About Us — MendocinoCoast.News Team

Your independent, community-powered newsroom.

MendocinoCoast.News provides accurate, accessible, and original reporting that keeps the Mendocino Coast informed and connected. Reliable local news is the bedrock of a strong community — and all our journalism is free and open to everyone.

What We Do

We publish consistent, fact-driven reporting on the stories that shape life on the North Coast:

Local Government & Civic Accountability — following councils, agencies, and decisions that affect daily life.

Public Safety & Emergency Ops — real-time updates, with unique insight from inside our local ER.

Environmental Issues & Coastal Infrastructure — covering the natural world and the systems that support it.

Everyday Stories — the rich, human narratives that define our community.

No paywalls. No barriers. Essential information for everyone.

Meet the Team

The people behind the stories, dedicated to the Mendocino Coast.

Linda Hartzell

Editor & Co-Founder

The Heart of the Newsroom: Linda ensures every story is factual, clean, and accessible. With a decade of experience in community reporting and public-service communication, her work inside the local ER provides a vital perspective on public safety.

Explore Linda’s Role

Frank Hartzell

Reporter & Co-Founder

The Storyteller: Frank brings decades of experience and a deep personal history of the coast to every article. His work spans local government, fisheries, and environmental issues, preserving the lineage of coastal storytelling.

Explore Frank’s Work

Marty McGee

Digital Infrastructure & Platform Development

The Technical Backbone: Marty keeps the site fast, secure, and ready for high-traffic moments. Through his agency, Company Juice, he specializes in web development and SEO, ensuring MCN remains a stable, reliable platform.

Explore Marty’s Role

A personal note from Frank

Frank Hartzell has published more than 10,000 news articles since his first job in Houston in 1986. He’s won awards for investigative and environmental reporting and has worked everywhere from the Sacramento Bee to the Mendocino Beacon. Today, he prefers working security at Adventist Health Hospital and spending time with his wife Linda, their dog Brutus, and their family. He’s also a bookseller and chicken farmer.

Why We Exist & Our Values

Why We Exist
The Mendocino Coast faces a significant information gap. Few independent news outlets remain, and residents rely on trustworthy reporting to understand local government, public safety, and environmental conditions. MendocinoCoast.News fills that gap with original journalism and community-centered coverage.

Our Values

Accuracy
Every story is verified, sourced, and grounded in fact.
Accessibility
All reporting is free and available to everyone, with no paywalls or barriers.
Civic Accountability
We cover the institutions that shape daily life: councils, agencies, law enforcement, and emergency services.
Community Continuity
We preserve and extend the lineage of coastal storytelling, honoring the long-standing role of local journalism.
Responsiveness
We adjust coverage based on real-time community needs, from earthquakes to ER operations to local government actions.

Our Infrastructure

MendocinoCoast.News is a professionally maintained, securely hosted newsroom. We invest in reliable uptime, fast load performance, and emergency-ready infrastructure to keep you informed when it matters most.

Our Commitment

We are here for the long haul.

Our newsroom is built on community trust and a clear mission: to provide reliable, public-service journalism for the Mendocino Coast — today, tomorrow, and for the next generation.