Every now and then, one must think back to past comments and admit, “Hey, I was wrong!”  That was the thought that crossed my mind as I watched the sentencing of Larry Nassar in recent days.

It was the comment of the prosecuting attorney that struck me.

“We, as a society, need investigative journalists more than ever,” Michigan Assistant Attorney General Angela Povilaitis said Wednesday at Nassar’s sentencing. “What finally started this reckoning and ended this decades-long cycle of abuse was investigative reporting. Without that first Indianapolis Star story in August 2016; without the story where Rachael (Denhollander) came forward publicly shortly thereafter — he would still be practicing medicine, treating athletes and abusing kids.”

Yes, the prosecuting attorney in the Nassar sexual abuse case credited the Indianapolis Star with its work exposing the facts in the case.  A trio of Star reporters, Marisa Kwiatkowski, Tim Evans and Mark Alesia, worked as a team on the U.S.A. Gymnastics series.

For a number of years, after Gannett bought the Star from the Pulliam family, many waves of editorial layoffs were happening.  The reporting staff began to dwindle.

When the state’s largest newspaper began shedding large numbers of reporters, editors and photographers, a news junkie like myself started to worry.  What will this mean?

I started blogging in January of 2012.  When the Star layoffs were in progress, I was critical of Gannett for reducing the journalists at the Star.  I will admit, many times I was very, very tough on the Star.

However, with revenue down, all news organizations, particularly newspapers, had to find a way to remain viable.  That’s what the Star management was doing at the time.

Perhaps it was due to the fact that I knew some of the reporters put out of a job in those layoffs and some were very good at their craft.  It hurts to see talented people shown the door.

But then the Star came up with a series of reports about U.S.A. Gymnastics, headquartered in Indianapolis.  That sort of reporting is time-consuming and labor-intensive.  It takes the support of management to pull off a series like the one that helped lead to the conviction of Larry Nassar.

There may be fewer reporters and editors at the Indy Star, but the management has chosen to use those resources well.  I applaud the Indianapolis Star for all the plaudits it has been receiving about their work.  They are all very deserving.

If you care about good journalism, there is something you can do.  Subscribe to your local newspaper.  It can be a print subscription, an online one, or a combination of both.  I subscribe to two local publications, the Star and the Indianapolis Business Journal.  I subscribe to the e-mail updates of the Hamilton County Reporter (ReadTheReporter.com)

Wherever you may be reading this commentary, subscribe to your local publications, if you do not do so already.  That is the best way to promote good local news coverage in your  area.

I will admit it.  I was wrong about the Star.  I will be reading.  They just announced a new series of stories about commercial sexual exploitation of children.  I will be reading.  You should too.