These things were everywhere, my hometown of 20k had TWO papers, one was a weekly and the town next door had one. And then even in a big city, you would have neighborhood level papers with a little news, some ads, etc.

They are all gone. Many of them folding before the internet became popular.

I with I had a local newspaper. I don't have time to attend my city meetings what with raising my kids, and even if i did make time school board and library board meetings are often the same night so I can't attend them all. The city minutes are published - debated [some obscure issue] before voting to pass 3-2. Nothing more like what positions were debated who supported it or why/why not. So I have no clue on if I should reelect anyone or not. Similiar for all the other meetings, I need a summory of the detail that I can't get.

there is the msa level papers but they don't get local enough. There is county today which publishes the minutes but not the important details. Real reporting is important and I can't find it for local issues. Anyone can report on national issues and I can still find that, but not local.