Above, guest speaker Dick Tofel has a conversation about news with Nancy West at the 10th Annual Celebration of InDepthNH.org. JEFFREY HASTINGS photo

Above, InDepthNH.org founder and executive editor Nancy West speaks at the 10th Anniversary Celebration Wednesday night. To the right, photographer Bob LaPree gets ready to take a photo. MELISSA WEST photo

By NANCY WEST, InDepthNH.org

The 10th Anniversary Celebration for InDepthNH.org at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center Wednesday evening was all about news but also about having a good time. We put together this pictorial because I didn’t take notes, but you’ll have all of the eloquent speakers and the skit soon when the video is finished editing.

Maybe it was the Discovery Center surroundings, the food catered by Constantly Pizza or the cash bar from DeeLuxe Parties or the great work putting the event together by InDepthNH.org board members chairman Bob Charest, Beverly Stoddart, Lucy Wyman and Barbara Tetreault. But it brought me to tears, the generosity of the speakers and the 150 people who came to show their support.

Stoddart, author of “Rolodex,” was the mistress of ceremonies. Guest Speakers were Dick Tofel, and Steve Taylor and George Bald.

After the event, reporter Paula Tracy, who played President Richard Nixon in a skit, said: “Never thought of Nixon in such a caring way but loved it and thought how innocent he was compared to today.”

Attendee Executive Councilor Karen Liot Hill, D-Lebanon, said; “InDepth provides an incredible service to the people of New Hampshire. Independent journalism is more important than ever, and it was great to celebrate the their good work together with leaders from throughout the state, including former Commissioners Steve Taylor and George Bald!”

Thank you all for turning out. I will be posting more photos and the final video in the coming days as we get ready for NewsMatch starting Nov. 1 through Dec. 31 when all of your donations up to about $50,000 will be matched dollar for dollar. I am humbled by all of you, especially your kind words and friendship. — Nancy West

Above NHCPIJ Board Treasurer Gina Gilmore is pictured after the event Wednesday night. MJ WEST photo

Dick Tofel speaks to the crowd at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord Wednesday night. JEFFREY HASTINGS photo

Guest speaker Dick Tofel, above, reminded the audience that while we often talk only of the losses that have come about in the news business over the last decade, there are also some positive developments such as being able to read and watch news from anywhere on our computers and phones, and the many varied new voices and people whose opinions now have a home.

Tofel, the principal of Gallatin Advocacy LLC, was the founding general manager (and first employee) of ProPublica from 2007-2012, and its president from 2013 until September 2021. As president, he had responsibility for all of ProPublica’s non-journalism operations, including communications, legal, development, finance and budgeting, and human resources.

Tofel is the author of the Second Rough Draft newsletter on Substack. He is also an Instructor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where he led a faculty seminar on “The Pandemic, the Press, and Public Health” and teaches a course on “Engaging with the Press.”

Above, the Radio Free New Hampshire Players showed what it would be like at the Washington Post if the Watergate Break-In happened in 2025. Ben Bradlee was played in old-fashioned radio style by NHCPIJ board member Lucy Wyman (center); Carl Bernstein, played by Speaking of Words columnist Michael Ferber, (right) professor emeritus of English at UNH, who by the way, says Ben Bradlee was his landlord when he lived in Washington; Bob Woodward, Radio Free New Hampshire Columnist Michael Davidow, an attorney and the author of seven novels, whose most recent book is “Interdiction” is pictured at left, and Reporter Paula Tracy playing President Richard Nixon, who claimed he wasn’t a crook and hadn’t seen Epstein in years is pictured below. Board Member Beverly Stoddart narrates the scene at far right.

JEFFREY HASTINGS photo

Above, Reporter Paula Tracy plays President Richard Nixon proclaiming he is “not a crook” as NHCPIJ board member Lucy Wyman as Ben Bradlee looks on. JEFFREY HASTINGS photo

NHCPIJ Board Member Beverly Stoddart did an amazing job as mistress of ceremonies Wednesday night. JEFFREY HASTINGS photo

Above, Chairman of the NHCPIJ board Bob Charest, who has served since we started in 2015, presents a gift to Nancy West as George Bald looks on.

Above George Bald, is pictured speaking at the 10th Anniversary Celebration of InDepthNH.org. JEFFREY HASTINGS photo

Above, NHCPIJ board member Steve Taylor, spoke about his lifelong interest in the news and what he sees happening today. JEFFREY HASTINGS photo

JEFFREY HASTINGS photos, above and below. Thank you Jeffrey and Melissa.