Would You Like to Rethink That Plan?

Click the title above to read about the design plan for The Journal-Standard that was written by the most recently departed editor, Andrew Analore, whom upon my dismissal from The J-S, informed me that he had moved half-way across the country for this job. He also made it clear that he had as much at stake in this community as I did. I did remind him of the track record for editors at our local daily (though there will soon be a second daily in town) and that I wondered if he could comment on Freeport after living here for more than 18 years. I guess we'll never find out now.

Why is any of this of any importance? I think it goes to the heart of the lack of communication between The J-S and the community. There is still no word forthcoming on Olga Gize Carlile's status, while the publisher may now call Lena home, he has still only been here for less than two years, and as for the finding out the pulse of the town in coffee shops (as Mr. Analore alluded to in his column about the design change of the paper)...just which coffee shops is he referring to?
I haven't heard the positive comments coming from anyone about the design changes in any of the ones that I frequent, namely all three... Cafe Mondo, Nine East Coffee, and Higher Grounds.

I understand that The J-S is "ready to rumble", and I admit to being disillusioned with their current status (and to being slightly biased as a contributing columnist for the Village Voices and Freeport Focus papers), but I am contacted almost daily about The J-S by people who were disappointed by their decision to cancel my "For the Love of Community" column. They didn't want "personal" columns included in their new format, but now that is exactly what they are going back to, including those by the publisher and new columnists (most of whom are GateHouse syndicates, or local ones who do not live in Freeport or our immediate circulation area).

So, what is it going to be? A nameless distributor of day-old news and sports scores or one that engages the community with thoughtful, current topics by local contributors? I guess we will soon see, won't we?