The Sun News needs your help to keep telling important stories during coronavirus pandemic
Dear readers:
The coronavirus pandemic has changed nearly every aspect of our daily lives. It’s brought loss of life, jobs and routine. Our community is struggling with the highest unemployment rate it’s ever faced.
It’s also brought out some of the best of us as the Grand Strand has rallied to feed our neighbors, celebrate our health care workers and provide resources to our community.
At The Sun News, we feel a significant responsibility to report and share as full a picture as possible so you can make the best decisions.
In the past two months, our team has published hundreds of stories, plus dozens of videos, newsletters and voice updates. We’ve covered the breaking news, the ever-changing numbers and projections. We’ve posted a steady stream of utility information and provided exclusive enterprise journalism.
Alex Lang told you the heartbreaking story of how Robert McCord’s family had to say their goodbyes over the phone. McCord was one of the first coronavirus deaths on the Grand Strand. Tyler Fleming wrote about how important it is to be prepared for a hurricane during this pandemic. It’s the ultimate worst-case scenario right now, according to officials.
And we partnered with newsrooms across the state to bring you “Life at a Distance,” a special report bringing home the human impact of the virus across different walks of life.
We’re still offering non-coronavirus coverage as well, of course. Like David Weissman’s analysis of Myrtle Beach Safari owner Bhagavan “Doc” Antle’s conservation claims. Antle was featured in Netflix’s “Tiger King” this spring. Or Fleming’s reporting on Horry County Council Chairman Johnny Gardner’s ethics investigation.
We are grateful we can be here for you.
And while The Sun News has been working tirelessly to keep you and your families informed, we’re not immune to the troubles that face our economy.
Our colleagues in other companies across the country have been laid off, furloughed or had their salaries reduced. Our family members and friends have lost their jobs.
So far, we’ve been able to keep our reporters and visual journalists working every day here on the Grand Strand, risking their own health and safety to bring our readers valuable information. And you’re reading our stories and watching our videos in record numbers. We’re fighting to keep you informed and hold the financial line, like many local businesses, and so far we’ve done so thanks to your readership and support via digital and print subscriptions.
Subscriptions are critical to our ability to sustain local news coverage and to our future. If you aren’t subscribing, please consider doing so by visiting myrtlebeachonline.com/subscribe.
If you’d like to help and you’re a subscriber, you can now make a tax-deductible donation to preserve local journalism. We have partnered with the nonprofit Local Media Foundation, which is accepting contributions on our behalf. Donate by visiting givebutter.com/myrtlebeachonline.
Your tax-deductible gift will help us continue to report fully on the coronavirus’ impact on our communities. We aim to raise $55,000 to ensure we can continue to report on the coronavirus and its impacts to our area while fighting for information on your behalf.
With help from the Local Media Foundation, your gift goes directly to ensuring sustainability for The Sun News and continued accountability reporting as we navigate this critical time.
We realize many in our community are hurting. For some, a subscription or a donation is not an option. We understand and we will continue working to provide you with critical information for free as long as we can.
But if you’re able, please consider supporting our work in one of these ways. Our newsroom — and our Grand Strand community — will benefit from your donation.
Stephanie Pedersen is the executive editor of The Sun News.
This story was originally published May 5, 2020 at 6:00 AM.