* Thank You Mr. Haley - Welcome Back Home, Lorraine

Dear News-Star reader:

Your neighborhood newspaper has new owners. New owners with an old attitude. We believe the community newspaper should genuinely be a local newspaper. Front to back. Every week.

Rogers Park. Uptown. Ravenswood. Edgewater.

That's what the News-Star will cover. It is what we can offer you that no other media can or cares to. It is why we exist. It is why we intend to thrive in this time of incessant doom and gloom about the future of newspapers.

Community counts. And this newspaper is returning to its heritage-for long-time readers, its Lerner Newspaper roots.

Some of you are aware of the News-Star's near death experience the past couple of weeks. We've gotten some coverage in the dailies, as reports of this newspaper's death were only slightly exaggerated. Yet as word spread that our company, Chicago Journal newspapers, had negotiated the purchase of the News-Star, Booster and Skyline, something great happened. We started to get e-mails from the readers of this paper. The many of you who wrote made clear how vital the connection was between these neighborhoods and this newspaper.

Well, that connection is about to get much wider as we open the pages of this paper, and its companion Web site, to you in ways that haven't been seen in years. We want to hear from you. No, not in the way that every newspaper and magazine says that. We actually want to hear from you. And we'll print what you say. Keep it local. Keep it pretty much civil. And keep it coming.

We came close to losing this newspaper. If you care about your neighborhoods and understand the power of a strong local paper, then this is the moment to reach out and grab it. Make the News-Star your own. Claim it for Uptown, Ravenswood, Rogers Park and Edgewater.

What else did we hear in your e-mails? That you wanted Lorraine Swanson to remain as your primary reporter. You appreciate her aggressive coverage, her balance, her feel for these neighborhoods. Starting next week, she'll be back. And we're very happy about it.

The paper's thinner, for the moment. We've ditched the crossword and the movie reviews. This week, our first and hurried effort, is OK. But the paper will get better and more focused each week. The features will get more local. The calendar will narrow in on these neighborhoods. Starting next week a truly local editorial page will return. We'll have something distinctly local to say and I'll be disappointed if there aren't some letters from readers to run, too.

We need ads. It is how we're going to stay in business. And local ads are good reading, just like the crime blotter. So if you're a local business, buy some; if you're a local non-profit, buy some. We'll treat you well.

The News-Star is just getting started. Jump in.

Thanks for reading.

Dan Haley, Publisher

p.s. We want to thank the Chicago Sun-Times and Pioneer Press, the most recent owners of News-Star. The easiest thing would have been to shutter this newspaper. It took an extra effort during challenging days to find a way to make our deal happen. Officials at those papers have our respect and our gratitude.