Editor’s Note: Out With The Old And In With The Next

The Holidays are here again, and let’s think about this Editor’s Note as housekeeping. LEO, like so many news outlets, has been through many changes in the last year, so we’ll try to fill you in as best we can. 

     Firstly, this issue is our second to last for the year. We’ll have one more in December and then we’ll take a nice long break for the holidays and from the print. We will still be sharing content online, but our print schedule will resume in February and, in that similar time frame, we should be able to share a new web experience for LEO readers. We know our website has issues. It hasn’t really been upgraded for a long time so we think a new look and ease of use will certainly be welcomed. 

     LEO thrives on our interactions with our readers, and just as we want to upgrade the user experience, we’d love to continue to hear from you about things that are on your mind or your reactions to things we write. Most issues have a section called Soapbox, which is your chance to showcase your opinions and thoughts. We occasionally accept guest submissions, but typically, the sources have some proven connection to the subject matter. Just because you had a bad day at a supermarket or feel that someone at your local DMV is mistreating you, that isn’t really the type of guest submissions we’re seeking. We like when people take the time to respond to current events in an intelligent way, even if it’s a bit “saucy,” and we really like when our readers share an experience with something they’ve read about in LEO (see Rose Boyle’s “Let Me In, Margaret” letter).

     We’re always looking for interesting pitches and stories that can expand who and what we know about our city and its people. Hopefully in the new year, we will be able to build on our team to bring back more regular pieces of news and in-depth features. As you’ve probably noticed, LEO operates on a skeleton crew, and while we try to cover or find ways to connect to as much local news as possible, it’s damn near impossible to do all that we’d like with the small team we have. 

     Be patient with us, because there have been a lot of new changes this past year and there are some still to come. We hope the newer changes create new bonds and strengthen those connections LEO has made over the years. We recognize how much LEO does mean for Louisville and are doing the best to keep the paper moving forward so that it continues to be the brilliant gift that John Yarmuth gave our city. 

     This is our Holiday Shopping and Gift Guide. If LEO could make one wild wish, it would be that LEO’s readers and community understand how precious it is to live in a city with an alt-weekly, and that you continue to support us with your advertising, ticket purchases, letters to the editor, jokes online, and even your witty disagreements. We view our work as a duty to our community and we hope that the new year brings a renewal in the work that we can do to keep Louisville informed, entertained, and sometimes, thoroughly freaked out. 

     “I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise I won’t bore you.” —David Bowie •

This article appears in November 21, 2023.