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NancyOnNorwalk needs your help

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Dear Readers,

Journalism is a full-time job. Especially in a city the size of Norwalk, news is made during the day and many evenings, and is written and edited late at night. This happens 24/7.

We believe that NancyOnNorwalk provides news and information that is not always found elsewhere. We are career journalists whose mission is to pull aside the curtain on Norwalk’s governmental workings and workers.

Given the amount of time it takes to chase down leads and develop stories, we can not continue to do this for free. This is our full-time job, and we need to pay our bills. No lights, no Internet, no website.

We need your help. Most local news sites fund their activities through advertising, but building an advertiser base is a slow process. We are asking you, our readers, to help us bridge that gap. Your donations will pay the bills and keep us in business. You will not see us driving a brand new car, wearing designer labels or eating at Harbor Lights. You may see us driving old cars held together by duct tape and chewing gum your donations helped us pay for.

To help us continue to shine a light on Norwalk’s government, make a donation by clicking to “Donate” button on the right side of the home page, or by sending a check to Englewood Edge LLC, P.O. Box 64, Norwalk, CT 06856. Englewood Edge LLC is us, Nancy, Eric and Mark Chapman. We started the company in Florida, where we ran our first site until we got offers for jobs with paychecks in Norwalk.

Thank you,

Nancy, Eric and Mark Chapman

NancyOnNorwalk.com

Comments

13 responses to “NancyOnNorwalk needs your help”

  1. Suzanne

    My husband and I have dubbed you the “Wikileaks of Norwalk.” Just make sure you stay out of Federal Prison! Thank you for what you do…

  2. Tim T

    Amazing how when someone asks for a bit of help to keep this site going we only have once comment when other threads have 30 and 40..Absolutely disgraceful. Maybe people don’t get it if Nancy’s site goes away we are left with “the Hour” and the trolls on the daily voice.
    Nancy have you considered a monthly access fee? I know that I for one would be more than willing to pay for a true news site that tells it like it is.

    1. Mark Chapman

      @Tim T
      We have had more response than that. We have had four donations come in today. It’s not going to do the trick, but it is a great start and very gratifying, especially given that one of those donations came from someone who has not always been on board with some of our stories.

      Indeed, we are different than The Hour and The Daily Voice. The Hour is a full-service newspaper and website, and does not spend as much time and space on government issues for myriad reasons. But every town should have a professional alternative news and information source to bring a bit more balance and depth to the conversation. The Hour and NancyOnNorwalk are different animals. I worked for The Hour, and enjoyed my time there, but it is a traditional newspaper with unavoidable restrictions brought on by huge overhead, union rules (I was a union member at two other papers and management at The Hour, so that is not a pejorative statement) and more. We are able to be more flexible and, despite an editorial staff of two, we are able to pick our stories and fill a niche that we believe needs filling. As for The Daily Voice, we both worked there once upon a time. ‘Nuff said.

      As for an access fee, we are trying to avoid that through advertising and donations. If, however, we find that we cannot makes ends meet through ads and donations, we are considering the subscription route. We will know soon if that is necessary.

      Thanks so much for your support!

      Mark and Nancy

  3. Joe Espo

    I will be donating. It will likely be a postal money order issued under a pseudonym and wiped clean of fingerprints and DNA.
    .
    I suggest that we all donate at least $50. We need this forum to debate and exchange ideas about community issues, pre-and post election. The Nancy clan needs our support.
    .
    But will my donation await moderation? ;-))
    .

    1. Mark Chapman

      Thank you! Yes, it will have to be sent to the lab as part of our forensic audit…

      Seriously, thank you. It gets rough in here sometimes, but it is good to know the efforts are appreciated.

  4. Diane C2

    I recently made a modest donation and urge all readers to be as generous as you can. Other local media really have no investigative or in-depth reporting, and most often miss the stories that explain how our city really operates.
    If readers know of any financial “angels” that could provide a serious cash infusion, it would go a long way to ensuring the open and transparent government we deserve and as importantly, providing this format and freedom to express and debate our opinions openly.

  5. Don Draper

    It’s all about the advertising, but I’m happy to pay for good content when I see it. They should start calling The Hour, The Minute. That’s about how long it takes to read and frankly it makes a better starter log than anything else. I think NON is on the verge of the final shift to on line news media. Declining readership of the Hour along with demonstrated web site traffic should be enough to encourage a bridge type loan from the SBA for NON to lay a foundation for what could be our most effective news source in the 21st Century. I hope for one that they hold a long term vision and stay the course. The corporate influence at the Hour looks like it is getting close to squeezing the last few drops out.

