Farm Forum Editor Connie Sieh Groop is spending the next several days in China, as part of the South Dakota Ag and Rural Leadership class.
To say several people in the newsroom are jealous is an understatement.
Yes, Connie is going to see great cultural landmarks such as the Great Wall and Tiananmen Square, along with a side trip to Vietnam, among other cultural excursions. But she and a delegation of South Dakotans will be there to learn.
As Connie wrote in the Feb. 3 Farm Forum, China's status as a trading partner with the U.S. means the ag industry - including here in South Dakota - needs to know more about the country and how it does business.
We're sure she'll have great stories to share with her friends and readers of the Farm Forum. Connie has promised to send dispatches for http://www.farmforum.net, as technology and connectivity allows. Watch that site all week for updates from China.
Send your wedding and engagement announcements
Maybe you decided to pop the question over the holidays, or maybe you're planning a Valentine's surprise for your sweetie.
Either way, this is the season for engagement announcements for all those summer weddings that will be coming up.
We've set up a new email address for readers to send all of their relationship-style announcements - births, birthdays, open houses, engagements, weddings and anniversaries.
Send that information and pictures to announcements@aberdeennews.com. It will go to the right person to handle them.
We're making more changes to better serve readers; watch this space for updates as we go.
Community Business
We couldn't be more pleased with the response to the new Community Business page on Friday. I heard from people who liked the focus on local business and hot topics for local consumers.
The plan is to get more of your news in that section. If you've been promoted to management or have made an important hire, let us know. And if you have questions about your favorite shops or restaurants, or other consumer-driven questions, contact us.
Reach reporter Jeff Natalie-Lees at business@aberdeennews.com, or follow him on Twitter, @Business_AAN. And see more online at http://www.aberdeennews.com/business.
Chat with the editor
It's been awhile since I've done a live Q&A with readers, so let's try to do one this week.
Join me at noon Wednesday on http://www.aberdeenews.com for the chat. We can talk about what's going on in the newspaper or in the news. Bring questions or comments, or just follow along with the Q&A as it unfolds.
Sports reporter Ryan Deal will also host a live chat at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Follow @jjperry_AAN on Twitter, or email jperry@aberdeennews.com.
