Two new features added to The Modesto Bee

Dear readers,

I'm happy to announce two features that have been added to the Monday edition of The Bee:

• The "Bee Investigator" column, written by staff reporter Sue Nowicki, will examine readers' "burning questions" about our community. This is an interactive feature that will require your help in the form of questions about issues of community interest.

Ever wonder why trees are covering up an important road sign, or why the eyesore down the street hasn't been cleaned up, or why that massive pothole hasn't been filled? Sue is in your corner, and she'll get answers — and, hopefully, get things fixed. You get the idea. Now all Sue needs is your questions.

Email questions to her at snowicki@modbee.com.

• The Monday Q&A will introduce Bee readers to a member of the community who makes a significant contribution to the public good but rarely makes an appearance in regular Bee coverage. City Editor Deke Farrow interviewed Vanessa Czopek, the Stanislaus County librarian, for the first Q&A.

Q&A is not a place for interviews with the mayor or police chief. If you know of someone who might make a good subject for Q&A, please email the name to Deke at jfarrow@modbee.com.

Bee Investigator and Q&A will appear each Monday. Why Monday? Because we wanted something fresh to kick off the week's coverage and to boost the quality of the Monday report. These new features are a good start toward our goal.

As always, I request your feedback on how we can make The Bee even better.

— Joseph Kieta, editor