By Rosanna Trestman
One day in late summer 2000 I got a house call from a perfect stranger wanting to know if I would like to start a newspaper. Like myself he was a recent arrival from the big city and missed the ready flow of news available from multiple sources.
Lloyd Garrison, who also lived in the relatively remote south part of town, had tracked me down after reading an online news bulletin I had started.

Lloyd appreciated that to keep current on town happenings one had to loiter at the post office, pick up gossip at the pharmacy, read notices on the library bulletin board and swing by town hall.

When he came to my door, reporter’s notebook in hand, eager to immediately start a real newspaper, he was greeted by a woman, nine months pregnant. His disappointment was evident—but we found common ground, discussed our venture and planned to launch the paper in a year.

Lloyd could talk anyone into joining our team and over two years we were able to recruit talented writers, designers and news people, as well as an advertising and business manager, all pitching in on a volunteer’s salary.

With his impressive experience and wisdom in the world of journalism, he took the lead, but, ever generous and open to fresh ideas, he treated me as an equal. Norfolk Now could never have existed without Lloyd at the helm.