Subscribers to Local Hero will receive one exclusive long form report (modeled on the OUSD, Wtf?! series) on a timely local issue each month, with periodic news updates.
I can say with confidence that this space will be home to the most comprehensive reporting on local issues you can find anywhere. That’s what reader support will allow me to do: dive deep, then zoom out.
Over the many, many years I’ve observed Ojai Valley politics, I find that we have more and more trouble agreeing on what is real. In public debates, personal anecdotes are often deployed in place of facts or data. Substantive discussion requires a mutual set of facts — and factual debate is critical to democracy.
Publications like the Ojai Valley News, the Ventura County Star, and the VC Reporter do a great job of reporting day-to-day decision-making, and I don’t intend to provide a substitute for their work here. But I know as well as anyone that they’re stretched thin.
Here, I will investigate where and why municipal challenges begin, why they’re allowed to fester, what motivates action, and what regional and national issues are at play. (That’s what I mean by “dive deep and zoom out.”)
As a long-time political professional, I bring a deep understanding of the mechanics of government. As a former Ojai Valley News reporter and lifelong Ojai girl I bring a critical eye and a deep love for this community. I’m an artist at heart, and everything I write is a creative endeavor. My stories are not only deeply reported, they’re funny, and they’re tragic. They showcase inspiring figures, moving events, and municipal absurdity. They’re intricate and wide-ranging.
Issues I’m interested in exploring include the ongoing City Council debate on affordable housing, the tourism economy, income inequality, homelessness, water scarcity and climate change impacts, wildfire preparation, and more. I welcome reader input into what I cover in the future.
Note: if you’d like to subscribe, but cannot afford the cost, please send a note to andrabelknap@substack.com
Thank you for being here,
Andra