Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Let me start by saying The Ritzville Adams County Journal is here to stay.
I say that after several people asked me last week if we were closing. Some of those questions were prompted by our editor’s decision to take another job in town. Some of those questions were prompted by the “for sale” sign in our window.
It’s easy to jump to conclusions if you noticed both simultaneously.
But in reality, we’ve had The Journal building listed for sale for several months. Only the building is for sale — not the business.
Why would we sell the building, you ask? Simply put, it’s much, much larger than we need.
Longtime Journal readers may remember the days when the paper was printed on a Linotype in our Railroad Avenue office. The press still sits in our backroom, but it hasn’t been turned on, likely in decades.
In the last 20 years, the newspaper process has changed, dramatically. As a result, most of our building has become storage. Like our Linotype, our enlarger – indeed, the entire dark room – is collecting dust, too.
Computers and other advancements have made many previous newspaper operations obsolete, or even extinct. Many jobs, too, have gone away with those changes.
Now, we operate on a much leaner staff. And thanks to the coronavirus, its much leaner than we ever imagined.
But The Journal isn’t going away. And it isn’t for sale.
Yes, the departure of our editor has left us short-staffed. Please bear with us while we continue to search for a replacement.
Not only are we looking for a new editor, we’re also looking for local, aspiring journalists to join our team. Whether it be writing a weekly community column, taking photographs or joining our staff, local journalists have a front row seat to history, even here. Let me know if you have an interest in helping keep a spotlight on local life.
The Ritzville Adams County Journal will continue to provide a voice for the area.
Hopefully, my explanation answers most of your questions about your hometown newspaper. If not, please email me at [email protected]. You can drop me a note if you’re interested in becoming a journalist.
Thanks for reading your Ritzville Adams County Journal.
– Roger Harnack is the publisher of Free Press Publishing and The Ritzville Adams County Journal. Email him at [email protected].
Roger Harnack is owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. An award-winning journalist, photographer, editor and publisher who grew up in Eastern Washington, he's one of only two Washington state journalists ever to receive the international Golden Quill for editorial/commentary writing. Roger is committed to preserving local media, and along with it, a local voice for Eastern Washington.
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