New newspaper to rise after the Cavalier County Republican closure
12/08/21 (Wed)
When word that Country Media, the Oregon-based owner of the Cavalier County Republican in Langdon, N.D., planned to abruptly close the newspaper, Bob Simmons thought to himself, this community needs its newspaper.
Simmons, president of Simmons Multimedia, is no stranger to news, operating several radio stations and advertising services in Northeast North Dakota and Canada. He quickly got to work, first attempting to purchase the Cavalier County Republican name and subscriber list, and when that didn’t work, planning an entirely new newspaper to serve Cavalier County and the people of Walhalla, N.D.
“I’ve had many recent conversations about the newspaper that’s been a part of the fabric of our community for the past 133 years,” said Simmons of the Cavalier County Republican. “We believe the loss of this weekly newspaper would be detrimental to our great communities.”
The new publication, called The Borderland Press, will be run by Bob and his wife, Diane, with help from local writers and designers, and is expected to print its first issue in the coming weeks. “We’ve had an outpouring of support as word has gotten out about our new adventure,” Simmons explained. “There are many people who want to help our publication, so the people of Cavalier County and the people of Walhalla, N.D., can once again enjoy newspaper coverage.”
The last issue of the Cavalier County Republican was issued on Dec. 6. Longtime publisher and advertising manager Lori Peterson wrote a heartfelt goodbye in its pages. “Working here has given me the strength to make tough decisions, and I feel I have become a better person for it,” she wrote. “The ever-changing world of newspapers has also taught me so much, and I have enjoyed learning all the new programs and ways of adapting to the news as the years have gone by. I will always hold the Cavalier County Republican dear to my heart.”
For further information, contact the
NDNA Executive Director,
866-685-8889 or director@ndna.com