Applegate: Freedom of the Press in a Small Town is a slice of Americana as told by Armada Times Editor James Mitchell, along with Lindsey Kingston, student editor of the paper's high school section. Mitchell took over as editor of the Times in the wake of a lawsuit that had been filed by its publisher against the local school board, initiating one of the many First Amendment battles that would be waged during his two-year tenure. While the content of most rural weeklies typically runs to favorite recipes and homecoming game reports, the Times would open up a forum on issues including gay rights and gun control. Mitchell is applauded by many, particularly for involving high school students as both writers and readers of the local newspaper. Others, however, took exception to the new direction, often with a claim that "you can't print that!"
Applegate offers a behind the scenes look at the politics and personalities of a small town and its newspaper. The editor's belief in a community is echoed by the conviction that a newspaper can, indeed, print that.