A new way of covering community starts soon

By THE EDITORS

© St. Petersburg Times,
published June 24, 2001

The Times is changing its pattern of coverage in the Seminole area. We take this opportunity today to tell you about it.

Next Sunday, July 1, we will replace the section you are reading, the Seminole Times, with a new community news section called the Seminole Neighborhood Times.

The Seminole Neighborhood Times will be in your paper each Sunday and Wednesday.

We make this change because we think we can better serve the Seminole area with a report that is about and for Seminole. The Seminole Neighborhood Times will be just that.

It will be an improved, community-based report, with intensely local Seminole news and information you will find useful.

By publishing it twice a week, our reporters can refocus their efforts and report much more of the community news Seminole residents tell us they care about.

Of course, the Times will continue the in-depth coverage Seminole readers expect. At the same time, we think the Seminole Neighborhood Times will consistently present a concentration of Seminole-exclusive news that will give you added value.

The Seminole Neighborhood Times will also be a new size. It will be a tabloid, which many readers say is easy to handle.

As we planned the Seminole Neighborhood Times, we retained all the Seminole-specific content that has been in the Seminole Times. We also added several new features we think readers will consider useful. Some examples:

A weekly crime report of every complaint received by the Sheriff's Office.

A weekly roundup of road and traffic problems.

A "Neighborhood Notebook" reporting on goings-on and events around the community, including neighborhood associations.

A weekly column called Rookie Mom, which shares experiences and advice about parenting.

On days the Seminole Neighborhood Times is not published, your local news will be in Section B, which also will change on July 1.

This section will have a new name: City & State. And it will have more pages and more coverage both of Pinellas County and the rest of the Tampa Bay area.

City & State will have obituaries. And it will have a religion report on Saturdays.

The flavor and focus of City & State won't change from the Metro section you are accustomed to. You will read the same columnists, see the same weather page.

Stories from Clearwater and Largo that you have seen in the Seminole Times will transfer to City & State.

We are excited about these changes, and we are confident they will result in improved coverage of the Seminole community. Our commitment to the Seminole area is as strong as ever. We are not cutting back staff. The reporters assigned to Seminole simply will concentrate their coverage in the new Seminole Neighborhood Times.

Watch for it next Sunday.

In the meantime, the Seminole Times will carry a short story each day this week introducing you to some of the new features you will find in the Seminole Neighborhood Times.

On Page 3 today, you will find a box detailing how Seminole residents, community groups, clubs, churches, businesses and organizations can contact us with news releases and public service announcements.

We enjoy covering Seminole and look forward to better serving you.

We also enjoy hearing from you and will be eager to get your reaction to the new Seminole Neighborhood Times. You can phone 445-4149 and leave a recorded message or e-mail us at northpin@sptimes.com.

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