Snoqualmie Valley Record

The Snoqualmie Valley Record is a weekly newspaper in King County, Washington, United States. The paper was founded as the North Bend Post in 1913 and has published continuously since 1923 as the Snoqualmie Valley Record. The paper covers news in the Snoqualmie Valley, which includes North Bend, Snoqualmie, Preston, Fall City, Carnation, and Duvall.

Snoqualmie Valley Record
Front page of the Snoqualmie Valley Record on March 13, 2020.
TypeWeekly newspaper
FormatTabloid
Owner(s)Sound Publishing
Founder(s)B.N. Kennedy[1]
PublisherSound Publishing[2]
General managerWilliam Shaw[1]
Opinion editorAndy Hobbs[1]
Staff writersConor Wilson, Cameron Sheppard
FoundedOctober 16, 1913; 111 years ago (1913-10-16)
LanguageEnglish
Headquarters11630 Slater Ave NE #8, Kirkland, Washington 98034
CitySnoqualmie, Washington
CountryUnited States
Circulation667 Friday (as of 2023)[3]
OCLC number70281625
Websitevalleyrecord.com
Free online archivesvalleyrecord.com/e-editions

History

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The paper originated from the North Bend Post, which began operations on October 16, 1913, in the Tanner district east of North Bend.[4] The paper was published by B.N. Kennedy, who earlier had established the Bridgeport Post in April 1904.[5] In 1913, the paper masthead was changed to the Snoqualmie Post, edited by J.R. Walkup and distributed to the Upper Snoqualmie Valley.[4]

George Astel, a printer and publisher, created the Snoqualmie Valley Record in 1923, which was to serve as another paper for the Snoqualmie Valley as well as being a start for Astel's printing business.[6] In 1923, George Astel bought H. W. Rodman's Snoqualmie Post and merged it with the Snoqualmie Valley Record.[7] Once the two papers consolidated, the Snoqualmie Valley Record office was expanded to fit the machinery from the Post. The paper was distributed for free within the Snoqualmie Valley with a reported circulation of 1,500 in 1923.[7] When the two papers merged, Frances Harrison, Astel's wife, took over responsibilities as editor-in-chief and business manager, as Astel chose to focus his efforts on developing a statewide printing business, Craftsman Press.[8]

The Record was purchased by Robert Sawyer in 1928. Sawyer expanded coverage to surrounding areas all the way up to Duvall. The paper credits two staff journalists, but Sawyer would supplement their small staff by receiving news though letter correspondence. In 1944 Sawyer sold the paper to Dale Krebs, a Linotype operator with experience working at weekly publications in Nebraska, California, and Alaska.[9]

In 1949, Charlotte Paul Groshell and her husband Ed Groshell bought the newspaper for $30,000 from Dale Krebs.[9][10][11][12] While running the paper, Charlotte wrote several best-selling books, including the 1955 Minding Our Own Business published by Random House, in which she detailed her and her husband's life purchasing and operating the Snoqualmie Valley Record. The book was dedicated to "the Valley Record subscriber".[9][13][14] The book was a best-seller in 1955 and a sequel titled And Four to Grow was written shortly after.[15]

Bob Scott, Sandie Scott, and Gaillard Buchman purchased the paper from Charlotte and Ed Groshell in the mid-1960s and created Falls Printing Co., which owned and operated the paper. Bob Scott became the publisher of the paper.[16] After 36 years, in 1996, Falls Printing Co. sold the Valley Record to Karen and Jim McKiernan, the daughter and son in-law of Bob and Sandie Scott.[1]

The newspaper was again sold after just 4 years to King County Journal Newspapers, In December 2000, a company owned by the Horvitz family, which published several newspapers, including the King County Journal. In 2006, King County Journal Newspapers was sold to Sound Publishing, a local newspaper publisher focusing on papers in Western Washington.[17]

It was announced on March 25, 2020, that due to the COVID-19 pandemic Sound Publishing would reduce staffing and suspend the print version of the Valley Record indefinitely but continue to publish digitally.[18]

Publications

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  • Snoqualmie Valley Record: The main news publication of Valley Record published weekly on tabloid sized paper and distributed for $1.50 an issue.
  • Snoqualmie Valley Visitors Guide: A yearly publication and supplement to the Snoqualmie Valley Record that details dining, shopping, art, entertainment, events and maps within the Snoqualmie Valley.
  • Best of the Valley: A yearly award publication and supplement to the Snoqualmie Valley Record that awards local businesses, people and local entertainment.[19]
  • Keep It Local Snoqualmie Valley Employees of the Quarter: The Spring Quarter winners were Spencer Ross from Frankie’s Pizza, Bradley White from Saints & Scholars Irish Pub and Lt. Sean Ansell from Duvall Fire Department’s Mobile Integrated Health Unit.[20] For the quarter July to September 203 the winners were Sydney Pegg from Little University of Dreams, Christina Gilley from William Grassie Wine Estates, and Amanda McLeod from Cascade Enrichment.[21]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "About Us". Snoqualmie Valley Record. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  2. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". Snoqualmie Valley Record. Snoqualmie Valley Record. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  3. ^ "Sound Publishing Media Kit 2023" (PDF). soundpublishing.com. April 1, 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Library of Congress Catalogs: Newspapers in Microform, United States, 1948–1983, Volume 2 P-Z and Title Index". University of North Texas Library. United States Library of Congress. 1984. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  5. ^ Steele, Richard F.; Rose, Arthur P. (1904). "An Illustrated History of the Big Bend Country: Embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin Counties, State of Washington".
  6. ^ "Newly Released Microfilm". Washington State Secretary of State. Washington State Government. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  7. ^ a b "The Washington Newspaper". June 12, 1923 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ The Washington Newspaper. Seattle, Washington: School of Journalism, University of Washington. November 1923. pp. 283, 284, 353, 355, 386. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  9. ^ a b c Paul, Charlotte (January 1, 1955). Minding Our Own Business. New York: Random House.
  10. ^ "DEATHS". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  11. ^ "The Star Press from Muncie, Indiana on October 1, 1989 · Page 35". Newspapers.com. Star Press. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  12. ^ Reynolds, Peggy (February 13, 1991). "Flashy Valley Newcomer Challenges Historic Weekly". The Seattle Times.
  13. ^ Sosniecki, Gary (October 9, 2014). "Minding our own business today, too". TownNews. Archived from the original on July 18, 2022.
  14. ^ "Snoqualmie Post (1910s)". Savor Snoqualmie. Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust. Archived from the original on June 14, 2021.
  15. ^ "Charlotte Paul; Wrote '50s Best Sellers". Los Angeles Times. October 2, 1989.
  16. ^ "Papering the Eastside -- Myriad Publications Carve Out Niches in a Growing Market". the Seattle Times. the Seattle Times. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  17. ^ Lamm, Greg (January 9, 2013). "Seattle Weekly joins Sound Publishing suburban empire". Puget Sound Business Journal. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  18. ^ "As advertising dries up amid coronavirus shutdown, Washington news outlets lay off staff". The Seattle Times. March 26, 2020. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  19. ^ "Print Editions". Snoqualmie Valley Record. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  20. ^ "Three Snoqualmie Valley workers named employees of the Quarter". Snoqualmie Valley Record. July 6, 2023. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  21. ^ "Valley nonprofit names three winners of employee of the quarter contest". Snoqualmie Valley Record. October 3, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.