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I’ve spent over fifty years chasing stories — city halls, hockey rinks, courthouses, and coffee shops. I’ve watched this town grow, stumble, rebuild, and reinvent itself a dozen times. But the biggest story of my career isn’t about politics, sports, or development. It’s about us — the people who still believe local news matters.
For too long, Duluth’s news conversation has been shrinking. Legacy media cuts deeper every year. The familiar bylines are gone, and what passes for “coverage” now feels more like repackaged press releases. Meanwhile, the real stories — the ones happening in neighborhoods, classrooms, and shop floors — go untold.
That’s about to change.
Today I’m inviting you to help launch something new: Duluth Voices — a community-driven newsroom for the next chapter of this city’s story.
You don’t need a press badge, although we might give you one. You don’t need a degree. You just need curiosity, honesty, and a willingness to show up. Maybe you already take photos of the lake or your local youth teams. Maybe you’ve caught a moment of kindness or frustration in your neighborhood and thought, Someone should write about that. Now you can be that someone.
We’ll publish original stories, photographs, and columns from across Duluth — by the people who live here. We’ll share what’s working, what’s broken, and what’s quietly beautiful. Our mission is simple: to tell the truth of our community, together, before someone else rewrites it for us.
If you’ve ever felt that spark — that urge to document, to ask, to record — we want you on board. You might write once a month or once a week. You might start by sharing a photo, or by interviewing your neighbor about something small that matters more than anyone realizes. Every voice strengthens the signal.
This isn’t another media startup chasing ad clicks. It’s a return to the roots of what local journalism was always meant to be — people caring enough to pay attention.
The plan is simple: we’ll build the site, train contributors, and share tools and tips for solid, fair reporting. Then we’ll hand over the microphone. Together, we’ll create a place where Duluth’s true stories live again — unfiltered, unbought, and unafraid.
So, if you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to make a difference, to publish a story that helps your neighbors see each other more clearly — this is your chance.
Email me at Duluth@aol.com for details. Tell me who you are, what you love about this city, and what kind of stories you’d like to tell. We’ll start small. We’ll build trust. It's all-volunteer. And together, we’ll grow something that lasts.
The next newsroom won’t have a printing press. It’ll have people — citizens — who care enough to write the truth.
And that, my friends, is how Duluth’s next great news story begins.