Hi.

This is my first full week as the new publisher of the Warwick Beacon. In my wildest dreams, this is not a sentence I ever thought I would write.

As John Howell shared in his May 16 column, the Beacon is in an exciting moment of transition. (https://warwickonline.com/stories/fox-to-succeed-howell-as-beacon-communications-publisher,250467?)

Exciting because John isn't going far, and we get to soak up all the advice and wisdom that comes with running a community newspaper group for 54 years. Exciting because this trusted, reliable source of local information is staying locally owned. I grew up in Cranston. I live in Warwick.

I am also filled with gratitude. John is known for taking chances and giving people their first opportunity in news.

My first shot was as an intern during my senior year at St. Mary Academy - Bay View. The next shot was two years after my graduation from Rhode Island College. My beat was Cranston and my time at the Herald was marked by 9/11 and The Station Nightclub fire.

And now he's giving me the biggest shot of all, letting me take the reins from him after five decades as the majority owner and publisher of Beacon Media.

My gratitude extends to the countless people who helped me understand the intricacies of this small business as well as the demands of running a weekly newspaper group, including retired Beacon General Manager Rich Fleischer. His advice and wisdom have been invaluable. And an extra special thank you to my family and friends, especially my parents, Wendy and P.J. Fox, my biggest cheerleaders.

Even with my excitement and gratitude, there are challenges ahead. Newspapers have faced tremendous pressure for some time now.

I delivered the Evening Bulletin and the Sunday Providence Journal, and I competed with the Providence Journal West Bay Bureau as a Cranston Herald reporter. The Evening Bulletin and the West Bay Bureau are both long gone.

There is incredible strain and fierce competition from quick-hit digital options, like Next Door, Facebook, and TikTok, to name a few, doesn’t help. We are not immune to these forces, and they have cut into our ability to fund delivering the news you rely on each week.

Despite these obstacles, I do see a path to sustain and grow the Warwick Beacon for decades to come. And this path starts with you, our loyal readers, and advertisers.

As we continue to cover the community and explore new ways to deliver the news, we want to hear from you. And we hope you will continue to subscribe and use us to spread the word about your business.

This is your community, and it is an honor to be your newspaper of record.

Let's tell Warwick's story together for the next 50 years.

Thank you.