This year marks our 20th anniversary. Can you believe it?

Back in 2006, we knew that local journalism was waning, but felt it was an essential need for our community, and so we started the Ellenville Journal. New to news, we simply tried to offer something we could all depend on, as present and unfussy as running water, highlighting what’s happening around you, from local elections to school sports to the joyful news of another business opening.

Today we are looking at a local news industry that has been devastated in the United States.

In the past twenty years, since we started out, almost 3,500 American newspapers have died. Print readership has dropped by 80 million nationwide, a 70% decline in two decades.

We’ve defied the scary trends because of our belief in both the value of the work and the importance of our little slice of the beautiful Shawangunk Ridge.

All the while, expenses have gone up. Our first postal bill for mailing out subscriptions, twenty years ago, was for $76. Now those bills run about $520 a week. Everything from printing to our utilities has risen.

The nature of the newspaper industry used to be based almost entirely off of advertisements, with subscription and newsstand prices as a bonus. Now, the print advertising world has contracted (more than $20,000 of our local business advertising was lost in 2025), and small-dollar donations help make up the difference.

So, we continue to press forward, keeping you informed on what’s happening in your neighborhood for two decades. We’re proud to say we’ve never missed an issue. From the youth center to the landfill, we’ve been here, and here we’ll stay.

Thanks to your generosity, last year’s fundraiser was a great success and with your help, we can keep going strong in 2026. Your donation — large or small — directly supports the local journalism you rely on.

Please donate today and help us keep local news alive and thriving.

We appreciate your continued support. Together, we can ensure the Shawangunk Journal remains a vital resource for years to come.

Thank you!

The Shawangunk Journal team

PS. We aren’t sure how to celebrate our 20th Anniversary, but you know us – we’ll write all about it!

Shawangunk Journal Future Fund 2026