On Monday, April 8, 2024, the day of the solar eclipse, I started working at the Chestnut Hill Local. It was a day of promise and potentiality. Monday is our deadline day, so our then-interim publisher, Richard Stein, suggested I begin working from outside the office. He and I met for a long lunch then came into the Local’s pre-renovation space amidst a hum of activity. People paused their work long enough to say hello and to stop and stare up at the sky through protective glasses. 

“An auspicious beginning,” editor Carla Robinson remarked about my first day at the Local. Indeed, my time here has been positive and productive.

The last year-plus has seen a whirlwind of activity. The Local moved offices three different times within the same building, hired three new people, consolidated our print offerings, upgraded our technology, launched a newsletter, did away with our separate Mt. Airy edition, changed our masthead, participated in an annual appeal, secured a few grants and more.

On April 1, 2025, the first day of our current fiscal year, the Local applied for 501(c)(3) tax status. We’re not sure whether — or when — we’ll be granted a federal nonprofit tax designation, but the move – which would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of Chestnut Hill Local board members and the wholehearted support of the Chestnut Hill Community Association (CHCA) and the Chestnut Hill Community Fund (CHCF) – represents an acknowledgement that the journalistic landscape is changing.

Last week, I attended the Lenfest News Philanthropy Summit. It was a rare opportunity to be among industry professionals discussing not, as one might imagine, journalism, or the urgent need for preserving and sharing information, but finances. 

News leaders from across the country (and even a few international attendees) came together to share their ideas about fundraising, philanthropy and community. The opportunity has inspired me to engage with community members in new and innovative ways. 

Yes, over the last year, I’ve been fortunate to have had hundreds of conversations about the Local’s coverage, scope of service, technology and more, but outside of our board, the CHCA’s board, and the CHCF, I haven’t openly discussed the Local’s financial status or our plans for the future. I’d like to have those conversations in print and in person. 

The move toward nonprofit status (fingers crossed) represents an overall shift toward greater transparency and philanthropy while we continue to maintain and expand our advertiser and sponsorship relationships. It’s an exciting shift at a time when, all across the nation, newspapers are shuttering their doors. 

But that’s not us. The Local will not be eclipsed. We’re up to great things and, over the coming weeks and months, I look forward to sharing our vision and partnering with community members, our board and our staff to realize our full organizational potential.