by Blaine Howerton | NorthFortyNews.com
There are moments each week when I sit back, look at the stories in front of me, and think about what this publication could become—not just what it is today, but what it could mean for Northern Colorado if it were fully supported by the people who rely on it.
I dream of the day the Daily Update sustains North Forty News.
Not in a corporate sense. Not with outside ownership or distant decision-makers shaping what we cover. But supported directly by readers—people right here in Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, Wellington, Greeley, and beyond. A community-powered newsroom with one clear purpose: to reflect and serve Northern Colorado as it really is.
Because here’s the truth.
Every day, I receive messages from people asking for coverage. A neighborhood issue. A local event. A story that matters to a small group—but still matters. And too often, I have to make a difficult call. Not because it’s not important, but because there simply aren’t enough hours in the day.
Right now, this newspaper is run by one person.
That’s the reality behind every Daily Update, every feature story, every event listing, every early morning send. For eight years, I’ve been building this—one story, one reader, one connection at a time. And I’m not stopping. I’ll be here tomorrow morning, just like always.
But the bigger vision? That takes all of us.
Across Northern Colorado, we’re seeing the rise of what many call “news deserts”—places where local coverage fades, where stories go untold, and where communities slowly lose their shared awareness of what’s happening around them. It doesn’t happen all at once. It happens quietly.
- A meeting not covered.
- A voice not heard.
- A story that never gets told.
And over time, the gaps grow.
North Forty News exists to push back against that.
- To keep the light on.
- To make sure the small stories don’t disappear.
- To give this region a more unified voice—one that reflects not just headlines, but the everyday life of our communities.
The Daily Update is the key to making that sustainable.
If enough readers choose to support it, something powerful happens. It removes the need for outside control. It creates stability. It allows for more coverage, more voices, more stories from the neighborhoods people ask about every day.
It turns this from one person doing everything… into something much bigger.
A true community newsroom.
If you’ve ever wondered why you don’t see more about what’s happening in your neighborhood, this is why. And if you’ve ever wanted to change that, this is how.
Be part of it!
NorthFortyNews.com/DailyUpdate
For those of you who can’t support the Daily Update for some reason, this week’s complete edition is always online at
NorthFortyNews.com/this-week. Bookmark the link—the new edition is posted there automatically each time it comes out.
And if the Daily Update has become part of your morning, know that your support helps keep this going—not just for you, but for the entire region.
See you out there,
Blaine Howerton