As you may have already heard, The Saratogian will host a community on Monday evening. Apparently these types of things have happened before, but not during my tenure. It's looking like I won't be able to attend, as I'll be at a city budget meeting, that I asked Commissioner of Finance Kenneth Ivins to schedule at the same time (just kidding), but for the numerous readers of this blog, and the handful of anonymous posters who see something lacking in what we do, I welcome you to join us at this event -- it's a good chance to engage us in a dialogue about what the paper is, what it can be, and how we can better serve your needs.

Jokes about "conveniently" scheduled city meetings aside, I do wish I were going to be able to attend, I think reader interaction is a wonderful thing, and one of the best benefits of the web -- but real, inter-personal interaction is even better. Hopefully many of you will be able to attend.

The following not is from Managing Editor Barbara Lombardo:

You’re invited to an informal community get-together on Monday, Sept. 21 to meet the staff of The Saratogian, learn how we can work together to get your news in, and address any questions and concerns about any aspect of our operations.

The event will be from 7 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Holiday Inn, 232 Broadway, Saratoga Springs. We’ll have refreshments and an opportunity to win a free full-page ad for the non-profit organization of your choice.

We’re not just The Saratogian, you know. Or did you? In the last six months, we’ve introduced three new publications in addition to The Saratogian. Two are weekly papers delivered free to homes: Ballston Spa Life for the Ballston Spa and Milton areas, and WG Life for the Wilton and Gansevoort neighborhoods. The third is a bi-weekly local entertainment paper called The Scene that’s distributed around town, separate from the daily newspaper. And we continue to produce the Community News, southern Saratoga County’s local weekly newspaper for more than 30 years.

Please RSVP for the meeting by clicking on the GOT NEWS? banner on www.saratogian.com or by calling 583-8702. Do it now, while you’re thinking about it. Make sure your organization, institution, business and neighborhood is represented. Hope you can make it.

From Barbara Lombardo, managing editor of The Saratogian.Community