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I started my now 35-year journalism career as a freelancer for the Sun Journal because I liked to write and wanted to share stories about people in my community.
I began by covering community events and was eventually asked to take on meetings of the Board of Selectmen and Planning Board in Buckfield, where I lived.
I knew next to nothing about municipal government, but I quickly learned — and came to appreciate — how personal public service is for the people who seek elected office and devote countless unpaid hours to serving their constituents.
I learned the importance of budget management, land use ordinances and comprehensive planning processes that were truly comprehensive.
When I started covering the then-School Administrative District 39 board of directors, I worked hard to understand the state's (overly complicated) education funding formula and how property valuations and local property taxes contribute to state funding figures, reported on student reading and math outcomes and paid attention to union contract negotiations.
I did not start writing in search of a journalism career, but I quickly recognized how essential it is to shine a light on government actions if communities are to enjoy good governance.
I also learned, along the way, that the absence of local journalism creates very real consequences in communities where taxes are higher, ordinances are passed with little scrutiny and elected officials often act without accountability.
The focus of Monitor Local, developed after months of listening to Mainers talk about how much they need local news in their communities, is to cover microlocal news and report on critical issues people need to be engaged citizens in towns across western Maine.
We have seen that happen in Norway, where our reporting on the potential demolition of the former Advertiser Democrat building prompted residents and preservationists to step forward with offers to help. We are also looking ahead to the public conversation around possible collaboration between the Wilton and Jay police departments when proposals are unveiled in February.
As we continue our commitment to local news, we are interested in working with people who want to cover news in their communities but need some journalism training to get started.
The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting is joining Journalism New England’s Career Lab on a three‑month local journalism program to provide hands‑on training for aspiring community reporting fellows who will contribute to The Maine Monitor’s Monitor Local coverage for our western Maine and Downeast newsletters.
The training program is a great opportunity to learn the foundations of journalism and have an opportunity to work directly with an editor on reporting, interviewing, writing and story revisions.
I can say that, in my experience, local journalism is a good fit for curious and engaged community members who want to boost our shared understanding of local government, so please consider joining me in this vital and rewarding work.
More information about the program, along with a link to apply, is available here.
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