A panel discussion with representatives from the Whidbey News-Times, Oak Harbor City Council, WhidbeyHealth Board of Commissioners and South Whidbey School Board
We’ll start with a short business meeting to elect 2024-25 board members, approve the annual budget and highlight our major projects and accomplishments. Lunch will follow and the program will begin at 12 noon.
This meeting is open to LWVWI members and those interested in learning more about the League. Feel free to invite friends interested in this program. The meeting is not open to the general public.
About the program:
The United States has lost one-fourth of its newspapers since 2008 and is on track to lose one-third by year’s end. Washington state has lost one-fifth of its newspapers and news staffing has declined some 60 percent or more.
Research has shown that these closures and cutbacks result in reduced civic engagement, lower voter turnout, fewer candidates seeking local office, and growing political partisanship.
We consider ourselves very lucky to still have a twice-weekly local newspaper, the Whidbey News-Times/South Whidby Record, which provides coverage of local government, important issues and community events.
Our panel will include the newspaper’s editor, Jessie Stensland, and reporter Kira Erickson, who will describe their work and how they decide what news to cover.
Elected officials – Oak Harbor Council member Bryan Stucky, WhidbeyHealth Commissioner Marion Jouas and South Whidbey School Board member Ann Johnson -- will discuss how local news coverage affects their ability to connect with their communities about important issues, including elections, levies and bond issues. We’ll end by discussing what all of us can do to help make sure our local newspaper remains strong.
Lunch, catered by the Greenbank Deli, will be available. Make your food selection when purchasing ticket. If you'd prefer no lunch, tickets are $7.
Classic Sandwich or Salad:
turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mayo, mustard on semolina roll
TBA Sandwich or Salad:
turkey, bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato, mayo on semolina roll
Roasted Veggie Salad:
seasonal roasted vegetable of the day,
feta, arugula, olives, lemon tahini dressing
Please register by June 1.
We’ll start with a short business meeting to elect 2024-25 board members, approve the annual budget and highlight our major projects and accomplishments. Lunch will follow and the program will begin at 12 noon.
This meeting is open to LWVWI members and those interested in learning more about the League. Feel free to invite friends interested in this program. The meeting is not open to the general public.
About the program:
The United States has lost one-fourth of its newspapers since 2008 and is on track to lose one-third by year’s end. Washington state has lost one-fifth of its newspapers and news staffing has declined some 60 percent or more.
Research has shown that these closures and cutbacks result in reduced civic engagement, lower voter turnout, fewer candidates seeking local office, and growing political partisanship.
We consider ourselves very lucky to still have a twice-weekly local newspaper, the Whidbey News-Times/South Whidby Record, which provides coverage of local government, important issues and community events.
Our panel will include the newspaper’s editor, Jessie Stensland, and reporter Kira Erickson, who will describe their work and how they decide what news to cover.
Elected officials – Oak Harbor Council member Bryan Stucky, WhidbeyHealth Commissioner Marion Jouas and South Whidbey School Board member Ann Johnson -- will discuss how local news coverage affects their ability to connect with their communities about important issues, including elections, levies and bond issues. We’ll end by discussing what all of us can do to help make sure our local newspaper remains strong.
Lunch, catered by the Greenbank Deli, will be available. Make your food selection when purchasing ticket. If you'd prefer no lunch, tickets are $7.
Classic Sandwich or Salad:
turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mayo, mustard on semolina roll
TBA Sandwich or Salad:
turkey, bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato, mayo on semolina roll
Roasted Veggie Salad:
seasonal roasted vegetable of the day,
feta, arugula, olives, lemon tahini dressing
Please register by June 1.
