It has been 365 days since Richmondside began publishing news stories about Richmond, CA — stories that seek, among many things, to hold local government accountable, get residents involved in their community and help them enjoy living here. So far we’ve written about 660 stories (more than 400,000 words). Whew! It has been amazing, challenging and extremely rewarding.
In honor of our anniversary, we’re taking a look back at Richmondside’s first year.
We wouldn’t be here without YOU!
Richmondside was built on a foundation of listening. Before we launched we spent more than a year talking to and surveying Richmond residents about what they wanted from a local newsroom. Their top requests were more consistent and trustworthy reporting about local government, and information to help them connect with others in the community.
We also used what we heard to develop a set of guiding principles for the newsroom (and hung them up as a wall poster in our space, as a constant reminder). Whether we’re deciding what topics to cover, interviewing sources in the community, or editing stories to completion, these are the values we keep top-of-mind:
This feedback still guides us today, and we continue to seek out residents’ opinions. For example, we recently hired a small team of community members who spent several months surveying their Richmond neighbors about the local environment. Those surveyed told us that air quality, water contamination, and trash are some of their biggest concerns.
Richmondside’s first year by the numbers
20,000 visitors a month
On average, about 20,000 individuals visit richmondside.org each month to read our stories, and the number is quickly growing.
Nearly 5,000 people subscribe to our email newsletter
People have told us they love our free newsletter, The Richmondside Report. It’s a weekly email that includes many of our top headlines — but not all of them. So be sure to also visit the website daily or, even better, add us to your phone’s homescreen so you’ll remember to pop in to see what’s new.
The newsletter also includes a quick list of fun things to do and bonus content that you won’t find on the website.
At the start of 2025, we set a goal of 5,000 Richmondside Report subscribers. We’re proud to report we’re only a couple hundred subscribers shy. Will you help us reach our goal?
Sign up for the Richmondside Report by entering your email below.
👀 Want a preview of the Richmondside Report? Read a past edition.
660 articles and 2,968 photos about Richmond and west Contra Costa County
In our first year we’ve published 660 (and counting!) stories to help you be more informed, get engaged, and enjoy what the city has to offer. We’ve also assembled an archive of nearly 3,000 photos of people, places and things in Richmond and surrounding areas.
Our 10 most-read stories
To the 270 members of Richmondside, we say, ‘Thank you’
Because we’re a nonprofit, we rely on advertisements, foundation grants and individual donations to bring you all of those stories and photos. There are 270 people who’ve committed to regularly donating to Richmondside — support that shows the community values local journalism. These donations, big and small, help us keep our promise to always be a free source of news for everyone. If you like what we’re doing, please consider joining our growing member network by making a donation to our nonprofit newsroom. We truly couldn’t do this work without community support.
Finally, while being here a year is a milestone worth celebrating, we know we’re just getting started. There are many of you to meet and more stories than we probably will ever have time to tell. Year two, here we come!
5 ways you can support Richmondside
1. Attend an event
We enjoyed meeting some of you in person at our city council candidate forums, held last year. We’re now planning our 2025 events, so keep an eye out for opportunities to discuss issues and ideas and to meet our team in person, including:
- A July happy hour at a local bar with the East Bay Nosh team.
- A 1-year birthday party in August.
- And a panel discussion about our Richmond air quality series.
2. Send us a story tip
Some of our most-read stories this past year came from our readers giving us a tip. If you know of something happening, please let us know!
3. Give us feedback
Got something on your mind? Drop us a line directly. Email hello@richmondside.org.
4. Become a member
Support our work with a donation.
5. Spread the word
If you’re enjoying Richmondside so far, please tell your friends about us.
