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Editor Nhatt Nichols’ favorite photo of 2024 was of the new lighthouse beacon, taken by Mary Welcome  [/caption]

By Nhatt Nichols, Editor

This year is our first year of publishing, and I’m so proud of what writers at the Beacon have brought to our community.

I recently described the Beacon as “slow news” to a group of publishers I meet with every week, who loved the idea of taking your time over complicated issues and building a reputation based on thoughtful, careful, and curious storytelling.

Obviously, we’re still going to make mistakes, but one of the best parts of working in an online medium is that we can correct them. For maximum transparency, we track our corrections on a special page you can find here.

Please enjoy this look back at your favorite stories from our first year of publishing!

Black Lives Matter call for a Boycott of PT Food Co-op

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Black Lives Matter of Jefferson County has held four public information sessions to discuss concerns with the Port Townsend Food Co-op. The latest was held on September 3, one day before the Co-op’s board of directors was set to meet. Photo by Derek Firenze  [/caption]

This article by Derek Firenze covers the beginning of the ongoing boycott of the PT Food Co-op. By breaking down the accusations against all parties and showing troubling patterns in the Co-op’s management, Firenze does an excellent job of clarifying a complicated issue.

2. A tribute to Laura Martin

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Laura at the Farmers Market. Photo by Amanda Milholland  [/caption]

Charlie Bermant wrote our second-most popular article of 2024, this moving tribute to local legend Laura Martin.

3. Post-Election Coverage

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Commissioner Kate Dean watches the election results come in. Photo by Andrew Wiese  [/caption]

Photographer Andrew Wiese and I documented election night from the Jefferson County Democrat’s dinner party at The Old Whiskey Mill and at the Co-lab’s party for Heather Dudley-Nolette.

4. A new generation of business owners approaches downtown differently

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Pablo and Maria Qamara enjoy a moment on one of the couches they hope to fill their gathering space with. Photo by Derek Firenze  [/caption]

I’m very pleased to say that all the businesses featured in this article are still open and thriving! There’s something special about a new business like the Beacon being able to highlight other new endeavors.

5. New study shows potential health risks related to the Port Townsend paper mill

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The Port Townsend Paper Mill in 2021. Photo by Nhatt Nichols  [/caption]

This article by Derek Firenze highlighted the report's findings and the call for citizen scientists to be involved in monitoring PT’s air quality.