With this issue of The Arab American News, we head down the stretch to our Silver Anniversary. That momentous event will occur September 7, 2009. Twenty four years ago, not many people believed it would ever happen.

Over the past year, we have strengthened our outreach to and coverage of the local community, one of our primary long-term goals. We are now sponsoring community events, something we could never afford to do in the past.

Our interaction with the mainstream community has been magnified and we continue to reach out to non-Arabs in a steady attempt to improve relations among communities.

Our staff has grown and our offices and computer network have been upgraded over the past year.

We have a much improved website, with plans already in the works for additional upgrades there.

We have also published four full color supplements to the newspaper, two on health and fitness and two on Ramadan. Our most recent, 72-page, full-color Ramadan supplement hit the streets this week. More supplements are planned.

We continue to expand our distribution areas and increase our press run.

Design upgrades to the print edition are also in the works.

We look forward to the coming year, hoping it will bring a greater measure of peace in the world and prosperity and justice at home.

We’ll continue bringing you the news, the good and the bad, and the views of a variety of people as well as our own.

And we’ll continue to work to earn your loyalty and respect as we head toward the 25th Anniversary of The Arab American News.