Zachary Oren Smith is your friendly neighborhood reporter. He writes about the politics and policy shaping the People’s Republic of Johnson County for the Iowa City Press-Citizen.

Two good reasons to subscribe:

  1. Because you’re missing out — Local news does a bad job of drawing connections. Even if you subscribe to your local paper, it’s hard to figure out where the news has been and where it’s headed. You subscribe to the People’s Bureau because you want to understand not just what’s happening but why.

  2. Because you want to support my work — There is a sucking sound in local news pulling writers out of the industry for better pay or into bigger cities for higher profile. Subscribing to the People’s Bureau is a direct way to support my work and the expensive kibble habit of Tito “Sprite Zero” Smith, my son™️.

Pairs well with…

Think of this as a reporter’s insert in the newspaper; a place to find commentary on local news you just can’t get elsewhere. But if you’re interested in local news and aren’t subscribed to the Press-Citizen, what is it you’re doing exactly?

Subscribe to the Iowa City Press-Citizen.

And subscribe to my newsletter.

It’s a one-two punch that feeds your news habit and supports the labor that makes it possible.

Have an idea for a story?

Is there a story I’m missing out on? Something I’m getting scooped on? It might be because I don’t know about it. Pitch me a story idea!