More than ink and paper, Celebrating National Newspaper Week
A hometown newspaper’s place in our lives
There is something special about a hometown newspaper.
It may arrive once a week, tucked under an arm, carried through a front door or picked up at a local business. Today, it may also appear on a phone, tablet or computer screen. But regardless of how it is read, a hometown newspaper represents something much bigger than ink on paper or pixels on a screen.
It represents community.
For Watervliet and the surrounding Tri-City communities, that tradition has been going strong for more than 140 years.
Why National Newspaper Week matters
Observed annually in October, National Newspaper Week provides an opportunity for newspapers across the country to highlight the people and work behind the pages while reminding readers why local journalism remains important.
National and international news is readily available from countless sources, but nobody covers your hometown quite like your hometown newspaper. A national news organization isn’t likely to attend a Watervliet City Commission meeting, report on a local school board decision in Hartford, photograph a community fundraiser in Coloma, announce a resident’s 90th birthday or tell the story of a local business celebrating 50 years.
Your hometown newspaper does.
A newspaper’s role is not merely to repeat what is circulating online. It is to gather information, ask questions, seek answers and provide readers with reliable reporting.
A newspaper with deep roots
The story of the Watervliet Record began in 1882 when the newspaper was established as the Weekly Record. In 1890, publisher and editor, A. N. Woodruff changed the name to the Watervliet Record.
In 1969, the Coloma Courier merged with the Watervliet Record, bringing together two local newspaper traditions.
Then, in 1984, Anne and Karl Bayer purchased the newspaper. Later that same year, on Oct. 10, the Watervliet Record became the Tri-City Record, expanding its coverage to include Watervliet, Coloma and Hartford.
The early days of newspaper production involved mechanical presses, metal type and painstaking typesetting. In 1918, a Linotype machine was installed, dramatically changing how stories were prepared for publication. Later came phototypesetting, computers and digital production.
More than news
A social media post may tell the public that a city council meeting happened. A local newspaper can tell residents what decisions were made, why they were made and how those decisions may affect the residents.
A Facebook post may announce that a student received an award. A newspaper can preserve the photograph, the student’s name, the accomplishment and the story for future generations.
And when a community experiences tragedy, a newspaper can provide something social media often cannot: thoughtful, responsible documentation of an event that becomes part of the community’s history.
Local government, school boards, city councils, townships and community organizations make decisions that directly affect residents. Someone needs to attend those meetings, read the documents, ask questions and report back to the public.
A new generation takes the helm
After 42 years of Bayer family ownership, the Tri-City Record entered an exciting new chapter on Aug. 1, 2026, when Joshua Coffin, publisher and editor, and publisher Tyler Coffin became the newspaper’s new owners.
Their challenge is to honor that history while also looking toward the future.
The hometown newspaper doesn’t have to choose between print and digital. It can be both. It can put a newspaper in someone’s hands while also reaching readers on their phones.
The people behind the pages
A newspaper doesn’t simply appear in a mailbox. There are people behind every edition.
One of the unique things about the Tri-City Record’s current team is that most of its members don’t just work in the community, they are part of the community’s history themselves. Of the current staff, seven are graduates of Watervliet High School, two from Hartford, and one from each Bangor, Eau Claire, and St. Joseph. Those local roots bring a personal connection to the newspaper and the people whose stories it tells.
Angela Widdis, correspondent and writer, covers a wide variety of local stories throughout the Tri-City area. From government and community events to human-interest stories and her Senior Side column, her goal is to find the stories that deserve to be told and make sure local voices are heard.
Lauren Lovell, reporter, brings another perspective to local news coverage.
Sheila Shultz, correspondent, covers Coloma schools and township news, keeping readers informed about the decisions and discussions affecting students, families, and residents.
Jerrod Birmele covers Hartford sports, Tyler Ledesma follows Watervliet sports, and Quinten Johnson covers Coloma sports. Their coverage gives readers a chance to follow local teams throughout the seasons and gives student-athletes a place in their hometown paper.
Heather Jarvis covers the Watervliet school board and writes the Press Box Player of the Week feature.
Dylan Raucci, office manager, handles an entirely different but equally important side of the newspaper. Managing subscriptions, customers, paperwork, questions and the countless daily details of a newspaper operation takes organization and dedication.
Dylan Tucker, advertising sales, plays an important role in helping local businesses connect with the community.
Laurie Kibler, copy editor, works behind the scenes to help turn stories into polished newspaper copy.
Then there is Nick Hook, whose work begins long before many people are even awake. Each week, he gets up very early to make sure the newspaper reaches the businesses that support the Record and the newspaper boxes throughout the Tri-City area.
Supporting the hometown newspaper
A newspaper cannot survive on nostalgia alone. It needs readers. It needs subscribers. It needs advertisers. It needs community members who recognize the value of local journalism and are willing to support it.
Subscribe. Buy a copy. Advertise your business. Share local stories. Send in photographs and announcements. Tell the newspaper about the accomplishments happening in your family, school, church, organization or business.
So, this National Newspaper Week, take a moment to appreciate your hometown newspaper. Because someday, when today’s social media posts have disappeared beneath thousands of newer ones, someone may open an old copy of the Tri-City Record. There they will find our families. Our businesses. Our schools. Our celebrations. Our accomplishments. Our losses. Our leaders. Our history. Our community.
And this is why the hometown newspaper still matters. It remembers what the internet so often forgets.
