An announcement from Gary Welch, Owner and Founder of KMJC • October 12, 2026

There is a big difference between a business and a political party or cause. A good business owner cares more about results than about ego. If a program isn’t working, they drop it. If a better one comes along, they adopt it. The fact that the original plan looked good at the time doesn’t stop them from moving on to something better.

We are applying that same principle to KMJC.

Why we started

KMJC was started to give the people of our region truthful information about what is happening in their community: the events, the political activity, and the decisions citizens deserve to know about. From the beginning, we refused to become the propaganda arm of any political party.

We were open about having a conservative perspective, offered as a counterweight to the obvious liberal bias in mainstream local media. However, we never let that perspective change the facts or leave out information that would make a story misleading.

We believe our record shows it. When Republican officials did things we thought were wrong, we reported it. We didn’t hide it and we didn’t spin it. We called it out the same way we would for any elected official.

Part of a bigger vision

KMJC was one piece of a larger effort built on the Political Remodel program. That program holds that a successful society needs four things: Truth in Government, Truth in News, Truth in Science, and Truth in Education. There are other truths a society needs, but these four are the foundation of a community that is fair, safe, prosperous, and happy. KMJC was our attempt at Truth in News.

Why we are making a change

Several weeks ago, I met with Lance Byrd. Lance is a political leader and activist in Kitsap who shares our convictions about truth, fairness, and the role journalism should play in a community. He showed me his website and platform, which have the same goals as KMJC. Having said that, I came away convinced his platform is stronger than ours. I was impressed with his content and his abilities, and I left that meeting knowing I would rather support him than compete with him.

So we have decided to retire the KMJC format and put our efforts behind Lance’s platform. Announcements about its launch will come in the next few weeks.

What this means for you

This is not goodbye. It is more of a “see you on the other side.”

I will be working with Lance to keep investigating and reporting on local political events that need to see daylight, and I will continue writing commentary and opinion pieces. Taylor Johnatakis will keep producing his video and audio commentaries on his channel.

We are confident Lance’s platform will offer a better product, a larger audience, and a bigger impact on our community. Most importantly, we believe it can become a lasting institution that delivers the Truth in News that every healthy community needs.

Not a failure

KMJC had a short run, but we don’t see that as a disappointment. It filled a need for a season, and now it is giving way to a better long-term solution. That is exactly how it should work.

Thank you for reading, sharing, and being part of what we built. When the new platform launches, we will redirect all KMJC traffic to the new site. Until then, we will keep you informed about what is happening in our area so you have the truth and the information you need to make good decisions about your community and your government.

Gary Welch

Owner and Founder, KMJC