For the last couple of years, the College Area Community Council and Planning Board have utilized the College Area News newspaper to provide the community with updates on what is happening in our community. The paper was direct-mailed to 3,000 homes. This was less than we wanted in order to reach every household in the area, but our goal was to get that increased such that we did reach every home in the area. That did not happen and, in fact, the circulation was reduced to 2,000 homes with the possibility that that may decrease further or disappear altogether. 

We approached the San Diego Community Newspaper Publishing Group to discuss the possibility of extending the territory of one of their other papers (Mission Times Courier, La Mesa Courier) to include the College Area. Fortuitously, the publisher felt that we are a unique community and the fact that we are currently undertaking a community-generated community plan update to create and implement the vision that the community has for itself, warranted a paper dedicated to the community.

That is the College Times Courier, which you are currently reading. Given the level of community participation that we are looking for during the compilation of the community plan, and the ten-fold circulation goal over the previous paper proposed by the publisher, we felt that it will work well as a vehicle for disseminating community news, updates, events, etc. It will also aid our outreach efforts for the plan update.

Our thanks to the San Diego Community Newspaper Publishing Group for their confidence in and support of our community and look forward to a very long relationship. Welcome to our neighborhoods!

Please stay tuned for updates on the progress of our plan update and please get involved. We are all a part of this community and your input as to what you want to see here and how it is developed over the next 20-30 years is vital. If not for you, for your kids or grandkids.

—Jose Reynoso is president of the College Area Community Council, and chair of the College Area Planning Board.