12 November—My god! Today’s Hearst RepublicanAmerican actually has a story about Litchfield on the front page over the fold. Over the fold! And it was written by a fully employed staff writer rather than a piece-working correspondent subsisting on scraps. Remember that Hearst Connecticut Media had effectively told poor little Litchfield to drop dead when it bought the Waterbury rag in February? And it has since provided negligible coverage of a few events—usually after being begged by local officials or activists?

While of some moment and consequence within Litchfield, the subject of today’s mercifully short story (comprising fewer than 200 words, including headline and sub-head) is of virtually no interest to the Waterbury rag’s declining readership not living and/or paying taxes in the town and is in all events subsidiary to its placement—and, indeed, to its very appearance in the Waterbury rag.

On the other hand, the Waterbury rag’s few remaining readers in Litchfield are presented with daily mega-doses of late (i.e., delayed by at least a day) news and associated crap with precious little interest for or relevance to them—us.

In all events, don’t wonder or worry what today’s banner-headline story is about, just marvel at its very creation, appearance, and position in the Hearst RepublicanAmerican. But don’t for one second think it’s a harbinger of Hearst Connecticut Media’s increased interest in or coverage of Litchfield.

Rest assured, if the Monitor had a fold, this would be over it: Before leaving Litchfield, it must be reported that Christmas lawn decorations have begun to appear on Meadow Street. And doubtless in other locations that our piece-working correspondent subsisting on scraps hasn’t driven by. Already. It’s only the second week of November and some Halloween decorations—some of them very clever, it must be said—are still gracing lucky lawns. And Thanksgiving is two weeks away. And Christmas is six weeks away. Jesus Christ! Rather, Santa Claus and Rudolph!

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So the House Democrats down in Washington have just released some new emails from Jeffrey Epstein that raise new questions about his relationship with Donald Trump. Well, Trump has nothing to worry about. Because like everything else that casts him in a bad light—like news and polls—the Epstein emails obviously are fake . . .