I closely follow local government and media because I care deeply about our community and believe transparency is essential. When stories are underreported or unclear, I ask questions, file public records requests, and submit opinion pieces. In cases where local media refuse to cover important issues, I have purchased paid advertisements to ensure residents have access to information that would otherwise stay hidden.
Local media often show little interest in scrutinizing the actions of politicians and government officials. Instead, they frequently echo official narratives without challenge. The traditional role of local journalists as watchdogs for the public has largely been abandoned.
People once subscribed to local papers knowing they funded this government accountability function; the decline in local media’s fortunes tracks closely with this abdication. Pulling back the veil of secrecy imposed by government officials reveals compelling stories with real impacts on daily life, and people will pay for it. Since nature abhors a vacuum, citizen journalists have stepped in to fill the gap left by legacy media.
Many local issues and scandals have surfaced primarily through resident efforts. Persistence has revealed matters that might otherwise have remained completely hidden. Isn’t the public better served when these matters are brought into the open?
Here are three examples:
When Drew Nelson was hired as Salida City Administrator in September 2018, the public was not informed of his January 2018 arrest in Winter Park for felony menacing, domestic violence, reckless endangerment, and prohibited use of a weapon. City officials, including then-Mayor PT Wood, acknowledged awareness but chose not to disclose it. The Mountain Mail (under prior ownership) was informed by Nelson himself but declined to publish these facts. I asked; they refused. To inform Salidans, I purchased a paid ad in the Mountain Mail, reprinting this news report: UPDATED: Winter Park town manager facing felony charges after domestic dispute | SkyHiNews.com.
On January 16, 2022, Salida City Attorney Nina Williams was arrested for DUI after leaving Woods Distillery, with then-City Administrator Drew Nelson as a passenger. The existence of this event was suppressed for 30 days until I learned of it. After I submitted a letter on this to the Mountain Mail, the story gained coverage. I later obtained and shared the bodycam footage, which showed the incident did not align with Salida officials’ narrative. Mountain Mail Publisher Merle Baranczyk noted in an editorial that Nelson repeatedly asked Police(who reported to Nelson) 10 variations of “what can be done” to avoid custody for Nina Williams. View the footage here: DUI arrest bodycam: Salida, CO city attorney Nina Williams (1-16-22).
More recently, I obtained and shared 911 audio from January 22, 2026, in which County Commissioner PT Wood reported a “big fire” at the Calco facility, a report that proved unfounded, as first responders found no fire. Despite the seriousness of a potential false emergency call, local media has not picked up this story, even as Commissioner Wood announced his reelection bid without explaining the false report. Listen and decide for yourself: PT Wood’s Reelection Bid Faces Transparency Test – High Country Advocate.
Local media often lack the desire, resources, or independence to question officials. This may stem from shared ideology, financial reliance on public advertising and legal notices, or fear of alienating a divided public. Challenging officials in Chaffee County with facts they don’t like can invite intense backlash; I know this firsthand. Local media has chosen the following business model: tread water and hope for rescue. Mediocre but safe in the short-term. I suggest they instead boldly swimming for safety: provide compelling, must-have news. Traditional media and broad public pressure can compel government responses, but unfortunately, a lone citizen journalist often cannot. A common tactic by government officials is to ignore a scandal until the public forgets and it fades away. Inaction by local media enables this cynical strategy.
The three examples above are just a few of many. People think all information can be found somewhere on the internet. This is only true if someone takes the initiative to place it there. Facts don’t appear magically, they require vigilance to spot unreported events, followed by costly records requests and follow-up investigation. These acts require taking a risk, knowing full well that efforts will be made to discredit you and your work. While I offered my own assessment of events, I also share primary sources, reports, video, and audio, so readers can judge for themselves. Sadly, those who uncover these hidden truths often face hatred and resentment from those who prefer secrecy to remain(but only for those they support). The concept of everyone playing by the same rules is the cornerstone of our system, but it seems alien to many.
I simply seek the transparency our officials all promise on the campaign trail, but mostly fail to deliver once in power.
In 2022, regarding the Nina Williams/Drew Nelson incident above, Salida Mayor Dan Shore made this astute observation: “…it’s my strong belief that people who are in the public eye need to be held to higher standards of behavior. That applies to everyone sitting here on council, our elected officials, but it also applies to staff. My ask and expectation as we move forward is that anytime anyone on council or staff is considering a specific action, just ask yourself the question, how would it feel and what would it look like if it was printed on the front page of tomorrow’s paper? If the answer is, ‘I wouldn’t feel really good about that,’ just don’t do it.”
When the “front page” no longer serves this function, whether in print, on the air, or online, the threat of exposure loses its power. Without that deterrent, bad behavior faces fewer consequences, secrecy thrives, and the public is left in the dark. Citizen efforts may be imperfect and unwelcome in some quarters, but they remain essential precisely because the traditional guardians of accountability have stepped aside. Until local media rediscovers its watchdog role, someone has to keep shining the light.
Vince Phillips
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