Mineral Wells Area News

Dear Friends of Mineral Wells Area News,

What would Palo Pinto County be without local news?

In 2020, when The Index closed its doors, we nearly found out.

A news desert is a community with little or no access to credible local reporting, and it’s becoming more common every year. Today, 213 U.S. counties have no newspaper at all, and another 1,524 counties have only one. Over the past two decades, more than 3,300 newspapers have disappeared, leaving more than 50 million Americans with limited or no access to local journalism.

Palo Pinto County came dangerously close to joining that list. Mineral Wells Area News was created so our community, county wide, would never again be without a local source of trusted, accountable reporting.

Local news isn’t just a convenience. It is accountability, transparency, and connection. It’s how residents across Mineral Wells, Graford, Gordon, Palo Pinto, Strawn, Santo, and beyond stay informed about decisions affecting their lives. From city government, school boards, emergency services, development, public safety, and the milestones that define community life, we want to document history as it unfolds.

It’s how we understand who we are, where we have been, and where we are going.

Why We Don’t Print — and How We Preserve Our Community’s Story

We are often asked why MWAN doesn’t produce a printed newspaper. The answer is simple. Sustainability. Printing and distributing a newspaper in a rural county can cost tens of thousands of dollars per year, which is money that goes toward paper, ink, and delivery instead of journalism. By staying digital-first, nearly every donated dollar goes directly into reporting, community information, and keeping access free for everyone.

Mineral Wells and Palo Pinto County are rich with history — from the Baker Hotel to our fire departments, schools, small-town traditions, and the people and events that have shaped our region. Local journalism is how we continue documenting that story in real time, ensuring the next generation can understand the community they inherit.

While we don’t print weekly editions, we see tremendous value in special commemorative print projects — such as a biannual “Best Of” issue or a historic community edition. These are possible only when fully funded by a title sponsor, ensuring they do not divert resources away from daily reporting.

Why We Need Your Support Right Now

Each year, MWAN participates in NewsMatch, a national fundraising campaign run by the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN).

How the matching works this year:

▶ PERSONAL DONATIONS

From Nov. 1 – Dec. 31,

Personal donations up to $1,000 are matched dollar-for-dollar.

Your $50 becomes $100.

Your $250 becomes $500.

Your $1,000 becomes $2,000.

▶ MONTHLY DONATIONS

Monthly donations count too, but even better, the full year is matched.

If you commit to $5/month, NewsMatch counts it as a $60 annual gift, then adds another $60, so MWAN receives $120 from your $5/month subscription. Also, it’s these subscriptions that allow us to be a recognized Public Notification source for governmental entities and organizations legally bound to notify the public of various information. These notices also help us raise capital for local news.

Monthly supporters are the backbone of long-term sustainability.

▶ BUSINESS DONATIONS

Business contributions are not matched dollar-for-dollar, but they do count toward a national bonus program.

If we reach $20,000 in business sponsorships by Dec. 31, MWAN earns an additional $3,000 bonus from NewsMatch.

Also, if we have 50 NEW donors this year, we get an extra $1000. So far, we only have 14 new donors.

Our Financial Reality

Over the last four years, MWAN has operated on roughly $20,000 annually — made possible only because Amy volunteered hundreds of hours each year, taking very little pay, covering countless meetings, doing the bulk of reporting, editing, photography, and operations.

That model is no longer sustainable.

To continue operating through 2026 and maintain our current coverage:

➡ Our immediate NewsMatch goal is $57,000. (That is maxing out every opportunity presented)

But to operate at full strength, with staffing, daily coverage, growth, and the capacity to serve every corner of the county, MWAN realistically needs a little over $100,000 per year. This is the true cost of running a professional local newsroom.

We’ve already taken steps toward sustainability.

This year we brought on reporter Gary Norman, who now covers city and county news alongside Amy Meyer. We have also utilized a few other local writers and photographers to help create content. In early 2026, we will begin training two additional citizen journalists so every major civic meeting from school boards, city councils, commissioners court, and others receive consistent, professional coverage.

This is not about growing an empire. It’s about protecting the only truly LOCAL newsroom this county has left.

Your Donation Helps Us:

• Keep local news free for all of Palo Pinto County

• Provide consistent coverage of government, public safety, and community issues

• Preserve our community’s history for future generations

• Strengthen reporting capacity and invest in better tools

• Train the next generation of local journalists

• Ensure Palo Pinto County never becomes a news desert

If our reporting — the stories, the accountability, the connection — has value to you, we ask you to support MWAN during NewsMatch.

Donate Here!

(Every personal donation up to $1,000 will be doubled.)

Your gift, in any amount, strengthens independent journalism in Palo Pinto County.

Thank you for reading, for believing in local news, and for helping us protect it.

With gratitude,

Amy Meyer

Founder & Editor, Mineral Wells Area News

501(c)(3) Nonprofit Newsroom