Bill Hawkins, the Executive Editor, phoned me after my e-mail.

Only in the Lowcountry can one expect to hear from the publisher of a major, OK - the only, newspaper.

Bill addressed each of my six issues in a professional manner. Like every other newspaper in the country Bill has to balance advertisers against readers against the cost of printing.

The thrust of my missive was that the paper needs to provide an outlet for local advertising (that's how they make their money) and local news.

Bill agrees.

Over the past couple of years, the P&C has opted for wire service stories that I read on the Internet a day or in some cases several days before they appear in the paper.

Why subscribe? I don't care about real estate or cars or TV schedule. I'm looking for the new on the Peninsula or West Ashley or Mt. P. or the Lowcountry.

In this past year, the paper has dropped GMLc (Good Morning Lowcountry), Elsa (the public editor), and the Sunday backyard gal (sorry, I don't remember her name).

In my humble opinion, the Post and Courier's only chance at success is to focus every one of their reporters on local news.