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Beth Macy: "When the Local Paper Dies, the Community Follows"
10/30/2025
Beth Macy: "When the Local Paper Dies, the Community Follows"
Journalist Beth Macy, author of Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company That Addicted America, returns to her Ohio roots to chart what's been lost in the hollowing-out of middle America. Paper Girl: A Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America follows Macy's hometown of Urbana through addiction, poverty, and political drift, and her effort to reconnect with a onetime boyfriend turned conspiracy devotee. She also tells the story of Silas, a trans drum major fighting impossible odds in a collapsing public school system. Plus: New Jersey's governor's race, Mikie Sherrill vs. Jack Ciattarelli, where the air war is fought over college cheating scandals, helicopter piloting, and saying "um" too many times in one answer. Produced by Corey Wara Email us at To advertise on the show, contact or visit Subscribe to The Gist: Subscribe to The Gist Youtube Page: Subscribe to The Gist Instagram Page: Follow The Gist List at:
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