Howell County News celebrates 25 years

Twenty-five years in business is no small accomplishment for any business. For a newspaper it's truly something to be celebrated. In this day and age of social media, and the worldwide web at your fingertips - having a reliable source of information grounded in the roots of accuracy, impartiality, and accountability are something that will truly pass the test of time.

 

Kim Rich began her journey in the publishing world on August 29, 2001 when her first issue of Howell County News hit the stands. Rich kept the newspaper going and thriving for over 18 years.

 

Ron and Amanda Mendez moved to the Ozarks in 2016 after a visit to the area where they were scouting small towns to raise their family. In 2019, the Mendez family purchased Howell County News from Rich and began their journey.

 

"In the beginning, I knew so little about the newspaper industry as to be absolutely confident in the future," began Amanda. "As I learned more, our work became the most fun I've ever had. Going to work was a joy, and this business has blessed our family in hundreds of ways."

 

The Mendez family has won numerous awards for their work in news media. Amanda herself won the prestigious 2023 Golden Quill, awarded by the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors (ISWNE). Mendez became the first Missouri woman in history to win a Golden Quill. In the organization’s seventy-year history, there have been 63 Golden Quill winners. Only three of these winners were Missourians. Only nine have been women.

 

"Our HCN has a very different flavor from Kim's HCN, and in a way that's sad because I loved reading Kim's paper. However, local businesses thrive when they have flavor and distinct branding. Our paper has flavor, unflinching hard news content, and a thriving editorial voice. It's created a circumstance where even people who don't like the paper are still reading it," explained Amanda on the paper's success.

 

"Ron and I are stewards of a legacy built on truth telling and love of community. Our hope and goal is to steward HCN through another 25 years, when I'm retirement age, and hand off the paper to another energetic local family who loves Willow Springs like we do."

 

The 25 year anniversary was celebrated with a small gathering coordinated by the Willow Springs Chamber of Commerce. Treasurer Robert Hollis stated as he presented a plaque to the Mendez family, "It's so difficult to run a newspaper and keep it going, and it's thriving which is even more amazing. We all benefit from it in a way that we can't comprehend on a regular basis. We have a source of news that's credible. We have a local news source that we can believe. It's something we should be very thankful for. So thank you."

 

Howell County News is located in the historic Smuck building on 110 West Main Street in downtown Willow Springs, Mo.

 

A keepsake 25th Anniversary magazine is inserted into every issue of Howell County News.