As I hope many of you have read by now, but for those of you who haven’t, Windsor Weekly will launch on Saturday, March 28.

This project is an idea that’s taken shape after much discussion over the past few years. In fact, when I first started free-lance writing in early 2011, I later offered that year to lead such a similar project if it would gain me full-time status. But I was admittedly too new to The Tidewater News, and the possibility of creating a new paper for Windsor was more of a vision than distinct possibility at that time.

The hope — the intention — is that Windsor Weekly will become a desired source of information reporting on concerns and issues, and not just a newsletter. Sure, there’ll be a place for calendar items and reports from civic and social clubs, etc., but it can also be a forum for you Windsorians to voice your opinion via letters to the editor and guest columns.

My personal hope is that coordinating the editorial content will become a successful weight-reduction plan that doesn’t involve drinking icky seaweed shakes or sweating to the oldies, by which I mean any music composed before 1990.

Admittedly, I didn’t really believe a few months ago this project would actually happen because securing advertisers seemed to be the roadblock. Once I realized that evidently wasn’t going to be an issue any more, then a reign of terror began to take hold in my imagination. The usual tiring and tiresome assortment of worries and fears kept saying such discouraging words such as, “You’re old. You’re weak. You’ll fail. You’ll crash and burn.”

Thankfully, that’s all dissipated considerably since the kickoff on Wednesday morning at the Ruritans’ clubhouse.

I’m no longer paralyzed at the thought of having to go out and beg for information, but there’s still a sense of trepidation. But with some practice, I think I’ll be able to channel the aforementioned worries and work into convincing my brain that I really don’t need food, no matter how loudly my stomach protests. Stay tuned on that front. If nothing else, it could become a column for another day.

Now, the email system has been set up, and you may contact me beginning today via editor@windsorweekly.com. You may still leave messages at 562-3187 as well.

There may be some bumps on the road for the newspaper at the start, but as long you are willing to talk, I’m willing to listen and write.

STEPHEN H. COWLES is a staff writer at The Tidewater News, and will be writing stories and editing submitted content for Windsor Weekly. He hopes to lose and keep off 20 pounds. As stated above, contact him at editor@windsorweekly.com or leave a message at 562-3187.