Hope for local news and how we’re innovating to serve you better

I attended the launch of the Fredericksburg Free Press this past Monday. Having started Potomac Local News from nothing in 2010, it’s fascinating to watch other local news startups serving their communities.

While our organizations aren’t affiliated, there may be some overlap in news coverage and opportunities for us to collaborate to serve our region’s residents better. Lord knows we need more reporters working to shine the light on the workings of local and state government, lift up the individuals and non-profits working to better our communities and bolster local business, the lifeblood of our communities, creating jobs so families and thrive, and providing new opportunities for Northern Virginia, hopefully reversing a trend that has seen more people fleeing than moving in.

We’ve seen more than 20,000 media jobs lost in the U.S. since 2023, and even more were announced on Friday with the closure of DCist, an online local news outlet produced by WAMU Radio in Washington, D.C., and national outlet Vice News. This is on top of the more than 1,500 local daily newspapers across the U.S. in the past ten years.

Today, there are many reasons why local and national news outlets have closed, ranging from the public’s lack of trust in the national press (think “Russia, Russia, Russia!”) to a lack of support from readers and businesses on the local level that willing to provide the support to fund the rigorous work of local journalism.

We sit in many public meetings, pour over documents, and bring you the facts about your community so you don’t have to do the homework. Fredericksburg Mayor Kerry Devine nailed it in her remarks at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Free Press.

“We know how important local news is in fostering healthy and informed communities. It plays a crucial role in civic engagement. We know that those with robust local news have higher voter turnout and engage more in civic activities. It is important for our democracy. Its informed citizens are essential for a healthy democracy. It combats misinformation. The rise of misinformation and unreliable sources makes globally trusted news even more crucial and critical for economic development. Local news supports our local businesses, attracts investments, and contributes to economic growth,” she said

I encourage you to support your favorite local news website, whether it be us, the Free Press, or elsewhere, by becoming a paying member.

While we remain focused on bringing you the local news, we’re also refocusing our efforts on developing new ways to support local businesses and provide effective advertising and marketing solutions.

I call it brand storytelling, and I’m particularly proud of what we’re doing with Dixie Bones BBQ in Woodbridge. Through brand storytelling, I’ve been able to do what journalists do best — tell stories.

I’m working one-on-one with Nelson Head, founder of Dixie Bones and longtime friend (I first met Nelson when writing a story about Swine Flu in 2009 for the old News & Messenger newspaper in Prince William County) to tell the stories of his employees — the lifeblood of any local business — and how their handwork and dedication make Dixie Bones BBQ a special place.

I hope you’ll read our sponsored stories about Dixie Bones and check out the special offer for Potomac Local Readers, which expires Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, for some of the best doggone barbeque you’ll find anywhere.

Finally, I shared a photo of me from a recent family trip to Williamsburg. After splashing around the region’s indoor waterpark for a few days, my wife, children, and I strolled through Colonial Williamsburg on a brisk February morning.

The selfie is of me standing in front of the Governor’s Palace, which Virginia’s royal governors called home before the revolution. It reminds us of the deep history of our great commonwealth, where we are proud to raise a family. A beautiful painting of the Governor’s Palace hangs in our home. My wife purchased the discarded art from a thrift store in Wilmington, Del.

We drove up the day after Thanksgiving 2021 to bring it home to the southern state where it belongs.