Can you recommend regional newspapers for keeping up with community events and local reporting?

Absolutely — if you want to stay on top of community events, local government, high school sports, and regional issues, regional newspapers are often the best source.

Here are some good types of regional papers to look for:

1. Major metro regional papers

These cover a larger city and surrounding communities, with solid local reporting.

• The Oregonian (Portland area)
• The Seattle Times (Seattle and Puget Sound)
• The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia region)
• The Dallas Morning News (North Texas)
• The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Atlanta and nearby counties)

2. Strong mid-size regional papers

These often have very good community-level coverage.

• St. Louis Post-Dispatch
• The Boston Globe (strong regional coverage beyond the city)
• The Arizona Republic
• The Columbus Dispatch
• The Indianapolis Star

3. Smaller regional/local papers

These are often best for neighborhood events, school boards, local business, and town politics.

• County newspapers
• City neighborhood weeklies
• Community weeklies
• Regional “daily independent” papers

4. Online regional news outlets with local focus

Some newer outlets are excellent for community reporting:

• Patch (many U.S. suburbs and towns)
• The Texas Tribune (statewide policy and regional impact)
• Wisconsin Watch
• Cardinal News (Southwest Virginia)
• The Evergrey (Seattle community coverage)

What to look for

A good regional paper for community coverage usually has:

• Local government coverage
• School and youth sports reporting
• Event calendars
• Arts and festivals listings
• Obituaries and neighborhood news
• Investigative reporting on regional issues

Quick tip

If you tell me your city, state, or region, I can recommend the best specific newspapers and local outlets for your area.