As Sunshine Week comes to a close, I want to take a moment — on behalf of all of us at the Aspen Daily News — to say thank you.
We launched this week with a renewed sense of purpose: to celebrate the vital role transparency and accountability play in a healthy democracy, and to shine a light on the laws that protect your right to know what your government is doing. But as the week unfolded, it quickly became something more. What began as a public awareness campaign about open records and open meetings laws has become, for us, an outpouring of connection — with our readers, our members and our community.
We’ve heard from so many of you over the past few days. And it’s those messages, those stories and those shared values that have reminded us exactly why this work matters.
One note in particular stopped me in my tracks. It came from Chris Bryan, a longtime local attorney and former music columnist at the Daily News.
He wrote: “I particularly like the Sunshine Week fanfare because, as a lawyer, I’ve litigated numerous cases under the Colorado Open Records Act and the Colorado Open Meetings Law and I realize first-hand their importance. I’m so glad those laws exist for the press and citizens alike. Without local news coverage of ADN’s caliber, local governments can act with impunity and people become sheep instead of active players in participatory democracy. … Thanks for everything you’re doing. The Aspen Daily News Journalism Fund is a great idea, and I’m proud to support it in my own small way.”
Thank you, Chris. And thank you to everyone who has supported our newsroom in recent days — by joining as a member, by sending us an encouraging note or by simply reading and caring about this community enough to stay informed. It makes all the difference.
We say it often, but it’s worth repeating: Aspen is one of a shrinking number of cities in the country with a truly independent, locally owned daily newspaper. That’s not something we take lightly. It’s a responsibility we feel every single day — and one that’s only possible because of the trust and support of people like you.
Sunshine Week has reminded us that journalism isn’t just about holding power to account, though that’s certainly a part of it. It’s also about shining a light on the stories that define us, the challenges we face and the possibilities ahead. It’s about asking hard questions and celebrating quiet wins. It’s about building a community that’s informed, engaged and empowered.
And that’s why we launched the Aspen Daily News Journalism Fund. We believe that local news should be treated as a public good — because when journalism thrives, so does democracy.
This fund helps ensure that our reporting remains accessible to all, that we can invest in deep-dive investigations and that we can continue building a newsroom that reflects and responds to the community we serve.
We hope this week has been more than just a fundraising campaign — though that work is crucial. We hope it’s been a chance to reflect on what it means to live in a place where your local newspaper shows up, day in and day out, to tell the truth and stand up for the public’s right to know.
As for me, I’ve found myself thinking often this week about the First Amendment to the Constitution — the one that guarantees a free press. It’s easy to take for granted, but it’s been the foundation of my life’s work. And as we look ahead, I remain committed to defending that freedom and to earning your trust, one story at a time.
So, once again: thank you. For believing in us. For holding us accountable. And for making it possible to keep this work going.
We’re in this together.
David Cook is co-owner and publisher of the Aspen Daily News.
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