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Reported by Cathy Dormaier, LWV Seattle King County, SE King County/Enumclaw Unit Leader

Members of the Southeast King County/Enumclaw Unit heard about the local news crisis from up close when they met with editor of the Enumclaw Courier Herald in mid-February.

“It was very enlightening to get a newspaper editor’s firsthand knowledge about this phenomenon that we are seeing today across our country,” said Cathy Dormaier, Unit Leader.

Ray Still, who has edited the Courier Herald for 15 years, told League members gathered for the lunch meeting that his staff numbered 18 in 2010. Today that count is down to a single employee. 

Still juggles duties as the Courier Herald’s only reporter, writer, editor, website manager and intern mentor. He said the outlet is expected to keep the paper going this summer but will close the downtown office where he works.

As a starting point for their conversation, League members turned to LWVWA’s 2022 study “The Decline of Local News and Its Impact on Democracy.”

The Courier Herald was one of more than two dozen Sound Publishing publications acquired by Alabama-based Carpenter Media. Staff layoffs have been common at Carpenter Media outlets. For another example, Everett’s once-robust Daily Herald has seen at least half of its newsroom positions eliminated.

Still said he welcomed work in the 2025 and 2026 legislative sessions by Sen. Marko Liias, who sponsored SB 5400, The measure, which did not get out of committee this year, would have generated $26 million a year from a nominal tax surcharge on social media outlets and search engines, including Google, Meta, Microsoft and Tik Tok. Proceeds would have been distributed as grants to outlets, based on the number of journalists they employ.

Liias and other stakeholders are reviewing their next legislative steps.

“We are all wondering what the future will hold for our small but mighty local Enumclaw Courier Herald paper and its one paid, multi-faceted employee,” Dormaier said.

The editor closed his presentation by mentioning his dream, which is to see the Enumclaw paper become a non-profit funded by local organizations and individuals.

He suggested the name “Friends of the Courier Herald” for a group that might be able to donate enough funds to keep the outlet operating.