About the Lantern
A newspaper for Alabama, run by a neighbor.
Local Lantern is one person reporting and publishing local news out of Piedmont. It started here in Piedmont and the towns around it, and it’s spreading across Alabama from there. No corporate owner, no paywall, no algorithm picking what you see.
What the Lantern covers
- Local businesses and the people who run them. I add every listing myself, and the ones with a good story get one.
- Events and things to do. Ballgames, festivals, church suppers, trail days. If it's worth going to, it's worth putting up.
- Good news and Local Voices. The folks who make this county what it is, in their own words.
- Friday nights. Scores, who played well, and what the game meant around here.
- The useful stuff. Who's on the ballot and where to vote. When school starts. What the council decided, said plainly. The kind of thing a neighbor would tell you.
What we leave to others
- Crime, courts, and tragedy. Other newsrooms have the staff to cover these right. One person can't, and I'd rather not do it halfway.
- Being first. I'm not chasing breaking news. When something big happens, I'll point you to who's on it. Once things settle, I'll tell the part only a neighbor can.
The promise
No clickbait, no drama, no passing along rumors. If it’s on here, I checked it. And if I get something wrong, tell me and I’ll fix it where everyone can see.
From the editor’s desk
Hey y’all, I’m Nate.
I report the stories, take the photos, answer the tip line, and send out the Dispatch, what happened, what’s coming up, and a local business worth knowing.
I build the directory by hand and add every listing myself. Owners can claim theirs for free. New hours, a new phone number, a new photo, just tell me and I’ll update it. If something’s wrong on a page, that’s on me, and I’ll fix it.
Nate Butler · Editor & publisher · Piedmont, Alabama
Talk to me
Tips, events, corrections, or a business that ought to be in the directory. The line’s automated, but I read every message myself.