Max Resnik

The best time to get whistles into your community was yesterday the next best time is right now. We will make and send you whistles, for free, in quantities of 100 to thousands, just ask here: linktr.ee/3dwhistles

Documenters like Kassandra are an important part of our community. They’re everyday citizens who we pay and train to attend, take notes and ask questions at public meetings. Their work helps to promote transparency and accountability with public officials.

Another gem of a civic guide from @detroitjcs.bsky.social. 👏 The OMA underpins everything we do!

A Detroiter’s guide to the Michigan Open Meetings Act Michigan’s Open Meetings Act requires public bodies to make decisions by vote, allow public comment and make more transparency measures. Here’s what to know.

If Detroit Documenters only wanted you to know one thing, it would be that local government officials are required to meet and vote on policy decisions in public, and you’re allowed by law to be there.

Here's what else you should know about the Open Meetings Act, by Documenter A J Johnson:

🎉 Great news: Two bills that meet pressing information needs of people across Pennsylvania passed out of committee.

The legislative package, introduced by @reprabb.bsky.social, treat local news and civic information as the public goods that they are.

More here: www.freepress.net/news/pennsyl...

"I'd trust citizen journalism as much as I'd trust a citizen surgeon." Back in the day, we took years of humor like that as the curmudgeons took their time fading out.

Here's my definition of "citizen journalism" from 2008. The term has renewed importance.

archive.pressthink.org/2008/07/14/a...

How New Yorkers Are Stepping Up to Protect Immigrant Neighbors - Documented As immigration enforcement escalated during Trump's first year, New Yorkers stood ten toes down in defense of immigrant neighbors.

As immigration enforcement escalated during Trump's first year, New Yorkers stood ten toes down in defense of immigrant neighbors.

People helping people helping people -- love this work from @detdocumenters.bsky.social

cc @citybureau.bsky.social

Description of the new system Rebalancing 4 Charging Start at a yellow pickup station These stations have low-charge ebikes Pick up a low-charge ebike Unlock an ebike with 3 miles or less range P Drop off at a charging station Dock at a station with a lightning bolt to earn 6 points Streaks & multipliers: Charging rides are worth 6 points and can't be multiplied or combined with rebalancing rides. Don't worry, these rides won't break your streak. View your points bank →

Map showing the new bike pickup view

New @citibikenyc.bsky.social feature allows extra bike points (exchanged for extra membership time or exchanged for gift cards) for riding low-juice ebikes to charging stations - neat!

Participatory Journalism and Its Potential in AI-Assisted Local News

“Adopting AI tools in local journalism should go hand in hand with implementing more equitable, civically focused, participatory forms of journalism…exemplified by the @documenters.org program from @citybureau.bsky.social ”
knightcolumbia.org/content/part...
Thanks @joshuadarr.bsky.social !

Get more eyeballs on your book or business with these local opportunities: Get involved in Detroit Kick off your year by learning from, engaging with and growing with your community.

New year means new opportunities to get involved in community!

Kick off the new year with a coffee/tea hangout with your favorite nonprofit newsroom (that's us!), submit some work to DPSCD or apply to the Kresge Artist Fellowship. Ready to make some plans?

Local Reporting Network Fellow Remote, United States

Our Local Reporting Network is open again for proposals! We're looking for accountability journalism projects from around the country. We cover your salary (up to $80k plus a stipend for benefits) plus provide editing and other support. Apply here:

Columbus and Kansas City Join the Documenters Network — City Bureau Two new communities are bringing fresh energy to our people-powered journalism movement. Meet the local partners and civic collaborators shaping the next chapter of Documenters.

🎉 Welcome Columbus #SignalOhio and Kansas City (@thebeacon.bsky.social) to our #DocumentersNetwork!
They are bringing fresh energy to our people-powered journalism movement. Meet the local partners & civic collaborators shaping the next chapter of Documenters. www.citybureau.org/notebook/col...

If there is a Documenters network in your city, that’s a great way to start learning how your local boards and commissions work while also getting paid!

Your Newsroom at your library

Love the Library Newsroom Project by my old partner in journalism crime @terryparrisjr.bsky.social www.librarynewsroom.com This is the way.

The Local News Impact Coalition’s Newsroom Census toolkit is now live on the website and registration is open for tomorrow’s webinar: www.localnewsimpact.org/2025/11/06/n...

Hard to argue with a Tropical Iceland singalong!

A group of people sitting at tables looking towards a presenter in front of a screen describing the Documenters program

Collaborative journalism is resilient journalism. We’ve got a room full of newsroom partners designing Kansas City Documenters hosted by @thebeacon.bsky.social

@citybureau.bsky.social

Psyched to see how this grows Jay!

A marquis for a movie theater reads Capitol in red letters followed by Taylor Swift on the line below and on the line below that Smashing Machine

Don’t ever say she doesn’t have range

Time to go back to school!

Very excited to be joining this cohort

🚨 Big news! We are launching two brand new AI Journalism Labs in 2026 — Leaders + Builders — with support from @microsoft.com and featuring new partners Nordic AI Journalism.

Applications are now open. Learn more ↓
www.journalism.cuny.edu/2025/09/anno...

Why state and local politics matter now more than ever When the federal government pulls back, cities and states step in.

Thanks @kimberlyadams.bsky.social @marketplace.org for sharing our work with the @documenters.org @citybureau.bsky.social . We love equipping people to navigate local public meetings! www.marketplace.org/episode/2025...

DJ, Musician and Writer Robert Resnik Has Died at 72 One of the most beloved characters of Vermont's music scene died on July 21. Resnik had been battling a series of health issues, including Parkinson's disease.

Thank you @sevendaysvt.bsky.social

m.sevendaysvt.com/music/dj-mus...

Press Forward grants $22.7 million to 22 newsroom projects Press Forward, the philanthropic coalition that has vowed to grant at least $500 million to local news over five years, announced $22.7 million in grants to 22 newsroom projects on Wednesday. "We hop...

Today, Press Forward announced it's giving $22.7 million in grants to 22 local news projects, including initiatives led by City Bureau, OpenNews, and the Internet Archive. www.niemanlab.org/2025/07/pres...

Great question - not in every community. It would be awesome if all public meetings were accessible remotely

Nobody should fear arrest for recording public meetings

Thanks Nina! I mean every word

While @thegreenlineto.bsky.social has been working with Documenters, the publication continues to find new ways to make that information more accessible. Part of that strategy has been experimenting with short-form videos based on the Documenters’ notes. rjionline.org/news/taking-...

Alex Klaus: Meet this month’s featured Detroit Documenter Alex Klaus started as a Documenter and then became a Docu-Mentor. Now, she’s bound for Milwaukee as an education reporter.

In 2022, when Alex Klaus became a Documenter, she didn’t understand what was happening in public meetings but was determined to learn. Since then, she’s become a freelance writer and interned at Chalkbeat Detroit.

Now we’re feeling bittersweet as she’s off to be an education reporter in Milwaukee.