A New Year’s Eve Message From WitnessLA

This has been a full, complicated, and always interesting year in the world of justice in Los Angeles and beyond.

On Tuesday, when we all come back from the New Year’s holiday, we’ll take a look back at our best stories of 2018, which are also the stories that gathered the most interest and response from readers.

(FYI: Our first California Justice Report newsletter of 2019 will list our favorites among those “Best of 2018” stories.)

Many of these same stories and investigations measurably helped to move the dial on public policy toward reform in LA County this past year, and we feel good about that.

Now, we are looking ahead to the stories and investigations that are in the works for 2019.

For example, there is our devastating new series by Lauren Lee White, called #MeToo Behind Bars.

And we’re digging hard into several critical youth probation issues that no one else seems to be covering.

We will also be closely tracking LA County’s brand new sheriff, Alex Villanueva–along with much, much more in the way of stories, investigations, and new voices that we will bring to you during the coming year.

But to accomplish all this, we need your help–hence, this last end-of-the-year fundraising pitch.

As you know, we are an independent, nonprofit news site. No subscriptions. No ads. No corporate overlords.

This means that to continue this work–and to expand it–we honestly need support from readers like you in these final hours of 2018.

A lot of you have already donated this month, and particularly in the last few days-–either via NewsMatch, or by check, or here at WLA

Your kindness in supporting us, means more than we we can adequately express.

For those of you who depend on WitnessLA for stories and investigations that you can’t find anywhere else…well, we’re reaching out one more time before the year comes to an end, to make way for 2019

And truly, any amount you give will help us dig deeper into these and other critical issues, and to write more stories, period.

PLUS, any dollar amount you donate toward our fundraising goal, from $10 to $1,000, between now and December 31, will be doubled by the amazing people at NewsMatch.

So, please donate to help us keep investigating!

Your donation is, of course, tax-deductible.

If you prefer to donate by check, the check should be sent to:

WitnessLA c/o Community Partners
1000 N. Alameda St., Ste. 240
Los Angeles, CA 90012 USA

Please make the check payable to: Community Partners FOR WitnessLA.

(For your records, Community Partners’ Tax ID number is: 95-4302067.)

As long as the check is dated today, December 31, it qualifies for matching dollars from NewsMatch.

And thanks, as always, for reading WitnessLA and the California Justice Report. We feel privileged to be in your company.

Celeste and Taylor