Changes are coming to letters

Letters to the editor are intended to encourage the expression of the residents of Wahkiakum County in a venue they trust. The letters are a place in the paper where anyone can have their say. We publish nearly every letter we receive. We hope that readers will write in to share their views on a wide array of topics impacting them here in Wahkiakum County and Naselle.

In 2024, nearly all of us have access to free 24 hour national and international news coverage on our phones, tablets, and computers. The Eagle knows our readers look forward to receiving their paper every Thursday because The Eagle offers something special—a view of what is happening right here. No other news organization in the world is able to provide that kind of perspective.

We have heard from readers that, in their current form, the Letters to the Editor do not reflect the local focus of our paper. We want that to change. This issue marks the beginning of a series of experiments, intended to encourage more of you to write in and let us know what you're thinking—about Wahkiakum County, about The Eagle, about local government, schools, events, churches, arts, and sports.

Our guidelines for letters have long expressed a preference for issues of local interest. Our first experiment will be to strengthen this guideline: for now, we ask that you only submit letters that directly address local social or political topics, or that directly respond to reporting in The Eagle.

We will also occasionally provide a prompt. For this month, we are especially interested in letters addressing this topic: “As the new year begins, what are you excited about? What do you hope will be discussed or addressed in our community in the coming year?”

As we previously shared, The Eagle will soon be hosting a focus group to hear from members of the community, readers and non-readers alike. We are eager and excited to hear from Wahkiakum residents how better to serve the community. In the meantime, please write to us and let us know what you think. You can write a letter to the editor, or you can email direct feedback to publisher@waheagle.com.