On April 4, the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office recognized “National Hug a Newsperson Day” and officially said thank you to two solid Waldo County reporters: Erica Thoms, who writes for PenBayPilot.com, and Ben Holbrook, of the Republican Journal.

“Here at Waldo County Sheriff’s Office, we did not want the day to pass without recognizing a couple of our local reporters that we work alongside on a daily basis,” wrote Chief Deputy Jason Trundy.

“We have found both Ben and Erica to be respectful community partners who report in a fair and thoughtful manner,” he said. “We truly appreciate the positive working relationship that we have enjoyed with these local reporters and the news agencies they represent.”

No one is sure about the who, when, where and why of Hug a Newsperson Day got started; it was originally Hug a Newsman Day, so we figure it’s at least a few decades old.

Out of the 1,200 special days now that are marked on calendars that note national “days” this one can be counted among our favorite.

According to NationalToday.com, there are good reasons to hug a newsperson. Here is one:

“They’re always professional
“Newspeople put aside their personal opinions and report on the news impartially, so that people on both sides of the aisle can stay informed. It takes maturity and intelligence to put aside your personal opinions to show both sides of an issue—even if you think one side is completely wrong. Plus, we’re sure they’ve developed enviable game faces. If we ever decide to play poker professionally, we want the face of a news anchor.”

It’s true. We can play poker.

It’s rare for newspeople to get hugged and this gesture by the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office is truly appreciated. Thank you!