Local journalism has real local impact.

Erik Cushman here. One of the gratifying things about the newspaper business is that our customers—ie., you, the reader—are very responsive and helpful. Not a week goes by when we don’t get direct feedback about our product. Usually it’s along the lines about how we totally flubbed this story or that fact. Plenty of times it’s more general observations about how we are doing, like, that we are blindly delusional and out of our minds and leading the world into an abyss.

I’m exaggerating for effect. But we do dedicate a page in print every week to letters to the editor, and every newsletter has the writer's contact info at the bottom, because dialogue is important to our enterprise. We’re deeply invested in this community and before we can report back the news, the writers have to be excellent listeners. That is how the work of our journalists can have the greatest impact. 

I know many of you readers get that. The truth is that we do get fan mail too. In fact, we have a posse of 3,561 Weekly Insiders—those of you who may or may not write a letter to the editor, but do donate money every month to support our journalism. These Insiders are critical to our sustainability as a local and independent media operation. Reader revenue is now a vital part of the business model. I’m writing to you today with an update on the impact of the journalism which Insiders’ financial support has made possible. And to invite those of you who are not Insiders to join in.

This summer, Editor Sara Rubin wrote a series of stories about a group of neighbors in The Dunes development in Marina who had formed a Sponsor Circle—through a program launched by the U.S. State Department and a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisers, Inc.‚—to resettle an Afghan refugee family. This program launched just after the U.S. military had withdrawn from Afghanistan and right as the Taliban were resuming control. Sponsors are required to pass background screenings and support a refugee family for three months as they get resettled—covering rent, groceries, other bills and transportation. 

The outpouring of support was remarkable, and Weekly readers reached out to donate or offer necessities. 

Then the State Department expanded the Afghani pilot project into “Uniting for Ukraine” to host refugees from Russia’s war there. Last month, reporter Agata Popęda told the story of Dmitry and Marina Kisselev, Seaside residents who are sponsoring nine Ukrainians fleeing the war. Popęda reported that she was stunned by the response she received from readers asking how they could contribute.

One of those who read these stories is Victoria Beach (a former councilmember in the city of Carmel). Beach texted Sara last week with news that as a result of the stories she read in the Weekly, she and her husband decided that they too wanted to sponsor a family. In a phone call today, Victoria tells me that it is in fact a linear tale—total cause and effect. She read about these programs in the Weekly, and that is what led to her family’s actions. She and her husband have space in their home now that they’ve become empty nesters and they wanted to help. 

They just got word last weekend that they have been approved; a family of four—3-year-old and 14-year-old boys and their parents—will be arriving in Carmel from Bucca, Ukraine by the end of November. 

These are pretty great stories that reflect the generosity of the neighbors we have throughout Monterey County. I’m so very impressed by the compassion and the selflessness of the many sponsors. I’m terrifically excited to get to know these new neighbors who will enrich the melting pot here in our community, and I’m humbled that the Weekly’s journalism played a role. 

I’m proud of our team of journalists and privileged to run a media business in Monterey County in 2022. These are but a few examples of where the company's work has rippled through our hometowns. If you’ve read something in the paper (or the newsletter) that spurred you to action—to enjoy a good meal or attend a cool show or decide on a political candidate—I’d ask you to keep in mind that funding this operation takes a lot of resources. If you enjoy the journalism, but are not yet a Weekly Insider, I’d invite you to click here and remedy that. That kind of feedback will help us to continue to do our work.

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Reflecting on the impact of local journalism. Greenfield growing pains. This library is haunted.