Gilpin County News merges with Weekly Register-Call
Moving forward while respecting the past
Just when you’re reading about the doom and gloom of the newspaper industry and how everyone is going to be obtaining their national and global news in real-time via the internet, an opportunity comes along that changes your perspective.
Such an opportunity came up a few weeks ago when I was approached by a local businessman with a vision for the future and a partnership offer where we could realize both short-term and long-range goals and could reshape the very attitude locally and the Denver metro-area perception of the Gilpin community that we all love.
Anyone who has ever visited our mountain community knows what a ruggedly beautiful place it is, and with the advent of gaming and the recent enhancements, it is becoming more than just a camping and outdoor recreation or vacation area. It’s becoming a real destination area, and those with vision understand what it takes to attract guests to the area who willingly spend their money for entertainment both indoors and in pursuing the many outdoor adventure opportunities we have here.
William C. Russell, Jr., the long-time publisher of the Weekly Register-Call recently passed away, leaving the future of the Colorado’s oldest continuously published newspaper in jeopardy. To avoid the same loss as with the recently closed Rocky Mountain News, the executors of the Russell estate contacted David Spellman and brokered a deal to fulfill Russell’s wish that the newspaper would continue being published under the ownership of local families who truly care more about the history and community than just making a profit.
When a partnership was proposed with both newspapers bringing their assets and experience to the table to be combined as one strong publication with a rich and long history, there was only one clear option, and we agreed to do the deal.
To continue the 147 years of continuous publishing history, we’re going to be publishing the merged newspaper as the Weekly Register-Call, and after this week, will only list the Gilpin County News as a subtitle on the masthead for two months. We will continue striving for excellence in journalism and to be fair in our reporting of news and events. Our readers and advertisers can rest assured that we will be bringing the same level of professionalism, integrity, and credibility to the new Weekly Register-Call that we have brought to you as the Gilpin County News.
Spellman and Storms are Co-Owners/Publishers, and Storms will continue to be the Managing Editor in charge of all the news content, newspaper management, and production processes. We will use the best resources of both publications, including our talented news team from the Gilpin County News.
Our first merged issue under the Weekly Register-Call name will be published next Thursday, July 9th, 2009.
We love what we’re doing, and believe in this community and the future we and our families have here. We welcome your comments and feedback, and invite all of you to be part of what promises to be an adventure.