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editorial

To our readers

This year showed, once again, how essential The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News are to our communities. Throughout 2025, we heard from readers who told us our reporting helped them better understand the issues facing their towns. Local organizations shared that attendance at their events increased following coverage in our papers or features in our newsletter. Advertisers reported an increase in business after readers saw an ad or a story about them.

Our core mission remains unchanged — to deliver trusted local news. National policy shifts created significant uncertainty this year, and we focused on explaining their local consequences: from immigration enforcement and school funding to the loss of federal support for healthcare, the arts, and food access in our rural communities. But even amid heavier topics, there was much to celebrate – Sharon Playhouse’s launch of a program for emerging theater artists; community fundraisers for Project SAGE, the Hotchkiss Library of Sharon, and the North East Community Center; and countless examples of neighbors stepping up to meet needs.

Transitions

This year was also one of important transitions in our newsroom. With John Coston’s retirement, we welcomed Christian Murray as Executive Editor. At The Millerton News, Nathan Miller became Managing Editor, and Aly Morrissey joined as a reporter. Along with a team of correspondents, they are reinvigorating coverage across eastern Dutchess County. With strong editorial teams in place across both papers, we are positioned for an ambitious reporting agenda in 2026.

Education initiatives

We remain committed to building the next generation of editors, reporters and readers. This year we launched a journalism curriculum and student newspaper — HVRHS Today — at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, giving students professional guidance and a platform for their voices. Our competitive summer intern program continued to draw talented young journalists, and we established a new partnership with Marist University to broaden future opportunities. None of this would have been possible without the support of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, the 21st Century Fund, the William and Mary Greve Foundation, along with generous private donors.

We look forward to the continued growth of our education program.

Sustainability

Like many community newspapers, we continue to navigate financial and operational challenges. With the help of national, local, and regional foundations — including the Foundation for Community Health, the MacArthur, Tow, and Barr foundations, and new grants from the DJ McManus and Anne and Rollin Bates foundations — we’ve been able to stabilize operations and invest in our newsroom. Combined with community support, this funding sustains essential reporting and helps us build the capacity we need for the future.

Community Engagement

This spring we held the first Millerton Street Fair, modeled on our annual Salisbury Street Fair, convening nonprofits and community groups for a day of connection and shared purpose. And in November, we presented the Estabrook Community Leadership Award to Bunny Williams, recognizing her extraordinary contributions and bringing together supporters and neighbors in celebration of community leadership.

Looking ahead to 2026, our focus is on strengthening our reporting, deepening community engagement, and building a sustainable local news organization. None of this work is possible without you — our readers, subscribers, advertisers, donors and partners.

Thank you for your trust and support. It’s a privilege to serve our communities.

James H. Clark

CEO/Publisher


Reach out to us

Please don’t hesitate to contact me directly with questions, comments, concerns at 860-435-9873 x401 or jamesc@lakevillejournal.com.

News: Reach Executive Editor Christian Murray at christianm@lakevillejournal.com, Lakeville Journal Managing Editor Riley Klein at rileyk@lakevillejournal.com and Millerton News Managing Editor Nathan Miller at nathanm@millertonnews.com.

Letters to the Editor may be emailed to publisher@lakevillejournal.com or submitted via our websites.

Obituaries may be submitted to obituaries@lakevillejournal.com or via our websites.

Advertising inquiries can be directed to Roxanne Lee, roxannel@lakevillejournal.com, or Mary Wilbur, maryw@lakevillejournal.com. And for classified line ads, Lyndee Stalter at classified@lakevillejournal.com.

Legal Notices can be sent to Michelle Eisenman at legals@lakevillejournal.com.

Subscription questions including new subscriptions, renewals and address changes can be sent to circulation@lakevillejournal.com.

Lakeville Journal
editorial

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