Newspapers rely on trust. You trust us to report things accurately. We trust you to give us accurate information to share with our readers.

Last Saturday, that trust was broken.

A photo and cutline on our sports page told of the Red Sox winning the Thunderbird Little League AA division. A parent sent in the information, including the names of those pictured holding their winning trophies.

Apparently as a gag, the parent also purposely made up a name for the coach. We didn’t know that. The mistake ran on page 10.

We are re-running the photo and cutline, with the correct names, today on our sports page.

We have no idea what would possess an adult to think that putting a wrong name in a newspaper is funny. The coach certainly didn’t think so. We doubt if his son and family thought so, either.

Community newspapers exist to provide a forum for community news. Those big metropolitan newspapers neither have the time nor space to do that.

Given the amount of activities going on in Bellevue, it is impossible for our news staff to be everywhere or to check everything. We trust that what you send is accurate.

Likewise, you trust that what you read in the Bellevue Reporter is accurate and that we aren’t making things up.

When this works – and, fortunately, it usually does – the community benefits. When it doesn’t, everyone looks foolish.

We want the community to work with us; we want as much community news in the paper that will fit; we want to be the voice of Bellevue, but, we need your help to make the system work. Please remember, trust is important to both of us.

– Craig Groshart, Editor, Bellevue Reporter