The Port Arthur News will enter a new phase of its development Tuesday, when delivery of the product shifts out of the hands of independent carriers and into the care of the U.S. Postal Service.

That means readers will receive their daily newspaper, Tuesday through Saturday, by way of the mail carrier, a practice that’s been adopted by more than three-quarters of Boone Newspapers’ 82 community newspaper sites.

It means changes for this newspaper’s staff as well as for our readers, but with change comes great opportunity.

Delivery by mail means we can reach readers in Greater Port Arthur and Mid County who were previously difficult to reach by newspaper carriers. Delivering the newspaper by carrier was cost prohibitive to remote places in Sabine Pass, Hamshire-Fannett and rural Jefferson County. That has changed.

Before, we could only reach some customers at a financial loss in isolated areas of our community. Some rural readers subscribed to the digital product.

Mail delivery of newspapers, on the other hand, is guaranteed for same day service if we do our job and get the newspapers off the press and to the designated Postal Service on time. That’s our pledge, Publisher Rich Macke said.

Early indications for increased readership since Macke announced the change are promising. Our circulation staff conducted a postcard solicitation effort and has been reaping quick benefits: We’re starting with new customers in Bridge City, Sabine Pass and Hamshire-Fannett.

They’ll start receiving their subscriptions Tuesday and we are excited to exercise this new reach. That means the newspaper will adjust its news effort, too, seeking additional news in those locations to better serve these new readers and our existing readers.

Since Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey, we’ve been able to reconnect with many readers who were driven from their homes by flooding last year. As they’ve returned to their homes — some returned months later, some aren’t there yet — we’ve been gratified to resume our business with them.

We believe that readers are finding our paper more issue-oriented and tightly edited over these past many months. This newspaper cares fervently about our customers in Greater Port Arthur and Mid County, and focuses its attention on them every day. No other news product keeps in such routine contact with community and business leaders and residents of Port Arthur, Groves, Nederland and Port Neches. None seeks to explain in as much detail the lives, history and culture of people in those places.

Because of our intensive local coverage, we think every published edition is valuable to readers — any time of day. We are eager to serve you as we move forward with mail delivery Tuesday.

We’re eager to serve you every day.

Ken Stickney is editor of The Port Arthur News.