Announcement time. After over six years of publishing Flying Kite, it's time for a change. We're going on hiatus, taking a couple months off to retool and rethink. The plan is to return with a revamped website and a fresh editorial vision in January 2017.

This transition is part of a broader move towards local ownership of the publication. Since our founding, we have operated under the umbrella of Issue Media Group, a company based in Detroit. That will change, though Flying Kite will remain part of their network. Our sister site Keystone Edge went through a similar process earlier this year, launching a brand new website and updating the way they cover the state of Pennsylvania. We want to do the same.

But while some things are changing, more is staying the same: We will still dive deep into neighborhood coverage, continuing our On the Ground work in a more dynamic way. We will still send writers out to cover areas often overlooked by the traditional media, from community development and the arts to new businesses and the built environment. And we will still host awesome events that bring together a diverse group of Philadelphians -- in fact, we hope to expand our programming and increase our efforts in IRL engagement.

That starts with a happy hour: 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 26 at Strangelove’s (216 S. 11th Street). Stop by to hear all about the new Flying Kite.

We're incredibly excited about the future. Our editorial and publishing teams will remain intact, and we're seeking to forge new relationships with innovators, entrepreneurs, advocates and stakeholders across the city. If you'd like to get in on the ground floor of the new Flying Kite as an underwriter, advertiser or editorial partner, drop us a line at [email protected].

We'd like to close by offering thanks to the incredible partners we've worked with over the last six years, including the Knight Foundation, the Job Opportunity Investment Network, Blackstone LaunchPad, the Scattergood Foundation, StartupPHL and University City Science Center, among many others.

Some of our favorite all-time features are up on the homepage. While we're away, keep up with us on social media via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. And be sure to check out Keystone Edge, covering what's next and best in Pennsylvania.

See you in 2017!

Lee Stabert, Editor & Michelle Freeman, Publisher