MONROE, CT — The Monroe Sun is investing in fall sports coverage, so readers will be able to follow highlights of their favorite Masuk High School teams this coming season.
I’ve reached an agreement with Andy Hutchison, a veteran sportswriter in the area, who I used to work with on the Fairfield Minuteman newspaper long ago, to ensure our teams receive professional coverage.
Andy plans to produce previews, game summaries and weekly wrap-ups, as well as some live coverage of games. I’m so excited to see more of his work on the website and know you will enjoy his sports coverage too!
Andy’s work can already be see on the website. He recently covered Masuk’s graduation and the Masuk girls softball team’s victory over St. Joseph’s to capture the Class L State Championship.
To help defray some of the costs, please consider making a donation to The Monroe Sun. To promote the longevity of The Sun, recurring donations are greatly appreciated. For instance, an annual donation of $60 could be considered a subscription like the Monroe Courier was.
If The Sun has the funding, it may be possible for Andy to continue his sports coverage into the winter and spring seasons, producing stories for basketball, hockey, lacrosse and baseball.
On July 15, The Sun had its two-year-anniversary. In 2020, the site’s first full year, The Sun had 510,214 visits. This year, we’re on pace to break that record, with 342,707 visits and nearly six months to go.
The Sun’s Facebook page has helped drive traffic to the site, with a big assist from the Monroe CT Residents page.
Please consider signing up for the free daily email newsletter. There are currently just under 400 subscribers and I haven’t really pushed it yet. The newsletter recently underwent a redesign.
Many thanks
I want to take the time to thank everyone who has ever made a private donation to the site, as well as the businesses who have purchased advertisements.
Sippin Energy Products, owned by a prominent Monroe family, was the first to advertise and has run a couple of campaigns.
Bailey Stewart, a community minded businessman who already advertises Stewart’s Wine & Spirits and Walter Stewart’s Market in the New Canaanite, another independent hyperlocal news site, approached me when 574 Wines was opening on Monroe Turnpike.
Bailey expressed an interest in advertising on The Sun with 574 Wines, then Your CBD Store Monroe, which later opened in the same building, to support local journalism in town.
Ty Nicholson, Matthew O’Neill and Jon Bertek make up the friendly staff at 574 Wines, which recently made a generous donation to Special Olympics Connecticut on behalf of Monroe police officers.
Many residents may have met Joanne Fox of Your CBD Store, who recently participated in the Monroe Farmers’ Market.
Other generous supporters include Intrinsic Health Source, Hartford HealthCare, The Center for Family Justice, The Monroe Economic Development Commission, The Monroe Chamber of Commerce, Monroe Farmers’ Market, Monroe Social, Bellenot & Boufford LLC, Local Ann Aesthetics, Connex and Quality of Life LLC.
Please support them all with your business in town!
Appreciation also goes out to the local politicians who advertised on The Sun during their campaigns, including First Selectman Ken Kellogg, State Rep. Tony Scott and Nick Kapoor, who ran against Scott and serves on the Monroe Board of Education in town.
I’m optimistic for The Sun’s future and look forward to what year three will bring!
