Staci Baird
@stacibaird.bsky.social
👩🏻💻 Editor & Publisher La Verne Daily News.
Explorer. Doing things that bring me joy.
lavernedaily.org
Explorer. Doing things that bring me joy.
lavernedaily.org
When I joined Kari Mar to start a new newspaper back in January, it was supposed to be part-time. Within weeks, the work — and the joy of it — grew into full-time hours because the community’s stories deserve that kind of attention. I don’t regret a minute; it was hard to say goodbye.
It's hard to say goodbye
La Conner Community News Managing Editor leaves her role
open.substack.com
October 20, 2025 at 6:43 PM
When I joined Kari Mar to start a new newspaper back in January, it was supposed to be part-time. Within weeks, the work — and the joy of it — grew into full-time hours because the community’s stories deserve that kind of attention. I don’t regret a minute; it was hard to say goodbye.
@apnews.com any thoughts on date style for social media posts?
Feeling like the whole day of the week thing might not be best for platforms where users could be reading something in a feed days, weeks or months after it was posted. 🤔
School started Wednesday or
School started Sept. 3?
Feeling like the whole day of the week thing might not be best for platforms where users could be reading something in a feed days, weeks or months after it was posted. 🤔
School started Wednesday or
School started Sept. 3?
September 4, 2025 at 6:32 PM
@apnews.com any thoughts on date style for social media posts?
Feeling like the whole day of the week thing might not be best for platforms where users could be reading something in a feed days, weeks or months after it was posted. 🤔
School started Wednesday or
School started Sept. 3?
Feeling like the whole day of the week thing might not be best for platforms where users could be reading something in a feed days, weeks or months after it was posted. 🤔
School started Wednesday or
School started Sept. 3?
"What if that comfort has become our greatest strategic vulnerability?"
This. ⬆️
www.newsroomrobots.com/p/the-hard-t...
This. ⬆️
www.newsroomrobots.com/p/the-hard-t...
The Hard Truths About AI Every Newsroom Leader Can’t Ignore: In Conversation with Fabian Heckenberg, Naja Nielsen and Gard Steiro
We in journalism often find solace in the phrase “human-in-the-loop,” believing it is our ultimate safeguard against the unpredictable tides of artificial intelligence.
www.newsroomrobots.com
July 3, 2025 at 9:00 PM
"What if that comfort has become our greatest strategic vulnerability?"
This. ⬆️
www.newsroomrobots.com/p/the-hard-t...
This. ⬆️
www.newsroomrobots.com/p/the-hard-t...
Actual footage of me trying to survive the SoCal heat at Disneyland. 🥵
July 1, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Actual footage of me trying to survive the SoCal heat at Disneyland. 🥵
These are the times we are living and working in folks.
My business partner, Editor & Publisher Kar Mar writes:
"In a time when visibility can feel dangerous, presence takes on a whole new meaning."
laconnercommunitynews.org/2025/06/25/o...
My business partner, Editor & Publisher Kar Mar writes:
"In a time when visibility can feel dangerous, presence takes on a whole new meaning."
laconnercommunitynews.org/2025/06/25/o...
Opinion: Who feels safe anymore? Not me.
In a time when visibility can feel dangerous, presence takes on a whole new meaning.
laconnercommunitynews.org
June 27, 2025 at 6:08 AM
These are the times we are living and working in folks.
My business partner, Editor & Publisher Kar Mar writes:
"In a time when visibility can feel dangerous, presence takes on a whole new meaning."
laconnercommunitynews.org/2025/06/25/o...
My business partner, Editor & Publisher Kar Mar writes:
"In a time when visibility can feel dangerous, presence takes on a whole new meaning."
laconnercommunitynews.org/2025/06/25/o...
🍓 Fresh off the press!
This week’s La Conner Community News is bursting with berry goodness. 🗞️
This week’s La Conner Community News is bursting with berry goodness. 🗞️
June 19, 2025 at 3:39 PM
🍓 Fresh off the press!
This week’s La Conner Community News is bursting with berry goodness. 🗞️
This week’s La Conner Community News is bursting with berry goodness. 🗞️
"It felt like if you stepped outside anywhere in Skagit County on Saturday, you were bound to run into people exercising one of our most precious — and most contested — liberties: the rights enshrined in the First Amendment."
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
The courage to stand up and the duty to bear witness
Why Saturday’s “No Kings” marches matter for every reporter, reader, and citizen.
substack.com
June 16, 2025 at 6:19 PM
"It felt like if you stepped outside anywhere in Skagit County on Saturday, you were bound to run into people exercising one of our most precious — and most contested — liberties: the rights enshrined in the First Amendment."
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Some of our recent front pages, so proud of our team. Newspapers FTW! 🗞️
June 14, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Some of our recent front pages, so proud of our team. Newspapers FTW! 🗞️
This little town made a big statement today.
More than 220 people gathered in La Conner, Washington's Gilkey Square at noon to participate in the “No Kings” day protest.
📷 Nancy K. Crowell/La Conner Community
More than 220 people gathered in La Conner, Washington's Gilkey Square at noon to participate in the “No Kings” day protest.
