 years, we have seen the Spanish Flu, the Great Depression, World Wars I and II and 9/11. That’s not including many other wars, natural disasters and diseases that have plagued our nation.

Unfortunately, the coronavirus has hit us all at once, from every angle imaginable.

Stanly County is not immune. We have witnessed businesses close while others try to stay open in the best ways they know how. We see children in need of food because they can’t go to school. We see performing arts and sports organizations with no audience to perform for.

Nearly everyone in this country has been impacted by the virus, and they have had to make a personal choice on how to react.

Just like many businesses, the newspaper industry is not immune.

Many newspapers are making severe cuts to their expenses.

The Stanly News & Press is not having to make as drastic of a move.

The SNAP, just like other members of its parent company, is deciding to eliminate one of its print days to become more sustainable during this uncertain time.

Beginning this week, we will drop from three editions to two issues per week. You will no longer receive a SNAP on Thursday.

It was a tough decision, but this is the best one in the worst of times.

Much cost goes into printing a newspaper and having it mailed out three times per week. We had already made strides in cost savings earlier this year, but then the virus hit.

Stores closed. Advertising took a plunge.

With the uncertainty of when we will be back to a more normal life, we had to take this step.

For subscribers, your subscription will run a little longer than you were expecting. For example, someone who chose to subscribe on Friday for three months, roughly 36 issues, will get the same amount of issues — just spaced across a longer time.

For advertisers, your advertising dollar goes a bit longer. That is crucial during this time. If you were advertising in each issue, now you can get a little bigger ad across the two issues. If you advertise in Tuesday’s edition, an added feature is that it has a longer shelf life now to get your message across.

As we have for 140 years, The SNAP has always adjusted with the situation.

With this step, we aim to provide a little larger edition on Tuesday and the Weekend with regular and fresh content. We will also continue to provide updates at thesnaponline.com throughout the week.

Anyone with further questions can email editor B.J. Drye at bj.drye@stanlynewspress.com or call 704-982-2123.

As with other times where this county has been challenged over the last 140 years, we are there with you.

We hope this step makes us stronger and allows us to keep you informed for generations to come.