
Report for America has named Mainstreet Daily News one of its 2025 host newsrooms, paving the way for Mainstreet to grow news coverage in Alachua County and beyond.
Since 2017, Report for America has placed 658 journalists in local newsrooms—from legacy outlets like the Tampa Bay Times to startups like 100 Days in Appalachia—to help address the steep decline in local journalism positions around the country.
Each year, Report for America competitively selects news outlets to host local journalists for at least two years (with a third-year option). Those “corps members” then focus on under-covered issues the outlet identified during the application process.
Mainstreet requested and received approval for a full-time education reporter who will cover both local K-12 education and the University of Florida.
Our current education reporter, Glory Reitz, has done an outstanding job of covering K-12 education over the last 18 months, but it only constitutes half of her position. In addition to her role as publication coordinator—which involves getting all of our weekly content to the designers for the print edition—she will be able to expand her reporting in Newberry, Alachua and rural communities from the tri-county area in the west to Melrose in the east.
The Report for America corps member, who is scheduled to start next July, will pick up coverage of the School Board of Alachua County while increasing coverage of local schools, Santa Fe College and the Children’s Trust of Alachua County.
The reporter will also cover UF, which Mainstreet has not had the staff bandwidth to cover sufficiently. The state’s flagship university should have a local, professional reporter dedicated to covering it, and starting next summer, it will.
Report for America is now accepting applications for its 2025 journalist cohort, and we’re looking forward to interviewing candidates eager to cover education in Alachua County.
As part of the program, Report for America will fund 50% of the reporter’s first-year salary, 33% in the second year, and 20% in the optional third year.
The remaining funds will come from the Community Foundation of North Central Florida, which exists to monitor and address local needs and critical issues. Over the last 18 months, the foundation has convened meetings with local stakeholders and surveyed the community to explore the decline of local news in North Central Florida.
In response, the foundation has established the Community Catalyst for Local Journalism Fund, which will support efforts to increase the quality, outcomes and reach of local news in the region. To learn more, visit the Community Foundation website.
Congratulations. This is great news.
That is terrific news! It makes me even prouder to be part of the Mainstreet team. Way to go!
Excellent! The more local reporting we can get, the better.
Great News! Professional news reporting is essential in keeping our Democracy strong as it is assaulted daily in states and the nation through dis and misinformation.
Congratulations!
This is FABULOUS news. I am so proud of you and your crew.
Great news!
I’m late to reading this but am thrilled at the strategic planning that MainStreet is doing. Having an education reporter is huge! I’m so happy that the Community Foundation is helping to fund this position. Well done, MainStreet! Well done, J.C.! Woo hoo!