THIS ISSUE MARKS the end of our fourth year of publishing the Kickapoo Free Press. It is also the final issue that I will be editing and publishing, and likely the final issue of the paper. There are a couple people who are still considering whether or not they want to buy the paper and continue the work. For now, what I know is that it is time for me to set it down and move on to other things.

The KFP has become a well-loved staple of life in the Kickapoo Valley, and it is a difficult decision to stop publishing it. I appreciate all the support, encouragement, and affection that our readers, our advertisers, and our contributors have given this project over these years.

I am thrilled that we can end the paper with a profile of artist Peter Hodapp. Not only has he recently won a national award for his work, but he has been a steady and important contributor to this newspaper. It’s a fitting way to end the paper.

There are lots of hard parts about saying goodbye to this project. I know that many advertisers will miss having a great way to connect with customers old and new. I know that readers will miss the great stories that came to the KFP. I will miss all these things as well.

Probably most of all, though, I’ll miss working with the people who helped put the paper together each month. This group is dedicated, smart, funny, and kind: writers, photographers, artists, art directors, designers, a loyal and honest bookkeeper (thanks, Mom), a keen copy editor, a reliable distributor. Month after month, these people came together to make beautiful, informative, lively, and well-written pages about the people who live here.

To this great group, my deepest gratitude. Some of you came for just an issue, some have been with the paper since the very beginning (thanks, John, Loma, Mark, Prudence, Ryan), some made huge contributions over long periods of time, and some have contributed when you could. Thank you, all of you, for doing this work, and for making it feel more like play.

Leigh Anders, Charles Angell, David Banner, Ed Barlow, Lars Bergen, Sandra Berger, Arthur Bernstein, Helen Beutler, Richard Bock, David Boyer, Jenelle Boyer, Rosanne Boyett, Claire Champion, Chela, Laura Clark, Robert J. Cook, Apple Corbin, Lisa Henner Criste, Adam Cox, Gabrielle Daniels, Pete Daniels, Ben DeLine, Hank Deutsch, Kim Dowat, Dena Eackles, Steve Elfrink, Ryan Evans, Erin Ford, Kate Fitzgerald, Adam Fogelson, Steven Fortney, Adrienne Fox, Jeremy Frandrup, Eric Frydenlund, Adrienne Gage, Jenna Graf, Curt Gravatt, Tom Gullion, Joe Hart, Merrily Helgeson, Peter Hodapp, Gil Hoel, Gregg Hoffman, Ed Holahan, Mitch Hopkins, David Hough, Loma Huh, Missy Hughes, Tucker Hughes, Sue Hulsether, Bill Humphrey, Sofya Hundt, Leigh Jardine, Susan Johnson, Mark Kastel, Christian Kayishema, Julie Kienitz, Sung Du Kim, Keefe Keeley, Patty Kinsey, Jim Klousia, Mr Koppa, Jane Kouba, Patrick Kouba, Carol Kozminski, Roy Kradle, Jeanette Koester, Richard LaMartina, Chris Larson, Angie Lawrence, Irving Leif, Marilyn Leys, Ron Leys, Tony Macasaet, Rich Maurer, Jerry McIntire, Lou Mindar, Tina Montonaro, Ann Morrison, Laura Negronida, Fred Nelson, Eddy Nix, Eugenia Nordskog, Joseph O’Brien, K O’Brien, Irene O’Connor, JoAn O'Connor, Doreen O’Donnell, Carol Oliver, Heidi Overson, Susan Paull, Dan Peak, Jerry Quebe, Vicki Ramsay, Joe Rising, Nora Roughen, David Romary, Valorie Schaefer, Jim Schaffer, David Schmitz, E.P. Schultz, Sheila Sherwin, Drew Shonka, Geri Shonka, Matt Shortridge, John H. Sime, Kim Sines, Carolyn Solverson, Mark L. Taylor, Anne Tedeschi, Prudence Tippins, Andreas Transo, Matthew J. Voz, Rebecca Wainscott, Theresa Washburn, Rachael Way, Arwyn Wildingway, f.e. Wildingway, Rachel Wolf, Nick Wroblewski

I will still be in Viroqua, and I suspect we’ll run into each other in our little town. I’m looking forward to that.