Verified Neighbors

Everything on this site costs nothing: reading, participating, sharing, and commenting are free, and they stay that way. Verification is optional. The only thing that carries a fee is the one-time Verified Neighbor badge — $5, which covers printing, postage, and processing — and free hardship verifications are granted every month for anyone the fee would keep out.

In an open comment section, there is no way to tell whether a commenter lives here or has any connection to the community at all. Anonymous accounts and automated bots can post alongside neighbors. We think a local publication can do better than guessing.

Verified Neighbors is a one-time check that confirms a commenter receives mail at a Weld County address — Greeley, Evans, Windsor, Eaton, Fort Lupton, Ault, Kersey, and every town in between. Verified commenters carry a badge next to their name, and on any story you can flip a toggle to show only verified voices. It is a small grassroots effort with one goal: knowing that the local conversation is being held by locals.

It works the same way Google verifies a business address: we mail you something.

1. Request verification with your street address and the one-time $5 fee.

2. Within about a week, a postcard lands in your mailbox with a code and a QR on it.

3. Scan the QR or type in the code. That’s it — verified, one time, no renewals and no recurring fees.

A postcard has to arrive in a physical mailbox at a Weld County address. It is low-tech on purpose, and hard to game at scale.

We only use your street address once: to mail the postcard. After it’s sent, we keep just your ZIP code and your verified status. Your address is never shown on the site, never attached to your comments, and never sold or shared. Your badge says you’re a neighbor — not where you live.

Elected officials and city staff who join the conversation are verified by our team directly — through official channels, not postcards — and carry a distinct Public Official badge, so you always know when the person replying speaks for the city.