To My Loyal Readers,
When I started Kenosha County Eye nearly five years ago, it was little more than a passion project—a way to share local stories that weren’t getting the attention they deserved. Back then, I was publishing articles here and there, with a strong focus on investigative journalism and transparency. I never could have imagined how far this journey would take me.
Today, Kenosha County Eye has grown into one of the most-read news sources in our area. Every month, more and more people are turning to KCE for the stories that matter most. We’ve recently surpassed half a million page views each month, and the number continues to climb. We’ve broken important stories, held public officials accountable, and given readers like you an unfiltered look at what’s really happening in Kenosha County. I’m proud of what we’ve built together.
As we look to the future, I want to share with you an exciting and necessary change that will help Kenosha County Eye continue to grow and thrive.
In the coming days, I’ll be launching Kenosha County Eye Plus+, a new $5/month subscription tier that will give readers immediate access to our most in-depth investigative journalism. There will still be plenty of stories published free for everyone, including breaking news, community updates, and other important coverage. But the deeply researched investigations that take the most time and effort will be reserved for our KCE Plus+ members.
I understand that some readers value their privacy—and for that reason, we are also developing a system that will allow people to subscribe to KCE Plus+ anonymously, while still getting full access to premium content. Whether you’re a public official, a government employee, or simply someone who prefers discretion, your privacy will be respected.
This decision wasn’t made lightly. I know I’ve said in the past that the site would always be free. But like many things in life, circumstances have changed. Investigative journalism takes time, resources, and commitment. To continue doing this work full-time—and to grow this platform in ways that will serve the community even better—I need your support.
Right now, Kenosha County Eye stands as the only serious competitor to the Kenosha News, which appears to be slowly fading. Their coverage of local issues has dwindled, and many believe it’s only a matter of time before they pack their bags for good. I don’t say this to gloat—I say it to underscore why this platform matters more now than ever before. Local journalism is essential, and without it, accountability disappears.
For the price of one cup of coffee per month—just $5, or $60 a year—you can help keep Kenosha County Eye strong and independent. You can purchase an entire year for $55, giving you one month free. Only a limited number of these annual memberships will be sold.
If you’re unable to subscribe, I understand. There will still be plenty of free content, including breaking news and public safety updates. But if you believe in what this platform stands for, I ask you to consider joining Kenosha County Eye Plus+.
This move also opens the door to hiring additional contributors, including journalists from a range of political perspectives, to give our readers even more diverse and comprehensive coverage.
I believe in Christian-based values like honesty, fairness, and service to the truth—and those values will continue to guide the work I do here. With your help, we’ll take Kenosha County Eye to the next level.
Thank you for standing with me. I’m excited for what’s ahead.
Sincerely,
Kevin Mathewson
Founder, Kenosha County Eye
52 Responses
Love Kevin or hate him, Kevin Mathewson is extremely important to our area !
As we all know the Kenosha News has deteriorated so much over the years. Heck their version of reporting on a local breaking important news story is three days later. If at all !
Sure Kevin has his detractors. People who think he sensationalizes certain stories. But how much would we know about KUSD if it wasn’t for Kevin ?
Or other schools around ?
How much would we know about the District Attorney’s Office and the history of non charges and the endless so called conflicts that sent local offenses to neighboring counties to adjudicate ?
And don’t even get me started on local village board members who have been and still need to be looked at.
Even Boomers like me appreciate the online presence of KCE and how information is knowledge.
I know some of us have wondered how Kevin could do what he does and not charge us for it. And even he wondered too. Now he knows.
This news site deserves to grow but growth can only go so far with one person.
So if $60. a year is the price I need to pay to be informed ? I mean really informed ? I’m In !!
Thank you Kevin for what you do !!
You are more than worth it !!
No one is reading your novel of a post- calm down.
But yet you are here and you read it. Imagine that…
So true!🤣🤣🤣
Who says anonymous read it? Oh that’s right you did, imagine that…
i am!
I read it, you chimp.
Monkey? That’s a troll?
Try harder lol
I did!
I’m low income and I’m in
5 dollars a month is very reasonable for real news that is being reported here. i am going to be in for sure. i read this everyday.
All in brother
All In
Happy to pay $5.00 each month, especially for all of your hard work in getting the truth out to all of your loyal readers!! Can’t wait for the ‘Plus’ version!!
Keep up the great work!!
Me too, Kevin! Count me in!
A cup of coffee (at least the way I like it) would cost $6.50. But $5.00 per MONTH for the KCE? Sign me up!
It about time you get paid for your tireless efforts, anyone here that is against $ 5 a month is not for informing the public of some really huge concerns in our community. Very little Local Journalism exist anymore, we all should support KCE efforts even if you don’t always agree.
I sincerely thank you for taking your time and effort to let the public know the truth! We have been lied to by our government and newspapers for years! I tell all my friends and family to check out Kenosha County Eye if you wanna know what’s going on in our community that the newspapers don’t like to talk about. I canceled my subscription to Kenosha News years ago. I thank you for having the courage to tell the truth! God bless you and America!
You gotta throw in a free KCE Logo baseball cap or T-Shirt to make this work, Kevin.
