When Leland Dart announced his retirement on December 30th and put out a call for someone to “Be the Owner,” I gave it some serious thought. For me, MyEverettNews has always been a great source of Everett happenings.
With some money saved up and the technical know-how to move, improve, and maintain the site, I decided to put my name in the hat. I met with Leland on January 3rd and shared my background and vision for the site. True to his word, it wasn’t all about money – he truly wanted to see the site continue its independent run.
Since taking over the site on January 5th I have come to appreciate all the hard work Leland put in. Many thousands of photos and stories: all hyperlocal and not behind a paywall. In my opinion, important news shouldn’t be held hostage.
My favorite feature of My Everett News, and the legacy I most want to carry forward is the Meet the Owners series. It is a great way to celebrate small, local businesses and help Everett strengthen its community.
The last couple of weeks have been a bit of a balancing actâtrying to publish news while going through dozens of difficult hoops to move the site to a faster, new server. Those of you reading this on a mobile phone may notice the site now resembles the desktop version, which isn’t ideal. Soon I will redesign the site so it is responsive and provides a better experience regardless of device.
Like Leland, I don’t want to be the story. Instead, I prefer to share stories. But I understand readers wanting to know who I am. So with much hesitation, this post sheds light on myself, the new owner.
My name is Dustin Woodard. I am a long-time web professional, award-winning filmmaker, soccer coach, dad, Everett business owner, and former columnist (6.5 years for a New York Times subsidiary).
I’ve consulted for publishers, including ParentMap, the Pulitzer Center, NBC Universal, and the Hoover Institute Library & Archives at Stanford. I’ve also consulted for media companies including the Discovery Channel, HBO, Showtime, and organizations like the CWA, Make-a-Wish Foundation, TEDx, and the Union of Concerned Scientists.
In 2015, I co-produced the highest-rated education documentary (according to IMDB), which was screened in over 350 cities (including Everett) across the U.S. and in a dozen other countries, in 5 different languages. For the past 20 years I have been a judge for the Webby Awards (the Oscars of the Internet).
I am a local resident, and my family regularly supports local charities, including Cocoon House and Dawson Place. For two years we ran the Kid Film Fest in Everett.
I live an unincorporated area a few miles outside the city but work inside it (so I carry no vote in Everett). Speaking of politics, I don’t identify with any political party: I’ve voted Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Progressive, Green, and Independent.
I’m blown away by the support for this site and look forward to carrying forward the legacy Leland built. I thank everyone for their continued support and look forward to growing the site together. It’s your site as much as it is mine.
To get to know you and better cater the content to your interests, expect to see some polls and calls for contributors in the near future. In the meantime, I can be reached at news@myeverettnews.com.
January 26, 2024
Everett, Meet the Owner