Issaquah’s only locally owned newspaper
THE ISSAQUAH PRESS THE END: PRESS TO CLOSE AFTER 117 YEARS OF SERVICE
118th Year, No. 4
Thursday, January 26, 2017
issaquahpress.com
ISSAQUAH’S OLDEST BUSINESS WILL PUBLISH FINAL EDITION FEB. 23 New initiatives, deep expense cuts could not stanch six-year string of revenue losses
Greg Farrar / gfarrar@isspress.com
Issaquah Press Group General Manager Charles Horton (left) announces the closure of The Issaquah Press and her sister newspapers Jan. 19 to employees who had gathered in the newsroom. From Horton’s left are digital editor Christina Corrales-Toy, senior account executive Laura Feenstra, editor Scott Stoddard, digital advertising specialist Neil Buchsbaum and circulation and operations manager Jose Gonzalez. The Issaquah Press The Issaquah Press Group, which publishes The Issaquah Press, the Sammamish Review, the SnoValley Star, the Newcastle News and theeastside.news website, announced Jan. 19 the company will cease operations next month. In a letter to readers and advertisers, General Manager Charles Horton wrote: “After several months of exploring different paths for a sustainable future, we came to this difficult conclusion.” The Issaquah Press is the oldest newspaper on the Eastside and is Issaquah’s oldest continuously operating business. It has published more than
TO OUR VOLUNTARY SUBSCRIBERS
Thank you for your past financial support. All voluntary subscribers will be receiving a letter in the next few days regarding the balances of their accounts. There are three options from which to choose: 4If you are not a current Seattle Times subscriber, you may request delivery of the Sunday edition of the Times through the end date of your Issaquah Press subscription. 4If you are a current Seattle Times subscriber, you may request the balance of your account be applied as a credit to your Seattle Times subscription. 4You may request a pro-rated refund.
6,000 editions over the past 117 years. The final edition will publish Feb. 23 and the company will officially shut down the following day. The Issaquah Press Group’s affected employees include seven in the newsroom, four in advertising and one in operations. They were informed of the closure by Horton during a noon meeting Jan. 19. “I’m sorry we weren’t able to get where we needed to be,” Horton told employees. In the letter to readers and advertisers, Horton said the company, which has been owned by See PRESS, Page 6
Council committee recommends denial of request to boost Westridge density By Lizz Giordano lgiordano@isspress.com
Scott Stoddard / sstoddard@isspress.com
Bellevue-based developer Polygon Northwest wants to increase the number of residential units at its Westridge project from 265 to 365. The development is near Swedish Hospital in the Issaquah Highlands.
The City Council’s Land and Shore Committee has rebuffed a developer’s request to bring more density to the Issaquah Highlands. Councilmembers on the committee said they failed to see the benefit to the community of allowing an additional 100 units
in a yet-to-be-built Highlands development. “Stick a fork in that community, it’s built,” Council President Stacy Goodman said. Bellevue-based developer Polygon Northwest proposed adding the 100 additional units to
WHAT’S NEXT Polygon Northwest’s request to add 100 residential units to its Westridge development in the Issaquah Highlands is scheduled to go before the full City Council on Feb. 21.
See WESTRIDGE, Page 3 FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
facebook.com/issaquahpress twitter.com/issaquahpress instagram.com/issaquahpress
01.15854.IP.S
One Dollar