Photograph By B. Ridge
It can be frustrating when you write for a living, but your own neighborhood gets little ink. At least, that’s how Shannon Howard, a freelance writer who’s penned stories for the likes of Better Homes and Gardens and Midwest Living, feels about her native North County.
“I find it strange that people are willing to write off a whole part of the metro area,” she says of North County. “There’s no real news outlet here.” Though the North County Journal covers the area, its offices are based in Town & Country; the Ferguson Times has no online presence; and Howard asserts the Community News primarily covers St. Charles County.
Her solution? Late last year, she launched NOCO, an online magazine that aims a spotlight on North County. After serving as executive director of the Ferguson Special Business District and helping create the Old Ferguson West neighborhood association and Northern Arts Council, Howard needed a break from public service—but still hoped to pitch in. “I wanted to find a way that I could contribute the best,” she says.
Howard’s since written online about a slew of topics, from restaurants and real estate to city ordinances.
“I keep a giant board in my office, and I have no shortage of things to write about,” she says.
While she acknowledges North County’s shortcomings, she’s quick to point out its assets: the Ferguson Farmers’ Market, area corporations, the new Cork Wine Bar, and the forthcoming Ray Hill’s BrewHouse.
“The thing I’d like to see is not so much tangible,” Howard says. “I want people to say, ‘This is a place I want to stay.’”