📷 Nancy K. Crowell/La Conner Community
June 14, 2025 at 8:49 PM
This little town made a big statement today.
More than 220 people gathered in La Conner, Washington's Gilkey Square at noon to participate in the “No Kings” day protest.
📷 Nancy K. Crowell/La Conner Community
More than 220 people gathered in La Conner, Washington's Gilkey Square at noon to participate in the “No Kings” day protest.
📷 Nancy K. Crowell/La Conner Community
Lord. Last week was a week.
But It’s in these moments—the late-night software failures, the layout marathons, the last-minute fixes—that you find out what you’re made of.
open.substack.com/pub/startthe...
But It’s in these moments—the late-night software failures, the layout marathons, the last-minute fixes—that you find out what you’re made of.
open.substack.com/pub/startthe...
One week at a community newspaper: Lessons in teamwork, tetris, and transparency
Some weeks at our little community newspaper feel like a marathon.
open.substack.com
April 28, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Lord. Last week was a week.
But It’s in these moments—the late-night software failures, the layout marathons, the last-minute fixes—that you find out what you’re made of.
open.substack.com/pub/startthe...
But It’s in these moments—the late-night software failures, the layout marathons, the last-minute fixes—that you find out what you’re made of.
open.substack.com/pub/startthe...
The Tulip Festival/Daffodil/Pet Parade in La Conner was a lot of fun on Saturday! 🌷 La Conner Community News walked in the parade and handed out newspapers. 📰
April 7, 2025 at 4:34 AM
The Tulip Festival/Daffodil/Pet Parade in La Conner was a lot of fun on Saturday! 🌷 La Conner Community News walked in the parade and handed out newspapers. 📰
"The La Conner Community News’ all-female leadership stands out in an industry where leadership is still male-dominated despite more and more women joining the ranks of journalists." 💪💪💪
New La Conner paper emerges after long-time weekly shuttered
A new La Conner newspaper launched in March, following the closing of one of the state's oldest weeklies
salish-current.org
April 4, 2025 at 2:05 AM
"The La Conner Community News’ all-female leadership stands out in an industry where leadership is still male-dominated despite more and more women joining the ranks of journalists." 💪💪💪
Corrections from our 4/1 issue that will haunt me this week:
Lightening not lightning
😱
Lightening not lightning
😱
April 3, 2025 at 5:30 AM
Corrections from our 4/1 issue that will haunt me this week:
Lightening not lightning
😱
Lightening not lightning
😱
In the early days, I kept asking, “What if we publish this newspaper and people don’t want it?” 🗞️
But now, just a couple of issues in, I’m thrilled to say the community has shown up. *Community* news is truly something special! 🫶🏻
startthepresses.substack.com/p/building-a...
But now, just a couple of issues in, I’m thrilled to say the community has shown up. *Community* news is truly something special! 🫶🏻
startthepresses.substack.com/p/building-a...
Building a Community Newspaper Together
When we set out to start our own community newspaper, we knew one thing for sure: it had to be for and with the community.
startthepresses.substack.com
April 3, 2025 at 1:06 AM
In the early days, I kept asking, “What if we publish this newspaper and people don’t want it?” 🗞️
But now, just a couple of issues in, I’m thrilled to say the community has shown up. *Community* news is truly something special! 🫶🏻
startthepresses.substack.com/p/building-a...
But now, just a couple of issues in, I’m thrilled to say the community has shown up. *Community* news is truly something special! 🫶🏻
startthepresses.substack.com/p/building-a...
The Seattle Times wrote about our new nonprofit newspaper La Conner Community News! It's a labor of love and a leap of faith in the future of community news.
I'm so lucky to be part of a community that believes in the power of local news. 🌷🗞️
www.seattletimes.com/opinion/a-ne...
I'm so lucky to be part of a community that believes in the power of local news. 🌷🗞️
www.seattletimes.com/opinion/a-ne...
A new newspaper blooms in La Conner
In a remarkable turnaround, a Skagit Valley town that lost its local newspaper in December received its first copies of a new paper last week.
www.seattletimes.com
March 29, 2025 at 4:51 AM
The Seattle Times wrote about our new nonprofit newspaper La Conner Community News! It's a labor of love and a leap of faith in the future of community news.
I'm so lucky to be part of a community that believes in the power of local news. 🌷🗞️
www.seattletimes.com/opinion/a-ne...
I'm so lucky to be part of a community that believes in the power of local news. 🌷🗞️
www.seattletimes.com/opinion/a-ne...
🗞️ The first print issue of La Conner Community News dropped yesterday! 🎉
I couldn't be more excited, humbled and exhausted by this experience.
I couldn't be more excited, humbled and exhausted by this experience.
March 21, 2025 at 5:38 PM
🗞️ The first print issue of La Conner Community News dropped yesterday! 🎉
I couldn't be more excited, humbled and exhausted by this experience.
I couldn't be more excited, humbled and exhausted by this experience.
"Please act now to take this one reasonable step to support the local free press. It's not one of the branches of government but a democracy will not survive without it."
