FAIR GAME:You may notice a changed Pilot

I have to be honest — I began reading a story in yesterday’s Los Angeles Times sports section about one of their longtime contributors who has decided to, how shall I say it, change teams.

Now, in sports vernacular, that most often means being traded or signing on with a new team as a free agent.

I guess in this case, the latter would be closer to the truth.

After reading a couple of paragraphs, I found myself returning to the top of the story to begin reading it again, thinking that I had maybe missed something.

You see, longtime Times staff writer Mike Penner announced that he would be taking a few weeks of vacation and then returning “in yet another incarnation� as Christine Daniels.

Mike announced that he is a transsexual.

OK then!

And now for the rest of the news.

Well, here I was going to talk to you today about a few of our upcoming changes and realize that, well, they somewhat pale in comparison.

But here goes.

Coming this Sunday you will notice changes in your Daily Pilot.

Now, don’t panic, we’re still seven days a week, we’re still committed to covering your community, we’re just trying to offer to you a new and improved package.

To put it in Newport Beach terms, we felt that maybe a little botox, a face-lift and even an augmentation here and there might be in order.

Over the recent months many of us at the Pilot have been working hard on updating what we felt was a somewhat tired looking newspaper.

So what can you expect?

We will still be attempting to do what we believe is our mission. 1. To be the community watchdog and holding those who serve us accountable; 2. To be the primary forum where people can discuss the issues of importance in our community, through e-mails, phone calls, letters to the editor and community commentaries; 3. To offer a reservoir of information about what’s going on in and around you; and finally, 4. To be the community cheerleader.

Goal No. 1 in the redesign was certainly to keep giving our readers what they’ve grown to expect. But in addition, we want to offer it to you in a better package.

Our pages will be spruced up with new fonts and styles. Our columns and columnists will have a new look.

Page one will feature a weather box that, thanks to our local schools, will feature a new artist every day. For example, this Sunday second-grader Monique Molina of Woodland Elementary school will offer you her look at a sunny spring day in Newport-Mesa.

Sure, we’ll still have vacation photos to let you know who’s been where, and we’ll supplement them on other days with more complete coverage.

Thursdays will include a new dining review and, as things develop, special looks at favorite drinks, bottles of wine and even local great recipes.

We’ve been asked for more letters and more community commentary, so you can expect a forum page every day.

And there’s obviously a lot more.

You’ll have to wait to find out.

It really has been a giant undertaking. Thanks first and foremost to two people: Tony Dodero, who has been a breath of fresh air in his return to the helm of the editorial department, and Hamlet Nalbandyan, an incredible young editor and designer.

But as talented as they are, they couldn’t do it without the complete cooperation of the many other employees in all departments at the Daily Pilot.

Most important, we couldn’t do it without you, our readers. So we’re eager to hear what you think — good or bad. If it’s good, feel free to send it to my e-mail address, [email protected]; if it’s bad, send it to [email protected] and I’ll let someone else deal with it.

Just kidding!

And, by the way, if you hear that I’m vacationing to Ireland in the next couple of weeks, know it’s just for some golf and relaxation. I’ll still be coming back as the same old Tom Johnson.