Volunteer Journalists Step Up to Fill Local News Gap in Twin Cities

Carver County Local News, a nonprofit digital news source, was created to keep the community informed after the closure of several local papers.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

With the closure of several local newspapers in the southwest Twin Cities metro, including the Chaska Herald, Carver County Local News was launched as a nonprofit, volunteer-run digital news source to fill the local news gap. Led by veteran journalist Jeff Holmquist and supported by community leaders, the outlet is working to provide fact-based reporting on local issues, events, and government to keep residents informed.

Why it matters

The loss of local newspapers has left many communities across the U.S. with limited or no access to reliable local news and reporting. Carver County Local News aims to address this 'news desert' by empowering volunteer journalists to cover important community stories and issues that impact residents' daily lives.

The details

Carver County Local News was founded in 2024 after the closure of the Chaska Herald and eight other local papers under Southwest News Media. With the help of community leaders like former Chaska Mayor Bob Roepke, the nonprofit launched with about a dozen volunteer journalists and has since worked to build credibility, readership, and funding through donations, grants, and national initiatives like Press Forward. The goal is to eventually pay contributors for their work covering school districts, community events, and local issues in a nonpartisan, fact-based manner.

  • The Chaska Herald, and eight other local papers under Southwest News Media, printed their last editions in mid-2024.
  • Carver County Local News launched in 2024, about two weeks after Jeff Holmquist moved to the area and the local paper closed.

The players

Jeff Holmquist

A veteran journalist who serves as a volunteer and content editor for Carver County Local News.

Heather Tran

Co-founder of A Better Society, a Chanhassen-based nonprofit focused on community collaboration, who helped connect local leaders to launch Carver County Local News.

Khai Tran

Co-founder of A Better Society, who worked with the group to establish a board, build a website, and produce a voter's guide to quickly build credibility for Carver County Local News.

Bob Roepke

Former mayor of Chaska who now volunteers with Carver County Local News, having previously written for the Chaska Herald.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“If you have a strong kind of newspaper presence, or news presence of some sort on a local level, it keeps the community informed. People know what's going on. They know what to vote for if they have to vote for something.”

— Jeff Holmquist, Volunteer and Content Editor

“What it comes down to is what's happening in our own community. We don't want to lose touch of that.”

— Khai Tran, Co-founder, A Better Society

“You need an informed community if you want to be a connected community. Losing that last local paper was a huge issue.”

— Bob Roepke, Former Mayor of Chaska

What’s next

Carver County Local News continues to build its readership and funding, with the goal of eventually being able to pay contributors for their work. The nonprofit is seeking additional grants and donations, including through national initiatives like Press Forward, aimed at strengthening local news.

The takeaway

The launch of Carver County Local News demonstrates the vital role that volunteer-driven, community-focused journalism can play in filling the void left by the closure of traditional local newspapers. By empowering residents to report on the issues that matter most to them, the nonprofit is working to keep the southwest Twin Cities metro informed and connected.