Main street math is getting harder

Last week, we mentioned that we were looking for help here at the Gazette, and that request did not go unnoticed. We thank you for your interest, your referrals, and your willingness to help. Interviews are underway, and while we’ve had some encouraging conversations, we are still far from being fully staffed.

That bit of business is not unrelated to today’s topic. After last week’s editorial on the shifting labor landscape, we heard from readers who shared stories, encouragement, and hard-earned wisdom—along with a few job inquiries. The challenge of finding and keeping good people remains very real, not just for us, but across our entire region. Which brings us to this week’s question: What happens to a community when its institutions—newspapers, schools, clinics—can no longer find the people to keep them going?

Thankfully, we have not reached that point yet. Quite the opposite. We actually have growth on our minds.

We’re hiring—not just because we need help, but because we believe in investing in McCook. A newspaper without staff is just a blank page. A town without its institutions is just a name on a map. Whether you’re a writer, a photographer, or just someone who wants to be part of something that matters, we hope you’ll consider joining us. There’s room for good people here.

If somewhere along the way, we give the impression that we have a soft spot for local, independent businesses in this space, that perception is correct. We don’t just report on the labor shortage, or taxes or regulatory challenges—we live it. Like many small operations across southwest Nebraska, the Gazette has felt the squeeze, and it is not just about help wanted signs or open schedules. It is about keeping up with rising costs without breaking trust with longtime customers.

Across our business community, input costs—everything from paper to power to insurance—have risen steadily. Yet few of us are eager to raise prices. No one wants to punish the customer just for keeping the lights on. This is the math of main street: costs go up, margins go down, and loyalty sits on the ledger like the only number that still matters.

That equation gets more complicated when small shops are forced to compete with offshore goods and services that ignore the rules we are expected to follow—rules about labor, safety, environmental impact, and human decency. It is hard to tout “Made in America” with pride when that label also means being priced out of the market.

Add to that, unstable supply chains, inflated credit card processing fees, and insurance premiums that seem to rise whether claims are filed or not. The picture gets darker still. Regulatory changes only add to the pressure. Activist groups continue to push wage and benefit initiatives straight to the ballot box, where few workers turn down an opportunity to vote themselves a raise, regardless of who is left to pay for it.

Even when help is available, it may not be the help a business needs. The workforce mismatch is real. Many job seekers prefer remote roles. Others require more training than a small team can reasonably provide. Some stay for a season, then move on. It is a pattern too many employers know by heart.

We feel your pain because we are living it, yet we also believe in the resilience of this community. As neighbors, we share the burdens, celebrate the victories, and, when necessary, commiserate together. That, too, is part of the local economy, and it is something worth preserving.