Dear Reader:
Autumn is busy around here. Your newspaper has already covered the Pelham Children’s Center’s Pumpkin Festival, the Pelham Civic Association Gala, Kate Douglass’s big wins at the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup and the town Halloween parade.
But Pelham’s community paper must do more than write about all the amazing events in our town. We’re here for the serious job of reporting on local government. This fall, we’ve run stories on the new contract granted to the superintendent of schools and the Village of Pelham’s vote to condemn parts of Julianne’s Playground—and the school district’s decision not to appeal that move. We were also there when Pelham Manor’s voters decided to move election day in their village.
I often remind people of the every day—yet important—work of a local newspaper. We publish obituaries without charge to families, a service many newspapers once provided but no longer do. Our letters to the editor page—the people’s page!—offers all readers the chance to have their say on issues of the day. The Pelham Examiner publishes every press release put out by every nonprofit, business and government agency in town.
The Examiner is here, publishing it all for you!
During our fall fundraising appeal, we’ve so far only raised 18% of the $30,000 we need to fund the paper’s basic operations. We must reach that goal so we can ensure the Pelham Examiner will be sustainable as the Town of Pelham’s local newspaper. Your contribution will help guarantee that we can continue our mission of teaching our all-volunteer student staff how to research and write compelling stories and engage in the civic process.
With gratitude,
Rich Zahradnik
Executive Director
The Hudson Valley Local News Lab Inc.
publisher of the Pelham Examiner
