About the Mallard
The Ballard Mallard is a neighborhood newspaper for Ballard, Seattle. Real news, neighborhood satire, and at least one good complaint per issue. Made by people in Ballard.
We cover the neighborhood the way local newspapers used to cover their neighborhoods. Closely. Fondly. With the occasional joke at the expense of the Bridge.
What we cover
Ballard, Seattle. Specifically: ZIP codes 98107 and 98117. North to 85th Street, south to Salmon Bay (the Locks and the Ballard Bridge), west to Shilshole Bay, east to 8th Avenue NW.
If a story crosses a neighborhood boundary, it gets covered through its Ballard angle, or it does not get covered. We are not a Seattle publication that occasionally writes about Ballard. We are a Ballard publication, full stop.
Recurring sections include:
- The Briefing — weekly news roundup
- Restaurant reviews — we go, we eat, we tell you
- Who's Doing Things — profiles of Ballardites doing Ballard things
- Then & Now — one block, one building, two photos, a generation apart
- Grievance of the Issue — reader complaints, lightly edited, sometimes bundled
- Pet of the Issue — one nominated pet per issue, all pets are good pets
- Missed Connections — for the moments that almost were
- Overheard — one or two lines, exactly as you heard them
- Letters to the Editor — real names, real arguments
- Tips — confidential, sourced, sometimes the start of a story
- The Dish — restaurant openings, closings, menu changes
- Events Calendar — what is happening in Ballard this week
- Parting Shot — one photograph, end of issue
When and how
Weekly newsletter. Every Thursday morning by 7 AM, in your inbox. Free. Subscribe at the top of any page on this site.
Monthly print issue. Sixteen pages of newsprint. Available at the Sloop, the Library, Cafe Besalu, King's Hardware, and other Ballard spots. Starting June 2026. Free to pick up.
Who is behind it
The Ballard Mallard is edited by Paul Peden. One person, for now. Friends helping with photography, writing, and the occasional second opinion on whether a joke lands. If you want to write for the Mallard, get in touch.
What we believe
A neighborhood is worth covering. A small paper run honestly is worth more than a big one run cynically. Real names beat anonymous claims. People in vulnerable positions deserve protection. Local advertisers deserve fair rates and a real audience, not metrics theater. Fact-checking is not optional. Satire works when it is affectionate. Punching down is not satire, it is just being mean.
We do not run AI-generated articles. We do not run sponsored content disguised as editorial. We do not run mugshots. We do not run anonymous letters. We do not invent quotes. We do not pretend to cover stories we did not actually cover.
We will run corrections promptly, prominently, and without defensiveness when we get something wrong. And we will get things wrong sometimes. We are running a newspaper.
How to be involved
Subscribe. Free. The signup box is at the top of any page on this site. Weekly newsletter starts May 2026.
Got something to say? Six submission forms covering everything from missed connections to grievances to letters to the editor. Visit Got Some Drama?
Reach the editor. paul@theballardmallard.com. Replies read, mostly answered, never sold.
Pick up the print. Starting June 2026 at locations across Ballard.
Thanks for being here. Welcome to the Mallard.