End the debates about where to eat dinner and what to do this weekend with our newsletters

“You’ve got mail.”

I am old enough to recall the mechanical voice for America Online — better known as AOL — announcing that someone had sent me an email. I’m also old enough to recall the beeps and cranks of the dial up modem as it struggled to connect my Packard Bell computer to the internet just so I could hear those three little words.

These days, there are no beeps and cranks when my computer connects to the internet. Technology has made the process of entering Cyber Space so seamless, we can connect and disconnect in a flash. But who really disconnects? I don’t. My phone dings with social media alerts and email messages all night long. I guess I’m receiving information from cyberspace even as I sleep.

Speaking of email, the mechanical AOL voice no longer voice announces the arrival of your messages. Most of us ditched AOL — and Packard Bell computers — in favor of shiny new MacBooks and cable internet — or fiber if you’re lucky enough to live in a major metropolitan area that has that capability.

And these days, emails arrive as a constant stream that floods your inbox. A scan of my inbox reveals the same junk: advertisements from every store I have ever visited (Belk, Kohl’s, Bath and Body Works, Ulta, Sephora, Zappos, Vans, Target and Walmart), unsolicited junk emails from online stores I have never visited -- and from the looks of the items never will (Temu and Shein, anyone?) -- and an array of unsolicited junk mail offering me everything from diet pills (that may cause shortness of breath, heart attack, stroke, uncontrollable crying, severe depression, and sudden death) to a work-at-home position making $40,000 per month (yeah, right).

While most of these just make me glad there is now an “unsubscribe” button, there are still some emails I look forward to. Every morning, I am greeted with the StarNews Daily briefing, providing me with our most recent stories. This makes it easy to catch up on the news while I have that ever-so-important first cup of coffee. It’s all there in one place; I just open the email and click the headlines.

Not a morning person? That’s okay. I’m married to one of those. That’s why he opts for the StarNews “Afternoon update,” which comes a bit later in the day for those who aren’t fully functioning humans before noon.

I also look forward to the StarNews niche newsletters. These are essential for staying-in-the-know on all your favorite topics. We have three, and they offer something for everyone.

For those who enjoy music, theater, film, history and all things culture, Port City Life is the perfect newsletter for you. There you will find out when “The Summer I Turned Pretty” comes back to film its next season, what local bands are rising to stardom (and where you can hear them), the latest Thalian Hall shows, what’s happening at the area’s many historic sites, and more. The Port City Life newsletter, which is emailed on Thursdays, is your guide to entertainment. It always helps me plan my weekend.

Do you always have to be the first to check out the latest and greatest restaurants and breweries? Well, you need to subscribe to Port City Foodies. There you will find restaurant news including openings and closings, chef profiles, special stories on everything from cookies to wine to burgers. I’ve found that the Port City Foodies newsletter, which is sent on Fridays, has helped end those dreaded conversations about where to eat and the aimless driving in circles while we ponder the many options. I just consult the latest edition of the Port City Foodies newsletter before we get in the car, and problem solved.

If you’re like me — and 153,063 others — and live in Brunswick County, then Brunswick Today is your lifeline. Brunswick Today combines the latest Brunswick news on a variety of topics, especially growth and development, which seems to be happening at warp speed. It also offers highlights from the other newsletters, including Brunswick restaurant news, profiles, and happenings. Delivered to your inbox every Monday, this newsletter will keep you in the loop.

Finally, the best part about our newsletters is that it is free to subscribe to any or all of them. Think about it … fun emails you can actually use arriving in your inbox each week at no cost to you. That’s the best thing I’ve heard since AOL’s mechanical voice announced “You’ve got mail” back in 1998.

Renee Spencer is the community engagement editor at the StarNews. Reach her at RSpencer@gannett.com. You can sign up for our newsletters at starnewsonline.com/newsletters.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Let the StarNews niche newsletters and daily updates keep you informed