Lower Columbia Currents marks first year

Readers: What can we do to continue growing, improving?

Happy New Year’s to you all, and a happy first birthday to Lower Columbia Currents.

Yes, it has been a year since I launched this on-line newsletter, which is dedicated to opinion and stories about issues of interest to the region.

The newsletter has grown far faster than my expectations. As of Monday, it had 580 subscribers. Growth has been steady at about 1.5 new subscribers a day. Each post now typically gets 1,000 to 1,200 reads. A few have netted more.

I published 83 columns in 2023. And for the last few months the combined 30-day readership ranges between 6,000 and 7,000 views. 

So many of you have told me how much you have enjoyed my work. This is so gratifying, especially because I write this column to fill a big void in news and opinion writing in the local area.  

And it is exciting that an old timer like I am is helping to pioneer a new form of digital local journalism.

The purpose of this column, though, is more than celebratory. It’s to seek your opinions about what you like or dislike and to enlist your help to expand its reach.

When you have time, please go to andrestepankowsky@substack.com — my website — and review what you can of my writings from the past year. It’s all archived there.

What were your favorites? Did you believe anything was unfair or totally off the mark, and why? Do you prefer the formal, harder-edged newswriting style of the pieces, or would you prefer writing that it more personal and breezy? Please affix your comments to the bottom of this story, not the originals.

My choice of topics has been eclectic. I’ve written about childhood obesity;  the Biden administration’s plan to develop more offshore wind energy; Longview’s “Daffodil Lady”; my personal connections to the war in Ukraine; the distribution of anti-semitic literature in Longview;  and even about whales’ social acceptance of outsiders and what it means for human harmony.  

Of course, there has been a steady diet of political commentary, particularly about the Cowlitz County commissioners and the conflict over Longview’s Hope Village homeless project.

As much as I believe Trumpism is a grave threat to our nation, I have largely avoided national politics — for two reasons. One, you can read about that elsewhere. I’ll touch on it only when there is a local connection.  Two, the real void I can fill is the need for local commentary, especially for a voice like mine that strives for moderation and common sense. 

You also likely have noticed that some columns are more straight news reporting than commentary.   I had not expected to do so much of the reporting needed for informed opinion. The Daily News, where I was a reporter and editor for 41 years, has become a shadow of its former self.  Thus, the need for me to do a lot of basic reporting has added greatly to the burden of writing these columns.

In addition, writing what is now called “reported opinion”  creates a tension for a traditional newsman like me, who was schooled to keep my opinions out of news copy.  And it no doubt sometimes confuses and angers news sources, who expect reporters to be neutral. Are you sometimes uncomfortably jarred by the mixture of news and commentary?

Your interest, support is critical

Lower Columbia Currents has been free and will remain so. About 10 percent of the subscribers have made voluntary pledges of support, and I will now start accepting them, largely for two reasons:

One: Substack provides the platform for this and other online newsletters. It does so by taking a 10 percent commission from its writers' revenues to pay its operating costs. Without Substack there would be no Lower Columbia Currents.

Two: News and good opinion writing have immense value. Charging nothing — as newspapers did in the early days of the internet — makes people believe these treasured commodities are worthless.

So, I stress, Lower Columbia Currents will continue to be free, but those who feel moved to do so can pledge any amount of support by going to the website.  Most of any profits I make likely will go to charitable causes.  I’m not doing this to get rich; I’m doing it because I believe my experience, knowledge and skills have value to the community.

If you agree, please let your friends and others know about my work by sending them links to the stories.

I hope you a enjoy my writing again in 2024.