This edition of The Courier-Herald is the last of its kind.

And while it may not exactly qualify for “collector” status, we may hang on to a few copies just in case.

As was announced recently, both versions of The Courier-Herald – Enumclaw and Bonney Lake – will make a transition to a tabloid format beginning with the March 10 issue.

What does that mean for readers? Not much, we believe.

We know our readers are a bright bunch who will quickly realize the content they’ve come to expect hasn’t been altered or watered down at all. Our editorial goals remain the same and our dedication hasn’t wavered. The news will simply be spread over more pages.

The change in format has allowed us to make a couple of desired changes, however.

In sports, our focus will return to our readership areas: that is, the Enumclaw paper will be dedicated to Enumclaw High and White River sports, while the Bonney Lake-Sumner edition will emphasize the teams from those two communities.

Our popular community calendar will be revamped to really highlight the events occurring in the next week or 10 days.

Other than that, changes will be largely cosmetic to give the paper a cleaner, more contemporary look.

Within the walls of The Courier-Herald, the changes are a bit more involved as staff adapts to the compact format. If we do our jobs well, however, none of that editorial angst will be evident to readers.

It’s the dawn of a new era for The Courier-Herald. We thank you, our readers, for coming along for the ride.