I want to thank Larry Jennings for alerting me to the proper use of the word Ott, as I applied it in last week’s editorial.

However, I knew people did not say “naught” when referring to years in the first decade of the Twentieth Century, such as “nineteen naught six”. So, I spelled it “Ott”, just guessing. My spelling was incorrect, but I was right phonetically; the word was sounded as Ott.

This very important issue caused me some puzzlement, then I remembered the nation’s favorite hunting round of well beyond the 1950s. It was the 30-06, referred to as the thirty “aught” six, and certainly never referred to as the thirty “naught” six. This was (is) the famous .30-06 Springfield cartridge, 7.62x63mm metrically. Yeah, I remember all about the 270, but the aught-six was king (and ammo was cheap!). This designation came from the fact that the Army adopted this round in 1906, or, as old-timers say, nineteen-aught six.

Therefore, although my spelling was (characteristically) incorrect, the pronunciation was correct. Anyway, the aughts are now behind us. Now we’re into the “tens”?

***

I have a few important announcements to make concerning the Gazette.

The publisher is always the last person wanting to raise rates, but this must be done for the following reasons. Beginning February first, the single copy price of the Gazette will go to $1.00. This would be consistent with every weekly or bi-weekly community paper in Ventura County that I’m aware of. Most raised their prices several years ago.

The reasons are many and important. Basically, costs have risen in an increasingly down market. Taxes are up significantly becoming almost confiscatory, and are soon to rise again sharply under the Obama presidency. The Gazette hasn’t raised costs for anything in years. We can no longer afford to ignore new fiscal realities.
Secondly, annual subscriptions, starting February first, will go to $50 per year. Again, after increased mailing and distribution costs, taxes, and anticipated tax increases, our rates must be raised. These rates will not take effect until the first of February, leaving three weeks for current subscribers to re-subscribe at the present rate.

There is some good news, however. Within the next few months the Gazette will inaugurate its third version of its website: fillmoregazette.com.

For three years, the Gazette has absorbed the very considerable cost of developing, equipping, and maintaining its websites. This has been done because there is a very real need for online communication and news for the City of Fillmore.

The present (second) site has been phenomenally successful, at no cost to viewers. For example, for the year 2009, the Gazette site has registered 13 million hits, with 1.5 million pages read. More important, the site has attracted a monthly average of 16,000 “unique” visitors, totaling nearly 200,000 for the year. A “Unique” visitor is one coming from a new computer, and one who stays at the site for at least a half-hour. The new, extensively expanded version has been under development for nearly a year. Its new features will make available a huge variety of news sources and many other valuable uses. This, all to the credit of our web creator and webmaster, Scott Duckett.

These are the reasons for the price increases. The new website is expected to be launched in the first quarter of this new year.