Whether it’s online or in print, if you want to know what is going on in Union County, The Union Daily Times is the place to look, the newspaper’s new editor says.

Heartland Publications announced Monday that Charles L. Warner has been appointed editor of The Union Daily Times. Warner, who has been a staff writer for The Times since 1989, has been serving as acting editor since October 2009. In Warner’s six months as acting editor, The Times has placed a renewed emphasis on the coverage of local news, sports and community events. This emphasis on local coverage is in keeping with the Heartland philosophy of focusing on the local community. Warner said this emphasis will continue and intensify both online and in print in the years to come.

“In the Internet age of the 21st century, information about events overseas, around the United States and throughout the rest of South Carolina is available from any number of sources,” Warner said. “For news about what’s happening in Union County, however, the only consistent and proven source is The Union Daily Times, our Website — www.uniondailytimes.com — Facebook page and our weekly companion publication, The Weekly Union Grapevine.”

“For the past 160 years, The Union Daily Times has been the newspaper of record for Union County with a tradition of local coverage that continues to be the case in the 21st century as it was in the 19th and 20th centuries,” he continued. “Whether they read it in print or online, readers of The Union Daily Times know what’s happening in a timely manner. Including The Weekly Union Grapevine, we publish six days a week, providing readers with a wide range of news, features, sports and information about community events and church activities.”

Warner pointed out with the Internet readers don’t have to wait for the print edition of The Times to hit the streets to learn what’s going on.

“Tuesdays through Fridays, we assemble five editions of The Union Daily Times and send them to be printed,” Warner said. “Before they’re even on the printing press, however, we have the stories and photos from that day’s edition on our Website. Technically, we’re an afternoon newspaper Tuesday through Friday, but our stories and photos are ready for viewing on our Website well before lunch. Also posted on our Website is our e-edition which allows subscribers to read the entire newspaper before the print edition rolls off the presses.”

“Whether it’s the e-edition or the Web positings, those who log-on to our Website get the full story about news, sports, features and local events,” he continued. “They not only get the full story, they get it on a daily basis as The Union Daily Times Website is updated every day. We are committed to continuing this practice of local news delivered on daily basis both in print and, especially, online.”

This renewed emphasis on local coverage has been achieved through the efforts of a newsroom staff that includes Warner, staff writer Nathan Christophel, Sports editor Chris Rasmussen, Lifestyles editor Julia Garmon and contributing writer Derik Vanderford.

“Thanks to the efforts of the people I’m privileged to work with,  The Union Daily Times is the best it’s ever been,” Warner said. “We’re doing great and we’re only going to get better, both in print and online.”