By KIT SLACK
Dear neighbors, friends and readers,
American democracy and American journalism are entwined — this is especially clear during an election year. And yet, in many places across the U.S., communities are losing news sources and the journalists they once counted on.
Without access to reliable information and insights into what local government officials are doing, fewer residents vote and participate in local government, and corruption often increases.
At The Laurel Independent, since we live in the same community as you, we’re able to provide accurate, nuanced, on-the-ground reporting to help you understand the impacts of elections and legislative actions — and we can tell the stories of neighbors getting together to advocate for our communities.
During this election season, we provided to every home in Laurel, as well as to all county voters on our website:
- A voter guide explaining the judicial elections
- Voter information on debt the county is taking on that voters can approve or disapprove
- Coverage of school board elections
And we will continue to provide this type of public service.
When local independent news thrives, so, too, do communities. If this is something you care about, we invite you to support the cause. From now until Dec. 31, NewsMatch, a collaborative fundraising movement that supports independent, public-service journalism, will match monthly donations for a year or double a one-time gift, up to $1,000. Help us take advantage of this great opportunity to strengthen our nonprofit newsroom. Donate online at streetcarsuburbs.news/donate, or send checks to P.O. Box 132, Hyattsville, MD, 20781.
Will you support independent journalism — and year-round democracy?
Kit Slack is the executive director of Streetcar Suburbs Publishing, which puts out The Laurel Independent.
