The community is invited to launch party celebrating Comings & Goings columnist Wendy Weitzel’s big move and great success on Substack.
“It’s a thank-you party for the community’s support,” Weitzel said in a press release about the event.
The party will emceed by The Wary One columnist Bob Dunning.
DAY: Saturday, June 22
TIME: 4p—6p
WHERE: Davis Odd Fellows, 415 2nd St.
Press release follows:
Two longtime Davis newspaper columnists have found a growing audience and impressive income by taking their missives to a new medium: Substack. That will be celebrated on Saturday, June 22 with a party in downtown Davis.
The event is from 4 to 6 p.m. at Davis Odd Fellows upper hall, 415 Second St.
Wendy Weitzel has written her popular Comings & Goings business column since 2001, keeping area residents up to date when Yolo County merchants and restaurants come or go. But in May, when The Davis Enterprise laid off her colleague Bob Dunning – after 54 years and without any severance – she left the paper to show her solidarity. Her column was missed; It was the most-read feature on the newspaper’s website.
This is a success story on how veteran journalists are adapting to the shifting media landscape and claiming success on their own.
Dunning, who has long been the most prolific newspaper columnist in the country, started posting his The Wary One column on Substack on May 10, along with coverage of UC Davis sports. A week later, Weitzel joined the online platform. Today, a month into the venture, they are Substack Bestsellers, each with thousands of paid subscribers. As of Saturday, June 15, Comings & Goings was 40th on the Substack international leaderboard for business publications, and The Wary One was 44th under culture.
Dunning hosted a launch party on May 15, drawing hundreds of fans. Weitzel joined Substack two days later. Her launch party is Saturday, with Dunning serving as emcee. The event is free, with cookies, lemonade, tea and a no-host bar supplied by Davis Odd Fellows. A large crowd is expected.
“It’s a thank-you party for the community’s support,” Weitzel said.
Substack is an online writer’s platform where authors communicate directly with their audience via email newsletters. It is solely subscription-based, so there are no distracting ads or perceived conflicts of interest. A Comings & Goings subscription is $50 per year. The Wary One is $70 a year.
