RiverheadLOCAL welcomes community voices.
We believe public discussion makes our community stronger, and we encourage readers to share their opinions, experiences, and perspectives on local issues. Letters to the editor and opinion columns (op-eds) are an important part of that conversation, but they must meet our standards for fairness, accuracy, and civility.
Letters to the Editor
Letters to the editor are short, reader-submitted opinions responding to local news coverage or community issues. They are meant to foster dialogue, not division.
Submission Guidelines
– Length: Letters should generally be 400 words or fewer.
– Identification: All letters must include the writer’s full name, address, and phone number for verification. Only your name and home hamlet or village will be published.
– Deadline: Letters related to an election must be received no later than three days before Election Day. (We may stop accepting new election letters earlier if volume is high.)
– Verification: We may contact you before publication to confirm authorship and clarify facts.
Editing and Rejection
We reserve the right to edit letters for length, grammar, and clarity, while preserving the writer’s intent.
We will not publish letters that contain:
– Personal attacks, hate speech, or defamatory statements.
– False or unverified factual claims.
– Commercial promotions or campaign press releases disguised as letters.
– Anonymous or pseudonymous submissions (except in extraordinary cases with editor’s approval for safety reasons).
Op-Eds (Guest Columns)
Op-eds are longer opinion pieces written by community members, experts, or public officials addressing issues of public interest. They provide space for thoughtful argument and analysis beyond the scope of a letter.
Submission Guidelines
– Length: Up to 800 words.
– Authorship: Must be original
– Disclosure: Writers must disclose any personal, political, or financial interests related to the topic.
– Editing: We may edit for clarity, style, or length, but we’ll seek the writer’s approval before making significant substantive changes.
Selection
We give priority to pieces that:
– Offer informed perspective on current local issues.
– Present arguments supported by facts or lived experience.
– Encourage civil discourse and community understanding — not partisan attack.
Political Season Rules
We publish election-related opinion pieces under specific conditions:
– Candidate submissions are clearly labeled as such (“Candidate Guest Essay”).
– All candidates for the same office will be offered equal opportunity to submit under the same guidelines and deadlines.
– We may decline to publish pieces that repeat campaign talking points or contain factual inaccuracies.
Disclaimer
Opinions expressed in letters and guest columns are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of RiverheadLOCAL, its editors, or staff.
We believe a healthy democracy depends on informed, respectful conversation — even when we disagree.
That’s why we invite your voice — and ask that you engage with others in the same spirit of fairness and respect that guides our own reporting.
Policy on Editorial Opinions and Columns by the Publisher and Editor
RiverheadLOCAL is an independent community news publication produced by East End Local Media Corp. (EELMC), an S corporation owned by Denise Civiletti and Peter Blasl. Like most small local newsrooms, we do not have a separate editorial board. Our publisher and editor — who is also a working reporter — occasionally writes opinion columns.
Purpose of Editorial Columns
From time to time, the editor or publisher may write a column expressing a personal view on a local issue. These pieces are always labeled as Opinion or Column, and they reflect the writer’s own perspective, not an institutional endorsement by RiverheadLOCAL. The goal of such columns is to contribute to civic dialogue — not to dictate it. When we offer opinions, we do so transparently, with reasoning grounded in reporting and first-hand understanding of the community.
How These Columns Differ from News Coverage
Our news stories are reported and written according to the same standards of fairness, accuracy, and balance that guide all professional journalism. Our columns are opinion pieces — they are subjective by nature, expressing interpretation and judgment. Readers can always distinguish between the two by the labels and section headings on the site.
Endorsements and Elections
As a general rule, RiverheadLOCAL does not publish editorial endorsements of candidates for public office. On rare occasions, the editor or publisher may write a personal column about an election — explaining her own voting decision or perspective — but only when the circumstances warrant it, and always with full transparency about why the exception is being made.
Our commitment to fair coverage of all candidates remains unchanged.
Accountability
When we express opinions, we stand behind them. We welcome reader responses and opposing views. We encourage robust but civil debate in our letters and opinion section — because disagreement, when rooted in respect and truth, is healthy for democracy.
