Turning the page

Thirty-five years ago, my wife, Pat, and I took on an exciting new challenge as managers and editors of The Rotonda Review, a newspaper, a marketing tool for Cape Cave Corp. Pat brought her experience as a graphic designer and art director from Toronto, Canada, while I had been a partner in the Englewood Print Center.

As time passed, we began incorporating more Englewood content, and the community responded enthusiastically. People expressed interest in having a newspaper dedicated to Englewood. When Cape Cave Corp. changed ownership, the new owners decided they weren’t in the publishing business. That gave us the opportunity to acquire the paper in 1994. A couple of years later, we re-branded the paper as The Englewood Review and shifted from a monthly to a biweekly publication.

At the time, we faced stiff competition from two well-established daily newspapers, both of which also had strong weekly editions. To survive, we had to stand out. Our solution was to focus on local, positive community news, with an emphasis on calendar events. That approach struck a chord with readers, and as a result, both our audience and advertising sales grew steadily.

Running the newspaper, however, was an all-consuming job. With a small staff, it was essentially a seven-day-a-week commitment, making vacations nearly impossible. The rare times we could get away, we spent time visiting family. In 2010, Pat passed away after a 10-month battle with bacterial meningitis. Suddenly, I found myself not only running the paper but also stepping into the role of editor–something that was outside my expertise. I kept going because I couldn’t afford to hire an editor, and I wasn’t ready to walk away from the work we had built together.

Now, after 35 years, it’s time for me to turn the page. I’m ready to retire, travel, and enjoy all that Englewood has to offer.

To our readers–thank you. Your loyalty and support of our advertisers have kept this newspaper alive. To our advertisers–thank you! Your continued support has made The Englewood Review possible.

Most importantly, I want to express my deepest gratitude to my employees. Their dedication and hard work have been the backbone of this publication:
• Marilyn Johnson has been selling ads and delivering papers since 2000.
• Susan Smith has been designing ads, laying out the paper, delivering copies, and keeping the website updated since 2007.
• Ed Kellam has been selling ads and delivering papers since 2008.
• Cheri Cushman has managed advertising coordination and accounts receivable since 2022.
• Erin Carter has served as Bulletin editor since January 2025.

Without their passion and commitment, we wouldn’t have been able to produce the best newspaper in Englewood.

And so it is with the utmost confidence that I leave The Englewood Review with TJ Montemer, Publisher/Owner.

Thank you, Englewood! It’s been a pleasure serving this great community.

Tom Newton