It seems the more I try to avoid writing (or thinking, for that matter) about the changes here in the newsroom over the past month, the more I realize how feeble any such an attempt really is. And if I had a dollar for every time I've heard the "change brings opportunity" spiel in recent weeks – no matter how true that may be – I'd buy ... I don't know ... a pizza ... or maybe a ticket at the Colonia; I haven't been in ages and I've heard nothing but good things.

Sorry, lost my train of thought there for a minute ... nothing new these days.

Which got me to thinking.

If and when change becomes inevitable, is it not better to embrace the idea of said change and go to the source? Namely you, the readers. What would you like to see more (or less) of, on a daily basis? What needs to go? And what needs to stay? The Evening Sun has remained an integral part of this community for so long – and will continue to do so, I hope – that it's far too easy (and irresponsible, on my end) to allow a degree of complacency to set in.

You know, the whole this-is-how-it's-been-and-so-it-shall-remain kind of complacency.

I dread that sort of pitfall. Instead, I find myself thinking back to staff meetings as I knew them as a cub reporter back in the day, and one in particular; Jeff sitting us down and relaying the more ... widely read ... content that was appearing in the paper at that time, probably three years ago. The list went something like this:

Police Blotter, ‘30 Seconds,’ obituaries, local sports, feature stories, court, crime and the occasional fire or accident, opinion pieces and on down the line. Not surprising, really, considering these are the very topics any hometown daily, such as ours, would obviously cover. And let's be honest, we are what we are here in Chenango County, and there's plenty of news.

We're communities and school boards, volunteers and businesses; organizations, non-profits and farmers. We're pro-gas and anti-drilling; less guns, more guns or no guns at all. We're spiritual or we're not; or maybe we're somewhere in between. We're straight, gay, married, single, confused, lonely, confident, concerned, grieving, rejoicing and everything in between. We all have our ups and downs, our strengths and our weaknesses. And we have addiction and welfare fraud, sad to say; sex offenders, repeat offenders, thieves, cheats, liars and cons. Yet, as I've been told many a time while considering that – just maybe – things are different out there beyond our borders, “No, Brian. People are people no matter where you go.”

That's an important lesson, particularly when you consider the absolutely tragic lack of empathy displayed by far too many nowadays, because we only succeed when we work together. Consider our local United Way or Relay For Life – or any of our local non-profits – if you don't believe me.

Which is why I'd like to see this publication remain vital as a resource, as a voice for this community and – at times, when applicable – as a source of entertainment; not to mention a forum for intelligent, rational and respectful debate.

And while such a change may not happen overnight, that's the dream, so to speak.

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... @evesunbrian