Deepening Community Relationships & Coverage: Why Old School Journalism Works
When the La Conner community pooled funds to buy their longtime paper, the retiring editor said no. Local news could have disappeared overnight. Instead, a new nonprofit newsroom rose—launched with the same funds but a fresh vision.
Drawing on her background in journalism, high tech, and nonprofit leadership, publisher Kari Mar started not with a business plan, but with people. She walked the streets, knocked on doors, met one-on-one, and held public meetings in libraries and city hall. She listened first, then built a plan that reflected the community’s priorities—launching the first print edition to serve older readers and signal permanence.
Today, La Conner Community News stands on three pillars: sustainability, fair pay, and the first-ever inclusion of the Swinomish Tribe in local coverage. Sometimes, the oldest tools in journalism—shoe leather, listening, and showing up—are still the most powerful.
Kari Mar
La Conner Community News
Publisher