By David Gordon, CVPost Board Chair
A year ago on Groundhog Day the Chippewa Valley Post first went public with what we called a “soft launch.”
So, happy first birthday to us!
Not that there’s been much time even to think back to Feb. 2, 2015. Groundhog Day this year, despite the snow, was filled with things that look ahead to an expanded role in our second year of operation.
We remain dedicated to providing useful, important and interesting information for which the mainstream media simply doesn’t have room. The efforts on Groundhog Day of 2016 are a good example.
We posted the first of a two-part analysis by Jack Pladziewicz of some major changes that are in process for the health insurance programs that cover state employees. It’s a very complicated topic, which Jack’s article explains well. And it may be of interest to more than just state employees and retirees, since these changes could also have an impact on health insurance in the private sector.
A second article is a fascinating look at Monday’s Iowa caucuses. Joyce Anderson, a former CVPost board member, grew up in Iowa and – through the eyes of two brothers who still live there – takes us inside the caucuses to see the human side of what so often seems to be an artificial process in mainstream media reports.
You’ll find her article at the top of our “Commentary” section. Take a look at it, and give us some feedback. Better yet, take a look at it and write a response, because one of our goals from the start has been to provide a forum for reasoned disagreement about issues that are important to Chippewa Valley residents.
A year ago, as we plunged ahead with the soft launch of this website (despite seeing our shadows that day), we knew it would take time to hit our stride. We’re not there yet, and the website is still in many ways just a prototype of what it can be – and what we expect it to be.
We still need community reporters to help us cover the many untold stories in the Chippewa Valley’s nonprofit sector. We need greater awareness of our website in the community, and more eyeballs coming to it on a regular basis.
If you think the CVPost can be a useful resource for many parts of the community, and would like to help make that happen, keep coming to the website, follow us on Facebook and urge your friends and family to follow your example. Better yet, get in touch with us to discuss how you might help us directly with some part of our operations.
And do watch for new content areas on the website. . . we’ve got a couple that will be unveiled in the next week or two.
Meanwhile, wish us a happy first birthday. . . .