About The Westphalia Gazette

What we do

The Westphalia Gazette is an independent local news publication dedicated to covering Westphalia, Maryland.

We exist to answer one question: What is happening in Westphalia?

That sounds simple. Too often, it isn't.

Information affecting this community can be scattered across government websites, planning documents, public meetings, construction notices, agency announcements and conversations among residents. Major projects can take years to unfold, while decisions affecting the community may receive little sustained coverage.

The Gazette was created to change that.

We report on what is being built, what is changing, what government agencies are deciding, which businesses are coming and going, how transportation projects affect residents, and the people and events shaping community life.

Just as importantly, we follow stories after the initial announcement.

A development approval is the beginning of a story, not the end of one. A road project deserves coverage beyond the first construction notice. A promised business opening should be followed until the doors actually open.

Westphalia deserves journalism that stays with the story.

What we cover

Our reporting is organized around five primary areas:

• Development — Construction, land use, zoning, development proposals and the continuing transformation of Westphalia.
• Traffic & Transportation — Road projects, traffic patterns, transit, pedestrian access and construction disruptions.
• Local News — Government decisions, public services, schools, infrastructure, public safety and other matters directly affecting Westphalia.
• Business — Openings, closings, commercial development and the businesses serving the community.
• Community — Residents, events, organizations, local history and neighborhood life.

Our geographic focus is intentionally narrow.

The Gazette is not a Prince George's County-wide newspaper or an Upper Marlboro-wide publication. We may report on county, state or regional matters when they directly affect Westphalia, but Westphalia remains the center of our coverage.

Why Westphalia

Westphalia is changing rapidly.

New neighborhoods are being built. Major transportation projects are reshaping how residents move through the area. Commercial development is bringing new businesses and services. Public investments and planning decisions being made today will influence what this community looks like for decades.

Those changes deserve sustained local scrutiny.

The Gazette's purpose is not simply to document growth. It is to help residents understand what is happening around them, how decisions are being made, what has been promised and what happens next.

How we report

The Westphalia Gazette is committed to accurate, independent and accessible local journalism.

Our reporting draws on public records, government documents, direct observation, interviews, public meetings, data and information from identifiable sources. When another news organization first reports information that contributes materially to our coverage, we credit that reporting.

We distinguish news reporting from opinion, advertising, sponsored material and submitted content.

Accuracy takes priority over speed. When information is incomplete, we say so. When an important question remains unanswered, we continue asking it. When we make a material factual error, we correct it.

Readers can learn more about these practices through our Editorial Standards and Corrections policies.

Founder & Publisher

The Westphalia Gazette was founded in September 2026 by Blake Hemphill, a Westphalia resident who serves as Founder & Publisher.

Hemphill created the Gazette after repeatedly encountering the same problem: important information about Westphalia existed, but residents often had to search across multiple sources to find it—and significant local developments did not always receive sustained news coverage.

The Gazette began as a founder-led publication and is being built as a permanent source of local journalism for the community.

As Founder & Publisher, Hemphill oversees the Gazette's reporting, editing, publishing and editorial direction. The publication also welcomes community contributors, photographs, news tips and information from residents.

Independence

The Westphalia Gazette is independently operated and is not affiliated with Prince George's County government, any homeowners or civic association, political organization, developer, business, or other entity it may cover.

The Gazette is owned and published by GovernUp Solutions, LLC. Editorial decisions are made independently from the company's other activities and business interests.

When a relationship involving the publisher or ownership of the Gazette is materially relevant to a story, that relationship will be disclosed to readers.

Funding

The Westphalia Gazette is currently founder-funded.

The Gazette is building a sustainable business around independent local journalism. Funding may include reader contributions, advertising, sponsorships, subscriptions, memberships, and other paid offerings. Our reporting and Civic Hub are currently free to access. Future paid offerings or changes to access will be explained before they take effect. Commercial relationships remain separate from editorial decisions.

Advertising or sponsored material will be clearly identified. Financial support does not purchase favorable coverage, prevent critical coverage or provide advance review of independent reporting.

Help us cover Westphalia

Some of the Gazette's best stories can begin with a simple question from a resident:

What's happening over there?

If you see construction beginning, notice a business preparing to open, receive a government notice, attend a public meeting, encounter a transportation problem or simply think there is something happening in Westphalia that deserves attention, tell us.

News tips, photographs, documents and story ideas can be sent to tips@westphaliagazette.com.

Media inquiries can be sent to media@westphaliagazette.com.

To contact the Founder & Publisher, email founder@westphaliagazette.com.