I slid into the editor's seat two weeks ago. Some of you know me as the New Hampshire editor for The Eagle-Tribune. I'll continue in that role, too.
The weekly editor's chair is familiar to me. I got my start in newspapers as a weekly reporter many years ago. I have a genuine affection for weekly papers and understand how important a role they can play in community life.
Julie Huss and Suzanne Laurent will continue as the Derry and Londonderry reporters, respectively. But some things will change — and that's where I'm seeking your input.
I hope you, the faithful and the occasional readers, will take a few minutes to call, send an e-mail, put pen to paper, and tell me what you like about the Derry News. I also want to hear what you don't like or what you think is missing.
There have been a lot of changes at the paper in recent years and now there will be more. I want to help reshape the paper into one that truly meets the needs and desires of the community.
A good weekly paper provides its readers with a news package they can't get anywhere else. From the next-door neighbor's engagement announcement to the middle school basketball team results, from a new business that opened downtown to the faces at a community event, a weekly paper should reflect the communities it serves in a way no daily newspaper can.
We won't be going to Concord to cover the inner workings of the Legislature, but we will keep you informed when your local lawmakers make the news. We won't cover high school hockey games, but we will highlight the many community sports teams that involve so many local children and adults. We won't go to Nashua when the president appears, but we will go to the town office when the police department hires a new officer or promotes a familiar face.
The editorial page, too, will reflect what matters to community residents on a local level — and we want to hear what that is from you. E-mail your letters to editor@derrynews.com or mail them to Derry News, 46 West Broadway, Derry, 03038. Ken Johnson has taken over editorial responsibilities for that page. You can reach him at (978) 946-2237 or by e-mail at kjohnson@eagletribune.com.
I look forward to hearing from you and making the Derry News a highlight of your week.
