Hello readers!

If you don’t pay attention to our header on our paper each week, you wouldn’t know…. We have been publishing the Winter Texan Times since 1987. So, we are celebrating 35 years this season. What started as a bi-weekly paper by June Brann and Jim Brunson, has grown to a weekly paper during the Winter Texan season – October through March.

They saw the need 35 years ago, and the Winter Texan Times quickly became a staple in the Winter Texan community across the Valley.

 

My husband, the publisher and co-owner with me, is third generation in this business. The late June Brann was his grandmother, and Jim Brunson is his father. We bought the business just a couple of years ago when his dad retired. (The fourth generation is Anastasia Brunson, our oldest daughter, who works on the Parks Calendar, Classifieds, and all front office duties. It’s most likely her voice on the other end of the phone when you call.)

I had always enjoyed writing, so I think it was natural that he and I would end up together with me working with them at the paper – finding my calling as I tell him. We were young when we got married and I had no idea what I wanted to do until working behind the scenes on the newspapers – for the Winter Texan Times, the Progress Times, and the Texas Agri-News (another paper that was being published at the time in 1994). I enjoyed the work and eventually, after earning my communications degree, started writing for the Progress Times.

Now here we are ... I am editor and co-owner and get to have fun with y’all. Telling your stories. Delivering your news.

It is a very rewarding experience. We have enjoyed getting to know you. We have enjoyed spending time with you in the parks. We have also enjoyed getting to know the Wintertainers™ that come to the Valley to entertain you.

Brann brought a great product to you, and we hope we are continuing the tradition and giving you what you want.

With that I wanted to share some of what was said about the purpose of the paper in its beginnings – and I want to invite you, our readers, to help us out in fulfilling that purpose.

“For years we have wanted to publish a newspaper dedicated to Winter Texans – a newspaper for and about Winter Texans with news they can use, and news slanted for their particular interests and lifestyle.

“We are inviting you to send us letters to the editors. If you have a particular problem and can’t find the answer or don’t know where to go, we’ll try to help. This is your newspaper, and we want it to be what you want it to be.

“We’re interested in your birthdays and anniversaries. We’re interested in your new grandchildren. We’re interested in special activities within the park. We’re interested in your shuffleboard, bridge, and other winners.

“We’re particularly interested in people. If you’ve had an exciting life, an unusual career, an unusual hobby, we’d like for you to let us know. Have a favorite recipe or household hint you’d like to share? Send it to us.

“Above all, we’d appreciate your suggestions as to what you would like in this newspaper.”

Again, I invite you to share your news with us. Share the news you don’t mind sharing with others. We want to share what is important to you. We want to share what you want to read and see in a paper.

You can send stories, letters, or ideas to news@wintertexantimes.com.

If you are a park activity director, please send your list of open activities to parkscal@wintertexantimes.com.

Any advertising questions, send to ads@wintertexantimes.com.

If you want to see past issues, and the most recent issue, online, visit our website at www.wintertexantimes.com.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Carina A. Brunson