It might be hard for some of our baby boomer readers to believe that they have lived to see their local hometown newspaper welcome "vampires" to town.

Growing up in the baby boomer age, vampires were creatures to be feared, especially on a dark, moonless night.

Fortunately, our vampires aren’t to be feared. They’re the ones we look forward to having back in town, since their presence means that merchants’ cash registers are ringing and the City of Covington’s coffers are being filled with the tourist dollars that they bring.

The CW Network show "The Vampire Diaries" is back in town to film for its fifth successful season.

This year, in addition to "Vampire Diaries,’’ a spinoff series called "The Originals" will be filmed in nearby Rockdale County, with some action taking place right here.

So be prepared for a little inconvenience. If you think it is too much to bear, think of the tax and tourist cash that’s being spent. Those dollars help to keep our taxes down and help local merchants survive in our still struggling economy.

To our "Vampire," friends, we don’t want to kiss your necks; we want to hug your necks and tell you thanks for making Covington your mythical Mystic Falls, Va., home.