Dear LebTown reader,

Hi, I’m Emily Bixler! In the past year, you might’ve seen my byline above one of our Civic Impact Reporting Project articles. I cover Cornwall, South Londonderry, North Lebanon, and, most recently, Jonestown municipal meetings each month.

Growing up, both of my parents worked for the Cornwall-Lebanon School District. From dinner table conversations, I learned that there was so much going on behind the scenes. As I grew older, I realized this was true about more than school districts: the decisions made by local governments affect us all, but few are privy to the processes behind the decisions. And with it all wrapped up in bureaucratic language, it can be difficult to decipher for anyone not well versed in local government.

I feel that as journalists it is our job to shed light on the dark. Illuminate the inner workings of local governments that are so often invisible. Knowledge is power. And with quality local journalism, we can share that power with readers like you.

I’ve been writing for LebTown since my senior year of high school; four years and counting. I wholeheartedly believe that our work is important.

I learned in college about the growing number of news deserts in our country — places where original reporting has all but vanished. Small towns, where newspapers found that the traditional journalistic financial model could not keep them afloat.

LebTown is different. With no overhead, the financial support we receive from readers like you goes directly toward our original reporting. Please consider supporting the Civic Impact Reporting Project or becoming a member to support us as we strive to cover more of what makes our community tick.

Thank you for your support,

Emily Bixler
LebTown Reporter