government
The Federal Government Has Checked Out. Here's What's Left For Us
Federal policy changes and what they mean for Farmington and Connecticut residents.
Jack Beckett·Oct 19, 2025
Topic
Editorial
development
Camp Current’s Fate on Hold, Farmington Approves Food Trucks, Church Signage & More 🏛️
Farmington’s zoning commission approves new church signs, delays a Camp Current decision, and greenlights food trucks. Packed meeting, packed agenda, packed opinions. 🏙️🚚🎤
Jack Beckett·Feb 25, 2025
community
Pajamas and Pixels: The Apple Store’s New Dress Code 🛍️💻
Farmington’s Apple Store goes from tech temple to pajama party. Jack Beckett asks: Is the future really this fuzzy? Read the latest editorial now! 🧸📱
Jack Beckett·Dec 10, 2024
community
Why We Don’t Rely on Google Ads to Keep the Lights On 🌟
Learn why The Farmington Mercury rejects Google Ads and what Canada’s battle against Big Tech reveals about monopolies crushing local journalism. #WeAreFarmington
Jack Beckett·Dec 3, 2024
community
Local News is Dead? Not If We Can Help It!
Only 25% of Americans love their local news, and we aim to fix that. Thank you, Farmington Storage (the only place in Connecticut with museum air), for making good journalism breathable!
Jack Beckett·Nov 18, 2024
education
Florida’s Book Bans: Censorship Isn’t Education—It’s Ignorance
Florida banned 700+ books in schools this year, erasing critical voices. Censorship stifles democracy and empathy. Fight for the freedom to read! 📖❌ Learn more.
Jack Beckett·Nov 17, 2024
community
How The Farmington Mercury and Don Lemon Are Brewing a Local News Revolution
Local news has a future—and it’s more than clickbait. Discover how The Farmington Mercury, with inspiration from Don Lemon, is pioneering meaningful journalism in Farmington, CT. #LocalNews
Jack Beckett·Nov 9, 2024
community
Can the Media Survive? A Personal Take from Our Publisher
Local News Can Survive: Here’s How We’re Making It Happen Why Hyper-Local Journalism and Community Engagement Are Our Answers to the Media Crisis Hello Mercury readers, This past week, Charlotte…
Peter Cellino·Nov 7, 2024
community
Why Being “Last to Breaking News” is the Smartest Move in Media | The Farmington Mercury’s Slow Journalism Revolution
Breaking news burnout? 📉 See why The Farmington Mercury is choosing depth over speed and redefining local journalism. Sometimes last place is exactly where you want to be.
Peter Cellino·Nov 1, 2024
elections
Supreme Court’s Approval of Virginia’s Last-Minute Voter Purge Raises Concerns Over Election Integrity
SCOTUS backs Virginia’s purge of nearly 1,800 voters days before Election Day, despite NVRA’s 90-day rule. Here’s what this means for voting rights nationwide.
Peter Cellino·Oct 31, 2024
government
Indiana’s Bloody Eighth: How a 1984 Recount Set the Stage for Today’s Political Warfare
The 1984 Indiana Bloody Eighth recount changed American politics, inspiring Newt Gingrich’s combative GOP tactics and shaping election battles today.
Peter Cellino·Oct 26, 2024
elections
The Great American Brain Drain
Read a Damn Book, America—Before It’s Too Late By Jack Beckett Farmington Mercury Alright, America. Let’s talk. In a country that’s managed to invent fast food delivery, binge-watch entire seasons in…
Jack Beckett·Oct 7, 2024
elections
Read or Be Ruled: Why America Needs to Pick Up a Book—and Vote
Americans aren’t reading enough, and it’s wrecking our democracy. Reading more is essential for informed voting. Special thanks to Farmington Storage, where your unread books stay fresh!
Jack Beckett·Oct 6, 2024
community
Radical Candor: How to Stop Being Ruinously Empathetic or Obnoxiously Aggressive Today
Forget being fake nice or bluntly awful. Radical Candor teaches leaders how to lead better. Thanks, Farmington Storage, for being the only facility with museum air, which our writer may need. 🏛️
Jack Beckett·Oct 5, 2024
community
How Giving Honest Feedback Saves Your Business From Ruinous Empathy—And How Farmington Storage Holds All Your Emotional Baggage, Too
Struggling to tell Bob he's terrible at his job? We've got you covered! Learn how to give feedback without crying. Thanks to Farmington Storage for holding all your emotional baggage 📦…
Jack Beckett·Oct 4, 2024
government
Why Primaries Matter: The Real Battleground for Your Vote
Tired of your general election options? That’s because you missed the primaries, where the real choices are made. Voting in primaries is how we get better candidates (and museum-quality air at…
Jack Beckett·Oct 1, 2024
elections
Put Down the Remote, Pick Up a Book—Or Lose Your Democracy
Americans aren’t reading enough, and it’s damaging democracy. Here’s why reading more is essential for informed voting and why primaries matter.
Jack Beckett·Oct 1, 2024
community
Farmington’s Last-to-Break News Outlet Saves You from Clickbait Hell (You’re Welcome)
Tired of clickbait? So are we. Discover why The Farmington Mercury is “Always Last… to Breaking News” and how we’re giving slow journalism a caffeine-fueled makeover ☕️.
Peter Cellino·Sep 23, 2024
community
Banned Books Week: Fight Censorship Like It’s 1984 (Literally)
Banned Books Week 2024: What’s worse than book burning? Book banning. Stand with Farmington as we defend our right to read. Thanks to Farmington Storage (museum air included!)
Jack Beckett·Sep 22, 2024
education
Stop Skimming, Start Reading: Why Students Deserve Full Books, Not CliffsNotes
📚 Cutting classics into bite-sized pieces? Our schools are starving students of the full story. Let’s end the shortcut culture and get back to real reading—books and brains deserve better!
Peter Cellino·Sep 17, 2024
education
Farmington Misses the 21st Century: No Live Stream for High School Ribbon-Cutting!
Farmington, CT fumbles by not live-streaming a historic event. Did they forget it’s 2024? 🎥 Where’s the tech-savvy town we thought we lived in?
Jack Beckett·Aug 23, 2024
community
Farmington Doesn’t Need More Cookie-Cutter Faux Colonial Homes
Farmington’s identity is under threat with another bland faux colonial home on the market. Discover why this trend is diluting our town’s charm. 🏠➡️💤
Jack Beckett·Jul 18, 2024
community
Would You Pay a Fee to Hang Out at a Coffee Shop?
Coffee shops struggle with low margins, prompting some to consider subscription models to boost revenue. Explore this emerging trend and its financial implications.
Jack Beckett·Jun 9, 2024
police
Farmington Police Department's HVAC: The Coolest Drama of 2024
When it's hotter inside than a jalapeño in July, Farmington's finest need an HVAC rescue. Dive into the cool story of the Police Department's HVAC overhaul.
Jack Beckett·Apr 10, 2024
