The Rustler is an independent local news publication for Russell Township. David Gonczol, the publisher, is the privacy contact: dadabuddanews@gmail.com.
What reader forms collect
If you use Ask The Rustler, the community-news form or the advertising form, you choose what to include. This can include your name, email address, phone number, organization, community, question, event details, links and other information relevant to your message.
How the forms work
The forms open your own email app with a message addressed to The Rustler. You decide whether to send it. The website has no automatic form database, automatic AI intake or automatic reply. If you send the message, it is received through Gmail/Google.
Public Record tool
The separate Public Record tool is built and hosted through Lovable and its public-record database service. When you open that tool, those services may receive the routine technical information a browser sends to a website, such as an IP address and browser, device or request information. The tool holds approved public municipal and Rustler metadata only. It does not hold reader accounts, reader-form submissions, private email, confidential-source material or unpublished reporting.
How information may be used
Information may be used to reply, follow up on a reader question, assess a community submission, discuss an advertising inquiry, pursue reporting, or maintain a correction, contractual, accounting or other legitimate record. A community submission does not guarantee publication.
Publication and sensitive information
The Rustler does not publish your email address or phone number without permission. Please do not use these forms for emergencies, urgent safety information or material requiring an absolute promise of confidentiality. If you wish to provide sensitive information, contact The Rustler first.
AI assistance
The Rustler may use AI as a human-directed working aid for research, organization, technical work and drafting. David retains final editorial control. AI does not independently decide coverage, facts, publication or reader-facing messages. Unnecessary identifiers are minimized before assisted work.
Retention and security
Information is kept only for as long as reasonably needed for the stated purpose or a reporting, correction, legal, contractual or recordkeeping need. Access to private systems is restricted, and a suspected privacy breach is assessed and handled in light of the circumstances and applicable law. No system can promise absolute security or a fixed deletion deadline.
Optional audience analytics
Optional analytics helps The Rustler measure its readership and show potential advertisers the audience they can reach. Advertising support helps keep local news free to read, without a subscription fee. Allowing analytics is your choice; declining does not affect your access to The Rustler.
The Rustler uses Google Analytics 4 only if you choose Allow analytics. Until then, the site does not load the Google Analytics tag or send Analytics data to Google. If you allow it, Google Analytics can receive page and interaction information, approximate location, browser and device details, and a pseudonymous client identifier stored in first-party _ga cookies. Google says Analytics uses IP addresses at collection to determine location and then discards them before they are logged.
Advertising personalization and Google signals are disabled in The Rustler’s page configuration. Analytics cookies are scoped to the current Rustler hostname, expire after up to one year, and are not extended on each page view. The Rustler does not send reader-form contents, email addresses, names, phone numbers, confidential-source material or unpublished reporting to Analytics. You can change or withdraw your choice at any time.
· Google Analytics privacy information
Embedded meeting videos
Meeting recordings are hosted on The Rustler’s YouTube channel and displayed using YouTube’s privacy-enhanced player. Loading or playing an embedded video sends technical browser and playback requests to YouTube/Google. YouTube’s own measurement is separate from The Rustler’s optional Google Analytics. If you allow Rustler analytics, we can measure video starts and completions, including when our video page is embedded on a partner website. Pausing and resuming the same playback does not create another Rustler video-start count. Google’s privacy policy.
Marketing and outside services
Contacting The Rustler does not sign you up for marketing. A future newsletter or promotional list will require separate consent and provide an unsubscribe route. Services relevant to reader information include Gmail/Google for submitted email and private storage where necessary; the site is hosted by Neocities. Google Analytics 4 is used for optional audience measurement only after a reader opts in. The separate Public Record tool is built and hosted through Lovable with its public-record database service, is separate from reader forms, and receives routine web requests when you open it. Open-Meteo supplies the fixed local weather forecast, not reader form information.
Questions, corrections and requests
You may ask how your information is used, request correction of it, or request deletion by contacting us. Requests are considered in light of continuing reporting, correction, legal, contractual or recordkeeping needs. To report a factual issue in coverage, see Corrections. For the human-led reporting method, see How The Rustler Works.