New ‘insider’ news site launched in Beaufort. ‘I saw an opportunity,’ editor says

A new online Beaufort news site was recently launched by a local communications professional and educator who is promising accurate and unbiased coverage of local government. The site’s tagline is: Empowering Beaufort Citizens Through Fact-Based News and Your Active Engagement.

Editor Carrie Chappell says she hopes the Beaufort Insider , which began publishing stories online in mid-June, will fill what she says is a void in information getting to the public regarding the actions of city government and the city council.

The main topic covered to date is the downtown waterfront park. There are also posts on the city’s budget and spending, appointments to the Historic District Review Board and taxes.

“There was a lot of things going on that the public wasn’t aware of,” Chappell says. “I saw an opportunity there and came up with the idea for the Beaufort Insider.” The site does not currently carry any advertising positions. According the Chappel, the site is “not monetized.”

“It’s really kind of its own thing, and there really is no owner,” Chappell said. “If there were going to be an owner, it would be me.”

Chappell, who has lived in Beaufort since 2005, has a communications, marketing and education background. About a year ago, she started a digital marketing business mainly for small businesses who need help with web site creation and reaching customers through social media.

She’s also a long-time educator with Beaufort Public Schools. Currently, she is an administrator in the district office of Beaufort Public Schools, where she also has worked as a teacher and assistant principal.

The mission of the Beaufort Insider, it says on its web site , is to “empower the citizens of Beaufort with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their community.”

“We are committed to delivering timely and accurate news, fostering open dialogue, and promoting active civic participation,” the Beaufort Insider says.

Local residents who are on the inside of Beaufort politics and government contribute to stories “to make sure all citizens are informed and that we shine a light on important issues,” the news site says.

Beaufort Insider bears a resemblance in its strong focus on city government and city council news to a news and opinion site run by the Beautiful Beaufort Alliance . The Alliance’s Facebook page touts the work of the Insider in several of its recent posts. The address of 209 West Street shows up on both the Beaufort Insider web page and on past newsletters emailed by the Beautiful Beaufort Alliance.

But Graham Trask, the property owner who started that Beautiful Beaufort Alliance, said all he knows about the Beaufort Insider is that Carrie Chappell is the editor. Trask said Chappell sought his input before launching the site and he advised that it was a good idea. He hopes the news site will encourage local newspapers, including the Beaufort Gazette and Island Packet, “to up their game.”

Trask started the Beaufort Beaufort Alliance in 2021 over concerns about development projects he claimed harmed the city’s historic character. Trask is suing the city over its approval of these downtown development projects. He also is frequent critic of the city particularly when it comes to its spending priorities and tax rates and proposed increases.