A little over three months ago I landed at the executive editor's desk, moving from the world of daily newspapers to weeklies - a place I hadn't been since our nearly 30-year-old daughter was born.
Today (It's Monday while I'm writing), I'm wondering what life will be like after the election. It's not so much about who wins but, rather, will the energy and spirit of the past weeks and caring about the future become a regular part of our world? Or will it fizzle out?
And then I come back to the task at hand of getting out this week's paper - editing copy, making sure we've got the photos to go with them, writing headlines, making changes as news pops that we didn't anticipate.
On top of that, we're already thinking about next week and getting ready to track down our winning candidates and those leading local campaigns so we can ask them: Now what?
I'd like to ask you the same thing. As we strive to bring you a better newspaper each week, we're always asking ourselves what it is that our readers want. Do they want more photos of their children in the paper? More about things to do around the area? More sports coverage? Less about infighting at city hall and more that makes them smile? Or do you get a kick out of reading about local politics?
Now's your chance to let us know what you think is important in your community. Is it the traffic, the state of our local businesses, what's going on in our schools, or is it safety issues like police, fire and lifeguard coverage. Perhaps it's a more immediate topic such as the graffiti that's popping up in our neighborhoods.
Or go to our new Community Blog online - under the Opinion drop down - for Del Mar, Carmel Valley or Rancho Santa Fe Record where you can fill in the details and have a conversation with other readers, our reporters and our editor Jim Kerr and me. (Each week, we'll post a topic that's in the news and see what people are saying. We'll pop in occasionally and try and answer your questions, as it's appropriate.)
Or there's the old-fashioned method: Write a letter to the editor. Mail it to 565 Pearl St., Suite 300, La Jolla 92037, or e-mail editor@delmartimes.net.
We'll take what you say to heart. If you don't see something in our print editions, look at us daily online. We're posting news as we get it and extra photos that we don't have room for in print.
We want to be the place you turn to find out about local news. Help us define what you think is local news.
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