Note: This column will appear in the next edition of the Nassau Herald, which is scheduled to hit newsstands this Thursday. From then on, the column will appear on page 2 in each future issue. For my first column in the paper, I thought I would introduce myself to my new readers:

Hello Everyone.

My name is Paul Wein, and I’m the new editor of the Nassau Herald. I began my tenure on Oct. 10, and am very proud to have joined a newspaper with such a long, rich history and an enthusiastic readership.

I’m honored to succeed Jeff Lipton, though I know I can never replace him. For 11 years, Jeff did an incredible job of editing this newspaper, and I hope I can honor his memory and fill his very large shoes by continuing his tradition of producing an informative, interesting and exciting issue each week.

Before joining the Herald, I was a press secretary for New York City mayors Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg, and a public information officer at the Office of Emergency Management during and after the cataclysmic events of Sept. 11, 2001. Prior to that, I was the editor of the Brooklyn Baron, a position that earned me the title of youngest editor-in-chief in New York state, and I was also the assistant publisher of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

The reason I returned to the Fourth Estate is because, quite frankly, I missed it. During my five-year hiatus from journalism, I longed to once again take the reins of a newspaper and see its publication through from inception to completion each week. So when I heard that the editor’s job at the flagship of the Herald Community Newspapers was vacant, I jumped at the opportunity.

I’ve always had one goal when it comes to editing a newspaper: I want the members of the community who read it to be as much a part of the paper as the staff. This newspaper is yours. I encourage readers to send us letters offering your opinion on local issues, organizations to contact us with announcements of any meetings or events you are hosting, and anyone else who would like to see something included in “our” newspaper to let us know.

I hope to meet as many people in the community as possible, so if you’d like to introduce yourself, or contact me about something you’d like to see in the paper, you can reach me at (516) 569-4000 ext. 204, or by e-mail at pwein@liherald.com.

I’d like to thank Richner Communications for giving me this amazing opportunity. Returning to journalism as an editor was something I’d wanted to do for some time, and what better publication at which to make that return than the Nassau Herald?

Here’s to the beginning of a long and fruitful friendship.