In the past few months, The Valley Times-News has seen many changes in an effort to modernize.

We’ve gone from a Monday thru Friday schedule to Tuesday thru Saturday. We’ve added some new faces to our staff. And we’ve changed the look of our paper, hopefully to the satisfaction of our readers.

But it’s one particular change that might need pointing out and that’s the complete changeup of our Editorial page.

This section, out of all others, received the biggest change with not only a new look but a new mandate on content as well, specifically an increase in local content. Part of that includes editorials written by our staff.

Since then we have shone a spotlight on several locations , actions and people that we feel need to be addressed.

The need for a plan going forward in light of the demolition of the old mills and other buildings and the desire to see more community activities are but a few of the topics that have been brought up.

These subjects, among others, were mentioned because we at The Valley Times-News want to see the best possible version of the Valley brought out, one that is actively working toward growth in both body and spirit while remembering where it came from.

Anything pointed out by our staff was not meant to showcase the bad in the area nor was it done with any arrogance that we at the paper know what is best.

It was all done with the hope that the readers and those in a position to encourage growth might take those words to heart.

In simple terms, it was just a bit of constructive criticism and we only give it because we care.