Just by the numbers, IdahoReporter.com’s success is impressive.

Since we opened the digital doors on December 2009, we’ve published 4,318 stories, covered five legislative sessions and spent thousands of hours doing work other media outlets just won’t.

But, to fully understand why IdahoReporter.com is an important voice in the Idaho media landscape, we need only look at a few stories, two from the past week and a third from earlier this year.

First, this report about the Department of Commerce deciding to cut a special deal with a luxury 4-star hotel in Ketchum, an arrangement sure to give the private company a leg up on competitors.

IdahoReporter.com broke the story and was, for a few days, the only news outlet featuring coverage on the issue.

Then, this report about a government-funded nonprofit pushing Medicaid in Idaho. While other news outlets swallowed the group’s rhetoric without much questioning, IdahoReporter.com took a deeper look.

And, check out this article, which exposed an arrangement that would have allowed the Idaho National Guard to take your stuff. The article led state lawmakers to kill the bill.

Investigative journalism is important. As Thomas Jefferson wrote, “wherever the people are well informed they can be trusted with their own government.”

Thanks to our supporters for five great years. To be overly cheesy and clichéish, here’s to five more.