WESTERLY – Two longtime Rhode Island journalists launched a new nonprofit digital news outlet last month focused on covering southern Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut.
The South County Star was founded by former The Westerly Sun managing editor Alex Nunes and veteran journalist Nancy Burns-Fusaro, with a mission of expanding local news coverage in communities that have seen shrinking newsroom resources, they said.
“If something happens in Providence, or happens at the State House, there’s a lot of people there to cover it, and people do a really good job,” Nunes told WPRI-TV CBS 12 in a June 24 segment. “But if something happens down in Charlestown, Richmond and Hopkinton, you really have to have dedicated people who are going to be looking to do those stories – and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
The online publication covers municipal government, education, business, public safety and other community news across Washington County and neighboring communities in southeastern Connecticut.
The South County Star is organized as a nonprofit newsroom and is funded through donations, grants and local business support, according to its website.
It was not clear whether the outlet received any seed funding prior to launch. Requests for comment were not immediately returned.
According to the organization, it aims to provide free local journalism while building partnerships with community organizations and readers.
Nunes and Burns-Fusaro bring decades of reporting and editing experience in southern Rhode Island.
The founders said they hope the publication will help strengthen local news coverage by providing in-depth reporting on issues affecting South County residents.
Matthew McNulty is a PBN staff writer. He can be reached at McNulty@PBN.com or on X at @MattMcNultyNYC.
“Nunes and Burns-Fusaro bring decades of reporting and editing experience in southern Rhode Island.”
Bravo! This is exciting.