New Editor Appointed, Newsrooms Reorganized to Boost Whidbey Coverage

The Whidbey News-Times announced on November 21, 2025 that Megan Hansen will serve as editor of The Whidbey News-Times and The Whidbey Examiner, a leadership shift intended to deepen community focused reporting for North and Central Whidbey. Hansen will be based in the paper's main newsroom in Coupeville, and her hire coincides with a broader reorganization designed by publisher Kasia Pierzga to bolster local engagement and coverage across the island.

Hansen brings a journalism background that includes four years as assistant editor of the Nisqually Valley News in Yelm and a bachelor of arts in print journalism from Central Washington University. Her experience at a community paper outside the island positions her to direct coverage of municipal meetings, school districts, local business developments, and public safety matters that directly affect Whidbey residents.

As part of the newsroom realignment, longtime staff member Jim Larsen will shift into a more focused role as editor of the South Whidbey Record. The Record will relocate its office back to South Whidbey, with a new location in Langley. The publisher framed the moves as steps to ensure more locally present reporting and to make newsroom leadership more accessible to the communities each paper serves.

For Island County residents, the changes carry practical implications. A dedicated editor based in Coupeville can increase attention to North and Central Whidbey issues, while a South Whidbey editorial presence in Langley may lead to closer coverage of city councils, county services, and community events there. Readers and local officials can expect adjustments in beats, reporting schedules, and opportunities for community input as the newsroom reallocates resources.

The reorganization underscores a broader trend among local news organizations to realign staff and offices to match audience geography and civic needs. The Whidbey papers’ leadership transition will be watched by residents who rely on local reporting to hold institutions accountable and to stay informed about matters that shape daily life on Whidbey Island.