A few weeks ago, when a photograph of Kevin Pottinger taking in the enormously high tide washing over his street on Quartermaster Harbor ran on the front page of The Beachcomber, he emailed us with an observation. Based on the responses he got to his 15 minutes of Beachcomber fame, the newspaper’s circulation is robust.

Much has been made in recent years about the end of print journalism. But, in fact, as Pottinger’s observation underscores, lots of people still read their local newspaper, particularly their small community weekly.

Sure, over the last decade numerous daily newspapers have abandoned print for digital-only editions or closed altogether. But most of those newspapers were in cities that had more than one newspaper. Birmingham. Honolulu. Phoenix. Seattle.

The death knell for the two-daily town began to be sounded not when the Internet was born, but with the advent of readily accessible cable news. Suddenly, we didn’t need to run to the newsstand on our lunch hour for that midday edition anymore.

But most people still want and need a newspaper for the news and views closest to home. That’s why the newspaper is a form of news delivery that still makes sense.

Consider these statistics.

In a 2012 Reynolds Journalism Institute survey of 1,015 adults, 62.8 percent of mobile and non-mobile media users said they prefer news stories produced by professional journalists, and 73.4 percent believe professional journalists play an important role in our society.

In a 2012 Newspaper Association of America survey of 2,518 adults who read U.S. newspapers on a mix of print and/or digital platforms, 66 percent said print is a relaxing way to read the newspaper, followed by tablet, with 60 percent, computer, 42 percent, and smartphone, 31 percent.

In the same survey, 61 percent said print provides a satisfying reading experience, followed by tablet, 60 percent; computer, 45 percent; and smartphone, 30 percent.

Newspapers also continue to have value to businesses wanting to connect products and readers. In a BIA/Kelsey survey, of $151.3 billion projected to be spent in advertising in 2016, 13.2 percent will be spent in newspapers. Direct mail leads with 27.6 percent, television is second with 14.3 percent. Newspapers are third, and radio is fourth, 11.7 percent.

So, the next time someone tells you time is running out for newspapers, set them straight. The discussion should not be about newspapers vs. digital. The discussion should be about newspapers and digital — and how newspapers can build on their use of new media to connect with readers and share information that is important and useful to them.

Much has changed over the past 25 years. But newspapers still play a vital role. Whether it’s a photo of your neighbor, an exploration of a local issue or a letter about the latest controversy, the newspaper — especially one as local as The Beachcomber — provides a printed record of the events that shape our lives.