In celebration of Sunshine Week next week, The Chronicle is excited to launch a new monthly page called “Policy Periscope,” which examines public policy and its impact on our daily lives. Read the debut page here.
Sunshine Week takes place each year in mid-March, aligning with the birthday of our fourth President, James Madison, who was born on March 16, 1751. Madison played a critical role in the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and presented the first version of the Bill of Rights to Congress.
The purpose of Sunshine Week is to inform the public, journalists, lawmakers, and others about the “right to know” in state and federal governments. It is a nonpartisan collaboration involving groups from journalism, civic organizations, education, government, and the private sector, all aimed at highlighting the importance of public records and open government.
In a country increasingly divided along political lines, it has become difficult to discern whom to trust and what biases may be present in the headlines. This division continues to widen as the distinction between truth and opinion blurs, influenced by political motives, questionable actions of elected officials, and the influence of wealthy political donors.
The increasing presence of artificial intelligence, especially during a time when people are constantly consuming information curated by algorithms on social media, adds to the complexity. This is particularly true with the prevalence of deepfake videos and audio, as well as purposeful misinformation and disinformation.
As a result, it has become challenging to trust even what we see with our own eyes and to know who’s pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Nonpartisan reporting is essential to our mission. Our goal is to remove politics from issues, reduce the intensity of the discourse, and maintain facts.
Ultimately, it is up to readers to decide how to use that information. Publisher Noel Nash and I have been strategizing for more than a year on how to bring more policy examination into our publication. As a small, independent, locally-owned newspaper, we have finite resources, and believe me when I say we’re more aware of our gaps in coverage than anyone.
Finding the right partners with subject-matter expertise has proven key for us in filling some of those gaps – be it regular columns by Daniel Hiestand with WasteWise Lane County, Kate McMichael with Lane Families for Farms & Forests, Travis Joseph with American Forest Resource Council, Chris Wig with Emergence Addiction and Behavioral Therapies, and other guest columnists.
This week, we’re adding The League of Women Voters Lane County (LWV) to the list of experts.
Much like The Chronicle, LWV remains neutral and does not support or oppose any political party or candidate. As an organization committed to voter education and advocacy, the League takes strong positions on policy issues related to voting rights, civil rights, and other matters important to its members and the public.
So, in meeting with the League’s Nancy Mills, voter service chair, and Beatrice McKenzie, co-chair, over coffee and biscotti in Nancy’s beautiful home a few weeks ago, it didn’t take us long to land on the same page – and that page has since come into fruition as the “Policy Periscope” page. It debuts on Page 4 this week.
LWV has a plethora of work-intensive reports and studies that address the issues, not the politics. Through this partnership, The Chronicle will extract and condense its findings into digestible stories, briefs, timelines, and key terms to know. Readers are encouraged to explore the League’s studies in full on their website for an even deeper dive than space allows in print.
Blasting sunshine into the darkness, examining policy for the people – rather than the politics – and upholding your right to know is a commitment we make to our readers.
Erin Tierney-Heggenstaller is the executive editor and co-owner of The Chronicle.
