The Seattle Times announced last week it is cutting its staff and closing its Eastside bureau in Bellevue.

Kirkland Reporter readers might wonder if the same thing is happening here.

In a word: No.

The Kirkland Reporter has no plans to cut back. In fact, we hope to do more (maybe even go twice a week).

What sets us apart from other media in this area is that we specialize in covering Kirkland The reason is simple. It’s easy to get national, international or regional news from many places. The internet in particular is a quick and convenient way to keep up on what’s going on out there in the big, wide world.

We’ve found, however, that our readers care equally about what’s going on in their city and neighborhood.

If you’re looking for Kirkland news, it’s easy to find in the Kirkland Reporter. It’s on page 1. It’s also on page 2, 3, 4 … well, you get the picture.

We also cover the everyday activities of average people. You know — like you and us. We have:

– Stories about what’s new in the city.

– Features on your friends and neighbors.

– Sports coverage on more than just the major-league teams.

– A community calendar that’s devoted to Kirkland happenings.

There’s also a variety of advertisements by local merchants, people who live here where they work. They’re your neighbors, too.

Tip O’Neill, a longtime Speaker of the House in the U.S. Congress, once declared, “All politics is local.” A similar statement might be made for news.

Yes, national and world issues are important. But you can find those stories anywhere. What we think is equally important is how you and your friends are dealing with local issues. We also think it’s better to tell you about a new restaurant or business in Kirkland than about the latest hot spot or trend in Ballard or West Seattle.

Does that make us provincial? Hardly.

It means we care about things here in our own backyard. Just like you.