Its only been a short time, a matter of weeks, that the COVID-19 stay-at-home directives have been in place, but, already, it seems a bit eerie to think about being in a confined space with a large crowd again.

Sure, I see people in the grocery store, but little eye contact is made, faces partially hidden behind masks, all giving an extra-wide berth as we pass in the aisles.

It’s like being alone in a crowd.

That feeling of being alone in a crowd reminded me of something I wrote a couple years ago when visiting Washington, D.C.

I was in the Newseum, a museum dedicated to reinforcing the First Amendment and the right of a free press. It was the Fourth of July weekend, large crowds everywhere, including the Newseum, but, when I came around the corner and the 9/11 exhibit was directly in front of me, I, as did all the other visitors, went quiet.

I stood there silently, alongside strangers who, for whatever reason, were in the same spot at the same time as me. Glances were shared as we tried to see if what we were feeling was as emotional to one as it seemed for all.

Not 10 feet in front of me hung the circular steel inner workings of one of the jet engines that was recovered from the 9/11 terrorist attack on the twin towers of the World Trade Center. And, just a few feet to the right, was a glass case containing a half-dozen charred cell phones, some which may have been heard ringing by the first responders as concerned family members tried to reach their loved ones in the moments following the breaking news of the catastrophe.

Next to that exhibit was the actual communication tower that once sat atop the towers, and behind it, on the nearly 20-foot wall were images of hundreds of the front pages of newspapers that graphically told the story to hundreds of millions of stunned Americans.

I was moved by this, thinking of the thousands of reporters who, just the day before 9/11 were digging into the bowels of their communities across our great nation to show you images and tell the stories of who we were and what was happening in the towns we live in.

Now, I realize the media is taking it on the chin these days, led mostly by our president, who views us as the enemy of the American people. Clearly, some in the media do have an agenda or bias, and I highly condemn those who have drifted so far from the responsibilities of a free press, but the vast number of newspapers are reporting the news with the highest journalistic standards.

As I turned yet another corner in the Newseum, laid out before us were the actual newspapers telling us the story of Jesse James’ demise, Martin Luther King’s tumultuous journey, and President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. There were sections of the Berlin Wall, accounts of Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon, all reaffirming a quote by a former Washington Post publisher: “Journalism is the first rough draft of history.”

The First Amendment is first for a reason, granting, among other things, a free press. Imagine for a moment if there were no media, or, equally dangerous, a press controlled by the government. Our right to know is a fundamental and vital part of our democracy, and the alternatives to a free press would undermine the very foundation of America.

Closer to home, I can’t help but think about the thousands in Northeast Michigan who rely on The Alpena News to bring us the latest happenings each day. As a retired newspaper publisher, I know firsthand their struggles in covering this latest national tragedy, as they must balance their journalistic responsibilities, cope with trying to protect their employees, and manage their way through unprecedented times both from a physical newspaper production facility to keeping the ship afloat financially.

They may not have the national clout of many media giants, but their readers depend on them, which makes them every bit as influential on the local level. I am one of those readers, and I am proud of the job The News is doing in print and digital publications, as well as staying on top of this constantly moving COVID-19 target.

The Alpena News is not the “Opposition Party.” They are dedicated to bringing you the news. The News is not perfect, although they try to be. They misspell words, although they try not to. They cover stories they wish they didn’t have to when the stories involve tragedy or loss of life.

It’s a tough job, but they are really good at it.

So, thank you, Alpena News employees, contractors and carriers. Thank you for courageously covering these unprecedented times to bring us daily the “first rough draft of history.”

Greg Awtry is the former publisher of the Scottsbluff (Neb.) Star-Herald and Nebraska’s York News-Times. He is now retired and living in Hubbard Lake. Greg can be contacted at gregawtry@awtry.com.