    1. Mark Chapman

      @Don Draper

      Thanks for the encouraging words, and we will investigate the SBA loan. Lack of collateral is a potential stumbling block, but we are journalists, not financial wizards, so we will let the pros make that call. And yes, we have a vision and would like nothing better than to stay here and make this a permanent situation, perhaps widening our scope of coverage once we are secure. Again, thank you, Don, and we love your show!

  6. Anon

    I agree we need to help fund this site, but I really think a bigger help would be to help PROMOTE this site.

    I tell my friends and neighbors and no one has ever heard of this site – the more people we tell, the better informed our community will be, and the more ad revenue NoN will receive.

    Don’t get me wrong, we should still donate, but if you can’t afford to do that, at least promote the site.

    I’d rather see “Check out NancyonNorwalk.com for a real look at our city” signs on the street corners than the little yellow hot tub and mattress for sale, and I will buy your home signs plastered all over the city. I’d MUCH rather be approached at Home Depot with Nancy on Norwalk info rather than being approached 4 times every visit with “can we give you a free estimate today?”.

  7. Norwalk needs N.O.N.

    People should wake up to the pearl that has somehow decended upon this challenged diverse community. There are other start ups jumping into the substantial void of real journalisism, especially local reporting, that have resources.
    But what Norwalk is so, so fortunate to have is a family of journalists that saw the need and are trying hard to make it work. To inform the community of what is going on, why and who the players are. What you have here is a family business with intergrity and dedication that wants to do good old fashioned shoe leather journalisim. Shoe leather in the trenches journalisim that has for the most part has evaporated in the last decade or so. Evaporated right before our eye’s into, well, sensored fluff pieces connected to some form of marketing for some product, organization or party. The Hour under Chet’s command has seeminly turned into a local, happy face, school sports, cooking and furniture patio magazine. And the new kid on the block Carll’s The Daily’s are turning into an obituary notice publication after having a promising start early on. Recently having been forced by investors to reconfigure the business plan and lay off staff and eliminate any hound dog / watch dog, grain of salt reporters with courage and determination. Arriana’s experiment with Patch is not getting off the ground either. So there is a real void and a niche that needs filling. It’s up to you reading this, all of you. Are you ok with losing any real local journalisim to keep you up to speed? Are you ok with private interests controlling all of your access to the truth? N.O.N. is an oppotunity that may never come again for this community. This is a family business that has choosen to hang out their shingle here in Norwalk. Their business is to publish old fshioned local journalisim to the people. To educate all, of what the heck is going on, what isnt, what should be and why. There are many true dedicated local activisits that have and are working hard to make things better. N.O.N is independent,(meaning; no strings from advertizers) this site is truly your only voice. Your only source to agregate information. Your inly source independent of private/corporate influence. Think about that.
    All of us should be supportng this unique old school model of a family business with intergity tying to stay alive in the shark infested waters of big money, influence and lets face it big power. We all dont know what we really have till its gone. Independent, let the rain drops fall were ever they shall, raw, up front and personal journalisim of facts and truth is a true sparkling pearl gem this comunity can ill afford to loose. Some out of the box thinking may be required here. Maybe a model of some form of a news coop where all have vested interests may be workable in some form. However, whatever model that works is certainly a prudent investment for all that sincerely care about your community and its future. Norwalk’s superhero trio have arrived and they dont wear beannies or fly colors. If you understand the importance of an independent, local, real true grits journalisim publication, no less a new family start up, you understand that we all have a vested interest in N.O.N., not just surviving but thriving. We all, each and every one of our thinking, caring, minds and hearts have much vested interests in ensuring the birth and survival of Norwalk’s only independent local news publication. Chet and Carll may need to see how its supposed to be done. Nancy and Mark are just the teachers required for this very important history lesson on journalisim, the constitution and the freedom of the press. Somewhere in there will also be a lesson on intergrity. Take notes guys.
    And for M.N and E. ty. Hang tough, ya’all have something worthwhile, ingretity, passion and a community sorely in need of those attributes. Dont give up. The journey’s challenges are worth the destination. A good hound dog doesnt let go but runs harder when onto something.

    1. Mark Chapman

      @Norwalk Needs N.O.N.

      To badly bastardize Popeye’s rallying cry, “We all plan to stand ’til we can’t stand no more!”

      Thank you. I started tearing up a little reading that…

  8. Nancy Chapman

    @Norwalk needs N.O.N.
    That was very heartwarming. I feel like I’ve been hugged over the Internet. Thank you.

  9. Nancy Chapman

    @Anon
    I love your sign idea. I’m going to check the city ordinances to see if it would be permitted.

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