The Bee’s journalists have a message to our readers: Thank you
In this unprecedented year, one that has seen some lose loved ones, jobs, businesses, their physical and mental stability and, maybe most of all, their sense of normalcy, we want to hit pause and say, thank you.
As the holidays approach, the journalists at The Bee want you to know how grateful we are for your support, and your willingness to share your many stories that have helped enlighten residents in and around Stanislaus County.
Without your calls, emails, letters and text messages, and your ensuing voices, we could not have told the stories that gave meaning to the coronavirus pandemic, its impacts and continued threat to the health and well-being of our residents.
Our journalists, who all live in the area, care deeply about their community and its members.
Like many of you, we left our offices in March, and considered ourselves very fortunate to be able to work from home. It was not easy, but our reporters never lost a step. They got comfortable with ear phones, Zoom calls, technical difficulties, the din of family members and pets and, when they had to, donned masks and headed out to cover the stories that needed to be told.
All along, you supported our powerful journalism.
In 2020, our newsroom wrote more than 2,500 stories, nearly 1,100 tied to the coronavirus and its health, economic and educational impacts. As early as late January, our reporter, Dr. ChrisAnna Mink, joined editor Brian Clark to discuss COVID-19 on a Facebook Live event, engaging readers in what to look for and how to protect themselves. From there, our dedicated journalists made it their mission to both inform our readers, write both about and for those affected and hold city and county leaders accountable.
Amid the pandemic, we focused hard on the summer protests following the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minnesota. We worked tirelessly to help educate voters on our local candidates, offering live, in-person Facebook forums and our Debate at the State before the primary. For the general election, it was Zoom Q&As throughout the month of September.
And, of course, we covered everything from the latest on new local restaurants and businesses, to stories that shined a light on the brightest and best of Stanislaus County and breaking news in real-time like the Canyon Fire near Patterson.
We brought aboard two reporters, Kristin Lam, an accountability reporter who covers the cities of Turlock, Ceres and Patterson, and anything that comes her way. We also welcomed Kristina Karisch, a 2020 graduate of Northwestern University, to cover economic development thanks to funding from Report for America and the Stanislaus Community Foundation. Karisch will be part of a team next year that will include reporters covering education and underserved communities focusing on economic mobility and the county’s equity gap.
Additionally, we are partnering with United Way this holiday season to raise money to address food insecurity in our region. You can donate by going to bit.ly/ModUW. Our campaign runs until Jan. 8. When asked about where you heard about the fund, toggle to “The Modesto Bee.”
To be sure, we could not have done any of this without you – our valued subscribers. It’s the support of our readers – in subscriptions, contributions, words and voices – that allow us to do our job. You give us great story tips, you’re not shy about giving us critical feedback and, most important, you engage with us. We work seven days a week – and holidays – to inform, entertain and surprise you each day.
For that, we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We know it’s been an extremely difficult year for everyone. But, as I wrote in a column this year, Stanislaus County residents are quick to support their community with time and treasures when it needs it the most.
As a new year arrives, we want to hear from you. We want to know what you want us to cover. What issues are important to you? What stories need to be told? Please fill out the form at bit.ly/ModListen. It will take just a few minutes, but will go a long way toward our ability to support your need of local journalism. Your feedback is critical, and helps us provide the kind of local reporting you expect from us each day.
With that, we at The Bee would like to say thank you for your continued support. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2021 for each and all.
This story was originally published December 18, 2020 at 11:54 AM.
