(Editor's note: This notice was originally published online August 31, 2009.)

It’s true, this October the Ballard News-Tribune is leaving the office on Market Street that it has inhabited for 34 years. But, we are not leaving the community we have served for more than a century. Not even close.

While our base of operations will officially be the Robinson Newspapers publishing offices in Burien, we will NOT be covering Ballard from Burien.

The Ballard News-Tribune reporters, ad sales staff and online editor will remain in the neighborhood, working out of homes, coffee shops and parks – wherever we can plug in a computer to best serve you, the readers.

In addition, reporters will have weekly scheduled hours where members of the community will have the opportunity to meet with them and talk about what is happening in the neighborhood and what kinds of coverage they would like to see. Be sure to check www.ballardnewstribune.com for information on that week’s meeting starting in October.

Speaking of www.ballardnewstribune.com, have you seen our new Web site?

The site features up-to-the-minute news, sports and features throughout the day, as well as slideshows, videos, stories and columns that are exclusive to the Web site. We are now covering Ballard at a level never seen in our history.

It’s no secret that the current recession and the rise of online news sources have hurt the newspaper industry, by streamlining our operations through office closures and mail-only delivery, we hope to be able to continue providing accurate, timely and newsworthy information about the community we love.

We acknowledge that neighborhood blogs – and we have some very good ones in this city – play an important role in keeping citizens informed. However, we would like to present ourselves as a complimentary, though much needed, alternative to them.

The Ballard News-Tribune boasts in-depth stories with background, context and multiple viewpoints that blogs can’t compete with. Not to mention our wide array of columnists, who bring their own unique voices to Ballard.

Thanks to www.ballardnewstribune.com, which was launched this spring and continues to be improved every week, we as a news source can finally bring information to you as it happens and when it matters.

We can’t do it on our own though. We still need to hear from you, our Ballard neighbors (and also our neighbors in Fremont, Phinney and Greenwood).

As we prepare to leave our office in downtown Ballard, it will become even more important for our reporters to receive your news tips and thoughts on your neighborhoods. There is no way our editorial staff, dedicated as we may be, can match your knowledge of what is happening in Ballard.

Following this letter is a list of our staff’s cell phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Please make use of them to let us know what you know, what you want to know, and what we need to know so that we can keep covering Ballard in a way that does justice to the neighborhood and our 118-year tradition.

Since the announcement last week that the Ballard News-Tribune will no longer be delivered by paper carriers, we have heard from many of you whose parents were paper carriers, who were paper carriers themselves, and whose children are paper carriers.

We sincerely regret that the times have necessitated that we discontinue a great tradition and opportunity for Ballard residents. We wish all our past and present carriers the best.

To conclude, we are not leaving you, Ballard, and we will continue to bring you the news of our neighborhood better than we ever have. And remember, our office is not closing until October, so please feel free to visit us at 2208 N.W. Market St. No. 202 or call us at 206.783.1244.

Sincerely,

The Ballard News-Tribune Staff:

Michael Harthorne (reporter) 206.755.8147 michaelh@robinsonnews.com

Allison Espiritu (reporter) 206.920.2417 allisone@robinsonnews.com

Rebekah Schilperoort (Online content editor) 206.412.4866 rebekahs@robinsonnews.com

Lauren Grosskopf (ad sales) 206.962.0460 laureng@robinsonnews.com

Amanda Stanek (ad sales) 206.940.0778 amandas@robinsonnews.com

Ken Robinson (editor) 425.238.4616 kenr@robinsonnews.com