FAIRFIELD – The Bangor Daily News announced Tuesday the closing of its Fairfield bureau office, which it opened just over two years ago to serve southern Somerset County. The reporter’s position has been eliminated.

Speaking for the NEWS, Mark Woodward, executive editor, cited soft business and circulation experiences in the area since the bureau opened in June 1998 and the newspaper’s need to find areas of cost savings in a sluggish economy.

“This decision was made with great regret,” Woodward said, “because we have established strong and enduring relationships with the people of the Fairfield area. We hope they’ll understand this most certainly is not something we wanted to do.”

He pointed out that the NEWS bureau in Pittsfield would continue to be open and fully staffed to serve the county. “Our newspaper will still be on sale in Fairfield. We will continue to cover events and issues relevant to the people of that community.”