Wonderful news …… and new plans

Dear Readers:

As you’ve probably heard, we launched our fall fund drive in early November with a challenge:

Every gift we received, up to a total of $10,000, would be matched by a grant from NewsMatch, a program of the Institute for Nonprofit News. For every dollar given, The News would receive two.

Thanks to the generosity of the 103 Charlotters who have already made gifts, we have reached our goal ahead of schedule. Thank you.

We will announce a new matching gift challenge in the December 2 paper.

This is the time we start to plan for the year ahead, looking at budgets, projected advertising revenues, operating expenses, and so on. We also start to think about new stories to cover in the paper and how to find local writers to do the reporting. Here’s some of what’s in the mix.

Thanks to Linda Hamilton and her colleagues at the Charlotte Grange, we’ll launch a new monthly column, “Stronger Together,” starting with the January 13 paper. In Linda’s words, “the goal is to nurture the attitude that “we are all in this together” by highlighting opportunities for helping each other (through nonprofits, informal groups and service projects), supporting the local agriculture-related economy, and encouraging informed civic engagement and public service …….. Life is challenging and we need each other …… and we are, in fact, “Stronger Together.”
By August 2022, Charlotte will have received a total of $1.1 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to be spent primarily on public health, countering negative economic impacts from the pandemic, and infrastructure. To date, the selectboard has received 42 suggested uses for the town’s ARPA money, ranging from building a public swimming pool to expanding town trails, to building a community center and town emergency shelter for public health emergencies, and more. ARPA dollars will have a significant impact on the future of Charlotte and so we are looking for an experienced local reporter to cover this story for at least the next year.
On the lighter side, we know that Charlotte is home to a good number of artists – painters, sculptors, woodworkers, dancers, storytellers, musicians, and more. We would love to tell their stories, and list arts and culture events in the paper.

If these story ideas have some appeal, and if you’ve not already made your tax-deductible gift, please do so now, either on our secure website, or by sending your check to The Charlotte News, P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445.

Wishing you a joyous Thanksgiving and a holiday season blessed by the company of family and friends.

John Quinney
Publisher and President