By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews
This is the last week of YachatsNews’ third annual local fundraising campaign and hopefully a push to reach the $50,000 mark in the effort.
As of Thursday, readers and two Oregon foundations have contributed $31,600 toward the goal. If we reach $45,000 that kicks in a second $5,000 “challenge” contribution from a local donor, whose employer is also matching his total donations.
I hope we – and YachatsNews’ readers — can do it.
As a reminder, this third annual campaign is directed at helping to hire a second YachatsNews reporter to be based in Newport and cover countywide issues from there.
But that has brought up a few questions from readers wondering why a news site called “YachatsNews” is trying to expand into the Newport area. Here are some questions and my answers. (If you have others, please contact me at the email address below.)
Question: If you add a second reporter based in Newport, won’t that affect what we’ve come to expect for news coverage in south Lincoln County?
Answer: No. It would be in addition to what we are doing now. Our Yachats-based reporter and freelancers would continue to cover south county news, such as the cities of Yachats and Waldport, the fire districts, and local events, businesses, people and organizations.
Q: Why expand to Newport?
A: Newport is the Lincoln County seat and therefore where courts, the county government, and the countywide school district are headquartered. Oftentimes what happens there – take for example last week’s resignation of the district attorney or the kerfuffle between commissioners, the sheriff and the city of Waldport over deputy contracts – affects most or all of Lincoln County residents. We think that is important, impactful news and no one else is reporting what they’re doing.
Q: But didn’t YachatsNews have stories on the district attorney issues last week and the deputy contract dispute again this week?
A: Yes, reporter Garret Jaros broke off to cover the sheriff contract disputes because that involves the cities of Waldport and Yachats. But editor Quinton Smith stopped his other duties (like long-range planning and website work) to report the district attorney stories. Smith, who is unpaid, can’t be constantly stopping to do those countywide stories because it is not sustainable in the long run.
Q: Why can’t Jaros do those stories?
A: There are so many hours in the week and we’re committed to keeping Garret focused on south county news plus the important natural resource news (like last week’s Yachats clearcutting story or this week’s tidepool story) that he is so capable of doing.
Q: So what’s the important news that we’re missing from the Newport area?
A: Many stories that fall within YachatsNews’ mission statement of government accountability and civic engagement are not being reported. For example: how the new budget for the school district is being impacted by declining enrollment — and why are those numbers dropping? And what about the college-encouragement program at Waldport High School, or how did the cell phone ban at Taft High School work this year? Other stories that no one is doing are the leadership and administrative changes occurring at Oregon Coast Community College; the continuing efforts by the county to address homelessness and housing; the changes on the Newport bayfront; almost anything to do with the Port of Newport; urban renewal in Newport; challenges the police and fire department are facing; or the spate of fentanyl overdoses in the Siletz area. There are lots of impactful, important and interesting stories to be told and no one is doing those. We think it’s important and would like to hire someone to tackle those.
Q: How is YachatsNews doing overall financially?
A: With the help of regular monthly contributors (there are 55 now), our growing number of advertisers, the local fundraising campaigns each June and grants from Oregon-based foundations, we are in good financial shape to continue what we’re doing. But it’s not enough to expand – and our desire to do more and better.
Q: Are there ideas or plans for the long-term? Smith started the news site five years ago, and he’s now 74 and eventually age catches up with everyone.
A: Yes, there are ideas which we hope will develop into plans — all of which would have to be approved by our five-member board. The first is to find a way to fund and hire the Newport-based reporter, if not through this month’s local fundraising campaign, then through grants from regional or national foundations in the fall. An alternative to that – not yet a plan – is to hire a reporter/editor to do much of the work that Smith is doing now so that he can concentrate on fundraising and long-range planning (and not work 30-40 hours a week). But that does not increase our countywide coverage, only gives Smith a break. The other idea is to contract with an experienced news copyeditor/producer to handle much of the copyediting and production work that Smith does now. But that also takes money. We want to be clear to potential and current donors as to the future of YachatsNews — we are planning for its long-term sustainability.
Q: But would it still be called YachatsNews? (Apparently a lot of Newport and Waldport area readers feel misled by the name.)
A: It’s just a name, but if YachatsNews does expand the name could change to something that reflects the greater Lincoln County area. That name was quickly chosen more than five years ago when the news site was under development and the intention was to just cover the Yachats area. But we’ve greatly expanded our reach and subjects and – if we grow – it may be time to consider a name change BUT keeping the current content and just adding to it.
Q: Are Newport-area readers responding to your fundraising campaign?
A: Frankly, not that I can tell. More financial support from that area would be nice, but it also could be because we’ve not reached out to that area effectively enough or to the right people or organizations. If we continue to pursue a Newport-based reporter, YachatsNews will have to improve on that. But maybe Newport-area residents are satisfied with the news coverage they’re getting. I don’t see how they could be, but it also may be a matter of YachatsNews needing to improve its outreach.
If you have questions please reach out to Quinton Smith by email at YachatsNews@gmail.com or just pick up the phone and call him at 503-970-3867.
Want to help?
Here’s how you can financially support YachatsNews with whatever you can contribute:
- Write a check and drop it into the mail to YachatsNews, P.O Box 284, Yachats, Ore., 97498;
- Use the “Donate” button on the website to make a one-time contribution through PayPal;
- Paypal also has a feature where you set up an automatic monthly contribution. More people are doing that now (ranging from $5 to $40 a month) and it is a great stabilizer for our monthly operations and much appreciated;
- Advertise your business or organization on the site. Not only will you gain the additional exposure that 130,000 page views a month can bring, but you will be helping sustain this operation. Here is a link to rates and how to get that process started.
YachatsNews is a 501c3 nonprofit so state and federal governments recognize your donation as a charitable tax deduction.
YachatsNews, its staff, freelancers, board – and thousands of readers – appreciate your support.
Quinton – We live in Lincoln City and love Yachats News. You may have more contributors/readers who live outside the Yachats area and not know it. We’re counting on your fundraising to be successful!
Amen, Georgia. I’m another Lincoln City monthly contributor, who is grateful every week for Quinton’s team. Here’s hoping we can double the 55 contributors lists. Seems like a getable number.
Weeks after the Yachats News broke the story, the pathetic Lincoln County Leader still has not published a single word about the early resignation of our district attorney, the departure of several deputy DA’s, the appointment of the DA-elect as district attorney by the governor, and the assistance being provided to the office by the state attorney general. If you want good news coverage in Newport, please contribute to the Yachats News.
The Leader is down three reporting positions from about a year or two ago, prior to its purchase by Country Media, which has shown zero inclination to hire enough reporters to provide even the most rudimentary coverage of Newport.