By Jackson Swearer
One evening last year, I made a phone call that changed my life.
I was driving home from a neighboring county. A light rain pattered against my windshield—just enough that my wipers swished at a slow, constant pace. My headlights lit the road ahead.
It was perfect conditions for a good conversation, so I put on some bluetooth headphones and called a friend. Fortunately, Joey Young took my call.
Over the course of the next hour, we talked about our hopes and dreams for the future. By the end, we agreed to meet up over a beer later to discuss a potential business partnership. That call eventually led to this column, where I am introducing myself as the new publisher of The Hutchinson Tribune.
Hello! I am Jackson Swearer. I was born and raised here in Hutchinson before graduating from Hutch High in 2006. I attended Swarthmore College near Philadelphia, where I earned a degree in history and philosophy. Since then, I lived in Salina and Chicago before returning home in 2014. I am thrilled to be taking on this new challenge with friends and family.
My wife, Erin (Minneman) Swearer, and I met Joey and Lindsey (Miller) Young through Young Professionals when we moved to Hutchinson. We bonded over our shared history in Reno County and mutual interest in local politics. Over the years, I have watched their business, Kansas Publishing Ventures, overcome challenges and achieve success. Joey will relate their story in his own column, so I will only add here that I was impressed with Joey’s entrepreneurial spirit from the day we met.
Another inspiring entrepreneur that Tribune readers all know is Michael Glenn. What a spectacular young man, right? I have enjoyed watching him grow as a journalist and as a business owner. Thank you, Michael, for being the spark that reignited local journalism in our community. We will take care to tend that flame and make it grow.
Community journalism is a key part of the fabric of our community. Ultimately, I was drawn to this role by a desire to help tell my hometown’s stories and to have a voice in building a better future here for everyone. I love Hutchinson and Reno County, and I look forward to rebuilding our local newspaper into the trusted institution that the Hutchinson News once was.
As I begin this new adventure, I am leaving a role as the executive director of StartUp Hutch. I am very proud of what the organization accomplished during my tenure. It was bittersweet to leave that work behind, but it was time for a new, different challenge for me.
I remain committed to supporting our local small business community. One consistent theme I heard working with business owners was how hard it is to reach people. Community journalism fills a gap, connecting the stories of our small businesses with their best local customers.
If you are a local business owner and you are curious about how we could work together, please reach out to me. My email is jackson@hutchtribune.com. I would love to chat with you about your business and whether The Hutchinson Tribune can help you reach your audience.
Another gap that The Hutchinson Tribune will fill is an information gap between the public and the activities of local governments. Journalists are the watchdogs. Michael and Gina have done great work to provide coverage with limited resources. By investing in an expanded newsroom, we will be able to ask more tough questions and dig a little deeper.
Great journalists are skilled at digging to find the real facts. Joey, Lindsey and I are committed to investing in quality journalism. That means having a solid staff of reporters and empowering them to take time on investigative pieces when warranted. With that, we hope to bring more transparency and accountability to public officials.
Along with doing that job well comes being fair and providing the bigger picture to readers. On the side, I teach leadership concepts for Leadership Reno County. One of the core concepts we teach is to make multiple interpretations. We make better interpretations when we have all the facts laid out and then take a look at them from different perspectives. Opinions without good information can do more harm than good, which is another reason a local newspaper is so important.
Advertising, news and opinion—that is what makes up a newspaper. But first and foremost is fair and accurate news reporting. I am confident we will have the quality journalists to provide that for the community. But to do that, we need the support of this community.
We are blessed with a solid foundation built by Michael and Gina. If you are reading this, you are already a supporter of local journalism—thank you. If you subscribe to our upcoming print edition as a Hutchinson Tribune Founder before Aug. 1, we will have some special perks for our early adopters.
Want to learn more? You can meet Joey, Lindsey and me, at our first “Meet the Press” event at Sandhills Brewing on Thursday, June 12, from 4 to 7 p.m. If you can’t make it then, look out for future events. Or reach out to me directly. I would love to come speak to you or your group to tell you more about our plans for the future of local journalism.
Thinking back on that drive last year, I am reminded that the best things often start with a conversation. Please, join in and lend your voice. Help us rebuild local journalism in Hutchinson.
