SCN Policies & Privacy

Your privacy matters to us.

We value your trust. We will never sell, rent, or share your personal information. We also will not send you unsolicited emails. Any communication you receive from us will be based on your sign-ups or requests.

What Information We Collect

1. Information you provide directly (such as name, email address, mailing address, or payment information when you sign up for newsletters, donate, or place an ad).
2. Information collected automatically (via cookies and third-party tools to help us understand site performance, improve your experience, and ensure the website functions properly).

How We Use Your Information

• To send you newsletters or occasional postal mail you sign up for.
• To process donations, ad purchases, or other transactions.
• To improve our website and digital experience.
• To provide customer support when you contact us.

Cookies

We use cookies to track site performance and ensure a smooth user experience. You may choose to disable cookies in your browser, though some features of our site may not function as intended.

Third-Party Tools

We use trusted third-party tools to operate our website and services, including (but not limited to):

• WordPress – website platform
• Google Analytics – website analytics
• Klaviyo – email marketing
• GiveWP – donation processing

Each has its own privacy policy, which you can review directly on their sites. By using our website, you acknowledge that your information may also be subject to their terms.

Payment Security

For donations and online payments, we never see or store your credit card or banking details. Transactions are processed securely by trusted providers, and your information is never retained by us.

Your Rights

Unsubscribe: You may unsubscribe from our emails at any time by clicking the link in the footer of each email.

Data Removal: You may request removal of your personal information from our database by emailing our editor at kforsythesouthcountynews@gmail.com.

Nonprofit Compliance: As a Michigan nonprofit organization, we comply with all applicable state and federal privacy regulations.

Our Editorial Approach

South County News is honored to be part of a community where neighbors still know each other’s names, where conversation matters, and where stories are shared with care. As your local news source, we take seriously our responsibility to report truthfully and respectfully, sharing the facts of what happened, decisions made, and how those decisions affect our community. We do our vey best to not amplify language or commentary that spreads misinformation, demeans others, or distracts from the outcome.

Submission Practices & Guidelines

Our goal is to provide a trusted, neutral community platform. We do not publish content that promotes fear, hate, misinformation, sensationalism, or violence. To protect our mission and maintain fairness, we reserve the right to accept, deny, or edit submissions at our discretion. Submissions include advertisements, announcements, events, and obituaries.

General Principles

As a nonprofit, we are prohibited from certain categories of advertising (e.g., travel agencies and insurance companies) and reserve the right to decline others as needed to remain compliant with nonprofit regulations.

Our community calendar is a complimentary service for personal or nonprofit/community-based events. For-profit businesses and larger organizations should use paid advertising instead.

Announcements

Allowed:

• Birth, marriage, graduation, or retirement announcements
• Lost/found pets
• Garage/yard sales
• Personal milestones and life updates

Not Allowed:

• Business promotions, corporate sales, or commercial ads presented as “announcements”
• Content that conflicts with our mission or inclusivity standards

Events

Allowed:

• Free library programs
• Free city/community events
• Marches, rallies, or gatherings which help to build a safe, inclusive, and informed community

Not Allowed:

• Paid or ticketed events hosted by businesses or large organizations with budgets (these should purchase ad space)
• Events promoting hate or violence
• Festivals, paid events, or large scale events that fall outside community-service intent

Obituaries

We accept obituaries written in respectful, factual language. We reserve the right to edit for length, clarity, or consistency in publication presentation.