Reflections from 2008: A letter from the publisher
It has been nearly a year since I returned to San Diego, pledging to work toward delivering a local newspaper to readers and advertisers that reflects the attributes and uniqueness that makes our community exceptional. Much has been accomplished in 2008 through the efforts of a small but mighty staff committed to publishing a high quality local newspaper and Web site.
A new second section, LifeStyles, debuted in March with people features, an extensive weekly arts and entertainment calendar, social coverage showcasing philanthropic events, food and fashion coverage and the popular Ten Questions feature spotlighting your neighbors of interest.
In May, we started delivering all of our papers in the mail, which means that the thousands of residents in gated communities and condominiums now have home delivery service too. In addition to being able to guarantee to our advertisers proof of delivery to all households, being in the mail supports the environment by not littering the streets or using plastic bags. Additionally, your newspaper will never sit in your driveway while you are on vacation signaling that you are not at home.
Delmartimes.net was re-launched and ranchosantaferecord.com, solonabeachsun.net and carmelvalleyleader.com made their debut this year. Each local site has daily news updates, expanded content, photo and video galleries, UCSD TV, weekly polls and holiday contests. You can talk back to us and the community by commenting at the end of our stories or getting involved in the community blog.
Be assured though, that we’re not resting on our laurels; we have much left to do at the start of the new year, including a print version redesign with more product upgrades and features planned for 2009.
Although we are all facing tough economic times, you can do your part to help our community retain its charm by supporting the local merchants whose presence helps make our town unique. So before you head off to the mall, or a big box store, remember to invest in our own economic recovery program first.
To all of you who are readers and advertisers, thank you for your support. Have a wonderful and safe holiday season and let’s all do our part to make 2009 a great year for our community, our country and the world.