By the time you read this editorial, Christmas will be over for another year and Cochranites will be slowly recovering from their turkey hangovers and wondering how they will possibly get through the hordes of leftovers bogging down their fridges and garages.
With 2013 nearing the finish line, Cochrane Eagle readers may have noticed a few changes to their community newspaper during the past year.
The actual size of the paper is smaller, making it more sleek and easy to handle; ad placement is slightly different, as they line the outside of our pages to help spotlight local businesses, while at the same time bring editorial into the centre of the pages; there are some minor font changes to both our headlines and text; our sports section has been moved from the back of the paper ahead of classifieds; we feature a weekly entertainment section; we are now printed at Great West Newspaper’s state-of-the-art press in St. Albert, Alta.; we have a new publisher; pages 6 and 7 are for feature news stories only, and our masthead has been moved to page 14, where readers will find a weekly editorial, an Elston cartoon, a rotating opinion column by our editorial staff, and, letters to the editor – an area the Eagle would like to focus on in 2014.
Letters to the editor are not only one of the most widely read sections of any newspaper, they are an extremely important tool for residents to voice their concerns, commend the work of others and help reveal what a community is feeling.
Along with the hard work Eagle staff do to bring the stories of the community to readers, letters are what make our effort each week complete, and our editorial staff encourage Cochrane and area residents to take the time to write to our paper and make your voice heard.
Each and every letter the Eagle receives is taken seriously and, as long as there is nothing inappropriate in the letter, published in the paper.
It is the goal of the Eagle to print all letters we receive, even when the letter does not shine a positive light on an article we have published.
Page 15 has been dedicated to our faithful readers for letters to the editor, and if we receive more than would fit on the page, we’ll find space.
So, don’t be shy, don’t be nervous, don’t be silent. The Eagle wants to hear what you have to say, whether it’s a concern or a feel-good story, make writing to the Eagle your New Year’s resolution.
Happy New Year!
