Some notes from around and about the Mirror newsroom to help keep you abreast of what we're doing and what we're trying to do:
We hope you're getting used to your new Mirror.
We're two weeks into the cutdown, which shaved the width of each page by 1.5 inches. As expected, it's brought feedback in the form of letters, e-mails and voice mails - all of which we appreciate, even if not every one has been positive.
The Mirror always has been blessed with an active audience, and when the paper undergoes a significant change, response is understandable.
It's an adjustment for all of us, especially those who of us have devoted our lives to the newspaper industry and the Mirror. When the first papers rolled off the presses at about 2:30 a.m. Feb. 2 - deadline was pushed back in order get as much Super Bowl coverage as possible - we had the same reaction many of you did, even though we knew it was coming.
Everyone deals with change differently.
The majority of concern seems to center not so much around the reduced width, which has made the paper easier to read and handle, but the portions of the paper that must use smaller type. Like the Classified section and comics page, to name a couple.
While we certainly hope it's something you can get used to - and the Mirror does offer free magnifying sheets to those who may need them - we will continue to monitor your input as we transition toward the future.
You'll notice our Life and Business sections on Sundays have reversed positions.
Because of the configuration of our press, this allows us to keep eight pages of Life. Our Business and Nation/World sections are six pages each. (Forgive the press lesson, but the number of pages in the A and C sections and the B and D sections must match, another reason Life is now E).
We hope you'll remain patient with us as we know what we hope you know: That is the Mirror remains your best source for local news.
Just ask any of the radio stations that read it to you every day.
Love story
Some objected to last Sunday's front-page story on the 76-year-old local woman who married the 47-year-old Italian immigrant.
Was it stop-the-presses information? Of course not.
But not everything is, and here you had two people willing to share a unique story. Some may have suspicions about motives, and that's fine. But how many locals have married someone 30 years younger from another country and are willing to talk about it publicly?
Not to mention during Valentine's week.
Judging by the widespread reaction, we stand by the story and its placement.
Superstitions
Our Friday (the 13th) story on the most widespread superstitions brought a smile and raised my mother-in-law, Sue Jackson, to further heights as one of her unique superstitions was not listed.
That's a reluctance/fear of riding in an elevator alone - even if it means getting off a couple of floors early.
Timber ...
Hope you caught Mark Leberfinger's comprehensive coverage of the high winds that damaged parts of the area and caused power outages through Wednesday night and Thursday.
In his next life, Leberfinger, who handles the majority of our weather-related stories, is coming back as Jim Cantore.
But he missed one significant tree that fell at the Sylvan Hills Golf Club in Hollidaysburg. The big one on the right side of No. 7 crashed across the fairway, which will now give the power hitters (not me, I'll still have to lay up) a clear shot at the 301-yard par 4 with their drive.
Mirror Managing Editor Neil Rudel can be reached at 946-7527 or nrudel@altoonamirror.com.
