For the moment, it's safe to say many Cheraw and Chesterfield readers won't be seeing this message.
I foresee that will change shortly.
When I started this gig two weeks ago, I visited quite a bit of people and places to figure out the lay of the land and derived a single conclusion of the journalism needs in the Prettiest Town in Dixie: Cheraw is starving for a hometown newspaper.
A request I aim to fulfill.
For long-time readers, you might recognize my name.
The Chronicle was my first job as a reporter way back in 1999; my first story was about a fight breaking out between two football players after a Chesterfield and Cheraw game.
In 2002, I left the Chronicle heading west to Pageland where I worked for The Pageland Progressive Journal and held the fort down during a transition from mom-and-pop to corporate ownership by Landmark Communications.
During my tenure at the Journal, my official title of staff writer was not an accurate job description.
Along with the traditional duties of writing and photography, I also learned newspaper design, ad sales and design and some circulation management.
From 2002 to 2009, I've collected 26 S.C. Press Association Awards from writing to design to photography.
So why the Chronicle?
I'm an in-the-field kind of guy and was itching to get out from behind a desk.
My task both personally and professionally is to reset the editorial direction of the Chronicle-Advertiser providing a community newspaper aimed for a Cheraw and Chesterfield readership.
During my first week on the job, we've pushed to redesign the paper, a result youre seeing for the first time this week.
It's a work in progress attempting to re-organize the flow of the paper as well as making some portions more accessible to readers.
Probably the most noticeable change are the paper's colors..
Way back when the Chesterfield Advertiser was re-launched earlier in the decade, I suggested the blue and gold harkening Chesterfield High's school colors and it stuck.
Today, red symbolizes new direction.
Last year, readers should notice some different content this end of the county hasn't seen at all or in many years such as land transfers and magistrate court reports with more changes in store this month.
Also, my personal brand of police reports continues at The Chronicle-Advertiser under a new name: The Beat.
The previous version has been seen twice on David Letterman (I have the video to prove it, too).
Feel free to give us some feedback.
Tells what you like or don't, and what you'd like to see.
After all, this is your hometown newspaper.
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