Dear reader,
Sound Publishing is entering a new era as your local community newspaper with new faces and a new home.
Many local merchants have already met Pili Linares, who was recently named the advertising director for seven of Sound Publishing’s Eastside and North King County newspapers: Bellevue Reporter, Kirkland Reporter, Mercer Island Reporter, Redmond Reporter, Issaquah Reporter and Snoqualmie Valley Record. She will also oversee seattleweekly.com. Carrie Radcliff will oversee ad operations for the Bothell-Kenmore Reporter.
Linares has returned to Washington after leading business and advertising operations at multiple newspapers throughout Texas. She previously held management roles in marketing and advertising for The Daily Herald in Everett as well as the Hearst Corporation.
Linares graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in advertising and also completed an international business program at the University of Salamanca, Spain. Along with community newspapers, Linares’ interests include reading, traveling and watching the classic TV series “Magnum, P.I.”
Linares is committed to making sure advertisers and readers receive a quality product in print and online.
“I am excited to work in tandem with our team of journalists to deliver newspapers that matter in the community,” said Linares, who began her new role in January.
Another change is on the horizon. Starting April 1, these seven Eastside publications will relocate their operations from Bellevue to a new office at 11630 Slater Ave. NE in Kirkland. This new location will bring all of Sound Publishing’s Eastside operations under one roof and allow us to more effectively and efficiently serve our communities with quality newspapers and websites. The Valley Record will continue to have an office in Snoqualmie.
Regional editor Corey Morris and senior editor Samantha Pak will continue to guide coverage of breaking news, people and places throughout the Eastside. Your local news team includes reporters Aaron Kunkler, Ashley Hiruko, Madison Miller, Evan Pappas, Katie Metzger, Kailan Manandic, Stephanie Quiroz, Shaun Scott and sports editor Andy Nystrom.
“Our readers can continue to expect the quality coverage we’ve offered as we make this transition to a new building, and we’ll continue to look for areas to improve our coverage and offer the highest quality, timely local news for our Eastside and Valley communities,” said Morris, who joined the team in September 2018.
