Phil Morris arrived on these shores two summers ago, having spent his career in Ohio, mostly Cleveland, as a newspaper editorial and metro columnist. Star Tribune publisher Steve Grove selected him to lead the paper’s opinion efforts after longtime editor Scott Gillespie retired. Many news companies disinvested in opinion as social media commoditized it, but Grove felt otherwise. “An editorial page still matters,” Morris says, though the Strib has focused more on distinct voices and bylined editorials than the old institutional voice, adding editorialists Aaron Brown and Rochelle Olson. “We want people to know the Minnesota Star Tribune remains a place to get well-vetted, verifiable, diverse info,” Morris says. “We’re intentional about point of view and conversations that matter to the state.” Next year is a major election year, and Morris expects his stable of writers to closely examine the candidates and issues.