Greetings, readers. With our first issue we wanted to stress something important.  Something that, as students of Oswego State, is a near civic duty: supporting the community we live in. While many students argue that Oswego does not have that much to offer, there are many great businesses that go unnoticed. From restaurants on the river to snazzy shops in the Canal Commons, Oswego is loaded with options for dining and shopping. The key is to go out and give the city a chance.

Of course, just running through town with no objective may not be productive, so we would like to help. Here at The Oswegonian, we have always encouraged readers to get into town, but now we want to make it easier and less confusing. That is why, we are launching The Lighthouse, a new, online-exclusive section. This is not a critique of modern lighthouse architecture; it is a city guide to help students discover Oswego. The section will provide an interactive map of exciting locations and a quick rundown of businesses in the city, as well as a consistently-updated blog that will write features on businesses and reviews of restaurants. We also want to have some fun with the section, so we will include blog posts about the best places to find a sandwich or catch a sunset. We want to provide students with as many suggestions for a night out in the city as possible, so if you have any suggestions, please send them our way.

Too often, students spend their weekends ordering Dominoes and running to McDonald’s when they grow tired of dining hall food (as we all know inevitably happens). Why not order a sub from Oswego Sub Shop or check out one of Oswego’s great diners, like The Ritz or Wade’s? The point is, we are now members of this community. As with any other community in these trying times, the best thing to do is support one another. This town sees its population increase literally by the thousands every August. Instead of dreading the return of unruly students, the local business should be excited for the return of customers and neighbors. Our hope is that, with The Lighthouse, we can help to develop this type of dynamic.