We’ve just published the very first print issue of La Conner Community News. It’s more than a newspaper — it is the heartbeat of our town, a record of who we are and what we strive to be. These pages do more than tell stories; they weave our history, capturing the moments we will one day look back on and say: This is who we were. This is what we fought for. This is what we dreamed.
At a time of division and distrust, this paper can be more than ink on paper — it can be a bridge. A place where real conversations begin, not in far-off halls of power, but here, in our community. Let us be the stewards of that dialogue, shaping it with civility, inclusion, and compassion. Let us listen as much as we speak. Let us make this a place where understanding grows.
It’s been exactly 90 days since the last La Conner newspaper closed its doors for good and, not coincidentally, the same number of days since I volunteered to be your publisher. In that time, I’ve poured my energy into that vision, preparing for this new conversation. This is the promise of La Conner Community News — and it all started with you.
Nearly two years ago, I tried to buy The La Conner Weekly News with the help of about 15 residents. We couldn’t meet the price demands of the last publisher — but I kept an eye on what was happening in La Conner. Then, last fall, when the publisher announced he would shutter the paper in December, another group of concerned citizens stepped up, pooling their funds to save it. Seeing that, I thought: If a community loves its newspaper this much, I have to be part of it.
I volunteered to be publisher and started recruiting my staff: Our force-of-nature Managing Editor Staci Baird, our expert Creative Director Casey Lynn, and the talented local trio of Bill Reynolds, Nancy K. Crowell, and Mel Damski. Since then, we’ve worked night and day to bring this to life — the very first issue of La Conner Community News.
We are deeply grateful to this town for taking a chance on us, and we hope to build a newspaper worthy of your trust.
La Conner Community News is a nonprofit newsroom — the first of its kind in this area. As such, we do not take partisan positions, including endorsing candidates in elections. That doesn’t mean we won’t publish opinions — far from it. But our editorials will focus on our town and its people, not political doctrine.
Public confidence in the media is at an all-time low, yet we consume more information than ever. Many of us feel isolated and angry, cynical and hopeless, as if greed and self-interest are the only forces shaping our world.
But what if we changed that narrative, even just for a few moments each week? What if we made a conscious effort to care for our neighbors, to set aside partisanship and focus on outcomes? What if we came together as a community to share our stories and experiences?
If we are to leave a mark, we want it to be in ways that serve our entire community: By ensuring La Conner Community News endures for years to come; by upholding fairness in reporting; by paying a living wage to employees at a time when newspaper wages are shrinking; by making sure all voices in our community are heard with respect; and by creating a space for meaningful discourse in our pages.
That is the editorial stance we choose — one of longevity, fairness, inclusivity, and connection. I hope you’ll join us in building a paper that truly belongs to all of La Conner. We may have different beliefs, but we all share this space and together, we will make this a thriving community for years to come.
