In Your Corner: A look at my first 6 months on the job

It’s been six months since The Press Democrat launched In Your Corner, a watchdog column aimed at putting investigative reporting to work for residents and our readers.

In honor of the semi-anniversary, I wanted to reflect on the ground we’ve covered and how grateful I am to all who have entrusted me with their queries, stories and frustrations.

In some 40 articles so far, I’ve gotten to explore everything from the factors at work in rising utility bills and gas prices to the importance of road width regulations for safe wildfire evacuations to the consequences of gray areas in public pension administration.

I’ve learned so much following your tips and digging into your questions, and hopefully I’ve helped you do the same. Readers led me to uncover a suspicious COVID-19 testing site in Petaluma and how a Sebastopol cemetery in disrepair affects the community and reflects a looming industry-wide problem.

Spurred by your outreach, as part of a team of dedicated and talented colleagues, I worked to pull back the curtain on the handling of sexual harassment at Sonoma State University and the shortfalls of the California State University Title IX system. Along the way, we filed more than 30 public records requests to go beyond the hearsay, expose hidden details and get the full picture.

A major tenet of this column is to go beyond the problems to focus, too, on solutions, with an emphasis on how residents can have a say in business practices, policies and accountability, wherever they stand on an issue.

I’ve loved hearing how you’ve taken advantage of that — giving public comment at the California Public Utilities Commission affordability hearings, filing complaints with state oversight agencies and contacting local officials.

It’s been rewarding, too, to help readers in some small way, connecting people with legal aid for rental issues and workplace harassment, providing tips on saving water and money during the drought and tracking down absentee contractors, whether it’s through columns or working directly with you behind the scenes.

It’s also been heartening to see how community members show up for each other.

After a reader’s request for a column on vetted donation options for Ukraine, I received a number of emails from those who’d chipped in or wanted to know more. And, when we published a story on how a Windsor tutoring franchise suddenly shuttered, leaving parents out thousands of dollars without explanation or recourse, multiple tutors reached out offering free services to those who’d been left in the lurch.

These gestures reveal the fundamental goodness in our communities and give me comfort during dark and discouraging moments in our politics and nation.

It also shows the importance and impact of focusing on the local level — whether it be through civic engagement, advocacy, mutual aid or reporting.

That’s why this column was created: to pursue a vision of journalism as a true public service, grounded in providing the information that is most useful and relevant to those who live here, and the tools for readers to advocate for themselves however they see fit.

This is just the beginning, and I can’t do it without you, so please continue to call, email, tweet, Facebook message or carrier pigeon me with concerns, questions, hunches, tips or just to connect.

“In Your Corner” is a new column that puts watchdog reporting to work for the community. If you have a concern, a tip, or a hunch, you can reach “In Your Corner” Columnist Marisa Endicott at 707-521-5470 or marisa.endicott@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @InYourCornerTPD and Facebook @InYourCornerTPD.