To our readers,

The COVID-19 pandemic is a once-in-a-century type story, and gaps in local information and journalism could have life and death consequences.

Yet local news organizations face an immediate threat from economic crisis that has come with the outbreak. Business advertising revenues are plummeting.

Faced with this, many local newspapers have suspended publication, yet the need for local news and strong journalism is in extreme demand, needed now more than ever.

All over the country, though, readers are stepping up in an unprecedented way to support local news.

As you know, Courier Publications publishes three weekly newspapers in Maine, including The Courier-Gazette in Rockland, The Camden Herald in Camden and The Republican Journal in Belfast. We are the primary provider of local news for Knox and Waldo counties.

These days, our newspapers are in a fight for life like never before. Most of the local businesses that support us and are our life blood -- our advertisers -- have been forced to close.

In spite of this, we will continue to provide local news in the newspapers while offering free access to all on our VillageSoup websites. We have stepped up our coverage of coronavirus-related news and announcements in our VillageSoup websites for Knox and Waldo counties to keep readers informed with NEWS they can TRUST.

Our readers can help, if this vital news coverage is important to you, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to keep our journalists on the job, reporting the stories of the pandemic, along with everything else you need to know about the wonderful communities in which we live.

You can donate by sending a check to Courier Publications LLC at PO Box 1076, Camden, ME 04841, or making an online contribution by clicking here.

If you are not a paid subscriber and would like to become one, click here to sign up.

Thank you.

Courier Publications LLC -- COVID-19 Local News Fund is a service of and administered by Local Media Foundation, affiliated with Local Media Association. Local Media Foundation, tax ID #36-4427750, is a Section 501(c)(3) organization and is eligible to accept charitable contributions.