A Note From the Publisher | Forty Years Later, The Story Continues

Courtesy Photo: Community engagement has always been at the heart of The Chronicle’s mission. Pictured at Fountain of Love Church in Muskegon during a 2015 voter registration drive are Yanice Carter, Retired NBA Player Jay Vincent, Chronicle co-founder Larry “Jay Price” Carter, and co-founder Carolyn Carter. The event reflected the publication’s longstanding commitment to informing, empowering, and connecting communities through civic engagement and public service.

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Forty years ago, my parents, Carolyn Carter and Larry "Jay Price" Carter, launched a newspaper with a simple but powerful belief: our community deserved to see itself reflected with dignity, accuracy, and pride. What began in 1986 as The Lansing Editorial, renamed to The Captial Chronicle, and now The Chronicle Newspaper became much more than a publication. It became a trusted voice, a historical record, a community gathering place, and a platform where local stories mattered. Through changing times, changing technology, and changing generations, The Chronicle remained committed to one mission: connecting communities one story at a time.

As a child, I grew up around the newspaper. I watched stories come together, deadlines approach, and community leaders walk through our doors. I learned that journalism is about more than reporting the news. It is about preserving history, amplifying voices, and creating a permanent record of the people and moments that shape our lives.

Over the past four decades, The Chronicle has celebrated achievements, documented challenges, highlighted local businesses, supported nonprofit organizations, and shared stories that may otherwise have gone untold. We have laughed together, mourned together, advocated together, and celebrated together. Through it all, this community has been the heart of everything we do.

This anniversary is especially meaningful because it comes after the loss of both of our founders. While Carolyn and Jay are no longer with us physically, their vision remains alive in every issue we publish, every story we tell, and every community partnership we build. Their legacy continues to guide us forward.

Today, The Chronicle has evolved beyond a newspaper into a multimedia community network that includes digital publishing, podcasting, author development, youth programming, community storytelling initiatives, and educational partnerships. Through The Sunday Chronicle Podcast, Chronicle Publishing Co., Chronicle Kids, Lansing Community Catalyst, One Day Film Skool, and our expanding community collaborations, we are continuing the work they began while preparing for the future.

This special edition is both a celebration and a thank you. Thank you to our readers who have welcomed The Chronicle into your homes for four decades. Thank you to our advertisers, sponsors, partners, and supporters who understand the value of community journalism. Thank you to the volunteers, contributors, photographers, writers, and team members who help make this work possible. Most importantly, thank you to the community. This newspaper has never belonged to one person or one family alone. It belongs to all of us.

As we celebrate forty years of service, we also look ahead with excitement and purpose. There are still stories to tell, voices to uplift, and communities to connect. Forty years later, the story continues.

With gratitude,

Yanice Yvette. Carter

Publisher, The Chronicle News

Executive Director, Lansing Community Catalyst Corp.