WAYNESBORO – Rotarian Dan DeDona, president of LocalNews1.org, discussed the mission of that local digital news provider.
DeDona said LocalNews1 was started in 2021 as a site that would “collect, vett and distribute” local news. With the decline of local newspapers and a corresponding lack of local reporting, knowledge about what is happening in the area has become harder to obtain, DeDona explained.
DeDona pointed out that an organization such as Rotary that is involved in helping the community must have some local knowledge of that community to function effectively.
“You can’t just make it up as you go along,” he said.
LocalNews1 currently is doing local stories or columns on topics including municipal news, schools, sports, obituaries, features and other subjects.
The site averages about 25,000 visits a month. A community TV display is being offered to display local news information on screens in area restaurants and other public places. DeDona said. More than 20 part-time writers produce stories, while expenses for the startup are financed via the $4.99 monthly subscriptions and advertising.
