SALINAS VALLEY — With today’s issue, the publishers of the Gonzales Tribune, Soledad Bee and Greenfield News are pleased to announce a unified newspaper under a fresh new brand for the Salinas Valley region.
The newspapers, which have long shared news of regional interest, will be published under the name “Salinas Valley Tribune.”
The King City Rustler will continue publishing under its current nameplate, which was redesigned last year.
GreenfieldNews.com and SoledadBee.com will continue to maintain the historical names in the digital space, with archives, hyperlocal news and community-specific comments and discussions. The GonzalesTribune.com website will be consolidated with SalinasValleyTribune.com.
“Salinas Valley is a recognized name, from the days of John Steinbeck, to its use today in association with food and wine festivals, dozens of wineries and three AVAs,” Publisher Jeanie Johnson said, referring to the American Viticultural Area designations.
“While bringing our readers the professional, hyperlocal news they’ve come to expect, this change will allow us greater opportunities to share more stories that affect our area and touch readers’ lives,” Editor Ryan Cronk said.
“We want to unify our readership and give the Salinas Valley a publication that encompasses these distinctive communities,” Cronk added.
“People in Yountville say they’re from Napa Valley, and Cupertino residents say they’re from Silicon Valley. By banding together under a common media-promoted name, we can let the world know who we are,” Johnson said.
The publication’s attractive new logo features an engraving by noted California Illustrator Steven Noble and a format redesign created by New SV Media Graphic Designer Kara Brown and group Executive Editor Dan Pulcrano.
By now, astute readers have probably noticed some other changes made to the publications; for instance, the size of the paper has been reduced to a more contemporary format that’s become a standard in the news industry. The sports section and events coverage has been suspended since public events, county schools and extracurricular activities have been shut down due to the COVID-19 crisis.
A monthly section, Focus on Agriculture, will continue to be published, and is distributed in other agricultural areas where the company and its affiliates publish weeklies, including King City, Gilroy, San Benito County and Watsonville.
The websites, which are free to subscribers, will continue to be updated daily to include breaking news, timely photos, feature stories and coverage of the people, issues and opinions that make each of the Salinas Valley communities unique.
Cronk noted that the redesign had already been underway before the coronavirus struck.
“The Tribune’s staff is excited about these changes, and we hope you will welcome them as well, as we remain committed to serving our community as a leader in local print and digital news products,” he said.
Readers are encouraged to call the Tribune’s office at 831-385-4880 or email Editor Ryan Cronk at rc****@ne********.com with feedback, suggestions and story ideas.
