The Ides of March Update
As spring break begins, I wanted to give everyone a quick update on the week ahead here at Lawton Town Crier.
I will not be uploading many videos this week. That does not mean the work is stopping. Instead, I will be using this time to catch up on the back end of the project while continuing work on several stories that will be published soon.
Much of the work behind Lawton Town Crier happens outside the camera view — organizing records, improving systems, following paper trails, building archives, and putting together research that supports future reporting. This week will be focused on strengthening that foundation.
The Lawton Town Crier Wiki
One of the most important pieces of that work right now is the Lawton Town Crier Wiki.
You can visit it directly here:
👉 https://wiki.lawtontowncrier.org
The wiki is where we are building a growing archive of:
- Public records
- Open records requests
- City Council meeting breakdowns
- Background research on local issues
- Supporting documents tied to ongoing coverage
A lot of public information is technically available, but that does not always mean it is easy to find, easy to understand, or easy to connect together. Important documents are often scattered across different websites, buried inside agenda packets, or hidden inside systems that are difficult for everyday people to navigate.
The goal of the wiki is to bring those pieces together in one place and turn scattered records into something the public can actually use.
Local government decisions affect everyone in the community — from roads and infrastructure to zoning, development, budgets, parks, utilities, and public safety. The public should have access not only to the final decisions, but also to the records and background that help explain how those decisions were made.
The wiki is part of building a civic memory for Lawton — an organized archive of information that people can return to over time.
Document Submissions
If you have documents or information you think Lawton Town Crier should review for possible publication, there are several ways to share them.
Digital submissions can be uploaded through the submission form on our website.
If the materials are not digital, you may mail copies to:
Lawton Town Crier
Attn: Newsroom
PO Box 1204
Lawton, OK 73502
Please note that submitted materials cannot be returned, so do not send your only original copy.
Sometimes the most important information comes from people who simply believe a document deserves a closer look.
Support Lawton Town Crier
Lawton Town Crier operates as an independent local journalism and public records project. If you appreciate the work being done here and would like to support it, you can do so through Ko-fi.
☕ Support the project:
https://ko-fi.com/lawtontowncrier
Support helps with:
- Equipment
- Software
- Research tools
- Hosting and storage
- Expanding the public records archive
Thank you for following along and supporting independent local coverage here in Lawton.
Have a safe and restful spring break.
— Lawton Town Crier