When I talk to people about New Times, the first word I use is local. We are a local, independently owned news organization that produces journalism you can’t find anywhere else. We write stories about the community, for the community—giving San Luis Obispo County both the information that residents want to read as well as the news they need to know.

New Times does that with an eye on the big picture and the knowledge that we have to give our readers the context they need to truly understand the issues that impact them. That’s what we’re here for. We are not a list. We are not a regurgitated press release. We are not the latest, greatest breaking news. We are the context (and the fun). And we’re asking for your help to keep it that way.

With a diverse team of journalists in downtown San Luis Obispo, we sift through the daily influx of press releases, event announcements, social media updates, news tips, and more to find the stories we know our community should be hearing about. Our journalists cultivate relationships within the community—they know who the relevant experts, elected officials, and community members are and where to find them—so they can help us figure out what’s pertinent and pressing, what you need in order to grasp both the big picture and the details. And we also know how to reach out to area residents who can humanize the important things and make connections to you and your life.

Our job is to help locals be locals, engage with their government, weigh in on the policy issues that impact them, participate in their neighborhoods, attend local concerts, eat local food, gaze at local art, speak up, speak out, and help give everyone in the community a voice and recognition.

New Times was built for San Luis Obispo County, and we’d like to keep it that way with a little bit of help from our community, from local readers, from those who are impacted by the journalism we produce. If you like what we do, you can help us continue to do that work and make it better. With your support, we can continue to do what we do best—arm you with information about your local community. If you donate to us, our staff can keep doing what they do best.

Thanks for reading and thanks for your support,

—Camillia Lanham
Editor