IM IN!! THATS WELL WORTH $5 A MONTH
Hell I would have paid 10!!!!
If you pay the $5 I assume you don’t have all those dam pop up ads?
Yes
It’s a great plan! I know free speech is important but while this site is renewing things, please clean up the comments somehow too, it totally distracts from some of the stories. imo
One call , that’s all .🖕
I’ll pay the 5 bucks just to read some of the hilarious comments!
As you should!! I am in !
Congrats. I hope you put that liberals rag, kenosha news, out of business.
$5 is pretty steep but we are in.Maybe throw in a free fish fry
…. not a day or week !
.16. cents a day !!
At your fingertips. 24 hours a day.
No walking to the street newspaper box.
In the snow. In the rain.
Or picking it up from the corner gas station.
It’s not just the Kenosha News that’s evaporating. WLIP gutted most of its well-respected news operation years ago. WGTD does niche coverage. The FCC allowed WAXO to be moved out of Kenosha. Ch.55’s news operation in Kenosha was short-lived as was Jones Intercable’s.
I will throw out a suggestion: $5/mo. or $50/year. Helps with cash.
👍🏻
Count me in
Where and when do we sign up?
Details will be released soon
Details soon
Will this be a website?
This same site 🙂
We are in!
Will we be paying to see who was incarcerated? I can see that for free. Otherwise I’m in.
Those are free
I’ll be paying the $5, but you really should make some other changes too to keep your words worth something. People ask you questions just the same as you ask questions. If you avoid the questions, are you really any better than those you write about? I like what you do and have a lot of respect for it, but don’t forget your roots.
It will be worth it to me not to have the article broken up with ads! Good for you, Kevin!!
Yeah, cause scrolling and extra inch is sooooo much work.
Pathetic
The below was posted on Facebook.
Kenosha blogger Kevin Mathewson is planning to make parts of his controversial Kenosha County Eye website subscription based, charging $5/month for access to expanded content. Whether you like or dislike the former alderman or his website, he said something terribly profound and spot on: “Right now, Kenosha County Eye stands as the only serious competitor to the Kenosha News, which appears to be slowly fading. Their coverage of local issues has dwindled, and many believe it’s only a matter of time before they pack their bags for good. I don’t say this to gloat—I say it to underscore why this platform matters more now than ever before. Local journalism is essential, and without it, accountability disappears.”
He’s right — and it’s a bit scary. The Kenosha News under Lee Enterprises has become a shadow of its former self, often publishing little more than regurgitated press releases and fluff stories. Most of the beat reporters who kept an eye on things are gone. Editorial content is minimal. And while Kenosha County Eye sometimes looks like a poor-man’s version of the National Enquirer, the fact is that it does cover many stories that the daily newspaper ignores. The same can be said with respect to WLIP which still airs some newscasts but abandoned its four-person news staff a long time ago. News director David Cole, an award winning journalist, now manages WGTD, the public radio station that does some niche reporting. Social media posts have taken the place of serious reporting in this and many other communities.
Whether Kenosha County Eye will be successful with its revised financial model remains to be seen but, again, its owner is right to call out the Kenosha News for progressive abandonment of its role in the community.
Usually when people use the word “blogger,” they use that term to insult my work. This is a news website and I’ve been accredited as a journalist in at least five Wisconsin Circuit Courts including our own, and many other serious government agencies. In litigation, I’ve been deemed by a circuit court judge as a news person for “reporter privilege”.
In the last 28 days, over 600,000 people have visited my site to view the news stories I’ve written. I’ve had a long-standing offer – if you can find something I’ve written that’s not correct, I’ll donate $100 to your favorite charity (non-abortion related). As for a poor-man’s National Inquirer, I don’t think that’s an accurate depiction of this site. I post real news and have never paid for tips. I welcome any evidence that this site is fake or anything like the National Inquirer. In fact, it insults the 600,000+ people that rely on this site for its news.
Thanks, Kevin
Blogger is not a slam. It is how this site essentially started. The Enquirer was known for provocative headlines and content. I didn’t read fake news into the comparison.
To clarify, bloggers are journalists in the eyes of the courts and the constitutional protections afforded by the First Amendment. There are many debates over which is which but at the end of the day I’ll go with the courts. No need to get undies in a bundle.
Accept the compliment and don’t be so testy.
Today’s Kenosha News aptly illustrates Kevin’s point. There are two local front page stories, both feature pieces, one about the Kenosha Innovation Center and the other a high school band concert. They are continued elsewhere in the A section which, apart from the weather forecast, has no other local news content. There are four obituaries in the B section. They are submitted by funeral homes. There is a single local sports story in section C about high school baseball. The opinion page in the D section has an op-ed piece by a Carthage College professor. That’s it. That’s all the local news content in today’s Kenosha News.
Thinking this over, a couple of weeks ago there was a Kenosha County Republican Party Pints and Politics meeting. The state Republican Party chair was there. So was the mayor speaking about the state of the city and the District Attorney reporting on his first 100 days. Three potential news stories.
Was the Kenosha News there? No.
WLIP? No
WGDT? Nope.
But Kevin was there.