If you have any questions about our policies or standards, contact Editor Chip Rowe by email at [email protected] or Senior Editor Leonard Sparks at [email protected]. The newspaper’s phone number is 845-809-5584.
About The Highlands Current
We are a reader-supported, nonprofit media organization that serves the New York communities of Philipstown (Cold Spring, Nelsonville, Garrison, North Highlands and Continental Village) and Beacon. Click here to help fund our journalism. The Hudson Highlands are mountains on both sides of the river; on the east side, they stretch from Fishkill Ridge to Anthony’s Nose, or roughly the northern edge of Beacon to the southern edge of Philipstown, a distance of about 13 miles.
How We Report
The Current has been a member since September 2020 of The Trust Project, a consortium of news outlets that has adopted standards to allow readers to more easily assess the credibility of their journalism.
Ethics Policies
■ Expectations for our journalists
■ Political involvement
■ Social networks
■ Awards and contests
■ Freelance work
Diverse Voices
Inclusiveness is at the heart of thinking and acting as journalists. The complex issues we face as a society require respect for different viewpoints. Race (ethnicity), class, generation, gender and geography all affect point of view. Reflecting these differences in our reporting leads to better, more nuanced stories and a better-informed community. This news organization aims to reflect the diversity of the communities it serves in its staff and contributors, its editorial choices and priorities. Please let us know about stories in your neighborhood.
Diverse Staffing
We will seek diverse pools of candidates for all positions, and will always seek to hire the most qualified candidate. Our masthead lists 13 employees and regular freelancers, of which eight are men and six are women. Most of the people on our masthead (92 percent) are white, and they range in age from their 20s to their 70s.
Ownership Structure, Funding and Grants
Founding Date
The Highlands Current was founded in July 2010 in Cold Spring, New York.
Mission/Coverage Policies
Our mission is to be a trusted independent and nonpartisan source of information on topics of importance to our Hudson Highlands communities. Through both our print edition and website, we seek to provide a vital forum for wide-ranging views and to reflect the diverse interests, concerns and experiences of our readers.
Verification and Factchecking Standards
■ Telling the truth
■ Balance and fairness
■ Quotations
■ Issues of privacy
■ Sources of information
Unnamed Sources Policy
We will cite or quote confidential sources sparingly and only to provide information that is vital to the story and cannot be obtained through any other source. The editor will always know the identity of any unnamed source. When we used unnamed sources, we will disclose to readers or viewers the reasons for granting confidentiality, such as fear for the source’s safety or job.
Actionable Feedback
How to contact us with letters, comments, questions or corrections.
Editorial Policies
■ Legal issues
■ Removing material from archives
■ Mental health and suicide
■ No-byline policy
■ Obituaries
■ Photo and video
■ Advertising