GRIZ BEAR COMMENTS: We're striving to get better with age

— This issue marks two full years of publication for the Westside Eagle Observer, the combined edition of the Decatur Herald, Gentry Courier-Journal and Gravette News Herald.

The two years have been good years for the new publication because it enabled us to continue providing coverage for Gravette, Gentry and Decatur and the surrounding cities,towns and communities.

Balancing coverage has not always been easy, and sometimes space limitations forced us to hold stories and photos for a week or more before they were published. Yet, each issue of the Eagle Observer has been filled with news, information and photos uniquely local, making it possible for readers to keep abreast of events andhappenings in their own communities.

Not only did the Eagle Observer combine three newspapers, it is a mix of different journalistic styles, bringing in the knowledge and experience of editor emeritus Dodie Evans, the English and type-setting skills of Susan Holland, the attention-to-detail reporting skills of Janelle Jessen and my knowledge of photography and focus on accuracy and clarity in writing. We have also been greatly supported by the staff and expertise of Northwest Arkansas Newspapers, especially in the areas of advertising, printing and circulation.

While we may not always have been in agreement as to how best to cover and publish a news story, we have been able to overcome differing opinions and work together to improve the combined effort and make the newspaper an award-winning publication focused on Gentry, Gravette, Decatur and the west side of Benton County.

What can you expect as we start our third year of publication? It is my hope that we can provide more of the same kinds of coverage we have provided in the past two years, but continue to make the Eagle Observer even better.

The staff at the Eagle Observer again pledges itself to work hard to make your newspaper a great publication. While we have worked hard and done our best in the past, we see and recognize areas where we can do even better and we will be focusing on continued improvements.

We also welcome input and suggestions from you, our readers. We wish to know what you like about the Eagle Observer and what you dislike. And, if you have suggestions for improvements, let us know so that we can consider and study those suggestions and find ways to implement them.

Send us your comments, your likes and dislikes, as well as suggestions for improvement by dropping them by our office on Main Street in Gravette; by mailing them to us at P.O. Box 640, Gravette, AR 72736; or by emailing them to us at [email protected].

We thank you for your readership and support in our first two years as the Eagle Observer, and we pledge ourselves to make year three even better.

Randy Moll is the managing editor of the Westside Eagle Observer. He may be reached by email at rmoll@ nwaonline.com.

Opinion, Pages 6 on 07/25/2012