Breaking News: The Washington County Times is Now Free!

In an exciting move to make local journalism more accessible to everyone in our community, we are proud to announce thatThe Washington County Times  is officially going paywall-free!

This change means that you can now read our articles without a login or paywall blocking your access! We believe that high-quality, local news should be available to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. Whether you’re checking for breaking news, staying up to date on local government, or reading about local history, we want to make sure the information is free and accessible for all.

Why the Change?

Local news is a vital part of any community. It keeps people informed, holds local leaders accountable, and connects neighbors to one another. However, as much as we want to offer all this valuable information for free, journalism still takes time, effort, and resources. Currently, we are a team of only two people working long hours to keep the publication going, and while we’re passionate about what we do, we also have to cover our costs and pay the bills.

That’s why we’ve transitioned to a recurring, pay-what-you-want donation model. Instead of subscriptions, you can now contribute as much or as little as you’re comfortable with — $1, $5, $10 a month, or more. Every bit helps.

If you’re already a subscriber, don’t worry — your current subscription will automatically convert into a $2.99/month recurring donation. There’s nothing you need to do, though you can always cancel your donation through your account page (under "My Subscriptions") and choose a different tier of support here.

New Supporter Wall

To thank you for supporting local news, we’re adding a Supporter Wall to our website! If you contribute $5/month or more, you can have your name displayed as a “Supporter.” Current subscribers who stay onboard through this change have the option to be honored as Founding Supporters (check your email, subscribers!). The Supporter Wall will be updated as often as possible, and we’ll even share it to social media every month to publicly recognize the amazing individuals and businesses who are helping to keep The Washington County Times  running.

Business Owners: Become a Sponsor

For local businesses, we’ve also introduced sponsorship tiers starting at $100/month. These sponsorships come with a variety of perks, including your logo featured on our site, social media shoutouts, and even advertisements on our homepage and in articles. Sponsorship is a great way for businesses to show their commitment to supporting local journalism while gaining visibility in the community. It’s like traditional advertising, but better AND cheaper!

We believe that local businesses play an essential role in keeping our community strong, and by sponsoring us, you can show that your business cares about keeping Washington County informed with reliable news. All details about the sponsorship options can be found near the bottom of our Support Us page.

What’s Next for The Washington County Times ?

With your ongoing support, we can keep growing and improving the quality of journalism in our county. If we can reach our current funding goals, we then plan to bring on more staff writers, hire a freelance investigative journalist to cover local government activity, produce video content, start live coverage, and develop a newsletter. In the future, we hope to even develop a Washington County Times  app!

But we can’t do any of that without your help.

So, if you believe in the importance of high-quality, unbiased local journalism, now is your chance to show that support. If you’d like to become a supporter, or if you’re a local business interested in sponsorship, please visit our Support Us page.

We’re excited to see where this new chapter takes us, and we’re grateful for the community that’s been behind us all along.

Thank you for being part of The Washington County Times !

— Jacob Dufour, Publisher

— Nathaniel Smith, Editor-in-Chief