The only thing constant is change. And in rough economic times, every aspect of our lives ebb and flow to reflect the economy. In the case of the North Kitsap Herald, change, it is a coming.

Starting in the second week of January, the Herald will have a different look, feel and publication schedule.

For starters, Sound Publishing — the parent company of the Herald — is following a nation-wide trend in shifting our format from a broadsheet (what you’re holding right now) to a tabloid size. This move is, in a way, the Herald going back to its roots. Anyone who read the Herald about 10 years ago is familiar with the tabloid size paper.

The move to tabloid is as welcome as the first warm breeze of spring.

Why?

It has the look and feel of a magazine — and allows for all sorts of creative endeavors in layout and design — and forces editorial folks to write more succinctly to fit the format.

The move to a weekly, rather than a twice-weekly, will provide the staff more time to write and go after the more in-depth feature stories — the ones that entertain as well as inform.

Because we’ll be printing one less paper a week, that time can be spent out in the community, gathering information and meeting new people.

We understand the community’s trepidation about decreasing the publication schedule; the fear that the news will be stale by the time it hits your doorstep is a valid one.

We will not let that happen.

We fortunately have our Web site, www.northkitsapherald.com, at our disposal. We will be shifting our energy from the print edition to the online version for breaking news, meeting outcomes, sports scores and the like.

That does not mean that all news will be on the Web site before the paper hits the streets, though. We’ll be saving the in-depth features for the print edition. The Web site and “dead tree edition,” as it’s called in the biz — even though Sound Publishing uses 100 percent recycled paper and environmentally friendly soy bean ink, by the way — will serve as compliments, rather than competitors.

This is a big change for everyone, but it’s also the beginning of an exciting journey.

We hope this will be one both the community and the Herald can make the best of.