Dear readers:

Every October, I receive my annual notice that the domain name I purchased in 2009 — MyEdmondsNews.com — is renewing for another year.

It gives me pause when I think about those early years working to get this fledging news organization off the ground — all while holding down another full-time job and helping shepherd one kid through high school and another through college.

Let’s just say, sleep was not the highest priority at the time.

Then, a few years later, the publishers of MLTnews (also founded in 2009) and Lynnwood Today (founded in 2010) asked me if I’d be willing to take over their publications, when changes in their circumstances didn’t allow them to continue.

My first instinct was to say no each time to adding another publication to the mix, but the truth is, neither community had a newspaper. And I knew that if I rejected the idea, residents of those cities would have no news source. So now, we have the My Neighborhood News Network (MNNN) — which encompasses all three of our South Snohomish County publications.

Having our three cities (actually five, as we also cover happenings in Brier and Woodway, plus unincorporated areas nearby) connected makes good sense for many reasons. Our cities are geographically next to each other and our coverage area mirrors the boundaries of the Edmonds School District and Public Hospital District No. 2 (which operates as the Verdant Health Commission), as well as most of the South County Fire regional fire authority

As any parent living within the Edmonds School District boundaries can attest, kids and their parents become friends across the cities– through sports leagues, scouting, music and theater groups and more. The My Neighborhood News Network is proud to be a connecting point for Southwest Snohomish County. Covering this area regionally as well as locally often allows us to provide context on how projects and decisions in one city can impact residents in another.

As we enter our 13th year, we are certainly not resting on our laurels, either. We are working on exciting developments aimed at cementing our long-term commitment to providing readers with trusted community news. I look forward to sharing that information with you as our efforts progress.

And speaking of commitments, a growing number of readers are supporting us with a monthly, annual or one-time contribution. If you are one of them, please accept my sincere thanks. If not, you can learn more here.

Until next time.

Teresa Wippel
Publisher