- Washington resident Carolyn Boatsman, said in support of SB 5400, which would create a state grant to support journalism jobs.
- Washington resident Carolyn Boatsman, said in support of SB 5400, which would create a state grant to support journalism jobs.
March 20, 2025 at 1:31 AM
"Please act now to take this one reasonable step to support the local free press. It's not one of the branches of government but a democracy will not survive without it."
- Washington resident Carolyn Boatsman, said in support of SB 5400, which would create a state grant to support journalism jobs.
- Washington resident Carolyn Boatsman, said in support of SB 5400, which would create a state grant to support journalism jobs.
Crazy how fast we went from, "La Conner needs its newspaper" to printing our first edition. 🗞️ As our editor and publisher wrote, "...nothing quite prepares you for the last mile before launching a print newspaper."
Startup newspapers are not for the faint of heart! 🥴
Startup newspapers are not for the faint of heart! 🥴
The Last Mile: What It Takes to Launch a Newspaper
In theory, we knew what it would take to get La Conner Community News to print.
startthepresses.substack.com
March 19, 2025 at 3:08 AM
Crazy how fast we went from, "La Conner needs its newspaper" to printing our first edition. 🗞️ As our editor and publisher wrote, "...nothing quite prepares you for the last mile before launching a print newspaper."
Startup newspapers are not for the faint of heart! 🥴
Startup newspapers are not for the faint of heart! 🥴
Reposted by Staci Baird
📢 Educators: Apply now for our District Fellowship!
ℹ️ As part of the 3-year program, design & implement innovative district-wide action plans for integrating news & media literacy!
🔗 Learn more / spread the word: newslit.org/district-fel...
#EduSky
#TLsky
ℹ️ As part of the 3-year program, design & implement innovative district-wide action plans for integrating news & media literacy!
🔗 Learn more / spread the word: newslit.org/district-fel...
#EduSky
#TLsky
News Literacy District Fellowship program
NLP News Literacy District Fellowships reimagine district-wide news and media literacy learning, empowering students to think critically about information and preparing them to be active participants ...
newslit.org
March 17, 2025 at 4:42 PM
📢 Educators: Apply now for our District Fellowship!
ℹ️ As part of the 3-year program, design & implement innovative district-wide action plans for integrating news & media literacy!
🔗 Learn more / spread the word: newslit.org/district-fel...
#EduSky
#TLsky
ℹ️ As part of the 3-year program, design & implement innovative district-wide action plans for integrating news & media literacy!
🔗 Learn more / spread the word: newslit.org/district-fel...
#EduSky
#TLsky
We’re just one week away from launching our print edition of La Conner Community News! 🗞️ 🎉
Our Editor & Publisher Kari Mar is sharing some of the lessons we've learned along the way.
Our Editor & Publisher Kari Mar is sharing some of the lessons we've learned along the way.
One Week to Launch: Lessons From the Road (or the Bicycle We’re Still Building)
We’re one week away from launching our print edition of La Conner Community News. It’s a huge milestone, and we’re excited. But we also need to be honest: we’ve made some mistakes along the way.
startthepresses.substack.com
March 10, 2025 at 6:35 PM
We’re just one week away from launching our print edition of La Conner Community News! 🗞️ 🎉
Our Editor & Publisher Kari Mar is sharing some of the lessons we've learned along the way.
Our Editor & Publisher Kari Mar is sharing some of the lessons we've learned along the way.
I've done more reporting and writing these past two months than I have since, well, a while. 🥵
February 28, 2025 at 8:54 PM
I've done more reporting and writing these past two months than I have since, well, a while. 🥵
Educating the next generation of journalists is so important.
La Conner Community News aims to provide PAID internships for budding journalists and to provide free newspapers to local schools. We're looking for supporters for these programs, please help us spread the word!
La Conner Community News aims to provide PAID internships for budding journalists and to provide free newspapers to local schools. We're looking for supporters for these programs, please help us spread the word!
Kari M. on LinkedIn: #localjournalism #communityimpact #csr #education #laconner…
🚀 Support Local Journalism & Education in La Conner! 📢
At La Conner Community News, we believe that a strong, informed community starts with access to…
www.linkedin.com
February 27, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Educating the next generation of journalists is so important.
La Conner Community News aims to provide PAID internships for budding journalists and to provide free newspapers to local schools. We're looking for supporters for these programs, please help us spread the word!
La Conner Community News aims to provide PAID internships for budding journalists and to provide free newspapers to local schools. We're looking for supporters for these programs, please help us spread the word!
The lull in rain this morning meant a decent-size crowd turned out for the annual Chicken Parade in Edison, Washington!
🐔🎉
🐔🎉
Edison’s chicken parade ruffles feathers and delights crowds
Feathers flew and spirits soared at Edison’s annual Chicken Parade, where costumed revelers clucked and strutted through town in a celebration of all things fowl.
laconnercommunitynews.org
February 24, 2025 at 1:21 AM
The lull in rain this morning meant a decent-size crowd turned out for the annual Chicken Parade in Edison, Washington!
🐔🎉
🐔🎉