I've been going over the my notes and a small pile of written comments from the seven community forums the paper held this summer. The comments were all over the map, but as far as the paper goes, there were many things that readers said they liked.

Our new weekday policy of not jumping stories from Page 1 was one of them. Our Saturday front-page feature of "keeping track" of the news was another. The idea there is to update everybody on what's happened on stories we reported on some time ago but which are still unfinished or perking along.

"So many times we hear about something and then don't hear the rest of the story," a reader wrote in a two-page report she submitted after our meeting in Lebanon. "So keep that up."

She also appreciated advance notice of things coming up. She had found an insert that day about the Willamette River Festival in Albany. "Fantastic to find info before the event instead of reading about the event afterwards."

There had been other information pieces of the same kind. This reader mentioned a recent supplement showing mid-valley nurseries: "Something I can keep in my vehicle and use when out and trying to find that item that I need. Keep it up."

Somebody commented on the basics: "Since there is no television coverage … in our part of the valley, we are really dependent on you to provide all the news around here - accidents, crimes, special events, what's going on…"

Several people liked stories with an uplifting slant and wanted more of them. One that came up was a recent piece about farmers taking care of the fields of a neighbor who was ill.

In Lebanon and in Albany, one of the recurring themes was that people liked whatever we did to point out things that families could do, and everybody definitely wants more of that. One comment: "For young families (and grandparents), occasional features on our parks. You had a great story on Takena Park when they got their big rock."

At one of the Albany sessions, a reader mentioned our Saturday listing of community resources under the heading "Finding Help."

This person also liked the Thursday "Young Voices" page, which during the school year prints commentary written by mid-valley high school students.

At our meeting at Grand Prairie Park in July, somebody had noticed that our record with typos had improved. We're certainly working on that point, and I'm glad to hear that it shows (with some glaring exceptions now and then).

Editorial recommendations at elections, though, were not popular with someone who left a handwritten note: "I have seen older people using HH's choices torn out of the paper and taking it into the voting booth. That I don't agree with."

We haven't had an election with voting booths since November 1998. But as for the main point, have you considered that those people might have been using the editor's recommendations as a handy guide so they could be sure to vote the other way?

If you have questions or comments about the paper, and even if you don't, you can reach the editor by e-mail at hhering@dhonline.com or by phone at (541) 812-6097.