To our loyal readers,

In a few short weeks, our world has changed. Today, we are facing unprecedented challenges as the world fights COVID-19. Trusted local news has never been more important. At your Mercer Island Reporter and at mi-reporter.com, our journalists are on the front lines, bringing you the most up-to-date information and breaking news.

This pandemic has exerted financial pressures on your Mercer Island Reporter like we’ve never experienced through 9/11, or the Great Recession. Like many other businesses this past month, we have gone into survival mode. With the statewide lockdown, we saw most of our local advertising revenue fall through the floor. The steadfast advertiser partners who were able to remain with us are indeed a bright light through these difficult times. We will be forever grateful to them.

Through the Reporter’s 66 year commitment to local community journalism, our job of keeping our readers informed and connected has not changed. More than ever our readers are craving information about their neighbors and their community. Our team of reporters and editors are working remotely, so it may take more time than usual to contact us. Sadly though, like many essential businesses, we’ve still had to lay off some of our wonderful and hard-working staff, while others went from full time to 24 hours per week. Despite that, we are all pushing through this and are diligently monitoring our phone messages and emails. We will be glad to hear from you.

During the past month, we’re also seeing many new subscribers to the Mercer Island Reporter signing up – and our website traffic and social media followers are through the roof! To help Island residents at this time, we will continue to cover critical news and get it to you in print and on our website at mi-reporter.com.

We hope that you realize and value the critical role of local journalism to the Island, and I invite you to support your Mercer Island Reporter in this important mission by becoming a subscriber today. To become a digital or home delivery print subscriber, please visit mi-reporter.com/support and subscribe.

We thank you for your support of the Mercer Island Reporter and wish you all of the best during this difficult time.

Rudi Alcott

VP Advertising

Sound Publishing