Your hometown newspaper gets a new look

If something about today's edition of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman seems a bit out of the ordinary, we assure you it is nothing to be alarmed about. In fact, the newspaper you're holding in your hands is the first edition of our new look.

For the last five months, a team of consultants from MGRedesign has been working with Frontiersman staff on a fresher, cleaner, more contemporary look for the Valley's newspaper. It's something we're proud to unveil today, and we're confident you will find the changes both useful and easy on the eyes.

As different as these pages may appear, the changes are virtually all in the packaging. Everything you've come to expect in your hometown newspaper remains intact, as does our commitment to being the Valley's primary source for news and information both relevant to and reflective of the people in this community.

The new look, however, is more than merely cosmetic. The font choices and general layout are more reader-friendly, and we've tweaked the content organizationally for a simpler, more straightforward approach to bringing you the news of the day. That news continues to be reported and written by the same award-winning staffers who also call the Valley home. The pride we take in our community is reflected in the work we do and in the value we place on sharing that work, in these pages, with you, our neighbors and friends.

As you peruse these pages, you'll also find the same familiar faces you've become accustomed to seeing as column writers. Nearly 30 Valley residents now are regular non-staff contributors to these pages. From the Schools section on Tuesdays, to the Opinion, Faith, Health and Outdoors pages the rest of the week, the written contributions of community members enhance the local-ness of this newspaper, and we are better for what they do.

Since 1947, the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman has been the hometown source for community news and events. Over the years, through good times and bad, flush times and lean, this newspaper and the people who make it happen have been a constant in the community.

Now, as the community goes through a growing spurt, the newspaper is evolving, too. In recent months, we've added a $4 million production facility, which enables us to print each edition ourselves as well as add jobs to the local economy. Additionally, it enables other local businesses to have some of their own printing needs satisfied locally, so more local money stays in the local economy, which in turn fuels the local economy further.

The redesigned newspaper you're looking at is another part of our growth with the community. We are pleased to &#8220raise the curtain” on it today and welcome your comments about it.