Right now, us is me and a couple of volunteers. I am a bit overwhelmed. As the former editor and publisher of the Pacific Grove Beacon Newspaper  years ago, with a paid staff, and as a former Planning Commissioner and Pacific Grove Councilmember, I have long been aware that you cannot have a dynamic town without an informed public .

     So, with some help from other concerned citizens, we have started The Pacific Grove Beacon online to keep our residents, business owners, and visitors informed as to the important local issues in our town.  It has many of the same features as the original newspaper but in a somewhat abbreviated form.

      It is not primarily an opinion site but rather an informational one. We will strive to give you the facts and offer all sides a chance to give their opinions.

      I know that people in Pacific Grove care about this town and want to know what is going on here.  If elected officials and City staff, as good as they might be, are not monitored, things tend to go south. What we hope to bring with the Beacon is accountability to the public by  the fine folks that represent us.

     I am techno-challenged to say the least, but I have hired a first- rate on- line publisher of the new Pacific Grove Beacon. He’s working to get the paper looking good and as user- friendly as possible.

      By the way, our web address is PacificGroveBeacon.com and then add the word news. This way we come up to the top of the list instead of The Beacon House  drug rehabilitation  center.

The number of our volunteers are increasing but I am wearing myself out trying to keep things going.  I know we will have to hire some outside help by way of  freelance reporters, writers, and  photographers so that the articles are not all by me. The expenses are mounting and I can’t continue to fund this alone.

      What about advertising you say? Yes, we are starting to get some advertising  and as our readership increases, we will get more.  

     So, for now, I am asking residents and business owners to contribute to support The Beacon so that we have a news source in this town, about this town. We are setting up a supporter’s wall and a funding mechanism to allow for contributions and to  acknowledge the help we receive.

     We have received some  contributions already and we have put the money to good use. No donation is too small or too large! For now, until we get the funding mechanism set up, you can simply send a check to Susan Goldbeck 117 Ninth St. P.G..

       I have been trying to publish five days after every City Council meeting, usually twice a month. For now, I am going to reduce that to once a month publication on the first of the month.

     There will be  reporting  on both the City Council  meetings and other City business that month. If we can hire some staff we will go back to two issues a month. But  you will find  some articles posting  during the month so check in on us during the month .  

    Help! Volunteers are needed. The jobs are fun. you need no real experience and they  don’t take too much time.  Small tasks like typing up recent  real estate sales and the police blotter are two examples. Are you a computer nerd? I can sure use you.

      Photographs for the paper and especially for the P.G. life  photo we put in every issue, are welcome too. We all have cameras with us most of the time. See a fun shot of P.G?. Send it on in. If you can identify  people in photos  for us that is great too And we need editors to catch mistakes and especially for me, blathering on too long. We used to have a volunteer cartoonist at the Beacon newspaper and he was just great. High school kids interested in a journalism career ? How about becoming the school news reporter?  Most important, tell your friends and neighbors to read the new Beacon on line.

    We encourage suggestions for improvement. We are always open to talk about your concerns, new projects or  creative work you would like to share.

Working together and with your support, we can make this happen for our wonderful town.

“P.G. is changing. I am happy to know The Beacon is coming back to inform us of what’s going on.”

 Evelyn Kahan

 

“For P.,G. to remain a dynamic community, our residents must be informed and involved in local issues and controversies.” Lee Willoughby

 

 

Susan M. Goldbeck