April 17, 2014
Dear Spokane Faith & Values Community:
As publisher of Religion News Service and manager for the corporate owner of Spokane Faith & Values, I’m writing to share some news about upcoming changes at favs.news.
Two years ago, Religion News Service launched SpokaneFAVS in order to expand high quality, local religion news coverage. We hired the city’s most experienced religion reporter, Tracy Simmons, to lead the effort. We could not have been more pleased with the site and its content.
The Spokane community responded warmly, participating as bloggers, contributors, donors and advertisers. Many of you attended the Interfaith Progressive Dinner that helped to support the site, as well as our monthly Coffee Talks and mixers.
Unfortunately, we have been unable to raise enough funds for our organization to continue professional staffing of the site. As a result, Spokane Faith & Values will transition to a new business model in which Editor Tracy Simmons will take over ownership of the site on May 31 of this year.
We thank you for your willingness to embrace our bold entrepreneurial endeavor to report about religion, faith and values with balance, accuracy and insight. We hope you will continue to support this site in its new form in the weeks and months to come.
If you’re interested in learning how you can help sustain the important work of Spokane Faith & Values through financial or in-kind gifts, contact Editor Tracy Simmons, tracysimmons@favs.news, (509) 240-1830.
Sincerely,
Debra L. Mason
Manager
Religion News Services LLC
Tracy, all the best as you keep the vision of SpokaneFAVS alive and well. I see great things ahead for you and the website.
Thanks so much David
Tracy, you’re a talented, amazing writer, and you’re going far with SpokaneFAVS! Support this fantastic site, Washington state!
Tracy is hands-down one of the most dedicated and professional journalists I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. Her dedication and passion show through in everything she does and I’m confident she’ll continue the good work she’s been doing with favs.news
Good luck!
As a religion reporter in another part of the country, I just want to add my voice to those acknowledging Tracy’s talent in this amazing God-beat. She’s an inspiration to me as a colleague and mentor and a great example of how to do some good reporting and also to develop a community (I try to keep up with her work because I have a lot to learn from her). Spokane: You’re lucky to have her!