We've all heard the statement, "Location, location, location." Retail business executives will tell you it correlates to their level of success.

Potential homeowners or renters certainly consider the location of their future home.

In The Courier newsroom, we've made a commitment to a mission statement of excellence seeded in a similar concept.

However, ours is "Local, local, local."

We signed on the dotted line more than year ago to provide our readers with the most local newspaper possible. Granted, our resources are by no means unlimited, however, our relationship with readers and sources have allowed us to do what we set out to accomplish.

We thank you for your increased news tips, letters to the editor, and yes, even your criticism. We also agreed to create an atmosphere of learning. We strive to learn from each other, and most importantly our readers.

Not only does your communication help us, but your willingness to buy our product tells us a lot.

We've heard increasing conversations about the amount of local coverage in The Courier, and we're sure glad you noticed.

We will continue to listen and make The Courier a true reflection of the Arkansas River Valley.

What's exciting to us about all this?

We've only just begun.

We have already changed some design elements, but a complete redesign is on the agenda for mid-March. We will publish even more local news and package it in a reader-friendly format where finding what you want will become more interactive and efficient.

Your Courier will look different, but the local coverage you've grown to expect will remain the same.

We deliver your local news, opinions and entertainment and we couldn't do it without you.

Thanks for reading.

As always, call 968-5252 or e-mail editor@couriernews.com with any suggestions or story ideas.