Urgent Appeal: Support The Journal 425 After Devastating Loss
After losing all of our photography and video equipment in a devastating theft, we're forced to embark on our initial fundraising drive.
Editor’s Note: Post is written by a colleague. I’m horrible at asking for things. - KTH
The Journal 425, a local investigative journalism outlet, is facing a severe crisis after its publisher's car was stolen, used in an attempted murder, and subsequently impounded, resulting in significant uninsured losses including the vehicle, J425’s extensive FUJIFILM multi-lens camera system, all of J425’s photographic and editing gear, all of J425’s drones, action cameras, and audio equipment, significant tech and memory gear… plus valuable personal items. In short the tools J425 requires to do the job are gone. To continue its vital work of delivering critical local news and holding power accountable, the organization has launched a "RED ALERT" fundraising campaign with a goal of meeting the estimated replacement value by July 1st. Readers are urged to consider immediate support through various channels, including a GoFundMe campaign, new subscriptions, and title sponsorships, emphasizing that their contributions are crucial for the reader-supported organization to recover and maintain its impactful reporting.
GoFundMe Campaign to Replace Stolen Gear (click here)
Why We Need Your Help: A Deeper Look
This past week, The Journal 425 suffered a devastating, uninsured loss. A thief broke into publisher Kevin Hulten's garage, stealing his car and nearly all of our professional video and photography equipment. This is a near-complete loss for our small, independent newsroom.
My Car Was Stolen and Used in the Attempted Murder of a Police Officer
Now they needed to find the driver, the cop said. And arrest her for attempted murder.
The stolen vehicle was later involved in a high-speed chase across the South Sound, where the driver attempted to run over a police officer, reaching speeds of over 115 mph on residential streets. The car was recovered by police, but it's now undrivable with a snapped rear axle and is being held as evidence in an attempted murder case.
Unfortunately, our insurance will not cover any of these losses—no reimbursement for damages, impound fees, car repairs, or equipment replacement. This is an immense burden for a small, reader-supported organization like ours.
Simply put, The Journal 425 needs your help to get through this.
There’s multiple ways to help, including our biggest discount ever on annual subscriptions, a rare advertising / partnership opportunity for a handful of local businesses (title sponsorships) and direct donations via GoFundMe or CashApp with the five largest donations receiving signed and numbered J425 prints like these:
The Journal 425: Overview and Fundraising Briefing
The Journal 425: Overview and Fundraising Briefing
Our Fundraising Goal: $17,500 by July 1st
Where does the money go? First, to replace the necessary journalism tools we need to continue our coverage and to cover the damages incurred from the theft. We've estimated our total losses and replacement costs at $19,850.
These include:
* Vehicle Repairs & Fees: An estimated $9,750 to repair the 2015 BMW M235ix (which had only 29,000 miles when purchased in December). This covers the broken rear axle, CV joint, inspection after five days of reckless driving, likely additional repairs, and towing/impound fees. The car may also be held for an extended period due to the ongoing attempted murder investigation.
* Stolen Equipment & Personal Items: An estimated $11,100 to replace essential journalistic tools and personal belongings stolen or destroyed on Wednesday.
This includes:
Fujifilm pro camera system with lenses, batteries, and memory cards, DJI Mini 4 Pro drone with controller and batteries, DJI Lavalier Microphones and mixer, Go Pro Hero 11, Macbook Air, 1 TB flash drive. Personal items including every day carry protection necessary for investigating predators, homicide suspects and other less than friendly individuals. Must immediately replace critical documents including: Press passes, REAL ID, passport, concealed carry license replacements.
Fundraising Campaign: Multiple Ways to Support J425’s Local Journalism
We're running our first-ever fundraising drive with multiple ways for you to contribute and help us reach our $17,500 goal (combined via fundraising, advertising sales and new subscriptions) by July 1st:
GoFundMe Campaign: https://gofund.me/b6de29a9
Our primary goal is to raise $7,500 through GoFundMe. This will primarily help cover the extensive damages incurred from the theftr, estimated at over $7,500 alone. As a small business, The Journal 425 hasn't taken a salary since its launch in 2021, and we simply don't have the cash reserves to cover a disaster of this magnitude.
* Special Offer: The five largest donations across GoFundMe, Amazon Wishlist, or Cash App will receive a limited edition J425 wall print, signed and hand-numbered out of 5. Our previous batch of these prints sold at auction for over $700 each! https://gofund.me/b6de29a9
Become a J425 Title Sponsor
Businesses and community stakeholders can provide crucial support by becoming a Title Sponsor for $1,000 - $1,500. This is an excellent opportunity to fund specific coverage areas, such as "Viking Football" or "J425 Investigates," while gaining significant visibility. Title Sponsors will be credited on each post and receive a bespoke banner ad on our homepage, full info here. We're aiming for 5+ new Title Sponsorships. Purchase a Title Sponsorship here or text J425 publisher KTH at 425-783-9377.
Subscribe to The Journal 425
Individuals can subscribe to our annual newsletter for just ~$79. We're offering our best-ever deal: 25% off annual subscriptions through June. Your subscription directly supports our impactful investigative journalism, like our recent reports on "Predators in Public Schools" and "The Lynching of Antonio Mays, JR." We're aiming for 50+ new subscribers.
* Amazon Wishlist or Cash App: If you prefer to help with specific items, you can purchase directly from our Amazon Wishlist or send donations via Cash App ($J425Live).
* You can also DM Kevin Thomas Hulten at J425live if you're interested in purchasing prints of specific photos.
The Journal 425 is a reader-supported local journalism outlet that provides vital, impactful investigative reporting to the Snohomish County community and its engaged, youthful audience. We've been recognized for our work, including being a Runner-up for the National Journalistic Impact Awards in 2024, and have over 3,000 newsletter subscribers. This unforeseen event threatens our ability to continue this important work.
Your support now is more critical than ever. Help us recover from this disaster and continue to hold power accountable in our community.
J425 Reporting Adds Value to Community
Examining J425’s Track Record of Valuable Reporting Since 2021
I thought there was to be a discount on subscription on annual membership, but it indicated it was going to be $99, full price. I am happy to help out with your desperate situation. I have been supportive of your mission!