Introducing York County Agenda: Local News, Free to Read

An independent, hyperlocal publication brings original reporting and useful information to communities across York County — with no subscription and no paywall.

York County is growing. Businesses are investing. New residents are arriving. Restaurants are opening. Homes are changing hands. Schools, local governments and nonprofits are making decisions that affect their communities every day.

There's a lot happening here.

That's the opportunity behind York County Agenda, a new independent, hyperlocal publication focused exclusively on York County.

My wife, Lisa, and I returned here in early 2025 to be closer to our children and grandchildren. Since then, I've had the opportunity to experience York County both as a resident and through my work in local media and involvement in the community.

I've also learned just how different the communities within York County can be.

Rock Hill isn't Fort Mill. Fort Mill isn't Tega Cay. York, Clover and Lake Wylie have their own identities, priorities and stories. Yet all are part of a county experiencing significant growth and change.

York County Agenda intends to cover all of them.

There's another important distinction.

Everything we publish is about York County.

York County Agenda isn't a regional publication with occasional coverage here. Our stories are exclusively about York County and its communities, written by local journalists — including Winthrop graduates — who know the area. And we're locally owned. I live here, too.

That local focus shapes what we cover. It means paying attention not only to the biggest stories, but also to the people, businesses, neighborhoods and everyday changes that make Rock Hill, Fort Mill, Tega Cay, Lake Wylie, Clover and York distinct communities.

Our goal isn't simply to cover the news that demands attention. It's to consistently find the York County stories and information worth knowing.

I've spent more than four decades in the newspaper and media business, including leadership roles at newspapers across the country. After moving to York County, I helped launch The Post and Courier's York County operation.

I've also spent the past few years building Lynchburg Agenda, an independent hyperlocal publication serving the Virginia community where we previously lived. That experience has shown me there is another way to approach local news — one built around consistent, useful information and a direct relationship with readers.

The Agenda brings together the best of traditional local journalism with a fresh approach to delivering news and information. It combines original reporting with recurring features, public records, data and information readers can use — published throughout the week and delivered directly to readers.

We're bringing that model to York County and expanding on it.

The goal is simple: give readers something new about York County every day and plenty of reasons to come back every week.

We'll cover business and economic development, local government, schools, health care, sports and nonprofits, while introducing readers to the people who make York County an interesting place to live.

We'll also do some things differently.

York County Agenda will track real estate transactions throughout the county and report restaurant inspection results. We'll monitor local gasoline prices. During the high school sports season, readers can follow live scores from York County teams. Agenda PJ's (private jets) will follow business aviation activity at Rock Hill-York County Airport. Briefs will make announcements and information from local governments and community organizations easier to find. And Undercover Diner will visit local restaurants anonymously, pay the bill and tell readers about the experience

We also have local journalists, including Winthrop graduates, to find and tell stories from Rock Hill, Fort Mill, Tega Cay, Lake Wylie, Clover, York and the communities in between.

Some stories will be traditional reporting. Others may simply answer a question: What sold? What opened? Who’s doing something interesting? Who’s that guy or gal everyone seems to know? What received a food grade? What’s being built? What’s happening at the airport?

Taken together, the idea is to create a more complete picture of what's happening across York County every week.