The Kewanee Voice is inviting the community to celebrate the first‑ever Local News Day with an open house on Thursday, April 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the newsroom’s downtown office, 121 N. Tremont St.
The event is free and open to the public. Guests will be welcomed with refreshments, guided tours of the newsroom, free giveaways and a drawing for a grill, grill accessories and a meat bundle. A drawing for Kiwanis pancake breakfast tickets will also be held.
Staff members and board directors will be on hand to meet visitors, answer questions and talk about the work that goes into producing local, nonprofit news for Kewanee and Henry County.
Local News Day is a new national day of action dedicated to strengthening the connection between communities and the trusted local outlets that serve them. The inaugural celebration will take place April 9, 2026, and will continue annually.
The initiative is led by a coalition of journalists, nonprofit leaders and media innovators—including Montana Free Press, the American Journalism Project and Press Forward—who share a mission to reconnect people with reliable local reporting, empower newsrooms to grow and spark a movement that sustains local journalism for generations.
Americans consistently say local news is essential to democracy and daily life, yet many communities struggle to access the in‑depth, accountable coverage they need. Local News Day aims to bridge that gap by encouraging people to support, subscribe to and engage with their hometown outlets. Schools, libraries, businesses, community groups and individuals nationwide are invited to participate.
For The Kewanee Voice, the day is both a celebration and a reminder of why community‑rooted journalism matters.
Publisher Michael Berry said the inaugural Local News Day underscores the value of independent reporting in towns like Kewanee.
“Local journalism is the heartbeat of a community,” Berry said. “It keeps people informed, connected and empowered. Celebrating Local News Day is a way to honor the reporters who show up every day and the readers who rely on us. When a community supports its local news, it’s really supporting itself.”
The Kewanee Voice’s open house is designed to give residents a behind‑the‑scenes look at how stories are produced, how decisions are made and how a small nonprofit newsroom works to keep the community informed.
Residents can participate in Local News Day by visiting the open house, sharing their favorite local stories on social media using #LocalNewsDay, subscribing to or supporting local outlets and encouraging others to do the same.
More information about the national initiative is available at localnewsday.org or by contacting info@localnewsday.org.
***Editor’ Note: The Kewanee Voice appreciates donations from Walmart for the grill and accessories, and the Kiwanis Club for pancake breakfast tickets. A special thank you goes to Scooter’s Coffee who donated the coffee for the open house.
