Hey folks – Uriah Kiser here, founder and publisher of Potomac Local News.

Earlier this month, I had the privilege of joining the Prince William Committee of 100 at the Manassas Museum for a thoughtful discussion on the future of local news. Thank you to everyone who came out to support and take part in the conversation—it meant a lot.

It’s hard to believe, but this June marks 15 years since I launched Potomac Local News. This milestone would not be possible without you—our readers, members, and community partners—who trust us to keep you informed about the places we call home: Manassas, Woodbridge, Fredericksburg, and beyond. Over the years, we’ve seen incredible growth, challenges, and change—and it’s been my honor to report on it all.

What We Discussed

We were joined by several incredible voices in local journalism:

Bruce Potter of InsideNoVa emphasized that social media platforms aren’t local—they don’t send reporters to city council meetings, cover Little League games, or shine a light on neighborhood nonprofits. Local news organizations like ours do, and that boots-on-the-ground reporting matters more than ever.

Stephen Kent, a nationally known media commentator based in Manassas, shared behind-the-scenes insights on how the business of journalism is evolving. From Fox News to Al Jazeera, he’s seen it all and brought a wide lens to the conversation.

We also heard from the publisher of the Prince William Times, a reader-supported nonprofit weekly, who spoke about the power of community-funded journalism. Their model proves that when you give readers the content they care about, they’ll support it.

A Look Back

The event reminded me of another Committee of 100 conversation back in 2012, shortly after the closure of the News & Messenger, following the merger of the Potomac News and the Manassas Journal Messenger—papers that served eastern and western Prince William County for more than a century combined.

I worked at the News & Messenger and saw firsthand the decline: the layoffs, the loss of local printing in Woodbridge (especially hard around the holidays), and ultimately, the final edition in 2011. When printing was moved to Richmond, the “local” was pulled right out of the local paper—and eventually, the paper disappeared altogether.

It’s a story that underscores exactly why we do what we do at Potomac Local News. We’re here, in the community, for the community. Every single day.

Thank You

Thanks to Al Alborn for organizing this important event and keeping the conversation going more than a decade later. And thank you again to Mike Beaty for capturing some fantastic evening photos.

To learn more about the Prince William Committee of 100, visit pwc100.org or follow them at facebook.com/pwc100.

Here’s to 15 years of Potomac Local—and many more to come.

Thank you for your continued support.

– Uriah Kiser
Publisher, Potomac Local News